You know that time of year… One by one, employees are called in to their supervisor’s office to discuss their yearly performance reviews. Chances are, when the time comes for yours, you already have an idea of what’s going to be said. You know when you’ve worked hard and exceeded expectations. You also know when you’ve cut corners and haven’t met your full potential.

Much like negative criticism, a bad performance review can easily make us feel angry, shocked and disappointed. It can become very difficult to maintain morale and even more challenging to not harbor feelings of hostility and resentment towards our job and our superiors. But these are just initial, visceral responses so it’s important to realize that YOU CAN bounce back from a poor performance appraisal! If you show that you’re willing to work extra hard to get back on track, that bad performance review may actually be the key to an exceptional one the next time around.

“Feedback is a Gift”

(image: source)

There are many factors that may have contributed to the not-so-pleasant feedback you were given, but how you interpret it and what you do about it next is what counts now. Do you agree? Disagree? Do you feel capable of handling the changes being asked of you? I came across a very interesting article by Julie Cohen, a career coach and author of Your Work, Your Life… Your Way: 7 Keys to Work-Life Balance. Her perspective on handling feedback is that you have to look at it as a gift, a nicely wrapped present someone is giving you. The gift she uses as example is a sweater.

“Imagine receiving planned or unplanned feedback from the perspective of ‘this is a gift.’ You are now empowered to decide what to do with the information. If the feedback ‘fits,’ you can make a change that supports your professional development. If you’re not sure if the feedback is accurate, you can ‘try it on.’ Observe your behavior and ask for feedback from other sources and then decide if this is an area that warrants change. Lastly, if the feedback does not truly reflect who you are and what you do, put it in a place where it won’t get in your way.”

What you do with the feedback given to you, is up to you. The important thing is that you’ve really listened to what has been said and given yourself some time to reflect on it. If the feedback is coming from your supervisor, you may have to make changes if you want to keep your job. But in the end, it’s you who determines how you want to approach those changes.

Be Your Own Critic

Many of the companies I’ve worked for have asked that their employees fill out self-evaluations, on top of the evaluations they received from their supervisors using performance review software. I found this helped considerably to avoid unpleasant surprises when performance review time came around. With a clear definition of what my bosses expected from me, and, what I expected of myself, the anxieties associated with those “dreaded” workplace evaluations were dramatically lessened.

Even if your company does not require employees to evaluate themselves, you may want to consider doing it on your own anyway. Ask your supervisor or someone in the HR Department for a copy of the evaluation form. As they say, preparation is the key to success and I genuinely believe self-evaluations encourage employees to judge and monitor their own progress more scrupulously throughout the year, rather than leave judgment entirely in the hands of their superiors.

Take Action!

(image: source)

So you’ve received a lousy performance review. Now it’s time weigh your options and identify the changes you can make next. Communicate with your boss and make sure you have a clear understanding of what level of performance is required of you. Don’t be shy or embarrassed to ask candid questions. Clarity regarding your role is chief, and you don’t want to miss any obvious details.

Once you are crystal clear about what’s expected of you, set goals for the future and create specific action plans that will help you achieve them. These are known as S.M.A.R.T goals, i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound. Keep your bosses in the loop as to how you’ll go about improving your performance by setting a follow-up meeting and providing a document stating your future plans and intentions. You can even request monthly talent management meetings to track your progress. This way, if there are any problems, you can detect them early on and nip them in the bud.

Excel in Efficiency

(image: source)

Showing how efficiently you can work by maximizing your productivity is sure to put you on the boss’ A-list (or get you back on it). Organize yourself using a calendar or agenda that includes all the tasks to be completed for each week of the month. Prioritize your tasks according to due dates and level of importance (High, Medium, Low).

To really get in top-gear-productive-mode, you can set timers for each of your daily tasks, allotting realistic time-frames for each. Exhibiting superior organizational skills helps you keep track of what’s going on and minimizes the risk of falling behind on your work. Bosses love efficiency and especially admire employees who are able to effectively manage their time and make the most out of the hours they spend at the office.

Also, don’t be afraid to toot your own horn when you’ve done a good job. When trying to bounce back from a bad performance review, you want to get noticed when you’re doing something well.

Be Positive

(image: source)

Winston Churchill once said “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. Take this opportunity to learn from your mistakes and find solutions in order to avoid them altogether, or handle them effectively if ever they arise again.

Share how much you want to be a valuable contributor to the work team and make yourself a positive force to be reckoned with.