Professional coaching requires a high degree of self-motivation and self-management. Performance reviews may be one thing you miss from your days in the corporate world.
You can gain real insights into your self and your clients by taking some time twice a year to step back and assess how far you have come.
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So, let’s reframe the performance review as an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the year and position yourself for the future.
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Taking stock is important for ourselves as well as our companies. It can enable you to work out if the job is giving you what you want and if you are performing to your own satisfaction. It can also give you evidence to counteract your critics. Every year I do a personal annual report alongside one for the company. The measures in a personal performance review can differ from those companies set. Things to consider are:
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Number of clients, participants, marketing and networking activities? What did was my income / expenditure / savings? Where did my income come from? What did I spend to earn it?
ACHIEVEMENTS • • • •
What are the highlights or major milestones of the year? What did I do that pushed my organisations forward? What strategies were completed or developed? What is different now compared to 12 months ago?
VALUES
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How did I express my values through my work? What did I do that brought my values to life and contributed to someone else’s experience? How did I make a difference?
One advantage of this personal performance review is that it replaces habitual self-criticism with constructive and rational selfassessment. Despite sometimes feeling that I was not doing enough, or nothing was happening; when I undertook the review, I discovered that in reality there was considerable work done and worthwhile outcomes achieved during the year. When I asked myself these questions, I was generally happy with the answers. Could I have done more? Well probably. Would I do things differently? Of course, we are always learning. Am I proud what I have done? Yes! I am. And looking forward to doing more. It need not take long to review your performance but there is value on taking regular stock. Even when working alone (maybe even more so) we need to step back and assess: where are we now, and then where do we want to go. Sharing this information with the people around you is also important. Ask for feedback and suggestions. Be courageous and generous. It is surprising how often people are willing to help if only they are asked.
It is wonderful how often someone is willing to celebrate with you too. One of the reasons that holds us back from having the life we’d love (based on our research) is negative self-talk. Taking an objective appraisal of your year to date can bring you clarity and confidence. It is all too easy to let the supposed failures overtake the achievements in our world. So, acknowledge all that you have done in the past year, be proud and let someone else see how wonderful you are. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Judith Bowtell of Albany Lane is an executive, emerging leader and career coach based in Sydney Australia. She is expert in supporting the development of people, at any age and at any stage, using a values-centred approach to professional and career development. If you want to know about what I do go to and how it can help you have the working life of your dreams: check out www.albanylane.com.au
