More than 50 years of research has attempted to improve performance management (PM) systems by changing every element of the process: what’s rated, who makes ratings, how often feedback is given, what documentation is required, and what rating scale is used. Unfortunately, none of these strategies have been shown to consistently lead to higher performance.  The quest to develop the “perfect” performance management system has caused us to lose sight of what effective PM really is all about: building a high performance culture and driving employee engagement.