The Matthew Effect in Performance Reviews

Episode 12 of The Manager's Hour digs into 'the Matthew Effect' — the well-documented pattern where high performers get more attention, more resources, and more stretch assignments, while everyone else stagnates. Lucas and Luna walk through the 2024 study from Stanford and Harvard that tracked 1,200 engineers over 18 months and found that the top 20% received 60 percent of all high-visibility projects, widening the gap further. They discuss why managers unintentionally bake this into performance reviews, citing the 'halo bias' from a classic 2018 Google People Analytics report. The episode offers three specific, actionable corrections: blind allocation of stretch assignments, forced distribution of coaching hours, and quarterly calibration sessions. A concrete, research-backed episode for any manager who wants to build a team where everyone grows, not just the stars. #MatthewEffect #PerformanceReviews #HaloBias #StanfordResearch #HarvardBusinessSchool #PeopleAnalytics #Management #TeamBuilding #Leadership #EmployeeGrowth #StretchAssignments #Coaching #BiasInManagement #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ManagerDevelopment #HighPerformers #InclusiveLeadership Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo