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- 🔆Flossing for Feedback: How to Stop Making Annual Reviews a Pain
🔆Flossing for Feedback: How to Stop Making Annual Reviews a Pain
Stephanie Wolf on tapping into strategic value, Brad Pitt romance and brain activity simulations.
Stephanie Wolf
January 16, 2025
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🗞️ Issue 53 // ⏱️ Read Time: 7 min
Hello 👋
Annual reviews: The workplace equivalent of a dentist appointment. You sit there, waiting for the verdict—‘Good effort, but floss more.’ It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and often leaves you wondering what you could have done differently. Just like dental checkups, feedback is most effective when it’s regular, focused, and based on clear, actionable habits.
In this week's newsletter 🗞️
What we’re talking about: We’re exploring how AI tools and thoughtful preparation can make feedback more constructive, actionable, and fair. Instead of dreading reviews, managers and employees can use data and structured approaches to create a culture of continuous improvement.
How it’s relevant: Feedback drives development and alignment, but poorly delivered reviews can demotivate employees and create frustration. Tools like ChatGPT can help managers and peers refine their feedback, while proactive preparation ensures employees present their achievements effectively.
Why it matters: Feedback shapes careers, team dynamics, and organizational success. By leveraging AI and better preparation, you can ensure reviews focus on outcomes, celebrate achievements, and provide actionable guidance for growth.
Big tech news of the week…
🌍 Chinese researchers have developed the "Digital Brain" - a platform that simulates human brain activity using 14,012 GPUs to model 86 billion neurons. Early tests show it can accurately mirror brain activity patterns, marking a significant step toward large-scale brain simulation and potential breakthroughs in neuroscience and AI.
⚖️ A California court unsealed documents indicating that Meta was planning to use copyrighted data from Library Genesis (LibGen), a book piracy site, to train its open source AI models.
💌 French woman scammed by deepfake Brad Pitt: This madame was conned out of €830,000 as scammers made her believe that she was in a romance with the famous actor.
Transform Reviews from Ritual to Strategic Asset
What if I told you there's a way to make annual reviews not only bearable, but even genuinely valuable? With the right tools, we can turn these conversations into what they are actually made for: driving growth, fostering trust, and building stronger teams.
Talk First, Write Later
Most people can talk faster than they can type. Try this: “Paul is great at brainstorming, but struggles with deadlines and budgets.” How long does it take you to say these words? Now compare how much time you would need to type them. Speaking allows you to express your thoughts naturally and for most people in a faster and more expressive way than writing—so why not lean into that and let AI help you refine your words?
Book a “meeting” with yourself to talk through your reflections about the employee or colleague. Let your AI intern take the notes [if you want to know how, check out this step-by-step guide].]
Record, transcribe, and let AI take care of the structure.
Use these AI Transcription Tools:
Automatically transcribes your recorded thoughts into editable text, using artificial intelligence and machine learning. | Records audio, creates transcripts, and lets you clean up filler words for clarity. | Examples of two different large language model (LLM) based chatbots that turns messy notes into professional, structured feedback that balances praise and suggestions. |
The Five Major Biases in Performance Reviews
Our judgments carry hidden biases that can significantly impact how we evaluate performance. Unchecked biases don't just impact individual careers – they can lead to talent retention issues, reduced team performance, and ultimately affect your organization's ability to innovate and compete. Understanding these common pitfalls is the first step to fairer, more effective reviews.