Performance Management

Top 100 Key Performance Review Questions You Should Ask Your Managers For Stronger Teams

Wraps up in 15 Minutes

Author: Gavin Altus

Published On April 7, 2026

Here’s a truth that most workplaces don’t talk about: performance reviews are not just for managers to evaluate you.

They’re also for you to evaluate your managers and your organisation.

Yet, in most Australian workplaces, the classic performance review looks something like this: your manager asks most of the questions, you smile, nod, and quietly hope it all ends before your coffee goes cold.

That must change.

Gallup research shows that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores.

That means the quality of your manager’s leadership directly affects how much you care about your job, your team, and the company’s success.

So, if you’re not asking your managers the right questions, you’re leaving a lot of performance and potential on the table.

This guide gives you 100 powerful, practical, and real-world performance review questions you can ask your managers.

These questions are organised by category, backed by research, and built for one purpose: stronger teams.

Why Asking Your Manager Questions Actually Matters

Let’s be clear about something. Asking your manager tough questions during a performance review isn’t being difficult. It’s being professional.

Fair Work Australia and workplace health and safety guidelines both recognise that two-way communication between employees and managers is critical to healthy work environments.

The Australian HR Institute (AHRI) has consistently highlighted that organisations with open feedback cultures report higher retention, better productivity, and stronger team cohesion.

A 2023 Qualtrics report found that only 52% of Australian employees feel their manager takes their feedback seriously.

That gap between wanting to give feedback and giving it starts with not having the right questions ready.

So, let’s fix that.

How to Use These 100 Performance Review Questions Effectively

You don’t need to fire all 100 questions at your manager in one sitting. That would be a performance review turned interrogation, and nobody wants that.

Instead, pick 5-10 questions that feel most relevant to your current situation. Group them by category depending on what you want to address.

And approach the conversation with curiosity, not confrontation.

These questions work best when:

You’re in a formal performance review or one-on-one meeting
You’re preparing for a career development conversation
Your team is going through a change or restructuring
You want to improve your relationship with your manager
You’re onboarding into a new role or team

Category 1: Goal Setting and Achievement (Performance Review Questions 1-10)

Goal clarity is one of the biggest drivers of team performance. Without it, individuals may put effort into tasks that lead them down the wrong path.

Use these questions to align your efforts with what matters.

1. What are the top three priorities you want me to focus on in the next quarter?
2. How do my individual goals connect to the broader team and company objectives?
3. How will you measure whether I’ve successfully achieved my goals?
4. Are there any goals from the last review period that should carry over?
5. Where do you see the biggest opportunity for my growth in the next six months?
6. Are there any team goals that I should be more involved in?
7. How often will we check in on progress toward my goals?
8. What does “exceeding expectations” look like for my role?
9. If priorities shift, how will you communicate that to me?
10. What goal, if I achieved it, would make the biggest difference to the team this year?

Tip: According to MIT Sloan Management Review, employees who co-create goals with their managers report 56% higher performance than those who receive goals from the top down.

Category 2: Feedback and Communication (Performance Review Questions 11-20)

The best managers give consistent, useful, and timely feedback.

These questions help you open that channel and keep it flowing.

11. How do you prefer to give feedback, in real time or scheduled check-ins?
12. What’s the best way for me to come to you with concerns or ideas?
13. Is there anything about how I communicate that I should work on?
14. Can you give me an example of something I did recently that you felt I handled particularly well?
15. Can you share an example of something I could have handled differently?
16. Are there any blind spots you’ve noticed in how I operate?
17. How transparent are you able to be with me about decisions that affect my role?
18. Do I give you enough updates on my work, or too many?
19. How do you handle disagreements within the team?
20. What’s one thing about your communication style that you’d like me to understand better?

Category 3: Leadership Style and Management (Performance Review Questions 21-30)

Understanding your manager’s leadership approach helps you work with them more effectively and helps them lead you better.

