
How To Prepare For Your Mid-Year Review With 20 Insightful Questions
Are you preparing for your mid-year review and unsure where to start? This is a common topic I discuss with my clients at this time of year. Mid-year reviews can be more than just performance checks. They can offer a valuable chance to advance your career, revisit your goals, and strengthen your relationship with your manager or team. However, to maximize the benefits of this conversation, thorough preparation is essential.
For me, mid-year reviews were always intimidating and anxious moments, where I would just sit and listen to what wasn't good enough. So I want you to experience it differently. What if it isn't just a time to receive feedback, but a chance to get curious, ask thoughtful questions, and deepen mutual understanding? Whether you're an employee or a manager, this conversation is a valuable pause to check alignment, explore goals, and uncover needs that may not surface in day-to-day work. The right questions can bring clarity, boost motivation, and ensure you're not just going through the motions but growing with intention.
Whether you're leading the review or on the receiving end, asking the right questions can turn a routine meeting into a powerful coaching moment. Below are question lists for both employees and managers to spark curiosity, encourage open dialogue, and make your mid-year review more productive and motivating.
Questions Employees Should Bring to a Mid-Year Review
If you're an employee walking into your mid-year review, don't just show up with a list of accomplishments. But on the other side, don't just come asking what was wrong. Asking questions as an employee is also a way to show your confidence and curiosity. Come prepared to ask questions that demonstrate initiative, seek feedback, and express your desire to grow. Remember, open-ended questions like starting with what, how, or where are always more helpful than yes or no questions, as they can encourage even the quietest manager to share more details about what you need.
Questions Managers Should Ask During a Mid-Year Review
Mid-year reviews aren't just a time to evaluate performance—they're an opportunity to lead with curiosity. A curious manager doesn't assume they know everything happening around them. Instead, they ask questions to understand each employee's experience, strengths, challenges, and aspirations.
A curious manager also refrains from jumping straight to ratings or outcomes, because focusing only on results can put employees on the defensive or make them feel like they need to fight or flee (that's how I felt; that is why these conversations were intimidating to me). Instead, ask thoughtful questions to uncover what's truly driving or blocking your employees, how they feel about their work, and what they need to succeed in the second half of the year.
As Richard Boyatzis states in his book 'Helping People Change,' when you focus on progress—the things you've achieved so far and where you want to go, rather than what's missing, your PEA (positive emotional attractor) is activated, and you shine. Your eyes brighten, and your speech speeds up. You become more open to possibilities and feel renewed and curious.
As a leader, you can approach this performance review as an honest conversation, with genuine curiosity and a coach mindset. Below are questions that can help uncover what your employees truly need to thrive and how you can support them in doing their best work.
A mid-year review shouldn't be approached with fear, they're a chance to pause, reflect, and get curious about what's possible. When both employees and managers come to the conversation with openness and a growth mindset, it becomes less about judgment and more about opportunity. Asking thoughtful questions helps uncover what's working, what's needed, and how to move forward with clarity and confidence. No pressure, just focus on progress for both.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Bloomberg
41 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
General Atlantic Is Exploring US IPO of Joe & The Juice
General Atlantic is exploring a potential US initial public offering of Joe & the Juice as soon as next year, according to people familiar with the matter. The private equity firm has recently been speaking to prospective advisers about a listing of the juice and coffee chain, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn't public. A first-time share sale could value the Danish company at about €2 billion ($2.4 billion), the people said.


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
S&P 500 Is a Touch Away From Triggering Sell Signal, BofA Says
The S&P 500's rally to record highs has brought it within striking distance of a sell signal, according to Bank of America Corp.'s Michael Hartnett. The strategist recommended investors start offloading shares once the benchmark rises above 6,300 points — just 0.3% above its Thursday close. He also reiterated that bubble risks were rising into the summer, with the House passing a $3.4 trillion fiscal package that cuts taxes.

Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
U.S. Dollar Eases as Tariff Deadline Looms
U.S. stocks closed at fresh record highs Thursday after U.S. payrolls rose more than expected. Meanwhile, President Trump is set to use the Independence Day holiday as the backdrop to signing his big tax and spending bill which passed through the House. Investors' attention has now turned to concerns about the U.S. 's ballooning fiscal deficit, and the end of a 90-day pause on so-called U.S. reciprocal tariffs due on July 9. Ahead of that, countries are racing to agree trade deals with the Trump administration. –U.S. bond and stock markets are closed Friday for the holiday, but the dollar and bitcoin eased, while stock markets in Asia ended narrowly mixed and were lower at the open in Europe.