What to Do When Your Boss Gives You a Poor Work Performance Review

What to Do When Your Boss Gives You a Poor Work Performance ReviewWhat to Do When Your Boss Gives You a Poor Work Performance ReviewWhat to Do When Your Boss Thinks Youre elend Meeting ExpectationsHeres what to do when you find yourself on a different page from your boss when it comes to your wertmiger zuwachs.Youve been trucking along at work, arriving on time, grabbing your cup of morning joe, working through the morning into the afternoon, and then you heading home after a long days work. As far as you know, all is going well. You dont necessarily jump up and down with joy each day about your job, but you still put in the time and effort required and feel youre doing good work. Then, to your surprise, your manager asks to meet with you one afternoon to discuss your performance. After the meeting, you feel defeated and surprised because your manager isnt happy with your current level of performance.Or maybe its time for your annual performance review, and your managers marks dont r esemble the same glowing marks you provided about your performance. These scenarios can happen to the best of us. When your workplace expectations differ from those of your bosses, it can cause stress and tension for all.Obviously, the easiest performance discussions are the ones wherbeie the manager and employee have similar perspectives on the employees performance. However, it often happens that this is not the case. If this happens to you, consider the following tips on how to proceed or handle the situation when you might receive a poor performance review.Mentally prepare yourself before the conversationBefore entering the meeting, tell yourself that regardless of how the meeting goes, its just a meeting about one individuals perspective of your performance. Performance discussions are simply a way for you to receive information and feedback about how youre performing in a particular lokalitt within the company. It isnt an evaluation of your personal worth or how you would perf orm in a different position or with a different company. Dont take the feedback too personally. Instead, use the information as you see fit to improve at your job and interacting with co-workers.Take an honest look in the mirrorIts hard to admit that we might be struggling at work or that our performance isnt what wed like for it to be. After having a heart to heart with yourself, get clear on whether or not there is validity in your managers perspective. If there is, and youd like to remain in your role, take action to improve.Think before you reactWhen receiving a poor work performance review, it can stir some emotions that can quickly surface. If this happens to you, do your best to take a deep breath and count to three before you react with an outburst that might make matters worse. Its best to take the time to listen to your managers input and allow yourself a few days to process the information before reacting or responding.Ask for an improvement planIf you believe there is va lidity to your managers points, ask for an improvement plan that outlines specific goals and objectives. Make sure you align with your manager on specific ways to improve your work performance. The goals and objectives should be specific and quantitative with a specified time in which to reach them the more specific, the clearer it will be that you have met the goals as requested.Keep the communication openAsk your manager if you could schedule some regular meetings with him or her so you can discuss your progress and the current state of performance. Having regular communications with your manager is beneficial regardless of performance, but especially when performance is a concern.Related Professionalism in the Workplace How and When to Ask for FeedbackSeek training and educationAsk your manager for training or suggestions on resources that could help you improve in the work areas that were identified as your problem areas. You might also want to do an online search or ask your p eers for suggestions. This type of action demonstrates initiative and shows that you genuinely care about your work performance.Ask others for an assessmentIf you disagree with your managers assessment of your performance, consider asking some trusted friends and peers for their perspectives. Youre looking for honest feedback to assess whether or not others see what your manager sees. Based on their feedback, you might identify areas for improvement or changes you need to make in your current position. You might also decide you need to switch to another position or a different company altogether. Work with a career or personal coachIf youre struggling at work and genuinely want to improve, consider hiring a career or personal coach to help you. Do an online search for a local career or personal coach in your area or ask your network if they have any suggestions. Many coaches work remotely via phone (this is my preferred method) so you might end up expanding your search beyond your l ocal area to find the right coach to fit your needs and budget. Be honest and ask for what you needYou might not be surprised by your managers frustration because the feeling is mutual. In a recent Interact/Harris Poll of approximately 1,000 U.S. workers, 57 percent reported that lack of clear directions was just one of several communication issues that prevented effective leadership. If youd like to stay in your current position longer and want to attempt to make it work, be honest with your manager and ask for what you need, including clarification of roles and responsibilities. Its hard to do your work effectively if youre not clear as to what youre supposed to be doing. Be open if personal issues are impacting your jobIf the performance concerns are relatively recent and theyre due to some personal issues youre dealing with, like a divorce, personal or family illness, or some other life-impacting event, consider sharing the highlights of this with your manager. You dont need to go into a lot of detail, but life happens and many managers will give you some space and time to deal with your personal issues, understanding that your performance will return to normal once the issues are under control or have been dealt with.Wave the white flag and look for another positionJob fit is crucial for career success. If you find that your performance is suffering because youre not happy with your current position or organization, then start getting your resume and marketing materials together so you can apply for open positions and with organizations that are the right fit for you.Chalk it up to a learning experienceOne in two adults leaves their job to get away from their manager at some point in their career, as reported in a Gallup study of approximately 7,200 U.S. adults. In some instances, you might be unfortunate enough to be stuck with a poor manager, and theres not a whole lot you can do about it but move on. If this is the case for you, consider this a learnin g experience about what not to do if you become a manager one day.Take the high roadTake the high road regardless of what happens. People will remember when you deal with situations with as much grace, integrity, and dignity as possible. They also remember when you dont handle things in such a way, which could hurt you in the long run.Sometimes an employees perspective of his or her performance will be different than that of a managers. If this happens to you, be proactive to improve or evaluate your performance to save yourself a lot of headaches and heartache in the long run. Youll be able to decide if its worth it to take action to improve your performance or if its better to make the choice to leave your current position on your own accord before the company asks you to leave. Photo credit cea +/FlickrClick on the following link for more advice on getting ahead.Looking for a new job? Make sure your resume stacks up with a free resume reviewRecommended Reading4 Wrong Reasons to Quit Your JobAsk Amanda How Do I Recover From a Bad Performance Review?6 Ways to Impress Your Boss