ARE YOU TAKING CONTROL OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE YEAR?

Are you preparing for your annual performance review like the most important meeting of the year it is meant to be?

If the answer is ‘no’, you are not alone.

Many folks go in this meeting because it is something HR mandates us to do. In the busyness of the day to day, you prepare last minute, jotting down notes against your annual goals to discuss with your manager hoping the meeting is over soon with minimum negative feedback. However, if this meeting was with the most valued client/customer, would you do the same? Or would you block out time to prepare fully, brainstorm, run the meeting by a colleague to make sure all goes well?

So why not prepare the same way for the most important meeting of the year which will determine the trajectory of your growth?

It is so important to take control of your career by taking control of your annual review discussion. It is absolutely crucial that you are in the driving seat when you are in the annual review meeting. Instead of waiting to 'receive' the feedback, you are driving the conversation in an effective way. But, how do you do this?

Here is a process I recommend:

Thank the manager for their time and outline what you would like to cover in the review
Go through the objectives set at the beginning of the year one by one, including all the examples you’ve included
After each goal/objective, ask him for his feedback, including areas of improvement for next year
When the rating is agreed, ask, ‘What would it take to score higher next year?’
Finally, ask him how you can support him in the upcoming year to achieve his and team’s objectives, e.g. What should I keep doing to make your and the team’s lives easier?

For a second, I want you to imagine someone in your team running the meeting like I outlined above. What would your impression be?

I don’t know about you, but I would walk away thinking this person is prepared, is committed to the organisation, and wants to grow here.

Another point I cannot emphasise enough is how important it is to speak with facts to make your review practical and objective. Think of as many positive instances as possible so you are not jogging your memory in the moment. This will ensure that you have specific facts and results that you can highlight with confidence showcasing your work and contribution to the team and organisation. These examples will also serve as ‘back-pocket’ items. If the discussion goes in a direction that you haven’t thought of, or perhaps your manager challenges you on a given point, you will have the right example to pull out and take the control back. So, once again, do make that list to ensure you are fully prepared.

Finally, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Please don’t go in without thinking everything through in detail. This is one of the most important meetings you will have in the year, directly impacting your growth and compensation. Do role-play with another colleague or friend. Think about all the topics that your manager can bring up and prepare answers in advance. Think about how previous 1:1s have gone, including annual reviews, and reflect on how they were conducted and what you would like differently this time. Then practice it, so you are prepared for all scenarios.

And finally, have a list of your valuable contributions which are above and beyond your day job already. Create a list and detail out all extra contributions to the company such as employee resource groups, any trainings you have conducted, part of any planning committees etc. This should be documented as it is vital to show your commitment, and involvement which will positively affect your growth in the company.

Want more tips on getting your annual review right? Go here to get some powerful tips to be fully prepared to ace the annual review!

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Categories: : Leadership, Management, People manager