anton petukhov/flickr Think before you speak.
"When done well, reviews can greatly benefit both the employee and employer," says Darlene Price, president of Well Said Inc. and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results." "Unfortunately, not everyone makes the most of these meetings."
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," says it's tempting and all too easy if you are on the receiving end of a review to express frustration at the process or get defensive. But you should resist the temptation, he says, "because you'll want to demonstrate that you are truly listening to what's being said and taking it all in without rushing to judgment," and that you are open to receiving honest feedback and willing to learn and grow.
"If you truly do feel the feedback is unwarranted, then a more constructive approach would be to saying something along the lines of, 'Thank you for that. I'm not sure I completely agree with that assessment, but let me take some time to mull it over and maybe we can sit down again next week once I've had a chance to consider it carefully,'" says Kerr.
He concludes: "Save those conversations for another time when you can have a constructive conversation about what needs to change to improve the process."
To help ensure you get what you want and deserve out of your next review, avoid the following phrases: