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Let's be real. Performance reviews are totally a love hate thing, right? Some people dread them, some see them as a golden opportunity. But wherever you fall on that spectrum, here's the truth. They're one of the most powerful tools you have to shape your career. And like it or not, you've got to do them. Well, in most organisations, at least.
Now you might be thinking, I've done plenty of these. I know the drill. And I'm sure you do. In fact, I bet you've had some stellar reviews, but don't settle just yet. Like there is a fine line between going through the motions and really using this conversation to open up doors for your future.
Now, here's an idea I want to throw at you. What if your review wasn't just about ticking boxes, going through the motions, following the processes internally, but it was about positioning yourself, be it for new opportunities or moves ahead? So let me be clear in today's podcast, I'm not here to make you suddenly love performance reviews.
No, no, no. That's asking a bit much. But I do want you to rethink them as a way to steer your career in the direction you want and with the right approach, you can walk out with more than just a little pat on the back, well done, feeling okay about things. You can set the stage for the next phase of your career.
So today we're diving into five strategies that will help you show up more confidently and pave the way for what's next. So, let's get started.
Hello and welcome to the podcast. So today I am sharing five tips that I think are super relevant because I want to make sure your next performance review is great. Now, some of these tips are really straightforward, and others fall into that unspoken wisdom category. And by that, I mean, no one tells you this stuff. Yeah. Now I want to acknowledge before we dive into that performance review, all these tips, that they can look very different depending on where you work.
One of the women in our current RISE program cohort, it was only last week actually, she asked for coaching, and it was for an upcoming review. Now she works in a company with fewer than 20 employees. Now it's quite unusual. A lot of the women that come on the program come from larger organisations, but everyone is welcome.
And she explained that this year is the first time they're doing face to face reviews. So she was looking for advice on how to approach it. Now compare that to a company like J.P. Morgan or Unilever, where the process is highly formalised and people are well seasoned in the whole review routine. So, take what resonates from today's tips, like whether you're in a small or medium company or a more structured corporate environment, I think all the tips are relevant, but as always, you take what you need.
Alrighty, let's get a groove on. Tip number one is this capture your wins in real time. Now, one of the best ways to shine in your performance review by documenting your achievements as they happen. Sounds so simple, right? But let's face it, most of us don't do that and it's a problem, right? Because can you really remember everything you did last week, let alone last month or six months ago? Oh, my goodness. And if you're anything like me, you might even struggle to recall what you did last weekend.
And that's why it's critical to capture your wins in real time. We forget. Now in the RISE Accelerate program, we teach participants the “TA DA’ method. And I've spoken about this previously on the podcast. It's basically a resource that the women love because it helps them track their contributions in real time, which is exactly what we're talking about here.
And the magic of this method is that when you see your progress in black and white on a page, it also boosts your confidence. But additionally to that, whether it's a casual conversation with a senior leader or your performance review, you're ready. You're ready with a polished achievement from the ‘TA DA’ list to share without feeling like you're boasting.
I'm such a fan of the ‘TA DA’ method, not because of the little quirky name, which is so much fun, right, but because it makes women feel more prepared and self-assured. And if you've been jotting down your wins, you won't need to scramble to remember when the review time comes around. You already have a solid, impressive list of successes.
So my advice here, if you don't have access to the ‘TA DA’ method, join the RISE program, or try this, like set, set a weekly reminder. Maybe it's every Friday. Let's take 15 minutes, maybe 10 minutes to capture your key wins from the week. And it might be a project you led or some stellar feedback you received. Just jot it down.
And by doing this regularly, you're not only being a little bit more organised, but also you'll find a lot of confidence in doing this. And when the time comes to showcase your value, you'll be ready to rock and roll. Yeah. So that's tip number one, capture your wins in real time.
Alrighty, let's move on to tip number two, which is turn your performance review into a strategic conversation. Now once you've been tracking your progress in real time, the next step is to take those achievements and elevate them in your performance review. Now this is where the magic happens. And I talk about this quite a lot, but it is so important because how you talk about your work matters just as much as the work itself.
