The traditional performance review remains the instrument of choice for evaluating employee performance at most companies. Employees need to be more than a passive bystander in this critical process. You must take steps to ensure that the company receives the right information about you to make sound judgment about your current accomplishments and future potential. Here are some tips.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Preparation is the key to making the review process a positive and productive experience. A colleague of mine, Alicia Rodriguez of Sophia Associates Inc., says that a good way to prepare for a performance review is to ask yourself the following five questions:

1. What Do You Want to Gain from the Process?

Consider your goals both in terms of position and career. Then, determine what you want to achieve from the performance review session. Are you seeking only feedback? Or do you want to use the review as an opportunity to ask for changes in position or responsibilities?

2. What Have You Done Since Your Last Review?

Consider how far you've progressed since your previous performance review. Did you take steps to address weaknesses that were brought up or achieve the directives that were issued in that review?

3. How Do You Prove Your Accomplishments?

Be prepared to demonstrate that you've achieved or surpassed the company's criteria for performance since the last review.

4. Where Do You Still Need to Improve?

Although you don't want to go out of way to bring up the subject during the performance review, you should be honest with yourself about your weaknesses. As preparation for the performance review, identify the areas where you haven't met expectations-the company's or your own-and be prepared to explain what you've done to correct the problem.

5. How Will Future Success Be Measured?

Before your performance review ends, you should get a clear explanation of the company's expectations for future performance.

Conclusion

One more word of advice: Before you walk out of your performance review, you and the person reviewing you (assuming this person is your manager) should set benchmarks and agree to meet at least quarterly to evaluate progress. Make sure that your manager is behind you and will provide solid support as you strive toward your goals. If you do all of these things, you can make the performance review a springboard to further your position and standing within the company.

Wishing you career success,
Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

THIS DATE IN HISTORY

The Ides of March was a bad day for Julius Caesar

The Ides of March

By Glenn Demby [NOTE: Lauryn didn't write this piece. If you have comments on it, send them to glennd@bongarde.com]

"Beware the ides of March!"

This is the warning issued by the Soothsayer to Julius Caesar in Act I, Scene 2, of the Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. Caesar just laughs it off. Of course, the Soothsayer's words prove prophetic. Caesar is stabbed to death on the floor of the Senate on March 15 - the ides of March.

In Roman times, "ides" was used to describe the middle day of any month. But leave it to Shakespeare to transform an innocuous phrase like "ides of March" into a term that today summons up great foreboding. Who's afraid of the ides of February? Heck, who's even heard of the ides of February?

The assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. is hardly the only memorable event to have taken place on March 15. Others include:

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