How to Best Prepare for a Performance Review
Coaching Advocates
We help lawyers achieve success on their own terms and firms unlock the potential in their people
It’s that time of the year again - performance reviews.??For some, it’s a walk in the park, as they naturally shine when asked to speak of their achievements.??For others, it can be excruciating and bring on feelings of imposter syndrome and anxiety.??If you’re part of the latter, this article is for you.
Preparing for a successful performance review generally involves several key steps to ensure a productive conversation.?
Begin by reviewing any previous feedback you have received and conducting an honest self-assessment of your achievements, strengths, and areas for improvement.?
Identify what is important to you in your role and assess if those values are being met.?
Highlight your achievements, acknowledge areas for improvement, and consider what support you need from your manager / employer.?
Understand your goals and set clear expectations, consider if it’s time to ask for more or a change in responsibilities, and communicate your preferred feedback style.?
Be receptive to feedback, listen actively, ask clarifying questions, and create a plan to follow up on the discussed goals and feedback.
And if you are told something negative, or that comes as a shock, try to avoid being argumentative and instead listen to what is being said.??Quite often we can close down when we hear something we hadn’t expected and promptly forget about any positive feedback that may have been delivered.??We can emphasise the negative and sometimes, blow it out of proportion.??Instead, focus on solutions and ask for suggestions.??
And importantly, remember the power of your breath and take a moment to settle yourself, so that you can find a gift or opportunity for growth within any negative feedback.
See our featured article on how to prepare for a performance review here .
Coaching Tip
Given performance reviews and feedback can trigger negative thoughts of ourselves, the following tip may help strengthen your mindset to process the feedback as data for improvement without the negative self-talk.
If you find yourself thinking "I can't do that," step out of character and think of someone else saying it to you e.g:
A short mental argument with negativity will help to stop you from sabotaging yourself.
Remember, feedback is data which you can improve from and not an attack on you personally.
What's New at Coaching Advocates
Welcome to Our New Coaches
We would like to welcome our new coaches Andrea Foot and Avalyn Lim, LL.B, EMBA, PCC to the team!?
Andrea joins our Australian team with nearly four decades of experience in the legal ecosystem across Europe, North America, and APAC, Andrea brings unparalleled expertise in coaching leaders to navigate individual, team, and system-level challenges, drawing from her extensive background in legal technology, law firms, and legal teams, as well as her distinguished qualifications from INSEAD and her deep involvement in the Group Relations community.
Avalyn joins our team in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a Professional Certified Coach who brings a wealth of experience working with senior leaders in multinational corporations, law firms, and other professional service companies. She began her career at a leading law firm in Singapore in 2000 and spent 20 years in various regional and global roles in branding, marketing, business development, and corporate partnerships. This extensive corporate background allows Avalyn to understand the human and commercial dynamics across industries, which she expertly integrates into her coaching sessions.?
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