1. Performance Appraisals & ReviewsCareer Potential SeriesSHORT GUIDE:A guide to getting the most out of your Performance Appraisal process through betterunderstanding of the process and personal preparation. Learn how to report your achievementsand request what you need from your employer professionally and with confidence.

2. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 2 Corporate Therapy2013All Rights ReservedThis publication is copyright. Other than for the purposes of and subject to the conditionsprescribed under the Copyright Act, no part of it may be reproduced in any form or by anymeans (electronic, mechanical, microcopying, photocopying, recording or otherwise) norstored in a retrieval system or transmitted without prior written permission.Enquiries about this manual or its use should be addressed to:DirectorCareer Potential SeriesCorporate Therapyemail enquiries: to info@corporatetherapy.com.auAuthors: Simone Stickles & Janet BrimsonVersion 0.2June 2013Corporate Therapy is a registered business of InfoRED Consulting Pty LtdABN 43 118 987 867Queensland, AustraliaPh: (+61 7) 3491 7832www.corporatetherapy.com.auDisclaimerThe opinions and recommendations in this document are taken and actioned at thediscretion of the client. InfoRED Consulting Pty Ltd does not indemnify the client, against anyliability arising from all actions, proceedings, suits, claims and demands, of any nature,including without limitation/any claim, liability, loss or damage in respect of:(a) personal injury or the death of any person; and(b) loss of or damage to any property(c) loss of income or profitarising in any manner from the use of this information.Corporate Therapy+ 61 7 5474 2404info@corporatetherapy.com.au 3. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 3ContentsIntroduction................................................................................................................................................. 4A two way conversation....................................................................................................................... 4What to expect....................................................................................................................................... 5Your feelings about your role................................................................................................................... 7Level of enjoyment................................................................................................................................. 7Enjoying the ride ................................................................................................................................. 7No fun anymore.................................................................................................................................. 7Economic influences ............................................................................................................................. 8Time with employer................................................................................................................................ 8Family influences .................................................................................................................................... 9Preparing for your review ....................................................................................................................... 10Understanding your mental state ..................................................................................................... 11Presenting evidence of your achievements................................................................................... 12Preparing the evidence .................................................................................................................. 13In the meeting........................................................................................................................................... 15Format of the review............................................................................................................................ 15Tabling grievances............................................................................................................................... 16Understanding remuneration changes............................................................................................ 16A commitment to your development.............................................................................................. 18Having a proactive career path....................................................................................................... 18Holding the business to account....................................................................................................... 19After the review ........................................................................................................................................ 21Review your appraisal ......................................................................................................................... 21Improving for next time ....................................................................................................................... 22Frequently asked questions.................................................................................................................... 23For further information speak to a Corporate Therapy Career Counsellor........................... 25 4. