Article: You should focus on identifying your performance issues so you can then address them successfully. Start by asking the reviewer or your boss questions to clarify any notes in your performance review. In your questions, request concrete examples of what you can do better in the future so you can take real action.  For example, you may notice the reviewer notes you do not take enough risks in your current role. You may then ask, “Can you provide an example of a time when I should have taken a risk? What could I have done differently to take more initiative?” Another example may be a comment in your review of not hitting the performance targets for your department. You may then ask, “What level of performance would you consider a success? How can I achieve this performance for my department?” You should then take some time to reflect on the feedback given to you in the performance review. Thank the reviewer for feedback and then go home and think on what they had to say. Read over the review in detail and allow yourself to digest the feedback.  You may ask yourself, “How can I address this feedback in my day to day actions?” or “What can I do differently moving forward?” Asking yourself clarifying questions can make it easier for you to understand and accept the feedback. You may want to reach out to your colleagues and your friends for advice. Discussing the negative review with others can help you put the feedback into perspective and better understand where you went wrong. Try to talk to friends who are in a professional career that is similar to yours or to a peer who has experience with negative performance reviews in the past. If you are dealing with a negative performance review, be careful not to vent about the review to people you work with, especially if you are not close with them or you do not have a trusting relationship. You do not want word to get back to your boss that you are complaining about your bad performance review. Depending on your company’s policy, you may be placed on probation and required to commit to a performance improvement plan. You can also address your performance issues by creating a performance plan on your own. You may discuss the performance plan with your manager or your boss and give yourself a set time period to achieve certain performance goals.  You may allot thirty to sixty days to achieve your performance goals and change up your working style. Your manager may help you develop these goals and outline how you can achieve them in an active, realistic way. For example, you may set performance goals around taking more risks in your current position. You may outline ways to do this, such as following up with potential clients, setting up networking meetings with current clients and pushing a specific product to increase your sales. You should remain open to feedback from your manager or boss on a regular basis, as this will show that you are actively trying to improve your performance. Have weekly check-ins with your manager to follow up on your performance goals and get feedback on how you are doing so far. Be willing to get constructive criticism from your boss and implement any changes they suggest so your performance can improve. You may also set a date for your second performance review or a follow up review with your manager. This could thirty to sixty days from the date of the first review. Work to achieve your performance goals before the follow up review date so your second performance reviews goes well. If you have tried your hardest to improve your performance, but you feel you are still falling short, you may want to step back and consider if the position is the right fit for you. Perhaps the position is not suited to your skillset and you may want to consider a different position at the company. Or perhaps you need to consider a new position in a different department or even a different field. Forcing yourself to try to succeed at a position that is not suited to you may not lead to success. You may want to have a follow up meeting with your manager or your boss to discuss your career options. Be honest about being unsure about your current position and propose switching to a different department or area. If your manager is not interested in doing this, you may want to consider applying for positions that suit you better at a different company.

What is a summary?
Ask clarifying questions. Reflect on the feedback. Create a performance plan. Request feedback on a regular basis. Consider if the position is not the right fit for you.