How to Get the Most Out of Your Performance Review Even if Your Manager is Not Engaged in The Process

Departments in most companies are being asked by senior leadership to do more with less. Production per employee is actually higher than it has been in the past 20 years. Managers have smaller budgets and fewer employees with which to get the same amount of work done, which is causing them to feel spread way too thin. Unfortunately for employees, encouraging and developing their staff falls through the cracks when there are tight deadlines to meet. What can you do to help your boss be the manager you need?

Consider how you might utilize your company’s performance review process to your advantage. Ponder the following before you meet with your supervisor for your next review.

Be prepared. Come with a list of things you want to talk about. You might even communicate some of these items with your supervisor in advance so he/she has some time to think about the topics that are important to you before your meeting. Anticipate any tough questions you might be asked and think about how you will respond confidently about why you did what you did. Be prepared to talk about what you feel were your biggest accomplishments during the performance time frame.

Keep notes about your work. Write down information about projects you have worked on and the role that you played. Keep the feedback you received from previous reviews in mind as you keep notes. For example, if your manager said at your last review that you needed to improve in a certain area, keep notes on how you have made progress. If you have been asked to help develop a new program or train a new employee, write down the steps you have taken to achieve these goals.

Most importantly, focus on building a good relationship with your manager. Try to foster teamwork. If you don’t already know, ask questions about how your job is tied to the company’s goals. Ask how you can best support the department and your manager in order to help the company reach its objectives. Share with your manager, what you appreciate about having him/her as a boss. If he or she is open, explain how your manager can help with your development and career satisfaction. It is in his or her best interest to have knowledgeable and satisfied employees.

The response or lack there of, from your manager will give you some valuable information. Is it worth your time (or your mental health) to continue in your current position? In the meeting, you could have gained some very valuable insight into how you can grow professionally in your current job or you may have determined that it will be a difficult battle to develop a good working relationship with your manager. If the latter is the case, are there other opportunities to explore within the organization? Can you gain some additional training to qualify you for a promotion or opportunities with other organizations?

Before making the decision to stay miserable in your job or quit in disgust, be proactive and see how you might be able to improve the situation. Speak up. Work with your manager and see if he or she is willing help increase your employee engagement. If you are a talented employee and your manager has some leadership ability, he or she will want you to be challenged and productive.