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 4IntroductionPerformance Appraisals fill many employees with dread. Dont think of it as asurprise attack. Performance Appraisals are a regular and predictable event inyour working life. Treat each one as a strategic opportunity for you to practiceself-promotion, understand your worth, promote your abilities, develop yourcareer and be the best you can be.A performance review (also known as a performance appraisal oremployee review) is a standard method used by an organisation toreview each of its employees performance. In the review yourmanager or a company representative will meet with you todetermine whether you are achieving the goals of your role andimportantly, whether your intended career plan aligns to the tacticaland strategic needs of the business.Your employer will often use the review to update you on anychanges in performance expectations or business direction and tohighlight what opportunities are open to you in the next reviewperiod.A Performance Appraisal is an opportunity for you to share yourrecent progress and your preferred career direction with youremployer. It is a process for understanding what they require for youto continue in that role, how to get that next promotion in yourpreferred area of growth or to know when it is time to move on.A two way conversationIMPORTANT:In a mature organisation a Performance Review is a structured 2wayconversation between professionals.Many employees believe a performance review is all about thecompany measuring the individual. This should not be the case. Themeeting should be a bi-directional discussion where the employeecan have an open and creative dialogue with the reviewers aboutwhat helps them achieve, what is hindering their performance andhow their individual needs may have changed since the last review. 5. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 5Your organisation has the right to measure your alignment to theirculture and expectations; however you also have the right tomeasure them on their culture, expectations and ability to supportyou personally grown and achieve your goals.What to expectFor most people the performance review involves an annual trial byfire in front of their manager or boss.In many organisations now it is monthly, tracking the progress of theindividual more tightly to both better monitor overall performancebut also position the business strategically for hiring and firing.Depending on the organisation and your managers preferred style,the review is likely to be an annual event. The review process mayinclude a review of your job description, reflection on how you wentmeeting your achievements set in last years performance reviewand you may discuss your key performance indicators (KPIs) for thecoming year. In most cases, your review will also discuss thebehaviours expected of you for the year ahead.Depending on your role, key themes of performance reviews include: metrics reflecting your achievements for the period your ability to work in a team your interactions with clients or suppliers your strength as a communicator.Your manager will update you on organisational changes, newdirections and performance requirements relevant to your role. Theywill also provide constructive feedback on your: ability to manage your workload attitude to your work application and development of skills personal and team achievements.For you, it is the opportunity to re-state your capability, drive anddedication to your role or highlight where things are not goingaccording to plan.You can discuss: career goals and objectives areas you dont understand, seeking clarity issues arising and how they are best addressed training and skills development preferences improvements to your role, to processes or performance joint goal setting to agreed timelines new ways to support your organisation.In high performanceorganisations andworkplaces with a highnumber of junior staff,the review processcan be more frequent(eg. monthly). 6. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 6It is a time to reflect (but not dwell) on the past and proactively lookto the future.Importantly it is a time for you to negotiate with the organisation toenhance your remuneration, package incentives or increaseworkplace stability in a role you want to retain.Unfortunately, given the nature of the review timelines we often feeluplifted and inspired to do great things just after the review butwithout praise, feedback or new goals set quickly, it is easy to slideback into complacency. Driving career achievement and personalmomentum all year round has to be a conscious and personalchoice for any high-performing individual.Use this guide to help you demonstrate your commitment to aprofessional future.This short guide assists you understand the performance reviewprocess and provides suggestions on how to get the most out of theperformance appraisal process. 7. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 7Your feelings about your roleWhere we are in our working life will influence our feelings about the review orappraisal process. It can make you feel sick anticipating judgement, fill yourstomach with butterflies waiting for another radical change in direction orstick in your throat and cause you to lose control of your smile as you feel youare up for an Academy award.Open communication between management and staff all yearround usually lessons the surprises associated with a review andpositions the meeting for a more productive and targeted discussion.Level of enjoymentYour level of job enjoyment is a big influence on the way you maythink about the review process and how you behave and reactduring the appraisal session.Enjoying the rideWhen you are enjoying your job, a performance review is a time youlook forward to. It is the moment when you can table yourachievements and focus on promotions and bonuses. When you arehappy, your outputs are generally of a higher quality. You are alsomore likely to have a positive attitude when you get regularfeedback from your direct managers.No fun anymoreWhen your job has become a chore, review time is likely a time youdread. Your performance may have lagged with your feelings. Youdont know whether to fake enthusiasm and see what they offer (taking the feedback with a grain of salt), or just tell them straight itsall over and you want out.If this is how you are feeling, it is likely you have been contemplatingthe pros and cons of remaining in your position for some time. It is alsolikely you dont necessarily want to share those feelings with peoplewho you feel have already overlooked, abandoned, neglected ordisrespected you.Remember:Job dissatisfactioncomes from changes inyour needs as much asfrom externalinfluences.Become conscious ofthese feelings. Behonest with yourselfabout what you wantand what youremployee is able tosolve and deliver. 8. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 8Economic influencesWhen the economy is positive and the organisation is profitable manyemployees expect rewards and bonuses from their review sessioneven if they have under-performed. They often expect an automaticpay rise in line with the consumer price index (CPI).There are no guarantees in business anymore. If you go into a reviewwith this type of paradigm in mind you are likely to be disappointed.In tight times, the economics of these types of handouts are nolonger viable.When the economy is in free-fall, unemployment numbers on the riseand you are surrounded by layoffs, employees often lay low and goquiet during review time.If you are in the public service, there may be drastic portfoliochanges or changes to government that stall work progress andfrustrate your objectives.Sometimes your personal economic needs have changeddramatically within the time period and you are struggling tounderstand how to increase earnings in your current role, versusmoving to a new role or company.All of these continual ebbs and flows influence the greater economicand political beast in which your job operates. It is not uncommon tosee completely different behaviours in the review year to year basedon the state of the economy.Dont fall into the trap of seasonal behaviours and expectations. Youattitude to the times of change are rarely missed by your reviewteam.Time with employerThe amount of time you have spent at the employer can amplify yourfeelings.Often individuals who have been with an organisation for a long timeare torn between their feelings about the past, the now and thefuture. They have lost visibility of what is going on in other similar rolesbut may also become jaded due to changing organisationaldemands.If you have been in your role for a long time this is also likely to amplifythe feelings you have at review time. The longer you have been in ateam the more likely you have stronger or more personal relationshipswith your direct manager and may fear losing them or disappointingthem through honest discussion.It is important to acknowledge these feelings and understand wherethey are coming from. Be fair with yourself and your organisation inyour appraisal of the situation. 9. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 9Family influencesFamily and close friends can have a very deep impact on ourthinking which we often dont realise. While we work hard and mayfeel we come home satisfied we often only tell loved ones about thebad things that happen and rarely praise or highlight the good.Years of constantly hearing a negative dialogue from you about youremployer can seemingly set our own family up against us. Be realisticwith the feedback you bring home from the office. If your family andfriends dont hear the good and the bad they can never be trulyobjective and supportive to your position when you really need themto be.Similarly, if we do long hours and your family feel work takes youaway from them they will put pressure on you to leave your employeror demand a change in conditions.You may feel friends judge you on your wage and the employerbrand under which you work. This can further bias your feelings.Only you can understand the true relationships you have with yourjob and your employer, so be aware of the pressure family puts onyou to stay, go, make more money or be happy in their eyes. 10. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 10Preparing for your reviewEven though performance reviews are a regular and predictable event, themajority of the workforce turn up to the meeting unprepared. If you know youhave been performing strongly and to the best of your ability, give yourself abreak. Be positive and believe the organisation has seen you shine.A performance review is not a sacred rite of passage, it is a validmechanism for ensuring individuals understand how they areperforming. It is a time to give individuals the opportunity to checkhow the business perceives their performance and how they mayhelp nurture their career path.Many people expect a negative outcome from their performancereview before they have even stepped into the room. Their fears arenot well hidden in the meeting making it hard for them to both listento the feedback they receive and to partake in the conversation.Lots of people only hear the negative and cant hear the positiveand these conversations are often laced with both.It is important to be calm and controlled enough to listen andrespond in the meeting. If you are not paying close attention youmight think you are hearing things or say things that are not relevant.It is really important that you are in a state of mind to engage indiscussion points that target career and remuneration opportunities.The performance appraisal or review session is one of the regularcareer milestones we actually have some control over: it is a regular planned event expectations are generally understood (especially after the firstone has been completed) we are well-positioned to plan for the meeting we can usually gauge how it will go from what we hearhappening to others in our area and other areas of thebusiness.Before you go for your review it is important to prepare evidence ofyour achievements as well as consciously understand your mentalstate. By having a clear sense of what you have achieved, 11. