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This item is filed under these categories:
Goals Performance Evaluations Assertiveness Feedback Self-Insight Communication

My manager called me into his office and made some critical comments about my performance and handed me a copy of a write-up he placed in my file. I defended every criticism that he made, but that did not matter. What should I do now?



In order to understand critical comments about your performance, it is critical for you to look in two places. First, did you actually meet the established goals for your position? Secondly, if you met your goals, were there any issues regarding your enthusiasm, involvement, or overall attitude?

Assuming that you are truly a positive and productive employee, one can only wonder why your manager would summon you to his office in order to describe and document your so-called poor performance. This type of managerial behavior can be attributed to any number of factors, including incompetence, misperception, or bias.

Since this write-up has been placed in your file, you should write a response for your file as well. It should not be a scathing attack, but rather a brief and businesslike statement that presents the facts on each issue raised by your manager.

This approach can help your manager learn more about you and your performance. It can also be a helpful counterbalance in your file. After writing this response, you should try to provide your manager with more information on your progress and accomplishments as time passes. Since it is possible that he simply does not know enough about what you are doing, one thing you should be doing is to keep him informed.




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