Questions to Ask During Your Performance Review

Most performance reviews are treated as something that happens to you. Your manager talks, you nod, and you leave with a vague sense of how it went. That is a wasted opportunity. A review is one of the few moments all year when your manager has to sit down and talk about your work, your trajectory, and your future. The questions you bring decide whether you walk out with clarity or with nothing.

Only 14% of employees strongly agree that performance reviews motivate them to improve, according to Gallup. The difference between a useless review and a useful one is usually whether the employee drove the conversation. Below are the questions worth asking, grouped by what you want to get out of the review.

Why the questions you ask matter

The questions you ask during a performance review shape what you learn and how your manager sees you. Thoughtful questions signal engagement, surface feedback managers might otherwise soften, and turn a one-way evaluation into a two-way planning conversation. They also make sure you leave with concrete next steps instead of vague encouragement.

Managers evaluate a lot of people and rarely volunteer their full read of you unprompted. Asking direct questions gives them permission to be specific. It also protects you from the most common review failure: walking out without knowing where you actually stand.

How you phrase a question matters as much as which one you ask. Harvard Business School research found that asking for “advice” rather than “feedback” produces more actionable, forward-looking responses. Framing a question around advice — “What would you advise me to focus on next?” — tends to surface a concrete plan instead of a backward-looking critique.

Questions about your performance and feedback

Start by getting an honest read on how your work is perceived. The goal is specifics, not reassurance. Ask questions that force concrete examples and surface anything your manager has been hesitant to say directly, so you leave with feedback you can act on.

“What is one thing I did this period that had the most impact?”
“Where did I fall short of what you expected? Can you give a specific example?”
“If you had to name one thing for me to improve, what would it be?”
“Is there any feedback you’ve hesitated to give me?”
“How would you describe my work to someone outside our team?”

Questions about growth and development

Use the review to map your development, not just recap the past. These questions turn the conversation toward skills, stretch opportunities, and the gap between where you are and where you want to be. They also show your manager you are thinking beyond your current role.

“What skills should I focus on developing over the next six months?”
“What is a stretch project I could take on that would grow my scope?”
“Where do you see my biggest growth opportunity?”
“What would it look like for me to operate one level up?”
“Are there strengths you think I’m underusing?”

Questions about promotion and compensation

It is appropriate to raise promotion and pay in a review, as long as you connect the ask to evidence. These questions make the path to advancement explicit instead of leaving it to chance, and they tell your manager you are serious about the next level.

“What specifically would I need to demonstrate to be ready for a promotion?”
“What does the next level look like, and where am I against those expectations today?”
“Is there a realistic timeline for getting there?”
“How are compensation decisions made here, and what drives them?”
“If a promotion isn’t on the table now, what milestones would put it there?”

Questions about expectations and priorities

Many employees are unclear on what their manager actually expects, which makes strong performance harder than it should be. These questions lock down priorities for the period ahead — both for you and for the team — so you are measured on the right things and not blindsided at your next review.

“What are the two or three things you most need from me this next period?”
“How will you measure whether I’ve succeeded?”
“What would make this next period a standout one in your eyes?”
“Are my current priorities aligned with where the team is headed?”
“What are the biggest priorities for the team over the next six months, and how can I contribute beyond what I’m already doing?”
“Is there anything shifting organizationally that I should factor into my planning?”

Questions about your manager and working relationship

A review is also a chance to improve how you and your manager work together. Asking how you can better support their goals, and how they prefer to give and receive updates, strengthens the relationship and signals maturity. Keep these forward-looking and collaborative.

“What can I do to make your job easier?”
“How do you prefer I keep you updated on my work?”
“Is there anything about how we work together you’d change?”
“What are your top priorities right now, and how can I help?”

Questions to ask when a review doesn’t match your expectations

If a review includes feedback that surprises you or a rating you disagree with, the goal is to understand first and respond second. These questions help you dig into the reasoning and turn a disappointing review into a concrete improvement plan, rather than reacting in the moment.

“Can you give me a specific example that informed that feedback?”
“What would you need to see from me to revise that assessment?”
“If I focused on [the area you mentioned], what would meaningful improvement look like in 90 days?”
“Is there a way to make my progress visible between now and the next formal review?”