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 11understanding what is causing any feelings (happy or sad) will helpyou be confident throughout the discussion.The more confident you feel the more likely you are to listen andengage in the conversation and present your case more clearly.Understanding your mental stateBefore you go through your performance review it is important toexplore your feelings.Work has a strong correlation with our own self-worth and our sense ofself-performance. It also has a direct connection to our attitudes tomoney. These two belief systems tend to oppose one another. sometimes it is easy to believe in our own abilities but notnecessarily in being rewarded for our efforts lots of people find it difficult to accept true reward for theexecution of their passion others expect to be paid just for showing up.Our ethics and personal beliefs all combine to impact our reaction tothe performance review process.The more conscious you are about your career belief system andwhat is going on in your working life, the more likely you are toarticulate clearly what is needed and what you no longer areprepared to concede or tolerate.This helps you change your life, not tread water.IMPORTANT:If you dont feel comfortable exploring these types of questionsalone, go through them with a trusted friend, professional or yourcareer coach. They may trigger emotions and deep beliefs.Ask yourself:Question ThemesWhat feelings come up whenyou think about work?What feelings come up whenyou think about not working?What feelings come up whenyou think about being told youhave lost your job or beingpromoted? Why are you having these feelings? Are they new or have they been around a longtime? Where do they stem from? Which ones are critical to your current state ofmind?Of the feelings that come up How many of them come from external influenceslike my family and friends? How many come from my employer or members ofmy team? How many stem from fears from your past?For many of us theannual performancereview is an emotionaltime.If you throw your heartand soul into yourcareer this is the dayyou find out if anyonenoticed.Be prepared and theemotionality isreduced. 12. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 12Once you have it all down on paper in front of you identify whichresponses have an impact on your review?Going through this process is likely to impact some of your biggerbeliefs about yourself and about work. If you are gainingunderstanding, dont hold back, work through some of the biggermyths that haunt you: are you comfortable with self-promotion? have you grown up with beliefs around hard work being goodbut money being evil how do you balance them in yourmind? are you afraid that if you are promoted you may lose friends? will more opportunity and money make you happier but makepeople think about you differently?Get as many of your belief blocks out as possible. The more you areaware of your beliefs and how they impact your feelings about workand career the better. It will all help you be more prepared for ameaningful and professional conversation with the reviewers.If the process goes well, give yourself the praise you deserve. If itdoesnt go well, dont beat yourself up for discovering you arehuman. We learn through not getting it right (but that doesnt meanwe necessarily got it wrong). And that is the most important discoveryyou can ever make.REMEMBER:You never failed 3 times to get the promotion. There were 3 steps foryou to get there each as valid as the other that is your personaljourney.Presenting evidence of your achievementsBe prepared for your performance appraisal: show your strengths andaccomplishments.Most people set meagre performance review objectives worked outwith peers and friends at the last minute and hope they get achance to table them. Due to the rush (or maybe pub atmosphere)many are pie in the sky and totally unfounded.Often we think of a performance appraisal as being a process usedby the company to measures us against their internal yardsticks. Moreimportantly, it is also an opportunity for us to table our desires, provideorganisational feedback and get the most from our workplace andcareer.Look at it as an opportunity to understand exactly what the companyexpects of you and for you to promote how you can meet thoseexpectations and what you expect as compensation for your efforts. 13. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 13Now you have a sense of what is going on in your mind it is time tolook at what you actually have been achieving in your current role.Preparing the evidenceAsk yourself, How much preparation do I usually do for myperformance review?: As much as any other meeting? A bit more? Did you scribble a couple of notes just before the meeting andhope for the best?Give the appraisal and your work life the level of importance andattention it requires. It is way too easy to blame our pay packets fornot making ends meet and our work for several other of ourmisgivings so take the time to do the thinking, do the research anddo the math.Present a summary of your performance. Consider: What sales did you accomplish? What targets have you met? What great relationships have you fostered? How have you contributed to the culture of theorganisation? How proactive have you been with communication? How have you helped your manager or team meet theirgoals? What processes did you optimise and how? Have you saved the company money? How did you contribute to service or product quality?There are so many ways you can measure your expression ofachievement in your role and present it clearly to your reviewers.You dont have to sell yourself like a professional salesperson, but youdo need to understand the basics of what you have done and whatyou are worth.Leading up to your review CHECK: Can you list 3 core things you achieved in line with the lastreview? Have you got stock answers for questions which may ariseregarding losses, incidents or achievements? What training experiences do you want this year? Are you seeking a change in remuneration, location, position?Document your own checklist of facts figures and achievementreminders to take to the meeting. If you can present a quantitative 14. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 14scorecard of your achievements (eg. sales calls, proposals, issuesclosed etc.) the better.Be proactive if your organisation tracks certain KPIs and theyequate to you present role, generate a graph of your performance inrelation to their performance results present one copy to eachperson in the review as you would a proposal or presentation to aclient.REMEMBER:If you have an issue to table, also have solution to table otherwiseyou may just be seen as a complainer. It doesnt have to be the rightanswer but it shows a proactive concern for gaining proactiveground and reaching competitive outcomes. 15. