This year, we started a new ritual—quarterly performance reviews. Last week we concluded the third such review. Initially I started shadowing them but this quarter, I contributed more actively. People were kind enough to hear me out considering I am still learning.
In all past performance reviews I have experienced with my previous employers, I received actionable feedback but in hindsight they were trying to fit me into some expectations. Whereas performance reviews at Frappe were about discovering the genius within. During the first few business team reviews we did last week, I was being short-term in my outlook and focussed on the achievements and reflections of last quarter. I jumped to conclusions and told others what needed to be done, which felt good for my ego but probably wasn’t the best way to guide them. Thanks to the structure Rushabh, Sydel, and I discussed mid-way into the reviews, the rest of the reviews were about understanding people’s long-term goals, why they are important and what could we do to help.
After sitting through these reviews I couldn’t help but reflect on all the unique journeys of people in Frappe. Every person has different goals, different paths, and different challenges. Despite these differences, there is one thing in common—everyone is invested in building a bright future for themselves (as well as the company). Some want to make money, some want to lead, some want to uplift their community, and some simply want to excel in their work. However, having a goal is necessary but not sufficient for success, which is why success is rare.
While I listened to each and every conversation, I observed why some were on track to succeed while some struggled.
Common challenges
Unclear goals
Most people have goals but tend to forget about them, leading to satisfaction and complacency. They don’t remind themselves about the why, when, and how. Especially the why, because that’s what drives 80% of the motivation to figure out the rest. We suggested the teams to add a daily reminders, hang out with like-minded people, build a vision board, follow role models, seek out diversity in mentors, etc.
Lack of agency
Wikipedia defines agency as the capacity of individuals to have the power and resources to fulfill their potential. Agency is much more than taking ownership and persisting. Some people felt they can't control or influence things. They easily get affected by external factors by saying, “nothing happens”, “no one listens”, “I was told to do X (even though I want to do Y)”, “This was someone else’s job”, etc. Such people take the first step but leave it mid-way 🫠! These are signs of lack of agency. Some of these people either feel helpless/frustrated and some feel happily indifferent.
In reality, we can influence most things. It can start small like sharing a problem we noticed on telegram/gameplan, speaking to a colleague to solve the problem by sharing context (customer story, data). If this doesn’t work, find other ways to solve it like hiring freelancers or 3rd party agencies. Lastly, if nothing works, RANT. It shows that you care. Teams like support and sales don’t realize that they have unique insights from their day to day conversation with customers. I sincerely wish they could see this as a super power to drive positive change in the company. This lack of agency is deeply ingrained in us. Overcoming it will require unlearning how things are done in other companies.
Lack of Intent
Some folks have goals, have agency, and have talent but are leaned out. There are phases in our career or company when people are not forthcoming because they don’t see eye to eye with some things (maybe culture, leadership, processes). I think this is natural. Rushabh calls them “drifters”. I can’t stop but compare them to Bindya Naik, the experienced player in the Chak de (an Indian movie) hockey team. Reflecting on my past, this phase happens due to many reasons, inability to accept change, mentors leaving the organization, or when we sense differences in core beliefs and reality. This lack of alignment also starts to reflect in performance. But that's ok. I don’t think there is any immediate solution to this. One thing I could have done differently in such times is to have honest conversations with mentors, be curious about why things are the way they are, find shared ground/goals to collaborate and build a long term perspective for my career.
Undefined path
Some people have goals but are still figuring out their path (in Frappe) to achieve them. They are on their way to find their Ikigai. The pick-your-own-work policy allows enough freedom and liberty for them to try multiple paths till they find the one. But when the process takes time, it creates uncertainty and guilt (of not adding value). People may question their performance and feel insecure during this process. In such cases, Rushabh, Sydel, and I tried to extend confidence by acknowledging their inputs and intent. I think it is up to them to figure out their path ahead with patience and experimentation.
Groupthink coming in the way of the excellence
The pursuit of building social capital with teams is a boon and a bane. If this tendency leads to frequent inability to challenge the status quo then it’s a problem. Standing by the group (no matter what) can feel temporarily rewarding because it gives a sense of solidarity and teamwork. But this lowers the bar for excellence for everyone. Not welcoming feedback and patronising those who give feedback can translate to poor performance. Challenging each other is the best way to build excellence and we should welcome it.
Lack of self belief
Lastly the most common phenomenon in Frappe (and probably everywhere in the world) is people’s lack of belief. Everyone in Frappe is honest. They don’t try to put up something that is not true. Naturally it reflects in their performance reviews when they honestly share about lack of confidence or self-belief. Lack of self-belief reflects when people low ball their goals, get easily affected by what other people think, and often experience anxiety and insecurity. Such people create self-imposed barriers by constantly holding back on their awesomeness. This phase is common and I have faced it too. I think it helps to know that many successful people face this in their career. For instance Steve Martin, the American actor and comedian shared in his documentary that until 30s he thought he was not good enough and faced anxiety attacks. Eventually he overcame it by becoming better at his craft and is one of the most successful comedians of his time. Remembering such stories, accepting our shortcomings and becoming better at our craft is probably the only way to build self-belief.
Inability to take feedback or fixed mindset
Performance reviews aren’t always hunky-dory. It often involves giving and receiving tough feedback. Receiving tough feedback can make us feel disoriented, angry, and upset. But real growth happens outside our comfort zone. When something hurts, it is worth reflecting on why. Half the progress is in simply acknowledging the feedback, the rest half is in taking action. If one can stick through the vulnerability and reflect deeply on the feedback, it can lead to growth.
Role of leadership boils down to asking better questions
If I think about some of the best performance discussions in my career, they were when my mentors helped me get an insight about myself. It was when I left the room feeling empowered to continue on the current path or compelled to reflect and change the path. It was when they helped me see my blind spots, sometimes with brutal honesty. And if I really think why they were able do this, it was because they asked great questions. They challenged me honestly but at the same time cared enough. Two of the most important questions of all being "What is coming in your way to achieve your goals", and "how can I help?". These questions made me feel trusted and responsible for the outcomes, and encouraged me to take charge.
The role of leadership in Frappe’s self-driven culture is tricky. To be honest, no one likes to be told how to do their jobs, and usually that's least of the problems because most people meet expectations. The real unlock is if people can discover their hidden potential and become their best versions. I can only imagine the collective impact we can create when that happens. So the role of leadership boils down to being curious and asking questions. Use powerful, judgement-free and objective questions to help the team realise their own strengths, blindspots and genius. Questions serve as a mirror, allowing people to recognize their own areas of improvement rather than having someone else point them out.
The next time you face a tough conversation or performance review, don’t focus on what to say or how to say it. Instead, ask yourself: What question to ask?
