STRATEGY

The key to getting the most from a positive performance review, or minimizing the damage from a negative one, is to subtly take charge of the conversation by preempting the reviewer. If you expect a positive review, immediately launch into the new challenges you'd like to take on. If you expect a negative review, immediately describe your plan to improve. The idea is to get off the negative issues discussion as quickly as possible and turn this meeting into a positive and constructive outline of your plan. If you don't succeed in taking control, push for a subsequent meeting and try again.

TACTICS

• Attitude: Look on this as a chance to take charge of your future, rather than a postmortem on your past.
• Preparation: Conduct a thorough self‐analysis to determine whether your review will be primarily positive or negative. Then, develop a plan to either take advantage of the positive review or correct past mistakes and shortcomings.
• Timing: While you'll have little control over when this meeting takes place, be ready to postpone it should anything problematic occur during the conversation. For example, if you're in your supervisor's office discussing your performance and they get a call that the company's largest customer has gone bankrupt, immediately suggest an adjournment.
• Behavior: When receiving constructive criticism or compliments, it's important to acknowledge them with more than just physical gestures. Rather than just nodding, say you understand. Take your supervisor's suggestions, put them in your own words, and repeat them. Offer sincere thanks for any input, positive or negative.

ADAPTATIONS

This script can be modified to:

• Counter a problem that may arise when you're discussing a proposed raise or promotion.
• Use as a segue into a discussion of a raise or promotion.

KEY POINTS

• Stress how much you love your job and that you've looked forward to this meeting—whether it's true or not.
• If you expect a positive review, immediately launch into what you'd like to do in the coming year in order to set up raise or promotion discussions.
• If you expect a negative review, admit your problems and immediately launch into your plan for self‐improvement.
• If your supervisor doesn't let you take charge of the conversation, segue into your plan after absorbing their comments.
• If your supervisor doesn't accept your plan, ask for another meeting at which you can try to take charge once again.