All articlesGetting a bad review at work can be very discouraging but it happens to the best of us. When you get a bad review, you might feel a combination of anger, anxiety, shock, fear, and worry that your job might be on shaky grounds.
When you receive a negative review, how do you handle it? Successful professionals use negative performance reviews as a reality check that launches them to greater heights.
Here are tips to help you respond better to a bad performance review:
1. Resist the urge to react immediately
Give yourself time to calm down before you do or say anything. Getting a bad review can be upsetting especially if you feel you have put in your best or you are used to getting good reviews. Acting in the heat of the moment could lead you to say or do things you would regret later.
2. Don’t dismiss your feelings
It’s easier for you to dismiss your feelings and move on like nothing happened, or try to rationalise your boss’s feedback. This helps you protect your ego and reduce the pain you might be feeling. It’s important you allow yourself to experience the negative emotions associated with the bad review, this would motivate you to do better next time and to avoid making similar mistakes.