Four Ways to Get Rid of Performance Anxiety and Get Good Feedback
There are several things as worrying as performance testing . You expect your rock-faced bosses to question you about what you have achieved and what you have not achieved over the past year, right? Of course it isn’t, but it’s easy to fall prey to your own anxiety.
This post was originally published on the Muse website .
Sitting in a small, empty room with no windows while frying is definitely a vision that enters my head when a performance report appears on my calendar. Seriously, although I’ve been getting feedback for almost a decade now, it still causes mild panic attacks every time.
And while I’ll probably feel the same way until I retire, I’ve also learned a few tricks over the years to put it all together and get a little less panicky. If you, too, tend to be anxious about evaluating results, try these strategies to stay calm.
1. Get the scoop (and get ready)
If you are anything like me, you probably panic the most when you don’t know what to expect in a given scenario. For example, evaluating effectiveness can be anything from signing a piece of paper to talking to your boss to a grueling, hours-long meeting that looks a lot like a firing squad (okay, I’ll stop).
And while you could probably handle any of these things, the review is much more manageable if you know what to expect. Your mind may focus less on panic over the unknown and more on preparing topics for discussion, self-assessment, or any other statistics or documents you may need to provide.
So, once your feedback is on the calendar, send a simple email to your boss asking for details on how it will go. “Could you tell me a little about the format of my review? Is there anything I need to bring or prepare? ” works great. Then, actually set aside time on your calendar to get ready.
2. Remember that feedback is good.
No joke, I had one review that sounded like this: “Well, Adrian, you had a great year! This is almost all I have for you. Then my boss told me about an upcoming project and I left after 10 minutes.
The best review, right?
Not really. By opting out of the review, my boss may have eased my temporary panic, but he ultimately robbed me of advice that would really help me grow. He had many years of experience in the world of communications, and his understanding of what he thinks I am doing well, where he saw me grow in the company and the industry, and what new skills and experience, in his opinion, I should to get was priceless.
The point is, feedback – especially constructive criticism – is good. And your review is a great time to really get and solicit feedback and advice to help you move to the next level. By going with the mindset that you will receive constructive feedback, but that it will be a good thing — you will be able to look at the meeting with confidence.
3. Get up and be optimistic
If you haven’t really spent a year putting together recipes and looking for the best puppy GIFs the internet has ever seen, I guarantee your review won’t be so bad. In fact, I bet you have accomplished a lot this year that you can truly be proud of.
So, before reviewing, make a list of these things – from the big projects you have participated in, to the committees you have participated in, to the clients you have especially delighted. First, having a list of your accomplishments is a great way to make sure you communicate your value to your boss during your review. But it has the added bonus of reminding you of everything you’ve accomplished this year and instilling confidence in you as you head to that meeting.
4. Get rid of surprises.
The most comforting thing my boss has ever said to me before a review is, “Don’t worry. There will be no surprises. “
By that, she meant that the feedback she gave me in my review would be a repetition of what she had already told me. In truth, great managers won’t wait for review season to bombard you – they’ll give you regular feedback to help you understand what you’re good at and where you need to improve so you can adjust course as needed. during a year. …
If you have a manager who does this, you can rest assured that you won’t encounter many surprises in your review, too (phew). But if your boss is more secretive, try to be proactive and solicit feedback throughout the year. Have your boss review your results monthly to check your goals and progress. Let him or her know that you are looking to grow in your role and would like to receive regular feedback to do so, and use this time to ask questions such as , “Is there anything I can do better?” “What would you like to see from me before the next review?” “These are the areas I would like to grow in – am I focusing on the right goals?”
If you, like me , are afraid of feedback , these conversations are also not always easy, but I tell you: they are much better than a cryptic review.
Performance reviews may never be your favorite gathering of the year – they definitely never will be mine. But if you know what to expect, act with the right mindset, and try to avoid surprises, you will find that they are more productive and enjoyable than you ever thought.
4 Ways To Relieve Anxiety When Evaluating Effectiveness | Muse