Haunted Performance Review:

What’s Your Costume? Don’t Be a Ghost!

October 2007

Halloween is upon us. Are you a superhero, a villain, a team player or a ghost this haunted performance review season? It’s not too late to alter your costume, put on a fresh mask, grab your trick or treat bag and head out into the neighborhood for all those goodies.

Do you grab a costume off the shelf, throw it on right before you head out the door, dash back inside to grab the trick or treat bag you forgot and then wander from door to door in search of the good candy? This approach may get you some of your favorite candy on Halloween, but will it get you the promotion you want, the bonus you need or deserve or the corner office with the fantastic view? If you throw together material for your performance review and don’t prepare to manage the process, you are not taking full advantage of the opportunity to advance your career or set yourself apart from your peers.

Don’t be a ghost for your performance review. Grab your Boston Red Sox uniform, don a batman or batwoman cape, or deck yourself out in pirate gear. Use a simple “ghost busting” documentation technique and become that superhero you’ve always wanted to be.

Ghost Busting Performance Review Documentation

1.Create a table with three columns.

2.In the first column, list your goals for the year. What were you to have accomplished this year or what were your company’s goals this year?

3.In the second column, detail your accomplishments for each goal. Use specific examples, references, dates, etc.

4.In the third column, list your next steps or follow-on goals for each original goal.

Use your company’s rating system to rate yourself. Add more columns if necessary to provide as much detail as possible. Incorporate professional career goals into the document and create a tool to drive the performance review and a career planning or career advancement discussion.

Provide this documentation to your manager prior to your performance review. Use it and review it as you move throughout the year. Put your ghost to rest, grab your cape, discover your superhero powers and manage your own performance review and career!

For more Ghost Busting tips for your performance review, check out 825 Basics’ book, Exceeds Expectations: Take Control of Your Performance Review.