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 15In the meetingYou are all prepared now. You are fully aware of all your strengths,accomplishments and where you have exceeded expectations. This will boostyour confidence and make it easier to go through the appraisal with yourmanager.Format of the reviewEach company review will be different. The review process is not atime to go through each of your tasks focus on outcomes.Common review approaches include:Common Question Aspects to ConsiderWhat is the format of thereview? Is part of the review written as well as a meeting? Is anyone else in the meeting? If so what will theywant that is different to your manager? What performance appraisal forms/ documents doyou need to complete? If you havent done one in your current company,have you asked someone what usually happens?What is your role description?How has your role changedsince your last review? What extra responsibilities have you taken on? How did you complete the tasks? Is your job description still current and valid?What was your previousperformance appraisal andachievements this year? What tasks, goals and KPIs (Key PerformanceIndicators) were defined as part of the last review? Did you and the organisation deliver to the KPIs? How did you go about completing them? Where did you exceed expectations? Did they meet your managers expectations? If they werent successful, do you have anexplanation of why they werent? What were your strengths and weaknesses lastyear? 16. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 16Tabling grievancesMany people feel that review time is when to complain. If you have aworkplace problem dont hold it until review time. Highlight problemsas they arise otherwise they are likely to get bigger and out of control.If you have a problem, have seen an issue or have a grievance tableit thoughtfully and with as little emotion as possible.Be careful about surprising your manager with extreme issues orcomplaints. You can always arrange another time to discuss issueswith them just let them be aware of the requirement prior to theappraisal.If you feel someone is using fake timelines to control a situation speakto their manager, review your Fair Work Obligations, gain legaladvice or be prepared to leave.If you wont accept the appraisal, you might need to look atrescheduling another meeting with your manager or someone moresenior so that you both have time to think about the options, or if it isan issue that cannot be resolved seek legal advice or look to leavethe company.Remember, this is meant to be a two way adult discussion: Do not whinge: If you have a problem table a solution Do not compare yourself to others as you dont have fullvisibility on their performance issues and this can backfire If you plan to leave the company or cant see a career in thecompany, you may not want to highlight it to your manager.Managers will not want to develop and encourage anemployee that is planning to leave Listen to the feedback, even if it is negative. You dont need torespond right away and sometimes you may need to go awayand really think about what they are trying to say Dont lose your temper and make empty threats about leaving.When the situation is negative often both parties need more time tothink and respond. Ensure you respect the space and the informationyou and your employer need to resolve situations.Understanding remuneration changesRemuneration is always a hard topic. Apart from the sensitivitiesaround talking about money most people dont really know whatthey are worth.Before you go into the review: check your value with online job calculators and jobadvertisements 17. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 17 think about what you know about what peers in your field arepaid.Remember if you are female the statistical likelihood is that you arestill getting paid less than your peers so unless your organisation has apolicy for equal pay the onus is on you to investigate where youstand and call them to account if it is worth your time. Otherwisemove to an organisation who will value you equally.When considering what bonuses you can be awarded, understandhow wages and bonuses are used in the company: Your manager is usually given a budget for bonuses, so theyneed to fit your request into their budget for the team wereyou the only achiever or were you one of many? The company may have wage bands for different roles, andmay be hesitant to increase a wage as it makes the base paylevel unrealistically high for the role and effects everyone else if you know you are forcing this type of request ask for a newtitle as well so that they have room to move on bands.Go into the remuneration side of the meeting with your eyes open.Develop a remuneration plan for yourself for the next few years. Thismay include: having a base pay that keeps up with inflation having a salary increase, bonus or non-cash bonus annuallywhere entitled being entitled to shares in the business identifying what additional bonuses are applicable to yoursituation moving to part-time or flexible fortnights moving to contracting at a higher rate.At the end of the day be realistic. Dont end up fighting over acouple of hundred dollars. Also, be very careful to understand what isoffered as it might throw you just over the edge of a tax threshold. Asmall jump could make you worse off in take home pay. Ensure youget someone to explain to you the impact of the rise on your basetake home salary, your superannuation, your non-taxed paymentsand deductions and any other benefits in your package.If at the end of the day you dont feel like you are being financiallyrespected, escalate the situation. If you are working to an enterprisebargaining agreement or a Modern Award, your entitlements will beclearly disclosed and cannot be manipulated.If you believe any unfair actions have taken place in relation to yourremuneration or entitlements: Firstly, escalate the matter to someone senior in HR and ifthat does not resolve the situation 18. