What's your approach to performance reviews and development plans?
Why This Is Asked
Interviewers want to see that you treat performance reviews as a development tool, not just a compliance exercise. They're looking for a fair, consistent process that gives useful feedback and connects to concrete growth plans.
Key Points to Cover
- Ongoing feedback throughout the year, not just at review time
- Clear criteria and evidence-based assessment
- Development plans that are specific, actionable, and owned by the individual
- Two-way conversation—reviews should include the person's perspective and goals
- Follow-through: checking in on development plans and adjusting as needed
STAR Method Answer Template
Describe the context - what was happening, what team/company, what was at stake
What was your specific responsibility or challenge?
What specific steps did you take? Be detailed about YOUR actions
What was the outcome? Use metrics where possible. What did you learn?
đź’ˇ Tips
- Emphasize that development plans should be co-created, not imposed
- Show that you separate performance assessment from development planning—they're related but distinct
- Mention how you avoid surprises—people should know where they stand before the formal review
✍️ Example Response
STAR formatSituation: Our company had a formal annual review process, but it often felt like a surprise—people got feedback at review time that they'd never heard before. Development plans were generic ("improve communication") and rarely followed up on. I inherited a team where two people had been disappointed by their reviews and didn't trust the process.
Task: I needed to make performance reviews fair, useful, and connected to real development—and ensure no one was surprised.
Action: I separated performance assessment from development planning. For assessment, I collected evidence throughout the year—specific examples of impact, feedback from peers, project outcomes. I shared feedback in real time, not at review time. If someone had a gap, I addressed it in our next 1:1. By the formal review, they'd already heard everything. For development plans, I made them co-created. I asked: "What do you want to work on? What would make you feel like you're growing?" We turned that into 2–3 specific, actionable goals with milestones. I checked in quarterly: "How's the development plan going? What's blocking you?" I also made plans level-appropriate—a junior might focus on technical skills; a senior might focus on scope and influence. I documented everything so we had a clear record and could track progress.
Result: No one was surprised in their review. One person who'd previously been disappointed said it was the fairest process they'd experienced. Development plan follow-through improved—we actually used them. I learned that reviews work when they're the culmination of ongoing conversation, not a once-a-year event, and when development plans are owned by the individual, not imposed.
🏢 Companies Known to Ask This
| Company | Variation / Focus |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Hire & Develop the Best, Deliver Results — "How do you give feedback?" |
| Collaboration, psychological safety | |
| Meta | Building high-performance culture |
| Microsoft | Growth mindset, coaching |
| Netflix | High performance, candor |
| Salesforce | Ohana culture, coaching and development |
| Lyft | Mission-driven, mentorship |