How To Comment on a Performance Review, With Examples

Key takeaways

• Be proactive. Don't just accept feedback — add your perspective with professionalism and respect.
• Use self-evaluation. Reflect on accomplishments, metrics, and challenges to provide a balanced view.
• Focus on solutions. If areas for improvement are mentioned, offer steps you're already taking or plan to take.
• Stay positive and factual. Highlight your achievements using specific examples, not generalities.
• Keep the tone collaborative. The goal is not to defend yourself but to create a shared understanding of expectations and career goals.

Performance reviews are often seen as moments of judgment, but they're also valuable opportunities for self-advocacy and growth. Instead of viewing feedback as one-sided, treat it as a conversation. 

Your comments on a performance review allow you to share context about your achievements, address misunderstandings, and demonstrate that you're engaged in continuous training and development.

When approached thoughtfully, commenting on your review helps you:

• Provide additional context that your manager may not be aware of
• Showcase accomplishments that align with business goals
• Express commitment to learning and improving in key areas
• Build trust through open, professional communication

The key is preparation. In this guide, we'll show you just how to comment on a performance review with some clear examples. 

How to prepare effective performance review comments

Self-evaluation is the process of reflecting on your own performance, achievements, and areas for improvement within a specific role. 

Here's why self-appraisal comments matter:

• Self-reflection. Encourages honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses. You can identify growth areas, set realistic goals, and recognize your own professional progress.
• Ownership and accountability. Promotes responsibility and strengthens employee engagement by showing initiative in managing your own development.
• Improved communication. Keeps performance discussions open and collaborative. You can share perspectives that help clarify misunderstandings or add context to achievements.
• Fairness and objectivity. Ensures accomplishments are recognized and assessed accurately by complementing managerial observations with your insights.
• Career development. Supports long-term growth by helping you pinpoint the skills you need to advance and align goals with organizational priorities.

Writing self-appraisal comments can feel daunting, but it's one of the best ways to take ownership of your growth. 

Below is a step-by-step framework to help you prepare clear, constructive, and professional comments for your next review.

1. Review your job description

Start by revisiting your job description and performance goals. This will help you benchmark your progress against your manager's expectations and deliver high-quality work.

Key steps:

• Revisit your role's main responsibilities and objectives
• Compare your day-to-day work environment with your original job description
• Note where you've gone beyond expectations — or where you may have gaps

Doing this before your review helps ensure you're speaking the same language as your manager and evaluating your performance against agreed standards.

You can also plan a future follow-up with your manager to show how your work exceeds expectations.

2. Gather feedback from others

Broaden your perspective by asking for feedback from people you've worked with throughout the year — teammates, clients, or even cross-functional partners.

What to do:

• Ask for feedback early, not just right before the review
• Request specific performance review examples of your strengths and growth areas
• Identify patterns (are multiple people highlighting similar observations?)

External feedback gives you a more balanced understanding of how others perceive your contributions and collaboration skills.

3. Review your goals

Revisit your goals and track your progress toward each. If you had SMART goals (goals that were specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound), this will be easier. And if your goals weren't created with the SMART framework, the review is an opportunity to discuss how to create new goals that are better defined for the next review period.

Consider this for your performance evaluation:

• Which goals have you met, exceeded, or are still pursuing?
• What metrics or deliverables support your results for the performance review process?
• How did your work contribute to team or company objectives, or streamline customer satisfaction? 

Grounding your self-appraisal in measurable outcomes shows accountability and demonstrates that you understand how your work impacts broader business results.

4. Identify accomplishments

Your achievements tell the story of your performance. List both big wins and smaller milestones that show consistent progress.

Ways to highlight accomplishments:

• Keep an ongoing list. Record successes throughout the review period so nothing is forgotten.
• Be specific. Use data, timelines, industry trends, or feedback to show the tangible results of your work.
• Show impact. Explain how your efforts supported the team, stakeholders, clients, or company goals.
• Include feedback. Add any positive recognition you've received from colleagues or customers.
• Note challenges overcome. Describe how you resolved issues, showing adaptability and problem-solving for your team's success. 

This level of detail helps managers see the full scope of your contributions, even those they might not witness daily.

5. Assess areas for improvement

Honesty about growth areas strengthens your credibility and shows emotional intelligence. Use this section to identify skills or behaviors you plan to enhance.

