Plan Your Own Performance Review Conversation

A performance review is a conversation you can prepare for. Most people do not. This plans the conversation: which evidence to bring, what to own before the manager raises it, what specifically to ask for, the question that surfaces the manager's view without sounding defensive, and the one thing to leave unambiguous.

<context>
Your performance review is approaching with {MANAGER_TYPE} (e.g. a supportive manager who is poor at giving specific feedback, a direct manager who focuses on results, a new manager who does not know your work well). The year has had {YEAR_SUMMARY} (e.g. strong results with one difficult quarter, a significant project that succeeded, a period of change where output was inconsistent).
</context>

<task>
Plan the review conversation:
1. What to bring: the two or three pieces of evidence that most clearly demonstrate your contribution
2. What to own: the difficulty or shortfall to address before the manager raises it
3. What to ask for: the specific development opportunity or acknowledgement you want from this review
4. The question that surfaces the manager's view without asking 'how am I doing?'
5. What to clarify before leaving: the one thing that must be unambiguous at the end
</task>

<output_format>
- Five numbered items
- Length: under 300 words
- Tone: professional and strategic
</output_format>