Performance self appraisals that strengthen your case

Too many people undersell themselves on self-appraisals, resulting in lower pay.  They make it easy for their manager to reward others, in what is almost always a zero-sum game.  Here are 5 tips to help you get the recognition you deserve.

1.  Never declare weakness.  Many managers find it hard to give negative feedback so if you open the door, they may consciously or unconsciously see an opportunity to make you the lower end of the bell curve and avoid a difficult conversation with another employee. That said, it is helpful to declare what you want to improve and develop.  So don’t say “My communication skills aren’t good enough”, say “I’d like access to communication resources and training to support my development.”    

2. Understand the process.  Every company I have worked at has its own very distinct operating model.  For example, if the management review meeting format is 2 strengths + 1 development opportunity, knowing this tells you exactly how to shape the narrative of your appraisal. 

3. Understand the players.  Identify who sits in your management review and who tends to have influence.  To be successful you need a manager who advocates for you and a key influencer that will back them up. If your boss is positive, and the next comment is also, most players will accept and move on.  Be sure to be personally known to the management review leader and to the HR rep.  They often play adjudicating roles.

4. Get stakeholder feedback.  Do this regardless of whether management does.  Firstly, feedback is your fuel for growth. Secondly, it will help you counter bias from a manager that is over reliant on their own opinion or on those of a non-representative stakeholder community.

5.  Identify the inconsistent signals.  You can sometimes be told one thing, when the facts tell it differently.   A couple of real examples: half my peers were invited to an event and I wasn’t.  Turns out there were 2 grade levels inside the title, and I was on the lower one, receiving lower compensation.  Another I have witnessed is employees being told they are high potential when there is a high potential program they aren’t on.  Knowing the inconsistencies will help you negotiate a better outcome.