You have so much to do… And there never seems to be enough time, right?

For many leaders, the annual performance review process looms as a stress-inducing task – one more thing to tick off amidst competing priorities.

The intention is sound: align goals, review progress, support development. And yet, in practice, it can feel like a missed opportunity.

Whether you’ve just completed your annual reviews, they’re coming up soon, or they happen at another time of year, it’s always the right time to ask:

What if your performance conversation wasn’t just an administrative checkpoint, but a leadership moment?

What if your people left feeling invested in and inspired, rather than drained by another transactional meeting?

What if, instead of ‘doing the form’, you focused on having a conversation that fuels connection, growth and purpose?

This is where a Leader Who Asks mindset comes in. When you shift from telling to asking, you stop directing and start discovering. You learn what matters to your team members, what motivates them, where they see growth, and what support they truly need. You invite them to step into ownership of their development, rather than passively receiving your feedback.

Here’s the truth: people are far more likely to follow through on actions they’ve helped shape. The neuroscience backs it up – insight created through conversation activates the emotional brain and builds commitment.

So whether you’re about to sit down for an annual review, or just holding a regular check-in, consider:

• Are you filling in the form, or showing up as a leader?
• Are you delivering feedback, or inviting insight?
• Are you reviewing performance, or co-creating possibility?

Your performance conversations are not just tasks on your to-do list. They’re chances to build trust, clarify direction, and affirm that growth matters, not just to the organisation, but to you as their leader.

Let’s move from obligation to opportunity. Ask more. Tell less. Lead fearlessly.

Go Fearlessly – Corrinne