Once a review is over, it’s tempting to close the document, breathe a sigh of relief, and move on. But the days right after a review are when feedback is most useful. The details are fresh, the priorities are clear, and your manager is focused on your development. A little follow-through now can shape the entire year ahead.
Step 1: Reflect before you respond
Give yourself a day to process, especially if the conversation brought up strong feelings. Then look over your notes and sort what you heard into three categories: what you should start doing, what you should stop doing, and what you should continue doing. This simple structure turns a long conversation into clear takeaways.
Step 2: Send a recap email
Misunderstandings after reviews are common, often because people remember the same conversation differently. A short recap email confirms that you and your manager are aligned and shows that you took the feedback seriously. Send it within a few days while the conversation is still fresh.
Here’s a template you can adapt:
Subject: Recap from my performance review
Hi [Manager’s name],
Thank you for taking the time to walk through my review. I appreciated the feedback and wanted to share a quick summary to make sure I captured everything accurately.
What I’ll start doing: [One or two new actions or areas of focus]
What I’ll stop doing: [Anything you agreed to change or step back from]
What I’ll continue doing: [Strengths or approaches you want to keep building on]
My top development priorities for the next few months are [priority one] and [priority two]. I’m putting together a short plan and would love to review it with you in an upcoming one-on-one.
Please let me know if I missed or misunderstood anything.
Thanks again,
[Your name]
Step 3: Build a 30/60/90-day plan
Choose one or two development priorities from your review. Focusing on too many goals at once makes it hard to make real progress. For each priority, outline what you’ll do in the next 30, 60, and 90 days.
For example, if one priority is presenting more confidently to senior leaders, your plan might look like this. In the first 30 days, ask your manager for an opportunity to present in an upcoming team meeting and request feedback afterward. By 60 days, present a project update to a cross-functional group. By 90 days, lead part of a presentation to senior leadership and reflect on your progress with your manager.
Step 4: Bring it into your one-on-ones
Share your plan with your manager and ask for their input. Then revisit it regularly in your one-on-ones. Checking in on progress keeps your development visible, gives you a chance to adjust, and means there won’t be any surprises at your next review.
Step 5: Keep documenting as you go
Start a running record of accomplishments, feedback, and progress on your development goals now. When your next review comes around, you’ll have everything you need, and you’ll be able to show how you acted on this year’s feedback.
Want help turning your feedback into a plan? A Bravely coach can help you make sense of your review, choose the right development priorities, and build a plan you’ll actually follow. [Book a session →]
Your Performance Review Prep Guide: A Bravely Worksheet
Use this worksheet to prepare for your review, stay grounded during the conversation, and plan your next steps afterward. Set aside about 30 minutes before your review, and 15 minutes after.
Part 1: Before the review
The outcome I want
What do I most want from this conversation? (For example: understanding how my work is perceived, clarity on what growth looks like, alignment on development goals.)
My accomplishments
List your top accomplishments from this review period. For each one, note the skill you used, what or who it affected, and the result.
Accomplishment 1:
Accomplishment 2:
Accomplishment 3:
Accomplishment 4:
Accomplishment 5:
Connecting to evaluation criteria
Which evaluation criteria or competencies does each accomplishment support?
Contributions that are harder to measure
What qualitative contributions should I include, like mentoring, collaboration, relationship-building, or process improvements?
My growth areas
Choose one to three areas for growth. For each, note what you’ve already done or plan to do about it.
Growth area 1:
Growth area 2:
Growth area 3:
Questions to ask my manager
What would success look like for me in the next review period?
What skills would be most valuable for me to build next?
What’s one thing I could do differently that would have the biggest impact?
My own questions:
Part 2: During the review
Key feedback I heard:
Specific examples my manager shared:
Anything I want to follow up on later:
Part 3: After the review
My takeaways
What I’ll start doing:
What I’ll stop doing:
What I’ll continue doing:
My 30/60/90-day plan
Development priority 1:
In 30 days, I will:
In 60 days, I will:
In 90 days, I will:
Development priority 2 (optional):
In 30 days, I will:
In 60 days, I will:
In 90 days, I will:
Follow-up checklist
Send a recap email to my manager within a few days.
Share my 30/60/90-day plan in an upcoming one-on-one.
Start a running record of accomplishments and feedback for next time.
Want support preparing for your review or building your plan? A Bravely coach can help you get clear on your goals, practice the conversation, and turn feedback into action. Book a session with your Bravely Coach.
