Skip to main content
    Back to Webinars
    WebinarSystemic Collaboration 2013 60 min

    Transform Performance Management with Neuroscience

    Performance Management continues to be universally of the most challenging activities, with many companies losing a whole quarter of productivity at review time. The emphasis continues to be on technology and measurement solutions, instead of tackling the challenge where it is hardest: changing the mindset and the quality of conversations. Join David Rock, Director of the NeuroLeadership Institute, for a webinar to help you understand why we get performance management wrong, and then explore a 12 step process for transforming performance management, based on the latest neuroscience research.

    Presenter

    DR

    David Rock

    -12 steps for transforming performance management -How neuroscience can change the quality of conversations about performance -What is NeuroLeadership? A global initiative bringing neuroscientists and leadership experts together to build a new science for leadership development

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Traditional performance management activities can cause organizations to lose a full quarter of productivity.
    • 2.Improving performance management requires changing mindsets and conversations, not just implementing new technology.
    • 3.Insights from neuroscience can explain why people react to feedback and evaluation the way they do.
    • 4.A "brain-friendly" approach shifts the focus from punitive assessments to developmental conversations.
    • 5.Strategies that foster a growth mindset among employees and managers are critical for success.
    • 6.The webinar offers a 12-step framework to overhaul an organization's performance management system.
    • 7.Effective performance dialogues can foster a culture of continuous improvement and psychological safety.

    The Challenge of Traditional Performance Management

    For most organizations, performance management remains a difficult and resource-intensive activity. Many companies report losing up to a full quarter of productivity during annual review periods. The common approach of implementing new technology or measurement solutions often fails to address the core of the issue: the mindsets of the people involved and the quality of their conversations.

    A Neuroscience-Based Solution

    Presented by David Rock, Director of the NeuroLeadership Institute, this webinar explores a new path forward based on insights from neuroscience. Instead of focusing on tools, this approach emphasizes understanding human behavior and the brain's response to feedback and evaluation. The goal is to create more engaging, less stressful, and ultimately more effective performance processes that drive genuine employee growth.

    Key Principles for Transformation

    Leaders can redesign their performance management systems to be more "brain-friendly." This involves several key shifts:

    • From Assessment to Development: Move away from punitive assessments and toward developmental conversations that support employee growth.
    • Fostering a Growth Mindset: Implement strategies that encourage employees and managers to believe in their capacity to develop abilities.
    • Improving Conversation Quality: Train managers in neuroscience-informed techniques for feedback that make employees feel secure, motivated, and open to improvement.

    This webinar introduces a comprehensive 12-step framework to guide leaders in implementing these changes. Applying these principles can help create a work environment that fosters psychological safety and a culture of continuous improvement, leading to higher engagement and better organizational performance.

    This session addresses the persistent challenges of performance management within organizations, highlighting how traditional approaches often fall short. It explores the critical role of understanding the brain and human behavior in creating more effective, engaging, and productive performance review processes that truly drive growth.

    What you'll learn

    • Why conventional performance management methodologies frequently fail to achieve desired outcomes.
    • Insights from neuroscience that explain human responses to feedback and evaluation.
    • A comprehensive 12-step framework for overhauling performance management systems.
    • Strategies for fostering a growth mindset among employees and managers.
    • Techniques for improving the quality and impact of performance-related conversations.

    Who this webinar is for

    • HR professionals and talent management leaders seeking to innovate their processes.
    • Organizational development specialists focused on improving workplace effectiveness.
    • Senior leaders and executives interested in boosting team performance and productivity.
    • Managers and team leads looking to enhance their feedback and coaching skills.
    • Anyone involved in designing or implementing performance review systems.

    Why it matters now

    Performance management remains a top challenge for organizations, often consuming significant time and resources without delivering commensurate returns. In a rapidly evolving work environment, understanding the underlying psychological and neurological factors influencing engagement and motivation is more crucial than ever. Applying neuroscience-backed principles can lead to more authentic, less stressful, and ultimately more effective performance dialogues, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and psychological safety.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can leverage the insights from David Rock's framework to redesign their performance management systems to be more brain-friendly. This involves shifting focus from punitive assessments to developmental conversations, leveraging principles of reward and threat to shape interactions, and training managers in neuroscience-informed feedback techniques. Implementing the 12-step process can help leaders create environments where employees feel more secure, motivated, and open to growth, leading to higher engagement and better performance across the organization.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Growth. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from David Rock's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for systemic collaboration inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Growth.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Topics

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.