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Making the Most of Your Performance Review

It's the end of the year and for many workers, two words come to mind: performance review. For some, this can stir up feelings of anxiety and stress. For others, it can be an exciting time to really gauge how much work and progress you have made throughout the year.

Despite these feelings, this experience is supposed to be a helpful one. One that will praise you for all the hard work you have done and make you aware of things that need improving. These evaluations serve two main purposes: to help you progress and help businesses develop their talent, thereby increasing productivity.

Here are some helpful tips to make the most out of your performance review:

- Be receptive. No one is perfect. Be aware and prepared that you may receive less than stellar feedback.
- Speak up. If your manager gives you a low rating in an area where you disagree, speak up. Ask them to share certain circumstances when the situation occurred. Remember to respond diplomatically.
- Know your weaknesses. Yes, everyone has weaknesses. Be aware of them. The last thing you want is to be blind-sided by your boss. You can avoid this by doing an honest self-evaluation of yourself prior to the discussion. If your weaknesses have a reflection on your salary, you are clearly going to have to make changes.
- Think about what you want. Utilize this one-on-one time to mention a few skills that you would like to hone in on for the next year. For example, if you would like to improve your public speaking abilities ask your boss for coaching or possibly take a class.
- Keep your co-workers out of it. Do not bring up your neighbor's lack of performance or annoying habits. This reflects poorly on you and this is your review, not theirs.

View your performance evaluation as an opportunity to showcase your accomplishments and enhance your professional development. If needed, take this time to go over what is expected of you and what responsibilities you have. This could be a great time to ask for more of a challenge or mention something outside your realm that you may be interested in working on.

Remember, don't think of it as a bad thing if your boss gives you some points to improve on. It is highly unlikely that your evaluation will be entirely positive. Take those areas of improvement and follow up by acting on them and making your manager aware of your accomplishments. It is management's job to help you strive for better. Remember, no one is perfect. But, top performers always strive for more.