Why Performance Management Needs a Rethink — and What Comes Next, with Edie Goldberg

In this insightful episode of the Cohesion Podcast, Miriam Connaughton (Chief People Officer at Simpplr) sits down with Edie Goldberg, Ph.D., founder of E. L. Goldberg & Associates and renowned future of work thought leader. With over 30 years of experience in HR strategy, talent management, and organizational effectiveness, Edie has helped countless organizations evolve how they attract, engage, and retain talent.

Edie shares why traditional performance management systems fail both employees and organizations — and offers a vision for what she calls performance enablement. Drawing on research, her own practice, and her forthcoming book, she explains why ratings don’t tell the full story, how intrinsic motivation drives better outcomes, and why it’s time to shift from managing people to enabling their best performance.

From reframing feedback and recognition to embracing AI-enabled coaching and real-time insights, Edie’s perspective is both bold and practical — ideal for HR leaders, managers, and anyone ready to leave outdated practices behind.

If you’re tired of the annual eye-roll that comes with performance reviews, this conversation will inspire you to reimagine what’s possible.

Topics Covered:

• Why traditional performance management systems fail to engage or improve performance
• The unintended consequences of ratings and rankings
• How to shift focus from backward-looking reviews to forward-looking enablement
• Why development, recognition, and alignment to purpose matter more than ever
• The role of managers in fostering culture and performance — and how to equip them
• How AI, analytics, and real-time feedback are transforming the field
• Edie’s greatest hope — and fear — for the future of performance management

Connect with Edie Goldberg: LinkedIn | elgoldberg.com

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