For managersPerformance reviews

Performance Review Questions for Managers to Ask (Examples)

Updated October 27, 2026KAKEAI, Inc.

Short answer

In a performance review, the best things to ask your direct report about are things you don't yet know the answer to. Ask about three things: work you haven't seen, how they see your assessment, and what might get in the way of their actions next period. Don't phrase your view of the evaluation as a question. Share it first as your own view. KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan asked people whose meetings lead to action about half the time or less why they don't. The most common answer was "it depends on the situation" (26.1%). When you discuss next period, we recommend listing a few things that might get in the way and asking your team member to pick the closest.

By the numbers

When KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan asked why meetings don't lead to action, "it depends on the situation" and "nothing in particular" came out on top. Neither names a specific reason. When you discuss next period in a performance review, it often helps to list a few things that might get in the way and ask your team member to pick the closest. In Kakeai AI 1on1, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, direct reports can choose what they want from their manager for each 1-on-1 topic. In its records, "I want concrete advice" was the most chosen option for the topic "building skills and abilities." In a performance review, we recommend sharing your own view after your questions too.

26.1%: 10,000-person survey; Share who chose "it depends on the situation," among the 6,074 people asked why their meetings don't lead to action; This was the most common answer among people who said their meetings lead to action about half the time or less and were asked to choose up to 5 reasons. Next was "nothing in particular" at 23.4%, so answers that name no specific reason took the top spots.
15.7%: 10,000-person survey; Share who feel their meetings contribute to results, among people who said their meetings lead to action about half the time; "About half the time" was the most common answer, given by 40.9% of all respondents. Among people who said their meetings lead to action every time, 75.5% feel results. People whose meetings more often lead to action are more likely to feel results.
19.2%: Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data; Share of "building skills and abilities" topics where the direct report chose "I want concrete advice" as what they want from the manager; This was the most chosen option for this topic. For the same topic, "I want you to listen" was chosen 6.9% of the time. For skills, concrete advice is wanted more often than being heard.

The 10,000-person survey asked about regular meetings with one's manager, and the usage data comes from records of everyday 1-on-1s. Neither is limited to performance review meetings. Usage data percentages are of all sessions for that topic, including those where nothing was chosen for what the employee wanted from the manager. "Most chosen" is the ranking excluding "other."

Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “1-on-1 Survey” (N=10,000, May 2026, online survey of employees in Japan)

The survey asked 10,000 employees in Japan who meet their manager regularly how those meetings feel from their side.

Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data” (records of 300,000 1-on-1 sessions extracted from sessions held between October 12, 2025 and October 3, 2026, aggregated so that no company or individual can be identified)

Performance review questions should focus more on next period than on looking back

In a performance review meeting (the meeting where a manager and direct report discuss the performance evaluation, also called a year-end review or feedback meeting), what you want to ask about is less how this period felt and more how next period's work will go. It often helps to spend half your questions on next period.

Many lists of review questions start with "Looking back on this period, how did it go?" and work forward from there. But starting with a look back pulls the conversation into the whole period, and you tend to run short of time for next period.

There's also your team member's side of it. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 9.3% named "I can't speak honestly because I worry about how it will affect my evaluation or how I'm seen" as a problem with their meetings with their manager (multiple answers allowed).

When you're asked for your impressions in the very meeting where your evaluation is discussed, it's natural to want to give a safe answer. Asking about specific events makes it easier for your team member to answer with facts.

The same survey asked whether meetings lead to action afterward. The most common answer was "about half the time" (40.9%). Of those who chose it, 15.7% felt their meetings were contributing to results. Among those who answered "every time," it was 75.5%, far higher.

In a performance review meeting, we recommend going all the way to deciding together what to start with next period.

Three types of questions to ask in a performance review, with examples

Review questions fall into three types by purpose: questions about work you haven't seen, questions that ask for your team member's view after you share yours, and questions that make next period's actions concrete. All of them ask about things you don't yet know the answer to. Start in this order, and rearrange if it doesn't fit the person or the situation.

1. Questions about work you haven't seen

These are especially useful in the meeting before you submit ratings to HR. You don't see everything your team member does. Ask about the parts you don't know, as specific events.

Before I settle on the evaluation, could you tell me about work you did that I didn't see?
On the ○○ project, which part took the most effort?
For work that didn't go as planned, at what stage did it get hard to move forward?
This period, did you take on or help with anyone else's work?

Ask "How did it go?" and you get impressions. Narrow it to a moment, like "at what stage," and you're more likely to get events. Events are something the two of you can confirm together as grounds for the evaluation.

2. Questions that ask for their view after you share yours

It's better not to phrase your view of the evaluation as a question. Look at the evaluation form together, share your view first as your own, and then ask for theirs.

Could we look at this item on the evaluation form together? As of now, I'm thinking B. The reason is that the deadline for △△ slipped twice.
How do you see it? If anything differs from my view, please tell me.
If there's work I've overlooked, please let me know. I'll reconsider before I submit the evaluation.

Some managers ask, "What do you think you were missing?" to get the employee to state the reasons for a low rating themselves. KAKEAI doesn't recommend this. When the manager has already decided the answer, the question sounds to the employee like being quizzed. If you see something as an issue, say it first, in your own words.

3. Questions that make next period's actions concrete

As a guide, spend half your questions on this type.

In the first month of next period, what do you want to work on first?
Is there anything you're concerned about in moving that forward?
Is there anything that would move faster if I took action?

After your questions, share your view too

When you ask about what they want to develop next period or about their career, consider sharing your own view after you hear their answer. What people want from their manager differs by person and by session, so it's fine if some sessions end with just listening.

In Kakeai AI 1on1, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, direct reports can choose what they want from their manager for each 1-on-1 topic. In 300,000 1-on-1 sessions extracted from Kakeai's records, for the topic "building skills and abilities," direct reports picked "I want concrete advice" 19.2% of the time, the most chosen option for this topic. "I want you to listen" was 6.9% for the same topic. For "future career," "I want your opinion" was 16.6% and "I want us to think it through together" was 16.4%, while "I want you to listen" was 7.6%. For skills and career topics, employees want the manager's view and involvement more often than simply being heard.

Manager: Next period, what would you like to develop?
Team member: How I put together documents.
Manager: Can I share one thought of my own too? This period there was a lot of rework at the estimate stage, so I'd also like us to work on how estimates are put together. What do you think?

Questions to find, together, what might get in the way next period

Instead of asking "What will you focus on next period?", you can list a few things that might get in the way and ask your team member to pick the one closest to their situation. Sometimes even the employee isn't clear on why they can't act.

KAKEAI's survey asked the 6,074 people who said their meetings lead to action about half the time or less to choose up to 5 reasons why they don't. The most common was "it depends on the situation," at 26.1%, followed by "nothing in particular," at 23.4%. Neither of the top two names a specific reason. The other reasons ranged from 8.3% to 16.3%.

When the reason isn't clear, a question like "What's your challenge for next period?" is hard to answer. The table below shows example questions for each reason.

Reason meetings don't lead to action (10,000-person survey, up to 5 answers)	Share who chose it	Example question for a performance review
It depends on the situation	26.1%	For ○○ this time, what part concerns you?
Nothing in particular	23.4%	Let me list a few reasons things can be hard to move forward. Is any of them close?
I don't have a clear picture of where I want to be	16.3%	At the end of next period, where would you like things to be?
I don't have the information I need to act	15.9%	Is there anything you still don't know before you can start?
Time or cost constraints keep me from acting	15.4%	Of your current work, what do you think could be reduced?
I don't feel a need to act now (low urgency)	13.4%	Let me explain why I'd like to prioritize this. Having heard it, does anything concern you?
I have the information but I'm not confident (anxiety, fear, hesitation)	11.0%	If it didn't go well, what would be the hardest part for you?
I don't have the discretion or authority to do it	9.4%	Which parts are you unsure whether you're allowed to decide yourself?
I lack the skills to do it	9.1%	Which part of how to do it are you unsure about? Shall we do the first one together?
It clashes with how I see myself or who I want to be, so I don't want to	8.3%	Honestly, is there any part you're not keen on?

