AERIE VIEWS LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

Performance Review Guide

The twelve competencies, their definitions, and the behaviors to look for when you write a performance review.

Download the PDFA 2-page PDF you can print or share.

How to use this guide

Pick the competencies that matter most for the role. Most reviews focus on four to six, not all twelve.
Name the behavior, then give an example. Describe what happened, what the person did, and the result. Use the words in the tables so the feedback lines up with the framework.
Cover both columns. Note the strengths to keep building on and one or two behaviors to work on next.
Describe what you saw, not who they are. Write about behavior during the review period, not personality or intent.

Customer means anyone who relies on the person's work: clients, patients, students, colleagues on other teams, or the next person in the process. Leader means anyone who takes ownership on a team, whether or not they have the title.

DIMENSION 1 Trust & Connection The Environment Leaders Create

01Psychological Safety & Managerial Courage

Makes it safe for others to share hard truths, and has the courage to raise problems and friction early and directly, including with people who have more authority, with empathy and firm boundaries.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Reacts with anxiety or hostility Practices conflict avoidance Lacks discernment Sugarcoats hard realities Appeases positional authority Lets things drag on	Addresses friction early Absorbs panic with composure Delivers clear, empathetic feedback Fosters healthy conflict Exercises discernment Enforces firm standards Makes tough calls with dignity Challenges respectfully Puts values over expediency

02Customer Focus & Compliance

Keeps the needs of the people who rely on your work at the center, while holding firm to the ethical, legal, safety, and quality standards that protect them.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Erodes support to cut costs Rationalizes delivery gaps Applies one-size-fits-all Treats compliance as an obstacle Leaves customers in the dark Builds in a vacuum	Taps customers for innovation Tailors to segments Reduces customer effort Enforces breakdown protocols Sees AI's potential for customers Measures real resolution Compliant by design Stays transparent with customers Does what's right under pressure

03Personal Brand & Networks

Builds genuine relationships and a credible reputation, inside and outside the workplace, that earn trust and open doors for themselves and the team.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Works in a vacuum Networks transactionally Treats reputation as PR Avoids internal alliances Stays invisible Hoards connections	Builds cross-functional alliances Nurtures outside connections Practices reciprocity Offers a clear point of view Stays consistent Intentional visibility Imports proven practices Creates visibility for others Resourcefulness

DIMENSION 2 Strategic & Cognitive Strengths How Leaders Think

04Conceptual Thinking

Pulls together information from different sources, makes complex problems simpler, and spots connections others miss.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Tries to be a lone genius Gets stuck in maintenance mode Acts like an ungrounded dreamer Dismisses detail-oriented people Causes constant scope creep Puts band-aids on deep wounds	Finds the underlying pattern Rallies group ideation Thinks through the domino effect Translates altitude into steps Reframes the problem Protects the team's future Moves beyond status updates Connects daily work to the bigger picture Balances vision with reality

05Strategic Agility & Intuition

Notices signs of change early and adjusts plans based on evidence and foresight, not last-minute urgency, while keeping what matters most steady.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Hands down rigid, solo plans Limits input to day one Pivots randomly Acts like a know-it-all Hides risks Waits for 100% certainty	Invites ongoing input Reads early signals Acts on 70% of the information Changes direction based on facts Manages risks as a team Stabilizes crises collaboratively Shows the work Welcomes feedback on direction Keeps core anchors stable

06Information Seeking & Active Listening

Asks good questions and listens closely, tracing problems to their causes and checking assumptions with the people closest to the work.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Relies on filtered reports Stops at the surface Dismisses inconvenient signals Assumes instead of verifying Listens to respond, not to learn Never closes the loop	Goes to the front line Builds listening channels Asks how others do it better Asks second- and third-level questions Challenges confirmation bias Verifies before concluding Summarizes and confirms Adapts plans Closes the loop

DIMENSION 3 Execution & Operational Excellence How Leaders Deliver

07Execution

Turns goals into results by setting clear priorities, making sure each piece of work has an owner, and keeping progress moving.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Treats everything as urgent Operates as a hands-off dreamer Micromanages Tolerates missed commitments Hides bad news Clings to manual work	Paints a vivid picture Connects short-term to long-term Defines what not to do Assigns single owners Keeps predictable routines Automates the routine Clears friction Holds firm, fair accountability Protects focus

08Cross-Functional Efficiency

Keeps work moving smoothly between people and teams, with clear handoffs, input from those affected, and good judgment about when to involve others and when to move ahead.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Shows "not invented here" bias Acts in a self-serving silo Tolerates obstruction Lobs last-minute demands Mislabels healthy boundaries Leaves handoffs vague	Solicits feedback early Listens with an open mind Defines cross-team processes Addresses defensive resistance Reframes valid resistance warmly Respects partner bandwidth Communicates proactively Celebrates shared wins Learns together

09Organizational Capability

Builds a team and ways of working that last, by developing people, sharing knowledge, improving how work gets done, and preparing for the roles and changes ahead.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Creates aimless development plans Withholds tools Tolerates low performance Lacks empathy Typecasts and hoards talent Fails to build for the future	Plans for future roles Coaches with the competencies Plans for AI-driven change Supports people through life changes Builds inclusion Addresses low performance Documents and cross-trains Automates routine work Builds succession

DIMENSION 4 Innovation & Adaptability How Leaders Evolve

10Innovation

Encourages new ideas and small experiments, while keeping clear plans, stopping points, and honest learning in place.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Starts without a plan Operates without checkpoints Takes reckless gambles Outsources core thinking Uses overly optimistic numbers Engages in "innovation theater"	Plans before building Sets regular checkpoints Sets clear kill criteria Tests with customers Invites dissent Greenlights well-reasoned bets Involves stakeholders early Resources big bets properly Learns without blame

11Change

Stays calm and flexible when things shift, makes sure changes actually take hold, and lets go of what no longer works before a crisis forces it.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Engages in change theater Mismanages shifts in who does what Mishandles endings Leaves changes disconnected from plans Freezes under ambiguity Transmits panic	Adapts personally Checks in on people Updates plans explicitly Moves quickly in a disruption Stays composed Prepares for risk Fixes the work, not just the label Paces change Acts before a crisis forces it

12Passion for Learning

Keeps learning on purpose, staying curious about new ideas, changes in their field, and AI, and helps others on the team grow too.

Ineffective behaviors	Effective behaviors
Stops learning Dismisses new technology Engages performatively Wastes touchpoints Stays in a comfort zone Keeps learning to themselves	Makes regular time to learn Keeps pace with AI Uses AI to learn faster Asks foundational questions Admits knowledge gaps Learns from every encounter Connects ideas across fields Updates mental models Shares what they learn