How New Managers Can Navigate Their First Performance Review Cycle

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How New Managers Can Navigate Their First Performance Review Cycle

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In Episode 49 of New Manager Conversations, Lucas and Luna tackle one of the most stressful moments in a new manager's first year: the performance review cycle. They walk through the story of a first-time manager at a mid-sized SaaS company who had to evaluate a former peer while also advocating for a strong performer on her team. Lucas breaks down the three key moves she made—pre-writing calibration cards, running a pre-meeting with HR, and using a 'growth narrative' frame—and explains why new managers who treat reviews as the end of a conversation, not the start, get better results. Luna pushes back on the common advice to 'just be honest' and offers a more nuanced approach: separating evaluation from development in the same meeting. The episode is anchored in the June 2026 cycle timing, when many companies are finalizing mid-year reviews. If you're a new manager facing your first round of performance conversations, this episode gives you a concrete playbook for keeping it fair, strategic, and less awkward. #NewManager #PerformanceReview #First90Days #Management #Career #Leadership #HR #Feedback #Calibration #ManagerTips #PeerToBoss #MidYearReview #GrowthMindset #SaaS #CareerDevelopment #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #NewManagerConversations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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