First, try and have a good year! If you have overwhelming evidence of stellar performance your employer will be obliged to acknowledge it, or risk losing you to a competitor. Be confident and assertive – let your boss know how well you have done. Make it clear how you have overcome challenges by providing lots of detail. And if you can put a hard financial value on the successes you have had, say what it is. You can bet your life it will be a much larger figure then the one they might give you as a bonus. This is no time for modesty: if you don’t blow your own trumpet, no-one else will blow it for you.
But even if you have had a good year, don’t be bullied into agreeing impossible targets for next year. Market circumstances may change. Some elements may be beyond your control. The best way to ensure a decent review is to avoid being stuck with absurd and unrealistic goals in the first place. Under-promise and over-deliver. Again, if your manager is trying to force you to accept impossible targets, end the meeting and calmly explain that you will need adjudication from HR and/or others to set fair and realistic targets for the year ahead.
