It’s OK to put some of the responsibility for the success of a review on the people being reviewed. Just try to make sure they understand that it starts with their asking the right questions.

Here’s the required list of questions they should carry into the review, and supervisors should be prepared to answer, courtesy of Change Dynamics Consulting, a career-coaching firm:

What areas do I need to develop?
No one’s perfect. Admitting that and asking for an independent analysis of your needs is a great first step toward making the review successful.

What are my strengths?
An employee and a boss could have very different views about strengths. If the two people are on the same page, great. If they’re not, they both need to be aware of the differences.

What are my options for growth?
Even if someone’s been with a company 20 years, this is still a good question. Situations and opportunities change, and employees need to be aware of how they can use the change to their advantage.

What can I do to help you?
Don’t make it all about you. The review is a good time to find out what you can do to make the boss’s life easier.

What should be my most important priority?
Just about every job has that one big task. This is the time to give the boss a chance to put flashing lights around that task so that priorities are straight.

Can I take on this responsibility?
Got your eye on a particular responsibility and think you’re ready to take a crack at it? Let the boss know.

Tags: change dynamics consulting, performance, Performance appraisals