Holding annual performance reviews during Covid-19 is a new exercise. Checking a rate card, discussing a raise or having to deliver bad news is hard anytime, but even more through video or visio-chat or Zoom. I share here some of the aspects of holding a deep and emotionally charged conversation when you only see a fraction of the person and aren't necessarily able to get a feeling of the other.

1. @ d a m i e n g a u t h i e r
through
Zoom??
review
Performance

2. UX director
www.linkedin.com/damienpierregauthier
TEDx speaker coach
“ I m a k e p e o p l e
u n d e r s t a n d e a c h
o t h e r w h e n t h e y
s p e a k d i f f e r e n t
l a n g u a g e s ”
D G

3. Delayed
performance
reviews
H o w t o s h a r e e v a l u a t i o n
o v e r Z o o m ?
E s p e c i a l l y b a d o n e s .
Covid-19

4. Be prepared
A K n o w e x a c t l y w h a t y o u w a n t
t o s a y a n d i n w h i c h o r d e r .
I t i s m u c h m o r e d i f f i c u l t t o
i m p r o v i s e o r r e a c t l i v e o n
w e b c a m .

5. Turn on the
camera
B

6. DO NOT FRAME TOO
CLOSELY
I t c a n b e i n t i m i d a t i n g a n d
w i l l b e r e a d a s a n t a g o n i z i n g
o r a n g r y .
Photo by Gez Xavier Mansfield

7. DON'T OVERDRESS
NOR UNDERDRESS
K e e p i t c a s u a l , i t i s
q u a r a n t i n e , w e a r e a l l h o m e .
B U T
M a k e i t s o l e m n t o s h o w i t i s
a n i m p o r t a n t r i t u a l
( i m p o r t a n t i f y o u h a v e b a d
n e w s o r w i l l d o a r e d i r e c t ) .
Photo by Gez Xavier Mansfield

8. PAY ATTENTION TO
THE GAZE
L o o k i n g s t r a i g h t
i s e i t h e r c o m f o r t
o r c o n f r o n t a t i o n .
L o o k i n g d o w n
i n d i c a t e s a n
e m o t i o n a l r e s p o n s e .
L o o k i n g t o t h e s i d e
i n d i c a t e s d i s t r a c t i o n
o r t h i n k i n g .

9. Explain the
situation
C

10. EXPLAIN THE
SITUATION
R e g a r d i n g C o v i d - 1 9
R e g a r d i n g p o t e n t i a l f r e e z e o f r a i s e s o r b e n e f i t s
A s k f o r a n y q u e s t i o n s o r c o n c e r n s b e f o r e s t a r t i n g
I f n e e d e d w r i t e t h e m d o w n i n a s h a r e d f i l e o r i n t h e
c h a t t o m a k e s u r e y o u w o n ' t f o r g e t .

11. Make it clear
d

12. Slow down your pace
to make for delays
and/or distractions on
the other’s side.
TALK
SLOWER
Ask for confirmation or
rephrasing to make
sure your main points
come accross.
MAKE SURE
YOU ARE
HEARD
Take 2 to 3 seconds
after an important
message to let it sink.
MAKE
PAUSES
Communication is harder through video, you need to slow down.
TAKE MORE TIME

13. SHARE
SCREEN
S h a r e y o u r s c r e e n o r a
d o c u m e n t i f p o s s i b l e .
T a k e n o t e s o p e n l y a n d s e n d
t h e m a f t e r w a r d s .
U s e y o u r m o u s e t o p o i n t a n d
t a l k .
U s e a s h a r e d e x c e l f i l e t o d o
c a l c u l a t i o n s o p e n l y .
TRUST IS HARDER TO GAIN ON
VIDEO, YOU NEED TO BE MORE
TRANSPARENT

14. DO NOT record
the session
! I t w i l l d e s t r o y y o u r t r u s t .