Last year, I had the privilege of facilitating leadership training at the managers retreat for one of our clients—a dynamic group of leaders committed to growing their impact and investing in their teams. We explored Horizon Point’s People First Method, diving into what it means to create a motivating environment where people can grow, and how to lead with empathy, appreciation, and accountability.

This year, I had the opportunity to return and work with the same group for the same retreat. This time, we didn’t have to start from scratch—we built on the foundation we had laid and went deeper into effective performance management.

Building on Shared Values

We kicked things off by revisiting the key theme from last year, that leaders create the conditions for performance—not just by setting goals, but by empowering people, modeling values, and cultivating trust.

Performance management can’t just be about metrics and compliance. At Horizon Point, we believe you can’t talk about effective teams without talking about ethics. That’s why this year’s retreat included a focus on values-based leadership and ethical behavior—how what we say we believe matches what we actually do.

Inspired by Michael Schur’s book How to Be Perfect, we discussed the idea that ethical leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about effort. Schur writes:

“If we really work at finding the means of our virtues…we become flexible, inquisitive, adaptable, and better people.”

This mindset shaped how we approached each element of effective performance management. How do you give feedback that’s honest and respectful? How do you coach someone toward growth without imposing your own agenda? How do you document performance issues in a way that is fair and factual?

These are not just management questions—they’re ethical ones.

Four Pillars of Effective Performance Management

Throughout the session, we worked through four key pillars of effective performance management, using industry-specific examples and interactive activities:

1. Clarifying Expectations and Delivering Feedback
Using the SBI (Situation–Behavior–Impact) model, leaders practiced giving clear, actionable feedback rooted in real scenarios. For many, this exercise revealed how much clarity and tone matter—and how easily feedback can be misinterpreted when those are missing.

We like the Center for Creative Leadership’s resources for using SBI:

2. Coaching Conversations That Drive Development
We explored the GROW model and discussed the differences between coaching, mentoring, and correcting. Through small group role-plays, leaders sharpened their ability to listen, ask powerful questions, and support employee growth without jumping to solutions.

We like this resource from NYU: The GROW Framework

3. Creating a Culture That Reflects Values
Leaders identified what a positive culture “looks like, sounds like, and feels like,” aligning those cultural cues with their everyday behaviors. The result? A shared language for reinforcing a high-trust, high-performance environment.

We talk a lot about values at Horizon Point, including how values can shape your performance management system.

4. Documenting Behavior Effectively and Objectively
We wrapped the content with a practical look at documentation. Using mini case studies, managers practiced writing clear, objective notes that could support both development and accountability—crucial in regulated environments like that of this client’s industry.

Leading with Purpose—Together

Honestly, my favorite part of this trip was seeing these leaders again. Because we had already built trust and rapport in our first session together, we could push further this time—having real conversations about challenges, risks, and gray areas. And as we wove values and ethics into the technical skills of effective performance management, it was clear that this wasn’t a “one and done” training. When organizations commit to long-term leadership development, the impact is exponential. You create a shared foundation, build momentum, and keep growing together.

Whether it’s a one-time retreat or a multi-year journey like this one, our team at Horizon Point is ready to partner with you. We bring structure, strategy, and storytelling to the leadership space—making it practical, personal, and rooted in purpose.

Let’s build something together!