The economic slowdown is already shaking your sense of job security and all you needed was the negative performance appraisal to further rock the boat and place you in a precarious position. All you can think of is packing your bags as you dread the prospect of job-hunting again.
Well, fact of the matter is that good performers earn excellent reviews and the organisation is glad to have them on board, while the substandard evaluations are reserved for the poor, inefficient and mediocre ones.
Earning a bad review would be quite disappointing at any given time, but the current scenario is enough to drive the best of us into depression.
You can actually turn around the ‘needs improvement’ tag, using the devastating blow as an impetus to actually excel in your career.
So, its time to pull up your socks and get to work as your continued success depends on how you handle the review, place it in context and come out on tops.
Time to stay calm: It’s hard to keep your cool when your world is crashing around you.
You find yourself swinging between anger, tension, negativity and ultimately denial, which effectively drowns out what your boss is actually saying. You may even go into defensive mode and reject the evaluation outright.
You have to keep your anger, fear and hurt emotions aside for a while. Try to stay composed and professional instead of overreacting unnecessarily.
Time to listen: The key to recovering from a poor performance appraisal is to first give it a fair hearing – this can help more than you could ever imagine.
Sit down, keep an open mind and listen to the constructive criticism and feedback in the spirit in which it is being given. Later you will realise that it is for your own good. You can even note the salient points or request a copy of the appraisal.
Time to mourn: Bottling up your distress, indignation or anxiety will not do you any good either.
Find a trusted shoulder to cry on – a neutral family member or friend – and give vent to your feelings.
You can even seek counsel and insight from a mentor or guide.
What you should never do is complain or gossip about the review with colleagues as it can only make matters worse.
Time to think: Once done, sit down to organise your thoughts and reflect on what was said. Objectively introspect on your overall performance and try to make a reasonable assessment. Re-read the appraisal and decide whether you agree with the review and what points you would like to raise again.
Time to discuss: Now approach your manager for a calm, detailed discussion to understand the review and clarify your doubts.
You can seek examples, examine areas where you need improvement and also confer on what you did well. The focus should be on figuring out the root cause, where you are going wrong and how to change.
Also request suggestions and advice on how to do better while offering some of your own.
This will show that you have analysed the review and are genuinely interested, willing and motivated to improve the quality of your work.
Time to take ownership: The discussion will enable you to view the situation from a different perspective. You should own up to your faults and agree to fix the problem. But, if you feel that there is some misunderstanding or disagreement with the criticism, point it out respectfully. You should also be armed with sufficient evidence of your abilities or performance to back up your claims.
Time to grow: Use the appraisal as an impetus to propel you to improve and do better. Draw up a concrete plan with goals and timelines and work hard on achieving the same.
This will facilitate you to fix the damage and emerge as a productive and effective employee.
The management is bound to recognise you as an industrious, positive and valuable asset who is worth keeping!
To sum up, bad reviews are in no way the end of the world. As a top career expert puts it, “Poor reviews might feel like a career breaker for most people, but the truth is a bad performance review can be a career maker!”
PAYAL CHANANIA
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