So your self evaluation is your opportunity to go way beyond listing tasks. It's your moment to show how your work impacts the company's bigger contribution. Now, let me give you an example. So Sarah is a woman that I coached a little while ago. She was preparing for her review. She had a great track record, plenty of wins to highlight, but she wanted to ensure that her contributions. So I'm going to talk a little bit about what Sarah has done and how she has truly stood out at this time. There was a lot happening in the organization.
So instead of just listing out what she had accomplished, which she'd always done, that was her approach historically, she reframed each achievement to highlight its business impact.
Oh my God, I love this. So, for example. Sarah had been working on a process improvement project. So instead of saying, I streamlined operations, she focused on how her work led to tangible business outcomes. I led a project that cut processing time by 30%, allowing us to onboard 20 percent more clients without increasing staff, directly supporting our revenue growth for the next year.
Now I know that was a long sentence, but this is a performance review. But it really highlighted not only what she did, but it shows how she drove company's goals forward. And you can do the same. You can do the same. It takes a little bit of preparation, but you need to connect those things to the business.
Now, why does this work? It works because senior leaders care about results. Like they want to see how your work moves the needle. It's not enough to list your tasks, particularly as you're moving through the ranks now. Like they want to understand why what you're doing matters. How it aligns with the company's goals and strategic imperatives.
And when you position your achievements this way, you shift the conversation from what have you done to how are you making an impact? This is really important. So when you're writing your self-evaluation, don't just focus on the task. Think of that bigger picture. Frame your accomplishments in a way that shows how you're helping the company grow.
And this approach positions you as someone who just isn't getting the job done, but someone who's driving change and results. It's a great way to make your value more visible.
Let's, kick onto tip number three. Frame feedback as a continuous two way dialogue. Now, one of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting until your performance review. to get some feedback. If you're only talking about your progress once or twice a year, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to stay on track. And I know as you become more senior, feedback, well, it kind of tends to dry up a bit, doesn't it?
People expect you to figure things out on your own, join the dots. But let's be real. Even executives need feedback from time to time to make sure they're on the right path. So don't feel bad about this. When you're deep in the day to day, like working hard on a project, it's so easy to assume everything is fine if no one's saying anything, it's all on track, I'm doing okay. But that is the exact moment you should be checking in, especially if the project is high visibility, maybe it's high stakes. Like it's a great excuse for checking in and getting feedback.
You do not want to wait until your performance review to see how things went there because regular feedback helps you make adjustments, sometimes before it's too late.
Let me give you an example. In one of our RISE group coaching sessions, a participant mentioned she was leading this important project within the business, but she felt unsure if she was really nailing it. You know, with things on track, was she delivering on the things that were important to her boss, to the key stakeholders and she couldn't join the dots. She, she was left with this sense of uncertainty and her manager wasn't giving her any feedback and that uncertainty was starting to stress her out.
So after discussing it in the group coaching session, we encouraged her to ask for feedback proactively. And she did. She approached her manager and said something like, I want to make sure the project is aligning with your expectations and company priorities. Are there any areas I should adjust? Now listen to that piece of feedback. It's very specific. I'll say it again. I want to make sure the project is aligning with your expectations and company's priorities. Are there any areas I should adjust? Now her manager gave her specific feedback that helped her fine tune her approach and she ended up delivering exactly what was needed.
This is what I call the no surprises approach. Like if you're avoiding any last bit of issues that could have been resolved earlier, that's what you want to do. Because the truth is no one wants to get blindsided during the performance review. And some managers aren't great at giving feedback are they along the way. and that's why it's on you to make sure you're getting what you need.
And you don't have to ask vague questions like, you know, how am I doing, can you give me some feedback? That can sound quite junior, but if you deliver it in a way that is specific, ask about your work, your leadership, or any area you're focused on improving, it's always going to sound more elevated.
But the goal here is to minimise surprises. Okay. So that was tip number three, frame feedback as a continuous two-way dialogue.
