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A career coaching article:
Bad
performance review?
Seven tips to deal
with a negative performance
review (and ace the next one)
by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Q. “I wasn’t happy with my last performance
review. Should I
dispute the review? Write a letter for my file? Talk to a lawyer? Or
just let it go?”
A. Most professionals feel you should offer some kind of
response. But whether to respond, and the way to respond, will
depend on your company’s culture, the unwritten message and your own
career goals.
1.
Assess your report in light of the company’s culture.
In some cultures, anything but glowing praise will be viewed as
negative. In others, tough reviews are the norm.
Often your boss will be expected to come up with at least one point of
constructive criticism. After all, nobody walks on water. But if
you’re being attacked or unfairly criticized, you must explore further.
Sometimes you’ll win more points by taking the review in stride than by
fighting. But in some cultures, a single negative review means
you need to start job-hunting right away.
2. Calculate your
boss’s strategy.
Sometimes your performance report has nothing to do with you or your
performance. Your boss might honestly want to see you leave the
company or make sure the next promotion goes to someone else.
Your boss may be a new hire who is still learning your company’s
culture. She may combine good intentions with weak
implementation.
Or maybe your boss wants to get your attention: he’s dropped hints and
you’ve ignored them. Or he wants to help you progress but doesn’t
know how to communicate tactfully.
3. Listen for
unwritten messages.
Does your company have a category where a low score means you’re headed
for disaster? Does your boss try to tell you, “It’s a great
review!” when you know otherwise?
Suppose you’ve been getting terrific reviews – and now you get slammed
with a truckload of criticism. Maybe you really did have a bad
year. Or maybe there’s an agenda you need to understand.
4. Get the facts
without getting defensive.
 Ask your boss to explain each
criticism.
For example, if your boss said your project was delivered late, get
dates and times. If you’re criticized for interpersonal skills,
ask for specific instances.
But give your boss a chance to save
face.
Anyone can make mistakes. An overworked, harried boss can skimp on her
own data collection. You can say, without confrontation, “My
records show I managed six projects, not four. Can we go over this
point?”
5. Delay your response.
Ask for a second meeting, explaining calmly that you need time to
think. Use the time to collect your backup file. Consider a
consultation with an outsider: career coach, consultant, human
resources professor – even a lawyer if the situation warrants.
Do not discuss your report or your decision to seek help with your
peers. Ever.
6. Back up a
rebuttal with facts, not emotion.
Assemble your own evidence of performance. Collect letters of
appreciation, dates and times of project completion, statistics showing
how you helped the company.
Often simply placing a rebuttal letter in your own file will defuse the
impact of a negative evaluation. When you’ve had a strong track
record, your company will ignore an occasional negative, unless someone
has introducedå
a new agenda.
Your boss may be ordered to grade on the curve, i.e., assign some
employees the “low” category even if everyone’s doing great. And, being
human, he may assign those ratings to those who are least likely to
speak up. A strong, carefully written rebuttal will clarify your
strength of purpose.
7. Avoid jumping
to conclusions – or to a new job.
When clients ask, “Should I look for a new job?” my answer will be,
“When you work for any organization, keep yourself marketable. Maintain
your network. Identify reputable recruiters and build ties with them.”
It’s rarely a good idea to share your career change plans with your
colleagues or boss until you have a written offer in hand. And
it’s rarely a good idea to accept a counter-offer from your present
company. (Over half of all workers who accept a counter-offer are gone
within six months, one way or another.)
But if your company wants to send a “Go Away!” message, they may be
happy to give you a good reference that reflects your real
contribution.
Recommended reading:
Ace your
performance
review and move to your dream career. Click here for more information.
Your 21-Day Extreme Career Makeover Click here for more
information.
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