What to do after a Bad Performance Review
Performance reviews are a great way of catching up with your boss and ensuring that you are on the right path. However, on occasion, you may have a bad performance review and will almost certainly find it demoralising. You have a choice of either letting it demotivate you, or taking on board what is said and moving on; obviously the latter choice is by far the most sensible. You can rebound from a bad performance review at work in the following ways.
Don't take offence
Your immediate reaction, especially if the bad performance review was unexpected, is likely to be to take offence. Try to avoid this, especially in front of the person who did your review with you, because their opinion of you is hardly likely to improve if you don't take criticism well. Don't vent to other colleagues either, because your reaction could get passed on. If you feel like venting, do so when you get home, with people you can really trust.
Write down what was said
Whether you receive written documentation following the review or not, it is worth writing down everything that was said so that you can read through and remind yourself exactly where your weak points are. You would probably much rather forget that the review happened at all, but it is far more sensible to face up to what was said and work out ways that you can start to put things right.
Consider the reality of the situation
You will probably have had an inkling of areas that need improving before the review. However, if you didn't and the criticism of your performance comes as a real shock, then you need to sit down and consider what has been said very carefully. There is a possibility that your supervisor may have misunderstood something or that they were really at fault for not having explained thing to you. However, do appreciate that it is very likely there is much you can do to improve.
If in doubt, ask
You may come away from the performance review feeling very confused and demoralised. Once you've had time to consider what was said, if you are still confused, then make sure you clarify the situation. If you feel that you can't approach the reviewer themselves, then ask another member of staff for their take - it may well be that they can explain things in a way that you can more easily understand.
Decide what needs to be done
Once you're sure of the areas in which you need to improve, then decide how that can be done. Hopefully, the reviewer will have already given you some suggestions and will help you to achieve whatever needs to be done. If you haven't been given any help, then you may need to turn to other colleagues for assistance. It may simply be a matter of someone helping you to understand a particular part of your job, or you may need some training. Alternatively, it may be a matter of toning down a specific part of your personality.
Put the effort in
Once you have worked out your next steps, then make sure you take the time to carry them out. You don't just need to tell your reviewer that you are going to take a training course or do things in a different way, you need to actually show that you are doing your best to put things right. You may not achieve what is required straight away, but provided that you are putting in the time, your efforts will be noticed and appreciated, which will motivate you to carry on.
No-one wants to have a bad performance review. However, if you do have one, take some time to think things through and improve your performance and you will soon bounce back.