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 18 Secondly, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. You mayhave a case of unfair practices.IMPORTANT:Australian workplace law has been throw many cycles and changes.Issues around entitlements are complex and easily misunderstood byindividuals and employers. If you need help with a resolution contactthe Fair Work Ombudsman.A commitment to your developmentBefore entering the meeting be prepared: What developments do you require from your company? Do you need job development to assist your job over the next12 months and if so what type?Training and personal development can be a touchy subject eventhough organisations are required by law to attribute a trainingbudget to their organisation.If you know you need help to achieve your next career goals askyourself, Is it something your company may be willing to pay for orcan you come to an agreement (eg. paying for half, or you pay andthey give you the time off work on pay)? Remember, some externaltraining can be very expensive and an internal staff member mayalready have the knowledge and be in a position to mentor you.Sometimes you dont need formal training you might just benefit frommentoring from your manager or an expert in the company. If youwork as an independent contractor your organisation may look toyou for an investment in self-training.Whatever the training outcome, ensure the business is working withyou to help your career retention and personal outcomes notcontribute to their training budget reporting.Having a proactive career pathAn organisation has roles. Individuals have career plans. To get the most fromyour review you need to be conscious of your career plan and highlight any keypoints or milestones in your performance appraisal.For example, you want to be a manager in two years? What tasks can you pick up to help you on your way? Can you mentor anyone? Can they mentor you? Is training available? What time frame is acceptable to you and will this companyhelp you get there? 19. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 19 Is this the company committed to getting you where you wantto go in this job? Can this role set you up for the next role? Will a change in job title look better on your resume and helpyour preferred direction?REMEMBER:This is your career, if what you hear is not what you want, have a goat reframing it with this organisation before changing to a neworganisation or role.Negotiate your next period performance review expectations clearly.State your goals and expectations for the next year. Ask yourcompany representatives to detail what they expect you to achievein this next period.Ask for insights into what role your manager sees you in and how yourcurrent activities and the performance measurements candemonstrate clearly to you both these expectations will or will not beachieved.If they are proposing something that does not fit with your preferredcareer plan either say so now or ask to have a time frame to considerwhat is being tabled. They cannot demand an answer on the spot.Remember that next year you will be evaluated based on theseexpectations. So think realistically and give yourself some room tothink and move. It is important that the requirements for the next yearmatch up with where you want to be in your life over the next 1-5years. You are looking to your company, manager and team to showyou some dedicated support to meet these objectives.Holding the business to accountA lot can be tabled in these meetings and often does not seem to bedelivered or eventuate.Be proactive in making your review outcome driven: if anything is offered or promised check the conditions,timelines and caveats (eg. if you rescue this team for 3months we will transfer you to head office within 18 months) when opportunities are identified or promised get astatement of timeline and preferably a written offer ofentitlement if you are being recognised for exceeding expectationsand offered a promotion check on when the newremuneration will kick if you have acted in someones role at your rate and theirsis higher and you are promoted permanently, look for anyentitlements to back-pay 20. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 20 ask the reviewer to review and summarise all agreementsat the end of the meeting.Most negotiated outcomes do not happen automatically. Most aredelayed until everyone has had their performance review. Be patientand respectful of everyones timelines: 21. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 21After the reviewOK its all over. You have completed your performance review. Hopefully youare satisfied with the new direction.Now that it is all fresh in your mind it is time to: Update your resume/CV while all your accomplishments arefresh in your head Create your performance diary for the new period Reassess your career and personal direction.Review your appraisalAt the end of the day you will be generally happy or a little disgruntled.Feel these emotions, acknowledge them and what they mean.If after the review you feel like management have not noticed yourperformance consider whether that is because of the individualsinvolved. Would it be different somewhere else within theorganisation, of do you need to go somewhere where your talentsare seen and noticed. Consider the current state of the organisationis invisibility potentially a good thing.For many, being told they have done their best is not an altogetherpositive experience. If you are told you were perfect that can also bea very strong signal to an individual that it is time to leave yourmission is complete and you know a chapter is closed.Review what has been agreed and is being written into yourperformance review. Can you show them that you deserve such anincrease based on where you have exceeded expectations? Weighup what they have presented and you have presented. Did younegotiate a suitable middle ground? Is this achievable for you at thistime?Focus on what you can do to best scorecard your performance thisyear in a way which you know addresses next years questions.If you dont feel you covered off all of the things you wanted to say inthe review meeting schedule a follow up meeting and ensure youare prepared to use the time optimally. 22. