The Recency Bias in Self-Reviews and How to Fix It

In this episode of The Performance Review Show, Lucas and Luna explore a subtle but damaging bias that creeps into annual self-assessments: the tendency to over-weigh recent months and under-weigh the rest of the year. Lucas breaks down a 2023 study from the Journal of Applied Psychology showing that self-ratings are 30% more correlated with performance in the final quarter than with the full year. He shares a concrete calendar-blocking method used by engineers at Microsoft to counteract this, saving evidence from each quarter as it happens. Luna pushes back on whether this is just 'good record-keeping,' and Lucas explains why most people's memory naturally flattens the distant past. They discuss how managers also fall for recency, why writing a monthly 'evidence line' eliminates the anxiety of December scrambling, and how this habit changes the tone of the entire review conversation from defensive to data-driven. The episode ends with a practical challenge for listeners starting in June. #PerformanceReview #SelfReview #RecencyBias #CognitiveBias #AnnualReview #CareerGrowth #Careers #Workplace #Feedback #EvidenceFile #JournalOfAppliedPsychology #Microsoft #EmployeeEvaluation #GoalSetting #ManagerTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo