Yuck! Horrible manager! What is the point of a review like that?????

But, I have to echo everybody else: You look so fantastic in purple and I love the shoes/belt coordination. You look SO fab!!!!!!

Thanks everyone! I got to say, it REALLY helps to dress your best on days you feel your worst. I'm so glad I did it. I feel 1000 times better than if I had just thrown on any old thing. I'm keeping an evening gown, tiara and fur jacket on standby in case I need them!

Big hugs and thanks for your support. You ladies are the BEST!!!

Oh dear. I have been in your shoes exactly just a few years ago when I had the most dreadful appraisal ever. Blind-sided, too. I got past it in time, but my thoughts about that boss were forever altered.

I'm positive, though, that I didn't look as amazing as you do the following day!! Your outfit is stunning!

Hugs to you...

Amy, this is beyond horrible!! You have every reason to complain not being pre-warned about anything - do you not have half-year reviews or at least regular updates wit the managers?? Surely you have had to be given a chance to do something well in advance as issues worth page-long criticism do not happen overnight and any responsible manager would, in fact, act ON TIME herself! (Sorry for shouting).

That is, of course, if her comments were founded which I sincerely doubt because the method and the way she treated you tells it all and sounds to me like she just needed that name, someone, anyone that would fill in the certain blank spot on the performance sheet. This may be of no consolation to you, but I honestly think so and having been on this Earth long enough and having clocked some time in the corporate environment I have seen enough examples of such treatment to know it has nothing to do with *you*.

As for those ungrateful lawyers who did not have to put a good word in, a lesson for the future - log everything, good and bad, every interaction with anyone. That saved my sanity and self-respect a few years ago.

And repeat after me: what doesn't kill you...

Now, the outfit, I love the fighting spirit and am happy you opted for bright, strong color as opposed sombre, drowning tones. You look lovely! Next one on the menu? Some red, some symphony of color maybe? Big, big hugs.

Sorry you had such a horrible experience but even so you have managed to look awesome - that says something about your character!

Ugh, so much ugh.
But you look fantastic.

Amy, I am so sorry to hear that your review did not go as you expected it would. The others have given great suggestions on how to address it with your supervisor - I agree that there should have been discussion well before the review.

Moving on, you look SMASHING! I love the use of the animal print with the purple. You've inspired me to play around with a look that I may share later this week ...if it works.

Honestly - your manager can't "manage". This is not acceptable behaviour & imo tells us more about her than you. I agree that a move away from this person would be a good idea.

On a lighter note I love your look here - fierce & fabulous.

Brilliant Caro took the word "fierce" right out of my mouth (er, fingers). I love your "Purple Badge of Courage" as well as the RRROW-R animal touches of fierce beauty. You keep right on being awesome!

Amy, this is awful. Same thing happened to me last year. My manager and supervisor did a performance review for me and told me all kinds of things that were wrong with my work. I was completely shocked and deeply saddened. It took me at least a couple of months to get over it. I admit that i did not deal with it courageously at all. I actually did not feel like getting dressed up for work at all as I thought every body at work was against me, but I must say that you are showing strength and courage by wearing a fabulous outfit today.

Hugs, Amy! Nothing is more frustrating that getting an unfair and ungrounded performance review without any previous warning or sign. This is not professional at all!
However my experience taught me that this is not that rare in smaller companies. I mean the review process which happens once a year only and not on the ongoing basis. Review process should be used to nurture and grow employees and help them in their career, not to slam them in the face! It reminds me a lot of my former "communist" career when the motto was "I am the boss, you are the idiot!"

Anyway you should seriously consider changing your job or at least a department. With a boss like this you will not have a lot of growth opportunities I am afraid. It can even be worse: they may be up for downsizing and laying the groundwork for firing some people. My hubby was in the same position last year: he had a similar "out of the blue" negative review - the first one for 4 years in the company and no previous complains. He tried to work it out with the manager but they fired him 6 months later anyway - again without more complains. I don't want to scare you or anything but this is hte reality of life and it is better to be ready. <<<MORE HUGS>>>

On the bright note: you know how I love the purple on you so this outfit is the real winner! I also find that looking and feeling my best helps me to take the challenges at work much easier. YLF!

Hi Amy, I'm a fellow Seattleite pulled out of long-time lurkdom by your post. I have trouble believing that the crtrical thinking, analytical skills and cheerful assertiveness that you display here isn't also evident in the workplace. (To say nothing of your eye for beauty, fashion sense and sewing skills.) You're a gem, plain and simple.

First your outfit: completely, utterly purplicious. and the smile caps it all!

