Behind the Curtain: Performance Reviews, Politics, and How to Survive the Gladiator Arena

By Melanie White | Executive Transition Strategist | HR Fixer | Evidence-Based Advocate

For over a decade, I worked in HR inside some of the most complex healthcare organizations. There, “evidence-based” wasn’t a buzzword—it was a mandate. Nurses, doctors, and clinical leaders made decisions rooted in research because the stakes were high: patient lives. I’d watch nurses come back from training sessions and speak confidently about how to care for a 26-week preemie—because evidence showed that doing X led to better long-term outcomes than doing Y.

And I used to think: What would it look like if we brought that same clarity and rigor to HR?

Today, I’m thrilled to see that happening—particularly in the messy, mysterious world of performance calibration meetings.

Prepare for the Gladiator Arena

🧩 What Are Calibration Meetings—Really?

Performance calibration meetings are supposed to ensure fairness. Leaders gather to discuss employee performance ratings, compare across teams, and align decisions about who’s a top performer and who… isn’t. But what most employees don’t realize is that this is where careers are made—or stalled.

Think of it like this:

“Calibration meetings are less like a courtroom and more like a gladiator arena.”

Inside the “pit,” managers advocate (or fail to advocate) for their team members. Reputation matters. Political skill matters. And unfortunately, not everyone in that room is fighting with the same weapons.

I once likened it to Gladiator—the movie. Some leaders are swinging swords. Others are silent spectators. And the HR professional in the middle? Often mid-level, often trying to gain credibility with the very managers they’re supposed to keep accountable.

Add to that the absence of diverse perspectives in the room—whether that’s racial, gender-based, generational, or functional—and suddenly fairness starts to evaporate. The loudest voice or the most persuasive manager often gets their way.

And the employee? They’re not even in the room to defend themselves.

📊 Evidence-Based HR Is Here to Help

A recent research study from Birkbeck, University of London, explored how influence tactics, political skill, and perceived expertise shape outcomes in performance calibration meetings. This type of evidence-based inquiry gives HR professionals tools to move from gut feelings to grounded fairness.

More importantly, it starts to unmask the systems that have historically protected some and sidelined others.

As an HR strategist who helps both organizations and employees thrive, I believe in two things:

1. HR has a responsibility to do better.

   
   
   
   

2. Employees deserve to know how the system works—and how to navigate it.

   
   
   
   

🔑 5 Performance Review Survival Tips You Won’t Hear in Orientation

Whether you’re new to the workforce or a seasoned professional, here are five strategies to help you survive and thrive in the political arena of performance reviews:

1. 💬 Build Relationships Beyond Your Boss

“They can’t advocate for you if they don’t know you.”

Get to know leaders in adjacent teams. Schedule 15-minute coffee chats (virtual or in-person). Introduce yourself. Share what you’re working on. Visibility isn’t vanity—it’s strategy. In a calibration meeting, a leader who knows your name might be the only one who speaks up for you.

2. 🔍 Be the CEO of Your Brand

“Your brand walks into the room before you do.”

You may not control every perception—but you can control your narrative. Know what you want to be known for, and actively manage your reputation. Show up prepared. Follow through. Make others feel smart. These are political skills—use them with integrity.

3. 🚀 Do Your Job. Ask for More. Share the Story.

Stretch assignments are performance gold. But they’re only valuable if people know you did them. After completing a project outside your normal scope, send a recap email to stakeholders and your manager. Shine a light on your initiative.

4. 📁 Document Wins—With Data

Don’t rely on memory (yours or your manager’s). Keep a running log of accomplishments, projects, and metrics. Quantify your impact when you can:

“Led training that improved onboarding satisfaction scores by 15%” hits differently than “helped with orientation.”

Bring this list to your review and—if possible—make sure your manager does, too.

5. 👥 Become a Calibration Ally

If you’re ever in a position to advocate for others, do it with transparency and care. Ask, “Whose voice is missing from this conversation?” Be the leader you wish was in the room for you.

💡 The HR Fixer’s Final Word

We can’t fix broken systems overnight—but we can stop pretending they’re fair just because they exist.

As someone who helps organizations align HR with business strategy and helps individuals navigate the fog of career transitions, I believe the future of work belongs to those who are both empowered and equipped.

To my HR peers: Let’s use research, not relationships, as the basis of performance conversations.

To my fellow professionals: You can learn the game without losing your soul.

And to the next generation of leaders: Let’s change the game entirely.

📣 If you’ve ever felt invisible during performance season—or if you’ve sat in one of those meetings and felt the weight of bias—drop a comment or DM me. Your voice matters.