Episode 237 - The Hidden Bias in Performance Reviews
Summary
Some employees are especially good at adapting their behaviour and creating positive impressions, but does that mean they actually perform better? A new meta-analysis suggests self-monitoring predicts supervisor performance ratings more than objective performance outcomes. This episode explores how leaders can distinguish genuine contribution from the appearance of performance.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 237 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at a subtle bias that can influence performance reviews: confusing someone's ability to manage impressions with their actual performance.
Some people are naturally very good at reading a room. They notice what other people expect, adapt how they present themselves and adjust their behaviour to fit different situations. Psychologists call this self-monitoring.
High self-monitors are socially skilled. They recognise when to speak up, when to hold back and how to present their contribution in a way that resonates with different people. Those can all be useful capabilities at work.
For years, research has suggested that self-monitoring is also associated with job performance. But a new meta-analysis asks an interesting question: are high self-monitors actually performing better, or are they simply better at being seen as high performers?
The researchers analysed 35 samples and found a modest overall relationship between self-monitoring and job performance. But when they examined how performance was measured, they found that the relationship appeared when supervisors rated performance, but not when performance was assessed using more objective outcome measures. This indicates that at least part of the apparent performance advantage comes from influencing the person doing the rating rather than actual performance.
Most workplaces don't measure performance perfectly. Leaders form impressions based on conversations, meetings, presentations, emails and the things they happen to observe. Employees who are skilled at recognising what the manager values may naturally become more visible in those settings. Meanwhile, another employee may quietly produce excellent work without drawing much attention to it.
The danger is that we start treating visibility as performance. Someone who speaks confidently in meetings can appear more capable than someone whose contribution is less visible. Someone who regularly updates the boss can appear more productive than someone who simply gets the work done.
There are three practical ways leaders can reduce this bias.
First, define performance before evaluating the person. Be clear about the results, behaviours and standards that matter for the role. It's much easier for impressions to take over when performance expectations are vague.
Second, use multiple sources of evidence. Look at outcomes, feedback from others, customer impact and observable contribution rather than relying solely on your overall impression. Ask yourself, “What evidence would I use to explain this rating to someone who has never met this employee?”
Third, look for invisible contribution. Who solves problems quietly? Who helps colleagues without drawing attention to it? Who consistently produces reliable work but rarely talks about it? Strong performance isn't always highly visible.
This doesn't mean socially skilled employees are intentionally manipulating leaders to receive a more favourable performance evaluation. However, we need to be careful not to allow presentation skills to substitute for evidence when evaluating performance.
Performance and the appearance of performance are not the same thing. Great leaders don't ignore impressions, but they make sure those impressions are tested against evidence.
Reference
Moser, K., Ebner, K., Iliescu, D., & Sîrbu, A.-A. (2026). Self-monitoring and job performance: Substance or style? A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.
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