S is for… Success
Before your appraisal make sure you have an understanding of how your Company/your boss measures success.
Success means different things to different people. It means different things to different people. Consider the “ratings” or “scores” that can be given and identify what needs to be done for each of those ratings. Is it enough to be ticking off the items on the list, or do some items have more weight than others or is the list considered the minimum of what is expected.
Find out what your boss (and the company) expects from you. If you haven’t been talking to your boss about this, it’s not too late. Even in a few weeks, you may be able to improve in some areas if necessary.
Chat to colleagues and find out more about their experience of the process (and their interpretation of what success means).