What To Say In A Performance Review: 30 Helpful Phrases To Use

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During these annual feedback sessions, understanding what to say in a performance review is crucial for managers and employees. Performance reviews are important meetings where managers and employees discuss how things are going at work. When done right, they help employees feel valued and motivated to do better.

Good feedback makes all the difference in these reviews. Instead of vague comments like “you need to do better,” helpful managers give specific examples, like “I noticed you’ve been turning in reports late – let’s figure out how to fix that.” This clear feedback helps employees understand exactly what’s working and what needs work, making it easier to improve and grow in your role.

Want to ace what to say in a performance review? Focus on real examples of your work, from meeting tough deadlines to helping teammates. Whether you’re a boss giving feedback or an employee sharing your achievements, keep things simple and honest. Talk about specific situations where you or your team member showed skills in areas like communication, creativity, leadership, and getting work done on time. Remember, the goal isn’t to critique – it’s to help employees get better at what they do.

Why Do We Even Need Performance Reviews?

These reviews help everyone in different ways:

How To Write A Good Performance Review As An Employee

Most companies only do performance reviews once or twice a year, so it’s your big chance to shine and shape your future at work. Think of it like an important conversation about your job journey – not just another meeting.

Let’s break down exactly what to talk about to ace your performance review:

Talk About Your Achievements

Think about your best work moments from recent months. You could have led a successful project or solved a tough problem. For example, “I’m really proud of how I handled the John project last month. Our team not only met the deadline, but the client was so happy they’d become a regular customer. This project helped me grow as a team leader and get better at working with clients.”

Talk About Growing Your Skills

Everyone has room to grow, and bosses love hearing that you want to get better. Be honest about what you’d like to improve. Try something like: “I’ve noticed I could be better at staying organized. I’m planning to start using a project planning app and create clear timelines before starting new projects. This should help me stay on track and manage my time better.”

Show How Far You’ve Come

Think back to where you were a year ago and share how you’ve grown. For instance: “When I started, I was pretty nervous about talking to clients. Now I actually enjoy our client meetings and feel confident leading them. I’ve been using the communication tips we learned in last month’s workshop, and they’re really making a difference.”

Ask Smart Questions

Show you care about the company’s future by asking thoughtful questions, like:

1. “What big changes should our team prepare for next year?”
2. “Are there new skills I should focus on learning?”
3. “How can I help the team hit our goals?”

Also, don’t forget to mention if your work tools are helping or slowing you down. Your boss needs to know if that new software is making your job easier or if outdated equipment is causing problems.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Watch out for these problems:

Helpful Phrases For Performance Reviews By Category

Performance reviews can be stressful for both managers and employees. Here’s how to make them more helpful and less scary by using these phrases.

Attendance

Good examples:

1. “You’re always on time or early for meetings”
2. “You show up ready to work each day”
3. “You haven’t missed a day in X months”

Needs improvement:

1. “You’re often late to work”
2. “You take too many days off”
3. “Your lateness affects your coworkers”

Attitude

Good examples:

1. “Your cheerful attitude helps the team”
2. “You stay positive even when things are tough”
3. “You help keep others motivated”

Needs improvement:

1. “You get upset too easily”
2. “Your negative attitude causes problems”
3. “You need to handle stress better”

Customer Service

Good examples:

1. “You’re great with customers”
2. “You handle difficult customers well”
3. “You stay calm when dealing with complaints”

Needs improvement:

1. “You need to listen to customers better”
2. “You struggle with face-to-face service”
3. “Your customer satisfaction scores are low”

Reliability

Good examples:

1. “We can always count on you”
2. “You work hard to get things done”
3. “You consistently meet expectations”

Needs improvement:

1. “Your work quality is inconsistent”
2. “You often leave work for others to finish”
3. “You need to be more reliable”

Flexibility

Good examples:

1. “You handle change well”
2. “You’re open to new ways of doing things”
3. “You stay calm under pressure”

Needs improvement:

1. “You get frustrated when plans change”
2. “You stick to old ways even when new ones are better”
3. “You don’t take feedback well”

Getting Along With Others

Good examples:

1. “You work well with everyone”
2. “People enjoy working with you”
3. “You make others feel valued”

Needs improvement:

1. “You don’t work well with others”
2. “People find you hard to approach”
3. “You need to be more considerate of others”

Leadership

Good examples:

1. “You help your coworkers succeed”
2. “You’re good at motivating the team”
3. “You lead by example”

Needs improvement:

1. “You need to treat team members more equally”
2. “You don’t give enough recognition”
3. “Your instructions aren’t clear enough”

Job Performance

Good examples:

1. “You exceed expectations”
2. “You take initiative”
3. “You’re one of our top performers”

Needs improvement:

1. “You’re not meeting your goals”
2. “You need to show more initiative”
3. “Your work needs improvement”

Teamwork

Good examples:

1. “You’re a great team player”
2. “You help others succeed”
3. “You build strong relationships”

Needs improvement:

1. “You prefer to work alone too much”
2. “Others hesitate to ask you for help”
3. “You need to share more with the team”

Time Management

Good examples:

1. “You always meet deadlines”
2. “You use time wisely”
3. “You respect others’ time”

Needs improvement:

1. “You often miss deadlines”
2. “You take too long on tasks”
3. “You need better time management skills”

Conclusion

Performance reviews can feel tricky, but they’re super important for helping everyone grow at work. Think of them like check-ins that help both you and your company get better together.

When done right, these reviews can actually be great. They’re a chance to celebrate the awesome work people do and figure out ways to help them shine. The positivity is important; point out what’s working well, but also have honest conversations about where people could use some extra support.

What to say in a performance review doesn’t have to be complicated. The best reviews feel more like a helpful chat between teammates than a formal evaluation. When bosses and employees work together to set goals and talk openly about growth opportunities, everyone wins. It creates a workplace where people feel pumped to do their best work and know they have support to reach their goals. After all, when your team members feel valued and motivated, amazing things happen

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