Did you answer the latter? We can help!
If this year’s feedback from your manager wasn’t what you were hoping for during your review, it’s time to activate a course-correct strategy to improve your performance and perspective. Don’t let negative feedback or criticism blow the wind out of your sails! The best managers will help you develop a tactical plan and partner with you to meet new goals, but the reality is, many busy managers simply don’t have the time to hold your hand throughout each stage of your professional development. You’ll have to self-direct your way out of stormy waters, which means it’s time to reflect, refocus, and regain control before you veer off course entirely.
To course correct is the act of identifying when your behavior took a turn for the worse, followed by channelling your energy to redirect yourself onto the best path forward. It’s also a great opportunity to take a look at what hasn’t been working for you so you can actively make a change to improve your performance and your outlook on your job responsibilities. Let’s get started!
Don’t Let Bitterness Leave You Rudderless
First and foremost, allow yourself to be upset and disappointed – even feeling anxious in this situation can be a good thing. Take it in, take a few deep breaths ( Headspace, anyone? ), and come to an acceptance of the facts. By processing your emotions, you’ll be in a better position to bypass anger and channel it into building a constructive action plan. If you hold on to bitterness, all that’s bound to happen is you’ll freeze yourself into a state of resentment toward your higher-ups and it will trickle into all areas of your being, and definitely impact your job performance. Once that happens, it’s even more difficult to find your direction, and you’ll end up aimless in a sea of misdirected emotions ー rudderless and far from land.
Embrace Vulnerability
It’s hard to accept that someone may not think of you in a positive light. Even if it’s a situation in which expectations were mismanaged, which is often how performance takes a downturn, odds are you’re going to feel uncomfortable knowing your boss has shifted their perspective on you. Instead of feeling threatened or retreating inward into a place of negative emotions, consider it a blessing that you now have an opportunity to improve! How you bounce back from a stumbling block will undoubtedly determine your future with your organization, and ultimately, your future career path. Being vulnerable allows you to face these blocks and the bits of yourself you may often avoid confronting otherwise. This can be a great way to build strength and character and finally make life-altering improvements to your routine and career path. Start small, and considering washing yourself clean – literally and figuratively – by implementing some easy rituals and focusing on wellness. Only then will you be ready to take meaningful action!
Manage Expectations with Yourself
We talk to a lot of candidates who, at first sign of adversity in their current job, immediately start pushing their resume out to recruiters like us to find new jobs instead of steering the course and confronting the challenge at hand in their role. Please – don’t do this without asking yourself a few questions! Here’s where you have to be really honest with yourself and dive into why you aren’t meeting your potential. Is your workload too demanding? Are you biting off more than you can chew, and as a result, feeling spread thin? These are issues you should bring up with your manager before jumping ship. If you didn’t get to this during your review, consider scheduling a follow-up meeting once your emotions have cooled down to talk about it, and always be careful of using an accusatory tone or expressing, “it’s not my job” syndrome. These are issues you can possibly work through with your team. But, is it something else? Are you in a hostile work environment? Do you feel you’re not a fit for the culture? Are your responsibilities simply not playing into your strengths or future goals? Are you palpably miserable at work?
Be honest… and let your inner voice guide your next step. If your answers to the last few questions are yes, then it’s probably time to make a move. We’re here to help you navigate toward safe waters.
