Getting a review can help you develop and grow or be a complete waste of time for you and your boss.
Image courtesy by Jeroen van Oostrom at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I remember getting my first reviews and I was eager to receive ‘exceed expectations’ for every single one of them without understanding the true importance of it. I must have received over ten excellent reviews since the beginning of my career until about four years ago when my boss at that time gave me a ‘met expectations’ only on my review, and went on to tell me that he believes in me and wants to help me to get better. He tried to explain to me the true value of a good review and that it’s not just a process for him.
I wasn’t able to listen to him nor was I happy at first about being told that I need to improve, that I am not perfect and that I even need to change my management style to be successful, until I tried to adjust as suggested and was amazed about the positive outcome. I am thankful that I worked for someone who did not only care about being popular and making popular decisions, did not mind about having an uncomfortable talk with me, nor pushing back on me trying to argue his feedback, but truly wanted to help me become a better leader.
- It’s not about fishing for compliments! If you ask for a review just to hear how great you are, and your boss does exactly that, you’re wasting her and your own time. But if you ever receive a review, and your boss does take the time to tell you where you need to improve and how to, you should appreciate it and listen generously.
- Getting excellent reviews only should worry you! If you receive an excellent review every time, you should be concerned if your boss is truly interested in your growth and wants to push you to get better, or if you’re even in the right position, because you obviously mastered every task and cannot learn anything new or are not being challenged anymore.
- It’s not just a process! Too many use the yearly reviews just as a process that everyone needs to complete by the set deadline, but most do not take the time to truly look at what you need to do to improve and have this uncomfortable conversation with you.
- Do you have the stomach? Giving a review with honest feedback requires you to be able to be uncomfortable, tell someone something that they do not want to hear, and be able to push back on them arguing your feedback and hold your ground.
- Listen generously! Receiving a review, and getting feedback that you don’t agree with and don’t enjoy hearing, triggers you to argue and push back. Listen generously, take notes and stay calm. If you still feel that your boss does not have a clear understanding and fair assessment of what’s going on the next day, request a follow-up meeting, and make your point (you’ll be much less emotional and rational by then).
Question: What else could enhance the experience of a review?