Quick Checklist: What You Need To Know For Your Performance Review

Performance reviews are nerve-wracking for everyone. Career decisions and remuneration may hang in the balance. You want your manager to see your past year’s accomplishments the way you see them. So the question becomes: How do you prepare for your annual review?

The answer to this question is “storytelling”—if you take the time to apply storytelling techniques you will feel prepared, not anxious. And you will be sure to put your best foot forward. There are ways to effectively and ethically help your manager understand your point of view. These review sessions may offer a chance to make sure your accomplishments get the notice they deserve. Use this quick storytelling checklist below to prepare for your next performance review.

Why Use Storytelling Techniques In Your Performance Review

Performance reviews might appear to be driven by straightforward metrics. Can storytelling really change the outcome? The truth is that even though our managers might think they are being completely objective, biases and forgetfulness often flavor their evaluations. Humans simply can’t remember a whole year’s worth of information. Thus, managers often judge employees based on the past month or two. This happens so often it’s been given the name “recency bias,” valuing the recent events over everything else.

“Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone,” said Jennifer Aaker, Stanford professor and author of “The Dragonfly Effect.” Put another way: People forget facts, but they never forget a good story. Which stories do you want to tell? What do you want your manager to remember about you?

Use The IRS Model In Your Next Performance Review

The “IRS model,” helps craft a story with only a few sentences:

• I – Intriguing beginning (first sentence or two — or about 10% of your story)
• R – Riveting middle (next two to three sentences — or about 70% of your story)
• S – Satisfying end (final sentence or two — or about 20% of your story)

A Storytelling Example For A Performance Review

Consider the following hypothetical example: “Our company has traditionally relied on our newsletter and blog content to attract new customers, but this year, with AI impacting our readership, we had to change tactics. I led the effort to create content that is still effective with the new AI-powered search engines. The strategy was not only successful at maintaining our targeted number of leads, it had a higher conversion rate.”

The beginning is intriguing because it positions the company as facing a challenge. The manager perks up, wanting to know how the changes in AI are impacting the company. The middle takes the listener on the journey, showing this employee’s new responsibilities. The ending is satisfying because it shows how everything worked out.

Some companies require employees to jot down a few of their accomplishments in writing before the performance review. That presents an opportunity to tell a story. Other managers might have an informal chat with employees a few days before the actual performance review. Whatever approach your manager takes, the IRS structure is useful in preparing to share information about yourself with your manager.

 

Performance Review: A Quick Storytelling Checklist

Follow this checklist to make your accomplishments stand out throughout the performance review process.

1. Brainstorm before your review.

Gather stories about your accomplishments, areas of improvement and your goals. Do not edit or self-sensor. This time should be free of judgement so you can remember as many specific examples as possible.

If your manager were to repeat one of your accomplishments to others, what would you want it to be? Jog your own memory for good stories using questions like these:

• What are my biggest contributions to the company or team this year? What makes these contributions above and beyond my call of duty?
• How have I had a positive impact on my team that few people have noticed?
• What was a big challenge this year? How did I overcome it?

Inevitably, during a performance evaluation will be asked to identify areas for improvement. Brainstorm stories that show what you are doing to improve yourself and/or your team. Ask yourself questions like:

• What was the biggest investment I made this year at work?
• What professional development have I completed this year? Conferences? Trainings?
• What have I read or listened to this year?
• How has my own growth from these training sessions or readings impacted my work or my team? What does it say about how I want to grow as a colleague?

2. Choose stories about your goals.

From all the list of stories you brainstormed in the first step, use the stories that convey your ambitions and goals. Choose stories from two categories:

• Those most logically tied to your organization’s overall goals.
• Those that build on the accomplishments you’ve already achieved.

3. Use The IRS method to structure your stories.

You don’t have a long time to tell a story, so make sure you structure it and practice ahead of time. Use the IRS method above to structure your brief, brilliant stories.

4. Tell yourself the right story when the performance review is complete.

What if you get difficult feedback? Performance reviews can help us understand our own blind spots. When a manager’s feedback comes as a surprise, make sure you put it in context. Your manager wants to help you succeed in your role. Tell yourself the story, so you can hear it. Try running it past someone you trust.

How To Prepare For Your Performance Review With Storytelling

Preparing for a performance evaluation ahead of time encourages us to reflect on the past year, and appreciate how much we’ve accomplished. You want your manager not only to have a good impression of your performance and your goals, but also to be able to repeat key points to anyone who has a say in whether or not you get recognized for your contributions.

Like scrolling through old photos, it helps us make sense of our year and realize how much we’ve been through, who we’ve worked with and how it’s all led us to this current moment. An added benefit is that self-reflection can shift our attention away from the anxiety of proving ourselves to our managers to remembering for ourselves what matters most.

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