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Team's Performance

Best Practices

The Most Underrated Meeting to Drive Team Performance

When’s the last time you stepped back from the day-to-day to reflect on team performance—not just your own priorities, but your team’s as well?

If you’re leading a growing business, it’s easy to get caught in constant execution mode. But one of the most effective ways to lead with intention is also one of the simplest:

A quarterly review.

I know what you might be thinking: “Another meeting?”

But when done right, quarterly reviews aren’t about status updates or checking boxes. They’re about alignment, strategy, and momentum.

Here are four reasons I believe every high-performing team needs quarterly reviews and how to run them effectively.

1. Build Stronger Relationships

These reviews give you space to slow down, reflect, and have meaningful conversations. When people feel seen and heard, not just managed, they’re more engaged, more accountable, and more collaborative. That kind of connection is hard to build during a quick Slack update or a back-to-back Zoom.

2. Create Clarity on What Matters Most

Each quarter, we use a simple agenda:

  • Reflect on what’s happened
  • Check in on progress
  • Talk through what’s next
  • Brainstorm opportunities or ideas

It’s not about reviewing every detail. It’s about getting aligned on what matters most in the quarter ahead. I’ve found that these conversations cut through the noise and bring the focus back to strategic priorities.

3. Make Space for Strategy

When done right, these meetings become a space to identify challenges and brainstorm solutions or ideas. You’ll be amazed at the creative thinking that emerges when you give your team intentional time to think about the business, not just operate in it.

In a recent review, we uncovered new ways to use LinkedIn for referrals, reworked our client onboarding process, and started shaping a new offering because we made time to step back and think.

4. Celebrate Progress

Most high achievers move on quickly from wins. But pausing to acknowledge what’s working builds confidence and fuels momentum. Whether it’s launching a new initiative or staying consistent through a tough season, celebrating progress reminds your team that their work is making a difference.

What to Expect When the Calendar Gets Full

These meetings are easy to cancel.

Recently, my assistant suggested we move our quarterly review. It was scheduled during a month with travel, new client work, and a full calendar. She was trying to protect my time. And I appreciated that. But I said no.

Because I’ve learned something important.

These meetings take time to prepare and lead, but they save time on the backend.

They prevent wasted effort, misalignment, and scattered priorities.

So if you haven’t done one yet this year, now’s the time.


Want Help Getting Started?

I created a Mid-Year Goal Check-In to guide you through this process. It’s a simple tool with reflection questions you can use for yourself or with your team: kristinburke.com/mid-year-goal-check-in

Whether you’re leading a team of two or twenty, taking time to reflect and realign is one of the most valuable things you can do to drive team performance.

Because strategy doesn’t happen by accident, and neither does growth.