Second: Huge hugs firstly. As someone who stopped short of their thesis for a Masters in Health Professions Education, feedback was a huge part of the learning agenda. We were taught to be very specific about instances rather than behaviours. Specifics rather than generalizations- in both positive and more constructive arenas. For example: It was really good to see how comfrotable you were with your patients and how you addressed them by their names in informal exchanges. However while talking about the patient to the group instead of saying:"This 64 yr old man who is a lifelong smoker presents with..." saying : "Mr X : I would like to introduce you to the rest of our team and tell them about how you are feeling. Please feel free to interrupt and make suggestions when I don't get something right. Four days ago Mr X was feeling like his usual self when suddenly he..."
If I told a student : you just don't have the qualities to be a good doctor. you don't have enough of a fund of medical knowledge", etc all it does is befudlles the person and makes them feel small and also clueless on how to improve!
Your supervisor is a jackass and will not go far if this is how she gives feedback. Sure if her Dad owns the practice and nepotism rules the day it may be another story ( sad one). but I wish you could have the opportunity to give her feedback on her feedback.

Looooooooooooove you Amy. Lots.

Amy: You are a vision of tonal perfection. And yes, clothing can help us keep up chin up when things are tough. Purple is a color of power, I think, and sounds like you could use some.

I hope and pray you find affirmation and encouragement in many places this week, and that the work environment improves significantly in the near future!

For now, the best revenge is looking amazing!

Purple power is what you radiate! You look classy and positive. I wish you the best with this issue - it is staggering how some people just have no sense about how to give feedback in a professional way. Your boss sounds like a twit.

I also love to wear red or bright pink for power!

I can't stand your boss. You, on the other hand, I would like to have as a co-worker.

I swore I wasn't going to cry again today, but you ladies are just too sweet. I know you don't know me and for all you know, I could be a complete waste of space at work. Even so, you took the time out of your day to cheer me up and that just says how kind you all are. Thank you. Really.

Amy, firstly that outfit is a stunner! You look smart and professional with a hint of your fun personality.

Secondly, I am really sorry about your appraisal. As I understand it, that is not the purpose of an appraisal and it sounds like it was more about her than you. I really don't know anything about how work places operate in the US but Im not sure I would be taking this lying down. Many of us seem to have developed the attitude that we cannot challenge or question the Boss! And certainly in some work environments that attitude is part of the culture.

My work is like that and just before I went on leave my Manager emailed me and in a non encouraging manner told me I had to be more aware and careful of some specific paperwork I regularly put through to head office. Apparently I was making mistakes. In this instance, I was VERY confident that i wasn't, so I phoned her and asked her to tell me precisely the errors so I could check against my copies. There was one error, and it was hers not mine! I was pretty cheesed, because she make me feel so small and inadequate but I am really glad I called her on it ( I don't think she was).

For me it has been a matter of choosing to either speak up, or look for another job. For the moment I am speaking up....

Oh Amy, that is just rotten. Is it at all possible that the reviewer might feel a bit threatened by you (I.e, you might be a good replacement for their position someday)? It's just an idea that came to me -- how you were blindsided, and how relentlessly negative the critique was, just made me wonder if the reviewer wants to somehow keep you down. Because I have a seriously difficult time believing you are intellectually inadequate!

The only truly upsetting performance review I ever received was from a supervisor who suspected that I had figured out she and the company owner were having an affair. She pulled all kinds of criticism out at review time, despite never saying a negative word about my work otherwise. The VP of the company was a big advocate for me, however, and I got a wonderful recommendation from him when I was looking for my next job. I'm certainly not saying anything like this is going on at your place of employment, but that review was certainly effective in pushing me out the door.

On a far more cheery note, you look fantastic and I love that purple jacket on you!

Just got a chance to check in here, Amy. So sorry for your terrible experience, but know that you look fab and courageous! Is there any opportunity for you to give constructive feedback on the process and how demoralizing it was?

What Isis and Caro said. What a god awful thing to have to go through. Glad that your are combatting in with looking fab. You look regal and gorgeous!

I wish I had more wisdom to add to the wonderful advice above. Clearly this is about the reviewer and not you - there just is no point in a review like that with no warning. Perhaps the reviewer had just received a poor review herself/himself?

You look brave and beautiful regardless!

Hehe, Janet, I would have to go to law school to replace my boss, since I'm not an attorney.

I'm going to give it a few days so I can achieve a degree of emotional distance from the situation and then I will submit a letter response as I was invited to do. Honestly, though, I'm motivated to move on to a more positive environment.

We'll see though. Today was a pretty good day. I think dressing up to express my self respect helped a lot. Support of friends like you and my dear hubby really helped sustain my positive attitude.

I am so sorry you had to be blindsided like that. Before law I was in HR and you're right, a performance review is NOT the first time you should be hearing about performance issues.
The bright side is you don't have to wonder if your boss is supportive, and if the environment you're in is supporting you. Now is definitely the time to start the search for a supportive work environment that's invested in you doing well.

You look smashingly royal dah-ling!