11 Things to Never Say During Your Performance Review

11 Things to Never Say During Your Performance Review11 Things to Never Say During Your Performance Review Between the feeling of being thrust into the spotlight, the one-on-one platzsetting with your manager and the gravity of whats at stake, wertzuwachs reviews can feel pretty uncomfortable. And when youre made to feel uncomfortable, sometimes you arent always the fruchtwein conscious of (or careful with) your words. But if theres one time that you want to communicate effectively , its then. After all, your performance review is often the one chance you get to push for a raise, secure a promotion or even save your job.To make sure that you dont unintentionally sabotage yourself, weve put together a list of things that youll want to avoid saying. Steer clear of these words, and youll be that much closer to passing your performance review with flying colors.Its human nature to defend yourself. But when it comes to your performance review, check your ego at the do or.Now is elend the time to go into a long explanation about why a mistake wasnt your fault Even if its the truth, it makes you look unprofessional, vindictive and lacking self-awareness, says career coach Jena Viviano . Instead of saying it wasnt your fault say, I appreciate the feedback and that is definitely something Im working on for the future Now probably isnt the time, but perhaps we can schedule another time to discuss. This gives you the opportunity to collect your thoughts, come to the table calmly and pragmatically explain the incident.While you dont want to dismiss your managers feedback , being too quick to say yes isnt the right move either.Yessing your manager to death might seem like a good way to appear agreeable, but nothing could be further from the truth. True leaders are not yes people nor do they like to surround themselves with yes people, says Scott Stenzler, founding partner of recruiting firm Atlas Search . Research shows that yes people tend not to thi nk independently, can be intellectually dishonest, lack sincerity and often add little to no value to the organization.Instead of simply yessing, show your manager that you understand and acknowledge their feedback .Let your manager finish their thought. Dont eagerly chime in before they finish speaking - instead, pause momentarily to make sure theyre done, which has the double benefit of indicating that youre carefully considering their point, and only then let them know you agree, Stenzler recommends. But most importantly, be sure to follow it up with all the reasons why you agree.Its communication 101 - when discussing a sensitive topic, never lead with you statements. In a performance review, this might include statements like you said I was going to get a raise , you didnt clearly outline expectations, etc.You statements can come across as accusatory and blame ridden, says Jen Brown, Founder + Director, The Engaging Educator . Instead of you, focus on I - I understood, Im confused, Id like to discuss.Going one step further, adding a but can be even more antagonizing.When you couple a you statement with the word but, youve created an argument, Brown says. For example, if you said You said x, but I think y, youve elevated your own opinion above the other, leading to a confrontational situation - the last thing you want during a performance review.To get your point across in a non-confrontational manner, you only need to make a small tweak.Instead of but, the word and works just as well, Brown says. Taking the above example again, the conversation could sound like I heard you say x and Ive been thinking y, can we discuss this further? This will open conversation instead of elevating one opinion above another.Lots of people have trouble taking a compliment . But if theres one time you dont want that to happen, its during your performance review - your number one moment to prove the value that you bring to your company.Although its important to give l eistungspunkt where credit is due, its equally important not to deflect your personal accomplishments to other people, says April Klimkiewicz, career coach and owner of bliss evolution . If your supervisor is congratulating you on a job well done, say Thank you With the help of the team, I was able to accomplish the goals we set forth. Im very proud of this accomplishment.This phrase is better suited for the elementary school playground than the office.Aside from sounding like a child, the idea of something being fair in the workplace is pretty subjective and emotional , Brown says. Think about why you feel it isnt fair. Use specific language to define what isnt fair - and if you keep getting back to It isnt fair, maybe you have hurt feelings.These are valid - just be sure to temper the emotional response with facts, especially in a review, Brown continues.Let me be clear - your performance review is absolutely a great time to make your case for a raise , but asking for it poi nt-blank like this is probably not going to convince anyone.Now is not the time to say you need a raise. Now is the time to prove and show you deserve a raise. There is a big difference, Viviano says. Come to your performance review with a clear understanding of your accomplishments and how theyve provided results for the company. Then when it comes for you to speak during your review, talk about the things youve accomplished that youd like to highlight.Once youve proven your value, you can talk about why you deserve a raise.It might not be written in your job description , but if you want to be seen as a top performer, going above and beyond to help from time to time never hurt.Almost every job description ends with, and other duties as assigned. Stating that some function is not part of your job description can make it look like youre trying to shirk work, Klimkiewicz says. Instead, be a team player and let your supervisor know you were not clear that particular duty was expect ed of you, but now that you know, youll be taking it on.Theres a time and a place to bring up concerns about a colleague to your manager, but your performance review isnt it.When you talk about people who arent there, youre avoiding the relationship in front of you. Its really easy to talk about another person when they arent there, Brown says. Instead of deflecting, think about why you are bringing someone else up. Are you apprehensive? Are you trying to avoid the real meat of the situation? Reflect on the whyand address the real issue.Again, recognizing the feedback that your manager gives you is crucial, but a statement like I know can come off the wrong way.This can sound defensive to your supervisor when they are trying to give you constructive feedback, Klimkiewicz says.Keep in mind that I know can be heard as so what. And if you say I know enough, then you run the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, which is not a good look, Stenzler adds. In addition, if you recognize t heres an area where you can improve, but acknowledge it by only saying I know, then all you have accomplished is making it clear that you see theres a problem but dont care enough to find a solution, he says.Instead, Stenzler suggests coming to your performance review prepared with a clear set of actions which you have implemented, or plan to implement to remediate that weakness. Be prepared to explain why some things worked and why others didnt. Your manager took the time to prepare for the review, you should, too.Performance reviews are all about growth, and phrases like this show an unwillingness to change and develop.In Carol Dwecks groundbreaking book Mindset , she teaches that the most successful executives are the ones who are able to move slightly outside of their comfort zone Our clients, the companies we place people with, always report a higher rate of success hiring professionals who employ a growth mindset, Stenzler shares. Let your manager know that you are willin g to take on new responsibilities and are prepared to put in the hard work to grow into increasingly challenging roles within your organization.