We’ve all been through work reviews where you sit down with your boss, go over your past performance, project new goals, and consider whether you deserve a raise or a new title.
Your boss takes the time to conduct performance reviews with you to help you stay motivated towards your goals, to encourage you to keep working hard, and to reward you for the great work you’ve already completed.
My wife Elle and I just led our annual review with three of our favorite team members — who happen to be ages ten, eleven, and thirteen.
The meeting lasted four hours as we invited each of our children out on the patio, one by one, for an official sit-down meeting. They are about to get back to work, to begin a new quarter at school, and we wanted to get them started on the right foot.
Like any great corporate meeting, we, the bosses, mostly listened.
With each child, we looked over report cards from last year and talked about the subjects they enjoyed, the areas they excelled at, and what they thought they could improve in.
Then we discussed how they would spend their time after “work” — the activities they like to do, such as soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and baseball.
Of course, there were non-negotiables on their contracts, including playing at least one instrument, such as piano or violin.
The conversation shifted to interpersonal relationships, and we considered how they’ve matured and the friends they are closest to. We encouraged them to spend real quality time with their friends and to continue building those relationships.
Finally, we told them how proud we were of their work over the last year and pinpointed some areas that may need a little work in the coming months.
It ended as any review should — with a hug and an “I love you the way you are — keep up the great work. Now send in your brother.”
It was just one evening, just four hours of our time, but I know from the look in my kids’ eyes that it is going to have a huge impact on the year ahead of them.
We always make time to have a touch base with our employees before they start on a new project or begin a new quarter, but it’s just as, if not more, important to give the same time, focus, and prioritization to our children before they start the next grade.
Will you schedule a performance review with your kids during their first week of school? Hit reply or comment below to share your plans for your kids’ first week of school!
*Image courtesy Violet Jiang
As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.
