Hurry, Your review is due soon!

In about 6 weeks, 90% of companies will begin the annual march to documenting performance. Employees hate it. Managers hate it. 65% of CEO say they not only hate it but the process is broken.

The problem with this is the person it hurts the most is the employee. Ever think about that. Your raise, promotional opportunities and even whether you're going to get another job is dependent - to one extent or another - on these reviews. So if it doesn't go well you - the employee - loose.

It always boggles my mind as to how many people leave your performance review up to a once or twice a year conversation. A process that nearly everyone admits is broken and inaccurate. Here are 3 facts you may not have thought about.

Fact: 65% or more of a rating is based upon the manager’s rating tendencies and tastes. If you wait until he/s has to write a review, it’s too late.

Fact: 30% of reviews actually lower performance of nearly everyone. The process is so bad it takes your desire to do better away.

Fact: How management views your performance is directly tied to your raise. I’ve seen manager’s fight like a mother bear protecting her cub to get an increase for a valued employee with what appeared to be an average review. In every case the employee and manager enjoyed really good communication.

So it’s in your best interest to make sure your efforts are well known and that you take the lead on making sure your manager appreciates your work. This is especially true if you work in an organization that uses a matrix management form of governance.

Start by answering these 5 questions.

·     What level of detail does your boss prefer? Some people like lots of details and others just don't want to be surprised.

·     What is your manager’s preferred means of communication? Too often, we send a quick email, IM or text when doing so really irritates your boss. I've worked with a number of executives who secretly hate getting and sending electronic communication but do so because they think that's the norm.

·     How does your manager make decisions? Do they like to run big decisions passed several people or do they make them fast and in the moment? Notice when they deviate from their normal style. Ask yourself why.

·     What time of day is your manager at his/her best? I have to tell you when I worked for a company after a long day of sitting in meetings I wasn't at my best. So if my team needed in-depth analysis or it was an important decision I'd delay making a decision.

·     What is your manager’s preferred leadership style? Is does your manager dislike surprises or wants answers in a certain way? Do they prefer to talk about strategy and leave the details to their team? Some are chatty and others hate social conversation. Just notice when they seem engaged and when they don't listen well and you'll begin to understand how they make decisions and bring others along.

Once you’ve answered these 5 questions, ask your manager these questions and compare the answers. Use the answers to plan your updates and shape your managers’ perception of your performance during the upcoming year so you won’t have to worry about at the annual review. 

If you're ready to practice now... plan your next update using the answers and see what happens. Read more at www.rllessons.com/blog