You don't need to use every question in the table. Start by offering a few choices and asking one question.

In moving ○○ forward next period, is your concern closest to not enough time, not enough information, or that it's hard to decide on your own?

Reasons like "I don't feel a need to act now" or "I don't want to" are hard to say to the manager who evaluates you. Leave them out of the choices, and bring them up yourself using the table's questions as a guide.

Once your team member picks a reason, ask one question along the lines of the table, then offer one thing you'll take on.

So time is short. For example, how about I take over the weekly report for ○○ starting next month?
So it's hard to decide on your own. I'd like to leave the schedule for △△ to you. Could you check with me only when the amount changes?

Finally, put into words together what to start with next period.

So, what shall we start with next period?
When should we check in together on how it's going?

Example questions for each review situation

What you ask in a performance review changes with the situation. Here are examples for each.

In the meeting before you submit ratings to HR

Are there any items where the work changed since we set the goal?
If there's work you couldn't fit into your self-assessment, please tell me.
Are there any items where you feel your rating and mine might differ?

After sharing the final evaluation result

Right after you share the result, avoid asking "Are you satisfied with it?" When the manager who gave the rating asks, it's hard for the employee to answer anything but "yes."

Was anything in my explanation unclear?
If I've misunderstood any of the events I gave as reasons, please tell me.
Based on this result, what's the one thing you most want to change next period?

When their self-assessment and your rating are far apart

Could you tell me about 3 reasons, with specific work, for why you rated it A? I'll share my 3 reasons the same way.
Where we differ, is it in how we understood the goal? Or in how we measure the result?

When your team member says "Nothing in particular"

"Nothing in particular" may mean the question was too vague to answer easily. It often helps to narrow the scope and ask again.

Of this period's work, if you had to pick one that stands out, which would it be?
If you keep working the way you are now into next period, is there work that's likely to become a heavy load?
There's one thing I'd like to ask of you next period. After you hear it, could you tell me honestly what you think?

When the rating is high

It's a waste to end a meeting about a high rating with just "Keep it up." Ask why things went well, and what work they could hand off to someone else.

Why do you think △△ went well?
Of your current work, is there anything you could hand off to someone else? There's new work I'd like to ask of you with the time that frees up.

When you ask about your own way of working with them

Even if you ask "Is there anything you want to tell me?", it's hard to bring things up with the person who evaluates you. Try offering choices.

This period, did my way of working with you fall into any of these: slow to reply, too detailed in checking, or too hands-off?
Next period, is there anything I could change that would make your work easier?

When you get an answer, thank them without making excuses, and promise one thing you'll change.

Thank you for telling me. Starting next month, I'll reply to review requests by the next day.

Questions to avoid in a performance review, and what to ask instead

In a performance review, avoid questions you already know the answer to, and questions that ask your team member to give the answer you've prepared.

Questions you already know the answer to. You don't need to ask "What was your achievement rate this period?" because you can see it in the data. State the fact first, then ask: "I've seen in the data that the achievement rate fell short of the target. Is there anything going on that I can't see?"
Asking about issues when you've already decided the answer. If you have a view, don't ask "What do you think you were missing?" Say instead: "I think △△ was the issue. How do you see it?"
"Why couldn't you do it?" When asked "why," people tend to feel blamed and start defending themselves. Ask about events instead: "At what stage did it get hard to move forward?" or "Around when did you notice?"
"This won't affect your evaluation, so be honest." You can't promise on your own that something won't affect the evaluation. Tell them how you'll use it instead: "I'll use what you tell me to check the facts before I submit the evaluation."
Ending with "Any questions?" It's too broad and hard to answer. Try asking, "If you had to pick one thing from today's conversation that's on your mind, what would it be?"
Ending with only questions, or with only you talking. Some advice says, "The manager should only ask questions and let the employee talk." But in KAKEAI's survey, 7.9% chose "I want you to listen" as what they most want from their manager in meetings. Those who chose "I want concrete advice," "I want your opinion," or "I want us to think it through together" totaled 45.6%. More people want the manager's view and involvement. After a few questions, share one thought of your own. On the other hand, if you end by only explaining the rating and your reasons, the work and circumstances you don't know about are unlikely to come out.

