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EDGE

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EDGE helps you grow and succeed by making expectations clear, strengthening regular feedback and check-ins, and supporting meaningful development conversations throughout the year.

What to expect in EDGE

Performance management at Stanford is simple in its design, but robust in all the most important ways. Effective performance management is a continuous cycle of meaningful conversations, mutual accountability, and ongoing growth. This shared approach ensures you know what to expect, build effective habits, and make performance conversations a natural part of the culture.

Understanding EDGE for Employees and Managers

A Culture of performance and development

At Stanford, performance management is a shared responsibility. It requires a growth mindset, the belief that skills and intelligence can be developed over time with effort, learning, and resilience.

The EDGE model: An integrated look at performance and development

Goal Setting

A collaborative process where you and your manager set performance and development goals and identify key job responsibilities. Goals should be aligned to broader team and organizational objectives, creating direction and clarifying competencies for success. In essence, this part of EDGE is viewed as the "foundation."

View more details about Goal Setting

Development Planning

Collaborative ongoing conversations where you and your manager identify ways to build new skills and capabilities for your growth in both your current and future roles. Keep an eye out for more information and resources on Development Planning.

Check-Ins

Regular, ongoing conversations (formal or informal) with consistency and intention. You and your manager review progress, celebrate accomplishments, adjust goals, and offer support. This is where feedback lives, preventing surprises at year-end and allowing real-time alignment and course correction. Additional information and resources will be available soon.

Performance Reviews

A structured reflection point, typically once a year. You and your manager review accomplishments, deliver feedback, and set new goals. When connected to earlier steps, it becomes a meaningful moment for clarity, recognition, and alignment. Additional information and resources will be available soon.

EDGE Resources for Managers

Guiding Your Team's Performance 

Place an emphasis on coaching and skill development all year long through effective one-on-one meetings, crucial conversations, and continuous feedback. 

Explore EDGE Resources on the Manager Toolkit

A Shared Responsibility

Employees

  • Draft initial goals and development plans.
  • Actively seek feedback and initiate check-ins.
  • Track progress and write a comprehensive self-review.
  • Maintain a growth mindset throughout the process.

Managers

  • Ensure individual goals align with team objectives.
  • Provide timely, ongoing coaching and feedback.
  • Evaluate performance fairly using standard rating scales.
  • Support employee career development and remove roadblocks.

Additional Resources

Dive into the sections below to uncover tools to enhance your performance journey.

Support and Assistance