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 1. Home
 2. Culture & Leadership
 3. How to Prepare for a Performance Review as a Manager


HOW TO PREPARE FOR A PERFORMANCE REVIEW AS A MANAGER

Posted on June 21, 2023

When you’re about to give your first performance review, you may know what
you’re going to say, but do you know how you’re going to say it? Providing
feedback can be overwhelming and preparing to deliver critical feedback to your
employees can be daunting. The following framework will give you examples to
prepare for your performance review conversations.





HOW TO PREPARE

Start by checking in with your human resources department to determine if there
is an established expectation about the format and practice of conducting
performance reviews at your organization. It’s important for organizations to
have consistency around this practice for all employees. If your organization
has yet to develop this framework, we recommend the Brag, Worry, Wonder, Bet
format discussed in the webinar below.

Once you have established how you’ll structure the discussion, you can move onto
gathering feedback on the individual you are reviewing. There are many ways to
collect feedback on an employee’s performance. We recommend:

 * Keeping a file on the projects and tasks the employee completed over the
   review period.
 * Moving emails into a folder in your inbox to reference and inspire you when
   you get ready to write reviews.

Note: You want to be sure to include examples for the whole review period and
not just those you’ve gathered most recently.

Next, talk with other team members that have worked with the employee and ask
for their feedback. Specifically, you’ll want to ask:

 * How did they interact with the employee over the course of the evaluation
   period?
 * Is anything that stands out deserving recognition?
 * Do you feel this individual is in need of any professional development
   opportunities?

Not everyone you ask will provide feedback, but you will get a few pieces of
information you can use in building the performance review.

It is also important to invite the employee being reviewed to prepare and bring
examples of their work to the conversation. This helps them get invested in
their own development because ultimately, it is up to them to drive their
personal and professional growth. Also, inevitably, the employee brings examples
you may have overlooked but would want to ensure are included in the final
version of the review.

Keep in mind, the best review conversations do not include surprises. Ideally,
you have had many conversations with the employee throughout the review period
about any issues as that have occurred and successes they have had so that when
you are reviewing their work with them during their performance review, they
will not be shocked by anything you are saying.

This should be a summary of their performance based on their work throughout the
review period and the conversations you have had with them leading up to this
point. Of course, not every situation is set upon ideal conditions, but do the
best you can not to drop anything new on them in this meeting.


WHAT TO SAY

As we mentioned above, if your organization does not have a standard process for
evaluations, we recommend the Brag, Worry, Wonder, Bet, (BWWB) model. An
overview of the framework is presented in the webinar. To get you started, here
are some examples of what you might say to your employee.

 1. When I brag about Susan, it is about the complex conference she coordinated
    in July. It took twice as long to develop the materials as other programs
    due to the number of sessions and instructors being offered.
 2. When I worry about Susan, I am worried she is struggling with using the new
    customer relationship management system to manage her outreach with clients.
 3. When I wonder about Susan, I wonder if there are other ways to help her
    learn and use the new system.
 4. I bet Susan will master the new technology to become a super-user who will
    be able to help and train others in the organization within the next year.


HOW TO SAY IT

Remember, this is a conversation, meaning a two-way communication. As you are
sharing your feedback with the employee, ask them if they have anything to add
each step of the way. This will help engage them in identifying takeaways when
you’re done.

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

 1. Always start with brags, which are really affirmations. This will set a
    positive tone as your conversation gets underway.
 2. Next, state your worries, followed by your wonders. This shows the employee
    you are concerned about how they are doing and allows you to ask questions
    to understand how what they think needs to improve or change.
 3. Let them know you are betting on their growth and development and that you
    are investing in helping them succeed and achieve their overall and
    long-term goals!


WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO


1. RUSH OR PROCRASTINATE

Don’t wait until the last minute to start your preparations. And don’t rush
through your prep. Allow yourself adequate time to gather and review relevant
information, assess performance data feedback you received, and reflect on the
employee’s accomplishments and areas for growth.


2. FOCUS SOLELY ON NEGATIVES

Avoid fixating on the employee’s weaknesses or areas for improvement. These do
need to be addressed with constructive feedback when necessary, but it is
equally important to acknowledge and highlight the employee’s strengths and
achievements. People like to be recognized for their hard work and
accomplishments. And for many employees, that recognition helps keep them
motivated and engaged in their job and their professional growth.


3. BE VAGUE OR AMBIGUOUS

As you prepare for the performance review, be specific and provide clear
examples when discussing an employee’s performance. Vague or ambiguous feedback
can lead to confusion and hinder the employee’s ability to make targeted
improvements. Specific examples of both positive and negative behaviors can
provide clarity and help the employee understand the expectations for their
future performance. 


4. NEGLECT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Do not overlook opportunities to discuss the employee’s goals and career
aspirations during the performance review. Development opportunities shouldn’t
be limited to areas of weakness. Plan to discuss areas where an employee can
enhance existing skills, learn new areas of the business they have interest in,
or develop a new skill they want to learn. Include the employee in this
conversation and hear directly from them where they want to grow and develop.

Identifying opportunities for professional development and aligning an
employee’s goals with organizational objectives can contribute to their
long-term success and job satisfaction.


DOCUMENT THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

The last step in this process is to update the documentation with the additions
and changes discussed during your meeting. Be sure to do this as soon as
possible. Send the final version to the employee and your HR person to add it to
the official personnel file.

Now that you have a strong foundation to conduct your performance review, think
about the other conversations you need to have with your team. Are you prepared
to have a conversation with an employee who is requesting a raise? Or wondering
what comes next for them in their career? To be an effective manager, you need
to facilitate the six basic conversations that matter most to your employees
and, as it turns out, your organization. Check out the recap from WSB Center for
Professional & Executive Development instructor Steve King‘s webinar of the Six
Conversations and learn how to develop and retain your employees.

These topics are all explored in our Manager Boot Camp program. This program is
designed for new managers as well as those who are in management positions but
have not received formal management training. In Manager Boot Camp, you’ll
develop a deeper understanding of your role, improve your communication skills,
learn effective feedback methods, improve conflict resolution skills, and learn
how to manage effectively during times of change.

This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated to keep relevant
with changing market needs. ChatGPT was used to assist with updating this blog.

 

Posted in Culture & LeadershipTagged center for professional & executive
development, Culture & Leadership, employee review, performance review, webinar
recording, Wisconsin School of Business


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