What to Tell Your Boss at Your Performance Review - The Muse

What to Tell Your Boss at Your Performance Review - The MuseWhat to Tell Your Boss at Your Performance Review Sure, performance reviews are a time to get feedback on your work throughout the year. But sometimes we forget that its also a time to share your own goals (and even suggestions) for the future with your boss. After all, youre part of a kollektiv, and talking about whats working, whats not, and what would make you a better professional can only help your boss be a stronger leader. Plus, its a great chance to show that youre committed to your success- and to the companys. To learn more about what employers want to hear more of, we asked nine entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) what they wish their employees would tell them at their next performance review. 1. What Makes You HappyIn any review, of course well talk about performance. Well review the year, talk about company progress, the employees progress, and my own opportunities to improve. Its standard fa re. But what I want employees to talk to me about is what makes them happy (or unhappy) in their job and life and how the company or I can help maximize that happiness. If they ask that, then they know I care. John Tabis, The Bouqs Company2. How You Want to GrowEntrepreneurs value employees who are constantly striving to make themselves better- having a more skilled team leads to a better company. I love when my employees say, I want to learn more about this, or I really think I could help the company by moving into this area. Its up to each employee to figure out how he or she can be best utilized in a growing company. - Brittany Hodak,ZinePak3. What Youd Really Like to Work OnI am always looking for my employees to tell me things they would like to pursue within the company. By suggesting a project they would like to manage, it shows me their continued interest in the company. I feel confident that if its a project they are suggesting, then they will excel at it. - Phil Laboon,Cle ar Sky SEO4. How You Envision the FutureA review is a perfect one-on-one opportunity to really talk about your goals, your future, and also the future and state of the company itself. During review season, when Im taking a big picture perspective and examining the components of a company as parts and as a whole, every employee adds value and can contribute a different perspective to the conversation. - Fabian Kaempfer,Chocomize5. How You Want to Contribute to the Companys SuccessAll CEOs want to hear that their employees have a new level of dedication to the company and feel a personal growth in day-to-day morale. But more than anything, Im looking for employees who ask me how they can contribute to our vision because they see company success as ours. Show your boss that you see business growth as a joint endeavor. - Joe Apfelbaum,Ajax Union6. What You Need to Do Your Best WorkSupporting employees and providing an atmosphere and structure in which they can strive is one of the most important and challenging parts of building a business. So, regardless of how good or experienced managers are, getting your honest suggestions about how to help is invaluable. - Carlo Cisco,SELECT7. Which New Technologies and Practices Would Work BetterWorker productivity has been growing by about 2% annually since WWII. But if staffers arent equipped with competitive tech, your team will fall behind the competition. I love it when team members keep me informed of new performance-enhancing options. And performance reviews are the perfect way to contextualize a conversation about the benefits of adopting new tools and methods. - Manpreet Singh,Seva Call8. What You Want Your Boss to Stop DoingMost companies, including ours, innovate and improve through addition. Employees are regularly bringing up ideas of what we could add to our products or operations that would make the company better. I wish employees would also tell me what we should stop doing (innovation through subtraction) . What can we remove that would make us a better company? - Bhavin Parikh,Magoosh, Inc.9. What Isnt Working- and How to Make it BetterMy employees are in the trenches and live the business operations day in and day out. I want to hear from them what isnt working. I want to give them permission to own the companys success and their happiness at work. At the same time, I want them to tell me how it can be fixed. Always come with a problem and a solution. - Kristi Zuhlke Kimball, New Consumer Solutions LLC