The Hidden Trust Killer in Annual Reviews

“People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou

Annual review season is here. Across colleges of pharmacy, leaders and faculty are preparing to give and receive evaluations. It’s a time to review accomplishments, schedule conversations, and experience the summation of twelve months of past work.

Most leaders focus on the content of the review. Few focus on the experience of the review. Yet, when faculty leave the conversation, they rarely remember every rating, comment, or metric. They remember something else: Did I feel seen? valued? respected?

Performance evaluations are trust conversations. Trust influences engagement, discretionary effort, collaboration, and willingness to embrace growth. When faculty trust their leaders, feedback become developmental rather than threatening. When trust is absent, even well-intended feedback can feel corrective or punitive. Don’t we all perform better when we feel seen, respected, supported, and safe to discuss successes and challenges?

Here are three ways pharmacy leaders can strengthen trust and engagement through the annual review process:

1. Eliminate Surprises Before the Review

Key Idea: Trust erodes when annual reviews become the first time someone hears important feedback. One of the quickest ways to undermine trust is to reserve feedback for a once-a-year conversation. Faculty should never be surprised by major concerns, performance gaps, or developmental needs during a review. When surprises appear, people naturally question whether their leader has been paying attention, communicating openly, or investing in their success.

Try This:

• Provide feedback throughout the year, not just during evaluation season. Positive feedback should occur more often then negative feedback.

• Address concerns when they emerge rather than storing them for later.

• Use regular check-ins to recalibrate the working relationship. Discuss progress, barriers, and opportunities. Remember, it’s the leader’s responsibility to perform these functions with clarity.

Example:
A faculty member receives an annual review identifying concerns about committee engagement. Instead of learning this for the first time in May, the department chair discussed the issue during the multiple one-on-one meetings throughout the year. She clarified expectations and offered support. The annual review becomes a reflection on progress rather than an unexpected criticism. Trust grows when feedback is timely.

2. Make the Person Feel Seen, Not Just Measured

Key Idea: People want to know their work matters. Many reviews unintentionally become a laundry list of metrics, workload widgets, and performance ratings. While those elements are important, they rarely create engagement. Instead, demonstrate you see the person behind the performance. Specific recognition communicates attention and attention communicates value.

Try This:

• Instead of “you met expectations in teaching, say: “your redesign of the ambulatory care cases increased student engagement and was specifically highlighted in course evaluations. That effort strengthened the learning experience and contributed to student confidence entering APPEs.” The difference is significant. One evaluates and the other acknowledges impact.

• Identify one or two contributions that had meaningful influence.

• Be specific enough for people to know that you genuinely noticed.

Example:
A faculty member spent months mentoring a struggling student organization. The outcome my not appear prominently on a dashboard, but acknowledging the influence that mentorship had on student growth communicates that leadership values those types of contributions.

3. Leave Them With a Future, Not Just a Rating

Key Idea: The review should create momentum. Many reviews end once ratings are discussed. Faculty should leave understanding what they do well, where they can grow, why they matter, and what comes next. A review focused mostly on the past can feel transactional. A review that helps someone envision future success becomes developmental.

Try This:

• Discuss one area of strength to leverage further.

• Identify one developmental opportunity.

• Agree on next steps and support mechanisms.

Example:
A faculty member demonstrates exceptional teaching effectiveness but expresses interest in expanding leadership responsibilities. Rather than ending with a teaching score, the chair discusses committee leadership opportunities, mentoring experiences, and projects that build administrative skills for the future. People are engaged when they see a pathway forward.

Final Thoughts:

Faculty rarely remember the exact wording of an annual review. They remember whether the conversation strengthened or weakened trust. They remember if they felt seen. Every review either strengthens trust, reinforces engagement, and creates momentum or it weakens all three. The experience is a leadership choice.

Next Steps for Building a Stronger Feedback Culture

Looking for a thought partner to strengthen leadership effectiveness and organizational culture? EduLead-Rx offers individualized leadership coaching and consulting to pharmacy faculty and leaders to navigate complexity, disruption, and real-world constraints to achieve what matters most. Work with us to build trust, improve communication, and create environments where people and performance thrive.

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