Let's move on to tip number four, and this is highlight your future potential, not just your past wins. Now here's something I've noticed over the years, both as a senior leader, managing teams in my media career, but also coaching talented women. When it comes to performance reviews, we often focus so much of our time and attention on what we've done, and we forget that reviews are actually more about the future. True, right? Yes, your achievements are important. Of course they are.
Here’s the key, senior leaders are always thinking ahead about where the business is going, what challenges are on the horizon and who's ready to step up. And this is why your review shouldn't just be looking back. It is the perfect moment to talk about where you're heading and make a clear ask about what's next for you If that's what you want.
So let's say you've led a high profile project that went really, really well. Instead of just saying I delivered this project successfully, take it a step further and connect it to what you want next.
For example, I'm really proud of the outcome of this project and looking ahead. I'd love to take on more opportunities in blah area. I believe this would help the company by insert whatever you think, you know, you need to align with a company goal or priority as we talked about earlier. Can you see how that conversation is so much more sophisticated and impactful than a simplistic approach of just delivering a task, an achievement.
So how do you make that connection with the company's goals? Because I feel like that is the part that people struggle with the most. Here's the trick, right? Think about where the business is focused right now. Are they growing into new markets? Is innovation or improving processes a key focus? Whatever the direction. Show that you're thinking about how you can contribute to that bigger picture.
For example, I've noticed that we're expanding into new markets, and I'd love to be more involved in projects that focus on that. I think my experience in blah can help us achieve that goal. Look, it's all about making it clear that you're just not there cruising along, which I'm sure is far from the truth for you, but you still need to demonstrate these things. You want to demonstrate that you're actively thinking about how you can add more value to the business moving forward. And my advice here, don't just list what you've done in the past year. Yep. Use your review as a chance to be future oriented, like tell your boss what you want next. Make sure it's tied to something.
And when you do this, you're showing leadership that you're thinking strategically and ready for more responsibility. And it simply helps you to stand out and have a great review.
So let's move on to tip number five. Tip number five is turn your growth areas into opportunities. I've put that so delicately and beautifully, but let's be honest, no one loves talking about their weaknesses, right? That's why I framed it that way.
But here's the thing. Everyone has them. Everyone. Like, you're just not human if you don't have some areas to develop. And what really matters is how you handle them. So instead of shying away from those tough conversations, why not flip the script? Like think of your growth areas as opportunities to show that you're self-aware and actively working on getting better. Like you have an appetite to be better.
Now I've seen this firsthand work so many times with the women I coach, the ones who aren't afraid to talk about where they can improve. And more importantly, what they're doing to address it are the ones who make the biggest impression. Leaders don't expect you to be perfect, but they do want to see that you're committed to growth.
Now, here's a good example. Instead of saying, I struggle with delegation. Try this. I know delegation is an area where I could improve. So I've started using new strategies like project management tools to make the process smoother. I'm already seeing a difference and I'm excited to keep building on this.
So you can see that positive spin and really demonstrating what you're doing about it, it shifts the whole conversation. You're not just pointing out a problem, you're showing that you're taking action to solve it. And that's something leaders really respect.
So here's my advice before you review, pick one area where you've struggled and think about what you're already doing or plan to do to improve it. And when you frame it as a growth opportunity, you're just not owning up to a challenge. You're showing that that you're proactive, committed, and thinking ahead. There's nothing not to love about that and it really shows your boss that you're serious about owning your career.
Okay. Wow. I feel like that went quickly. So there you have it. Five tips to help you take control of your performance review and really help your career, like be more strategic in managing your career.
So whether you're dreading the next performance review or you're excited about it, I hope today's tips help you rethink how to approach these conversations so you can walk in there confidently and leave with a plan for your future. And remember, it's not just about what you've done, but how you can shape what's next. So from tracking your wins, super important to framing your future potential. These are small shifts that can make such a big impact in these conversations.
Alrighty. Well, thank you so much as always for joining me today. It's such a pleasure to share this time with you. I'll see you in a fortnight for more tips, strategies and inspiration to keep you moving. Until then keep shining. I'll see you in a fortnight.