How to approach it:

• Reflect on where you've struggled or received constructive feedback
• Be specific — acknowledge what didn't go well and why
• Pair each weakness with a concrete action plan

Example:

"I sometimes underestimate how long certain deliverables will take. I'm now using project management tools to plan more realistic timelines and reduce last-minute stress."

Showing initiative in addressing weaknesses demonstrates maturity and commitment to professional growth.

6. Prepare and present your comments

Now it's time to synthesize everything into your written review or discussion points.

The goal is to create a balanced reflection — celebrating successes while acknowledging opportunities to grow.

Tips for writing effective comments in a professional communication style are:

• Use specific examples to support your points
• Maintain a respectful and professional tone in your overall performance
• Reference achievements tied to measurable results
• Keep your feedback constructive — focus on collaboration, not defensiveness
• Submit your comments early so your manager can consider them while finalizing the review

Example approach:

"I'm proud of onboarding three new clients this quarter, exceeding my target by 20%. One area that needs improvement is cross-team communication, interpersonal skills, and missed deadlines, so I've started attending biweekly syncs to improve collaboration."

Sharing thoughtful, well-organized comments helps transform your performance management conversation into a true partnership, one that supports both your success and the organization's growth.

20 sample performance review phrases for employees

Phrasing your thoughts effectively might be difficult, especially when you're nervous or under pressure. To take some heat off, keep a few phrases and terms handy that can elevate your comments for your employee performance review.

Let's consider a few key competencies that most companies look for and show how you can formulate your comments around them. You can use these templates as starting points, but you'll need to add specifics from your actual work situation to support the claims.

1. Problem-solving

Problem-solving comments can illustrate your ability to analyze and resolve issues effectively and highlight constructive feedback for yourself. For example:

Positive feedback:

• "I consistently identify problems and propose effective and innovative solutions."
• "I have been able to find new creative solutions to chronic problems."

Areas of improvement:

• "I could improve my problem-solving skills and decision-making by seeking more diverse perspectives and opinions when faced with a new challenge."
• "I struggle to solve problems under pressure but strive to improve my skills in this area and meet deadlines."

2. Time management

You can use positive comments and constructive feedback when addressing time management. For example:

Positive feedback:

• "I demonstrate a strong sense of urgency in completing tasks."
• "I always stick to deadlines, have great time management skills, and try to complete my work ahead of time."

Areas of improvement:

• "I could benefit from better planning and organization skills to help me manage my time more efficiently and make time for new ideas."
• "I intend to start using scheduling tools and productivity workflows to prioritize better and finish tasks on time."

3. Teamwork

If you excel at teamwork, make sure to include positive comments around it. However, if you struggle to work as part of a team, this could be a good opportunity to give yourself constructive feedback about teamwork. 

For example:

Positive feedback:

• "I proactively contribute to team projects and support others as needed."
• "I share ideas, techniques, and strategies with my team, so our work is up to par."

Constructive criticism:

• "Different work styles or personalities have sometimes hindered my ability to work effectively in a team, but I'm taking action on adapting my approach."
• "Being part of a team is new to me, but I'm learning how to engage effectively with others, working on delegating tasks, and contributing to a synergistic process."

4. Job performance

When discussing your job performance, you can speak positively about it or share your struggles with your manager while promising to improve your output. For example:

Positive feedback:

• "I take ownership of my work, demonstrate a strong work ethic, and show effective communication."
• "I understand what's expected of my role and deliver strong results."

Areas of improvement:

• "I'm reaching out more to other team members to learn from their experience when I don't fully understand a task or assignment."
• "Sometimes, I find myself unprepared for the job expected of me, but have signed up for professional development courses to update my knowledge and skills."

5. Punctuality

Based on your experience, you can address positive and constructive feedback when addressing punctuality. For example:

Positive feedback:

• "I provide advanced notice of any expected delays or scheduling conflicts."
• "I respect everyone's time and show up on time and prepared for meetings."

Areas of improvement:

• "I could benefit from better communication with my manager and colleagues when running behind schedule to minimize the impact on others."
• "I intend to schedule team meetings in advance in the future so that my colleagues aren't taken by surprise. I want to be mindful of their time and quality of work."

Develop your skills and talent with Upwork

Thoughtful performance-review comments help you reflect on your progress, highlight your contributions, and set clear goals for growth. The strongest evaluations are specific and grounded in real examples — covering achievements, challenges, and the skills you want to build next.

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