Negative Performance Review: What do I do?

So your performance review with your supervisor didn’t exactly go as you would have hoped. This is a feeling no one wants, and often no one expects. Receiving negative feedback rarely gives anyone a good feeling, but it isn’t the end of the world.

So now that you’ve received the less-than-stellar feedback, where do you go from here? How can you move past it and improve? Jane Burnett outlines some tips on how to take bad news and get the best outcome you can in her article here. Here are some of our favorite points:

• Don’t panic, and don’t make a scene: This one may seem like a no-brainer. It’s critical to take the negative feedback in stride, and to not become outwardly angry, devastated, or generally upset. Just about everyone won’t feel great after a negative performance review, but the worse you (outwardly) react to it, the worse the outcome will be. Burnett sums it up perfectly in her article: “You’ll look super unprofessional, and this could be another strike against your credibility.”
• Learn from this, and do your homework: Figure out how to take this feedback in stride, and use it to improve. Performance reviews, though negative, are an opportunity to see what you need to change. Absorb the feedback you received, and use it to your advantage.
• Make a plan: If you really want to change things, you’ll need to create a tangible action plan based on your weaknesses. Develop the plan, and make sure you keep closer tabs on your performance in the future. That way, you’ll be more able to stay ahead of the curve and nip problems in the bud earlier.

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.