How to Prepare for Review Season (So You Actually Get Noticed)
- Chealsea Wierbonski
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
Let’s be honest, most performance reviews are a missed opportunity. You’re told you’re doing a great job. That you’re “valued” and “dependable.” Maybe even that you’re “essential to the team.”
But somehow, none of that translates into recognition. It rarely comes with a promotion, an invitation to work on the cool, new project, or even a clear career path.
And it’s not because your work isn’t strong. It’s because your impact isn’t visible in the way leadership needs to see it.
If you want this review season to be different—one where you’re seen as a strategic leader, not just a dependable doer—this blog post is for you.
Let’s bust a few myths first...
Myth #1: “If I just keep delivering, my work will speak for itself.”
Reality: Your manager is juggling 100 things. If you don’t name your impact, they will likely miss it or not really understand why your work matters. Don’t assume that just because you think something is important, other people get it.
Myth #2: “Talking about my wins is bragging and shameless self-promotion.”
Reality: Strategic self-advocacy is a leadership skill—not arrogance. If you want to get ahead you have to learn how to and be comfortable with advocating for yourself and your work. And the key is to do this in a way that makes people understand your actual impact.
Myth #3: “I need more skills before I can ask for more.”
Reality: You’re more ready than you think. It’s rare when new skills will actually get you recognition—they help with the day to day of your job, not positioning you as a strategic, critical member of the team.
What to Do Instead: 5 Steps to a Powerful Review Conversation
Reframe Your Mindset. You're not bragging, you’re leading. If you don’t show what you’ve done, others may assume you're just keeping pace. Help them see the truth by learning how to talk about what you’ve done so that other people understand why it’s important and how only you could have gotten that important result.
Prep Real Wins That Show Impact (Not Just Activity). Instead of focusing on the tasks you did, focus on the why and the how. The why gives insight into strategic importance and the how is your unique way of getting it done–the thing that shows your own personal impact. Think about your impact as a narrative arc, like a story. Use this framework: Situation → Action I Took→ Result I Got “We were behind on onboarding, so I reset priorities. We launched early, supporting the org’s Q3 retention goal.”
Link Your Work to Business Goals. Don’t just talk about all of the things you did to every leader on your team. Know your audience–think about who you're speaking to and the things that matter to them from a strategic standpoint. Then talk about why your work mattered to that goal and how it contributed to its success. This is what positions you as strategic.
Share Your Growth & Direction. What did you learn? What were your key insights? Do you have any knowledge that can be shared with the broader team? Signal your ambition by openly sharing your work in a way that is collaborative. You can do this over email updates, in meetings, in 1:1s, at town halls. Take the approach of sharing learnings and collaborating as a means of benefiting the team or company. This will make it feel less like shameless self promotion and more like helping your co-workers.
Ask for More—Clearly and Calmly. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Get involved. Figure out ways to add value to high impact, strategic projects, even without being formally asked. Volunteer to do small things on big projects and over time, you’ll seamlessly start playing a bigger and bigger role. When talking to your manager, use phrasing like: “I’ve really enjoyed leading [X]. I’d love to keep stretching into work that supports [Y].”
Key points to remember
Don’t list tasks—focus on outcomes and benefits.
Don’t assume they remember your wins—remind them.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment—create it.
Want help putting this into practice?
I’d love to help you! This is exactly what I do with my 1:1 coaching clients:
We map your wins, leadership presence, and growth path
You learn to speak about your work so that people understand your contributions and why they’re valuable
You show up to your next review with strategy, not stress
I’m currently accepting a few private coaching clients for Q4. Click here to apply.
Don’t go another year wondering why your hard work wasn’t recognized. Let’s make sure you’re seen—and rewarded—for the value you bring!