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 22Improving for next timeMake yourself conscious of the review process and how you went.Make notes about what you would do differently next time. Beprepared for the next one all year round.The review may be your only chance in a year to contribute to yoursalary and personal growth and to have a voice in the direction ofthe company.If you are not confident in your negotiation and discussion skills ask afriend to do a practice run with you before the meeting.Dont forget that you can still talk to your manager about yourgrowth and requirements outside of the performance appraisalprocess. You still have the ongoing opportunity to negotiate yourneeds. 23. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 23Frequently asked questionsQuestion CommentDo I need to complete aperformance review?Feel like Im selling myself. Imnot in a sales role so why shouldI sell myself they hired me theyknow who I am?My manager should just knowwhat Ive done and reward me.Why must I go through this?It is usually a company requirement for you to meet withyour manager and discuss your performance and therole.Managers are often busy managing the team, budgets,schedules and their own job, and so they dont alwayskeep track of your capabilities and career direction. Beprepared to point out what you have been up to.You are not selling yourself just doing a joint audit of yourcontribution. Take the opportunity to request what youneed in your role over the next year.I struggle in my role but dontwant to show it in the reviewFocus on your strengths in your job. If one aspect isproving difficult admit it and ask for help. Request helpproactively. If you are struggling it is likely your manageralready knows why. So present a plan that you know willhelp you overcome the difficulties whether throughtraining, mentoring or a reshuffling of responsibilities.My team mate does the samework, but their performancereview is written out better thanmine. What can I do aboutmine?What makes it sounds better than yours? Can you learnfrom their method? Is it just that they are better preparedand have taken more time to think about their answers?Ask your manager whether it is permissible for you towrite yours out again.We dont have a review but Iwant one. What can I do?Talk to your manager or human resources representativeand discuss the options. Tell them why you want one andwhat you expect. Maybe have some ideas about theformat youd like: annual formal discussion with your manager monthly feedback sessions with your supervisor a form you and the organisation can fill outtogether.My company does not give meextra time to complete myreview and Im already over-loaded at work. How am Iexpected to do it properly?Your manager may keep loading work on you, but it isimportant for you to complete your performance review.It is important as this is how you are going to take controlof your work life. This effects your ongoing careersatisfaction.If overloading is common call it out as something thatneeds to change in the meeting. 24. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 24Im not good at verballydiscussing my achievements,what can I do?Practice talking through what you have done with afriend, colleague, mentor or even someone in yourcompanys human resources area.Im not good at writing downmy achievements, what can Ido?We often do so many different tasks through the yearthat we forget them quite easily. Look at keeping a diaryof your achievements. This makes it really easy atperformance review time.If it is still a concern talk to your manager as you might beable to edit the written form during your performancemeeting. You could make it a development goal butdont let it overtake the other issues in your review.I get highly anxious and forgeteverything, and then I look likean idiot. What can I do?First of all write down everything you want to say andthen in the meeting tick it off.Second, practice the review with someone you trust as itmay help to calm your nerves.Im in the middle of a project /assignment / task. Can I bereviewed on future expectedoutcomes?What youve done up-to this point is most likely to betaken into account as you have not completed the taskyet, and therefore it is not known if it was successful ornot, or how you went about completing it.Focus on what has been achieved and how that isprogressing the project toward expected projectoutcomes.I excel in my role but dont wantany additional responsibility.How can I show this in thereview?Ensure that your manager understands this as they mightbe content sustaining you in the role working to your limit.Can I do it again as I feel asthough I stuffed it up? (I didntget my message throughclearly).Talk to your manager as if the performance review justhappened then it might be a possibility. But alwaysremember that you should be able to talk to yourmanager through-out the year.My Manager has it in for meand I know it will go bad. Whatcan I do?In some organisations you can ask that a neutral secondperson is in the meeting. Otherwise, all you can do iswrite up your strengths, stay positive, have answers foryour wins and losses and provide suggestions for howthings are going to improve. If there is not much you cando then it may be time to think about your future role inthat group and maybe use it as an opportunity to findout what other roles in the organisation are available.Can they fire me during myreview?The purpose of a performance review is not about firingsomeone, it is about reviewing their performance in arole.In smaller companies this can be a time for layoffs as wellas appraisals but in larger organisations these arenormally handled separately. 25. Corporate Therapy2013 All Rights Reserved pg. 25What if it is clear that anopportunity doesnt exist for mein the company in the future?This is something to consider for your future. You can startsetting yourself up for your next role, and keep an eyeout for other job applications.Dont feel bullied out of the role on the day. Giveyourself time to explore your options before you makeyour next move.For further information speak to a Corporate TherapyCareer CounsellorCorporate Therapy+ 61 7 5474 2404info@corporatetherapy.com.au