Based on its experience supporting more than 3 million 1-on-1s and its survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, KAKEAI believes that performance review questions are for gathering what the manager needs to share their view and to decide, together with the employee, on a first step for next period.

How to tell whether your review questions worked

Judge whether your performance review questions worked by how things look at the end of the meeting and a month later. Look back on these three points.

Did at least one event you didn't know about come up during the meeting?
At the end of the meeting, was what they'll work on in the first month of next period put in their own words?
A month later, had the things you decided together, including what you took on, gotten moving? If not, look together again for what's getting in the way.

In Kakeai's records, among sessions where the direct report sent feedback after the 1-on-1, "You got to know me and my situation" was selected 46.2% of the time. Multiple choices were allowed, and "I'll think it over" was 9.5% and "I'll give it a try" was 8.4%. In KAKEAI's survey too, 9.4% said their meetings with their manager lead to action every time. Going from feeling understood to actually taking the next step is that difficult.

In a performance review, take the time needed for your team member to put next period's work in their own words.

What Kakeai AI 1on1 can do in this situation

To keep what you discussed and decided in a performance review from being forgotten once the meeting ends, Kakeai AI 1on1 lets you do the following.

Before the 1-on-1

Conversation history digest by topic
On the "Overview" screen for each person you meet with, you can look back at a written digest of the past six months of 1-on-1s prepared by Kakeai AI, along with what you have discussed under each topic. You both see the same content.
Choosing a topic and the response you'd like
Before a 1-on-1, the team member can choose the topic they want to discuss and how they would like their manager to respond (the expected response). Depending on your settings, managers can choose topics too. The selections appear on both of your screens.

During the 1-on-1

Next-step suggestions from the conversation, with help deciding
When a possible next step comes up in the conversation, Kakeai AI shows it as a suggestion. Either of you can click the "Decide" button to confirm it. Next steps you decide are added to the "MOVE" screen.

Day to day

Summaries and next steps in one place
The summary of each 1-on-1 is collected on the "Schedule & History" screen, and the next steps you decided are collected on the "MOVE" screen, organized by each person you meet with. You can look back at them anytime.

Kakeai AI 1on1 is currently available in Japanese. If you would like to use it in English, let us know.

Used by 600+ companies / 3,000,000+ 1-on-1s supported

Frequently asked questions

If I only have 20 minutes for a performance review, what should I ask?

With only 20 minutes, we recommend narrowing your questions to three: work they did that you didn't see, how they see your assessment, and what they'll start in the first month of next period. Don't phrase your view of the evaluation as a question. Share it first. You can skip questions asking how the period felt.

Should I tell my employee the review questions in advance?

We recommend telling your team member what you'll ask by the day before the review. If they're asked for the first time in the meeting, they have no time to think and tend to give short answers. Keep it to 3 questions at most. For example: work they did that you didn't see, items they went back and forth on in their self-assessment, and what they want to work on first next period.

In a performance review, my employee only says "Nothing in particular." What should I ask?

When your team member says "Nothing in particular," stop asking vague questions and offer choices instead. For example: "In moving ○○ forward next period, is your concern closest to time, information, or how to do it?" "Nothing in particular" doesn't necessarily mean they have nothing to say. The question may simply be too broad to answer easily.

In a performance review, my employee asks, "Why did I get this rating?" How should I answer?

When your team member asks for the reasons behind a rating, answer with specific events. Explain it like this, "The reasons I'm thinking B are that the deadline for △△ slipped twice and the handover was still unfinished at the end of the period," and ask for their view too. For any part of the evaluation you didn't decide yourself, it often helps to say, "I'll check with HR and tell you what I find out by Friday."

How can I get my employee to speak honestly in a performance review?

In a performance review, we recommend asking about specific events rather than trying to draw out their true feelings. It's natural for an employee to find it hard to speak candidly with the manager who evaluates them. Instead of "What did you think?", ask "At what stage did it get hard to move forward?" or "Around when did you notice?" That makes it easier for them to answer with facts.

Sources and how to cite these figures