The Performance Review Revolution: The Art of Growth-Focused Feedback

The Healthy Church Staff Podcast

The Healthy Church Staff Podcast
The Performance Review Revolution: The Art of Growth-Focused Feedback
May 06, 2026 Episode 608

In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades addresses the common pitfalls of church staff performance reviews. He highlights the tendency to either avoid necessary hard conversations or to be overly critical, which can damage morale and effectiveness. Todd proposes a more balanced, development-focused approach to performance reviews that fosters staff growth in competence and character by starting with encouragement, addressing specific behaviors, connecting performance to mission impact, and implementing a development plan. • Challenges with church staff performance reviews: avoiding tough conversations or being overly harsh. • Importance of providing honest feedback that promotes growth in competence and character. • Common pitfalls include encouragement without feedback or a focus on faults without support. • Recommended approach: start with their calling, address specific behaviors, not character flaws. • Link performance to mission impact and involve staff in identifying obstacles. • Emphasize development plans over corrective actions to encourage growth. • Overall objective: help staff become who God designed them to be in their roles.

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