Mirror, Mirror on the Wall — Reflections of Performance: Five tips for writing an effective self-assessment.

There it is — the email invitation from your manager suggesting a date for your next performance appraisal. No sweat, you think. You’ve been killing deadlines and kicking the competition for the past six months. But what’s that last sentence? “A self-assessment should be completed prior to the meeting.”

Unless you’re a practicing narcissist, the idea of assessing one’s own performance leaves most employees either cold or confused. “What if I underrate my performance and negatively influence my manager’s assessment?” “If I toot my own horn, won’t it come off like I’m boasting?”

Employee self-assessments have been widely accepted for some time, and for good reason. Asking employees to evaluate their work against their own standards of performance gives the manager insightful perspective to use when preparing feedback.

Don’t leave employees scratching their heads, not knowing what to expect from the process. Share these best practices to help them reflect honestly and accurately on their performance:

1.      Tap your long-term memory. It’s easy to forget about the accomplishments or learnings from long ago. Cite specific and relevant examples of performance throughout the entire time frame under review.

2.      Be confident. This isn’t the time for modesty. Your manager has asked for specific examples of your performance, so highlight your accomplishments with professionalism and humility, and distinguish between “I” and “we” when referring to team-based assignments.

3.      Request development. Consider areas where you might benefit from additional learning or development. Be prepared to suggest specific training or developmental activities that will improve your performance and help you to contribute in your role.

4.      Focus on results. Present accomplishments that best support the company’s key business drivers. Use objective data for support, such as delivering early on completion dates, bringing costs in under budget or achieving high customer-satisfaction scores.

5.      Stay open minded. Remember that your perception of performance represents a single, biased viewpoint. Self-assessments and performance appraisals rarely align perfectly. Use this as an opportunity to explore and learn from differences of opinion related to your performance.