Ask for examples before sharing your perspective. Understanding exactly what behavior or outcome drove the feedback gives you something specific to respond to, rather than a general disagreement that goes nowhere.

Questions to avoid

Some questions put your manager on the defensive or signal disengagement. Comparisons to colleagues, demands framed as ultimatums, and questions you could answer yourself all weaken your position. Keep the tone curious and forward-looking, even when the topic is pay or a missed promotion.

“Why does [colleague] get more than me?” Comparisons read as resentment and rarely change the outcome.
“Is my job safe?” Absent real cause, this signals insecurity. Ask about growth instead.
Anything phrased as an ultimatum. “Give me a raise or I’ll leave” belongs in a separate, deliberate conversation, not a review.
Questions you should already know. Asking what your goals were or what the team does suggests you didn’t prepare.

Questions by goal: quick reference

What you want	Question to ask
Understand your rating	”Where did I fall short of what you expected? Can you give a specific example?”
Get development feedback	”If you had to name one thing for me to improve, what would it be?”
Advance your career	”What specifically would I need to demonstrate to be ready for a promotion?”
Lock down expectations	”What are the two or three things you most need from me this next period?”
Improve the working relationship	”What could I do to make your job easier?”
Respond to surprise feedback	”Can you give me a specific example that informed that feedback?”

How to prepare for the conversation

Walk in with your questions written down and your accomplishments documented. Pick the three or four questions that matter most for your situation rather than asking all of them. During the conversation, ask one question at a time and follow up on what you hear instead of racing through your list — and take notes, which signals you’re taking the feedback seriously and makes it easier to follow up later. A record of your work makes every answer more productive and keeps the conversation grounded in evidence. Most people don’t keep one, which is the gap Windmill closes: its AI assistant, Windy, surfaces your accomplishments year-round from the tools your team already uses, so you walk into the review with evidence instead of a blank memory.

Weight your questions toward what you want from this specific review. If you’re going for a promotion, lean on the promotion and expectations questions. If you’re newer, focus on feedback and growth. For a full prep checklist, see our guide on how to prepare for your performance review, and if you also need to write a self-review, Windmill’s free Self Review Generator turns your work into review-ready talking points. (Managers preparing their own side of the conversation can use our list of performance review questions to ask employees.)

The review itself lasts an hour at most. The questions you ask in it can shape the next year of your career. Don’t waste the room.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions should I ask during my performance review?

Ask questions that get you specific feedback, a clear development path, and explicit expectations for the next period. Strong examples include 'Where did I fall short of what you expected?', 'What skills should I focus on next?', and 'What would I need to demonstrate to be ready for a promotion?' Pick three or four that fit your situation rather than asking all of them.

Is it OK to ask about a promotion in a performance review?

Yes, it is appropriate to raise promotion and compensation in a review, as long as you tie the ask to evidence. Ask what specific criteria stand between you and the next level and what timeline is realistic, rather than demanding a decision on the spot. This makes the path explicit instead of leaving advancement to chance.

What questions should I ask my manager about my performance?

Ask for specifics, not reassurance. Good questions include 'What is one thing I did that had the most impact?', 'If you had to name one thing for me to improve, what would it be?', and 'Is there any feedback you've hesitated to give me?' These force concrete examples and surface feedback a manager might otherwise soften.

What should I not ask in a performance review?

Avoid comparisons to colleagues, ultimatums like 'give me a raise or I'll leave,' and questions you should already be able to answer yourself. These put your manager on the defensive or signal that you didn't prepare. Keep your questions curious and forward-looking, even when discussing pay or a missed promotion.

How do I ask good questions in a performance review without seeming defensive?

Frame questions as genuine curiosity, not pushback. 'Can you give me a specific example?' is a request for clarity, not a challenge. Take notes while your manager responds to signal you're taking the feedback seriously. If something surprises you, ask for examples before sharing your perspective — understanding their reasoning fully produces better conversations than immediate disagreement.

What are the best questions to ask at the end of a performance review?

End with forward-looking questions. 'What would you like to see from me in the next 90 days?' or 'Is there anything we didn't cover that I should be thinking about?' leave the conversation on a collaborative note and give you clear direction heading into the next period. Closing on next steps is more useful than a vague 'thanks for the feedback.'