21. How would you describe your leadership style?
22. What’s your approach to micromanagement versus autonomy?
23. How do you typically handle underperformance on the team?
24. In what situations do you find it hardest to lead the team?
25. What do you think makes a great manager?
26. How do you handle stress or pressure when it affects your leadership?
27. What’s one leadership habit you’re actively working to improve?
28. How do you decide who gets stretch assignments or development opportunities?
29. Do you feel well-supported by leadership above you?
30. What’s something the team could do differently that would make your job easier?

Research from Harvard Business Review shows that when employees understand their manager’s leadership style, team effectiveness improves by up to 20%.

Category 4: Team Dynamics and Culture (Performance Review Questions 31-40)

Healthy teams don’t just happen. They’re built deliberately.

These questions help surface any cracks before they become fractures.

31. How would you describe the current culture within our team?
32. Are there any interpersonal dynamics you think I should be more aware of?
33. How do you feel the team is performing as a unit right now?
34. Is there a team member whose work you think I could learn from?
35. How do you handle conflict when it arises between team members?
36. Do you feel our team has a clear, shared sense of purpose?
37. What would you say is the team’s biggest strength?
38. What’s the one thing holding our team back from reaching its full potential?
39. How do you celebrate wins and recognise effort within the team?
40. Are there collaboration opportunities I’m currently missing out on?

Category 5: Career Development and Growth (Performance Review Questions 41-52)

One of the biggest reasons Australians leave their jobs is a lack of career growth.

In fact, SEEK’s 2023 Job Seeker Report found that career development ranked among the top three reasons Australians change employers.

Ask these before that frustration builds.

41. What skills do you think I should develop to progress in my career?
42. Are there training programs, courses, or certifications you’d recommend for me?
43. What does the pathway to the next level look like from where you’re standing?
44. Are there any projects coming up that would stretch my capabilities?
45. How do you support people on your team who want to move into leadership?
46. What’s the biggest gap between where I am now and where I want to be?
47. Do you see me in a specialist track or a leadership track long-term?
48. How does the company support professional development financially?
49. Are there any mentoring or coaching opportunities available to me?
50. If I wanted to move into another area of the business, how would you support that?
51. What’s one skill that, if I developed it, would make me significantly more valuable to this team?
52. How often do you discuss career growth with your own manager?

Category 6: Workload, Wellbeing, and Work-Life Balance (Performance Review Questions 53-62)

The Fair Work Act 2009 and SafeWork Australia guidelines both make clear that employers have a duty of care regarding psychosocial risks, including excessive workload. Don’t avoid this category.

53. Do you think my current workload is sustainable long-term?
54. How do you recognise signs of burnout in your team?
55. What should I do if I feel overwhelmed or over-capacity?
56. How do you model work-life balance for the team?
57. Are there tasks on my plate that should be delegated or dropped?
58. How do you ensure the team’s well-being during high-pressure periods?
59. Do you think I take enough time to rest and recharge?
60. What resources does the company offer for mental health and well-being?
61. How flexible is my role in terms of hours or remote work arrangements?
62. Is there anything about how I manage my energy that concerns you?

SafeWork Australia’s 2022 work-related mental health report found that excessive workload was the leading cause of work-related stress compensation claims in Australia.

These questions aren’t soft; they’re essential.

Category 7: Performance, Productivity, and Results (Performance Review Questions 63-72)

This is the bread and butter of any performance conversation.

These questions help you understand how your output is perceived and how to lift it.

63. How do you define high performance in my role?
64. What does success look like for me at the end of this year?
65. Are there any performance gaps you’ve observed that we haven’t yet discussed?
66. What metrics or KPIs do you think are most important for my role?
67. How does my productivity compare to others at the same level?
68. What’s the most impactful thing I’ve delivered in the last review period?
69. Where do you feel I leave value on the table?
70. How do you track performance across the team consistently?
71. Are there any inefficiencies in how I work that you’ve noticed?
72. What would a standout performance review look like from your perspective?

Category 8: Recognition and Reward (Performance Review Questions 73-80)

Recognition isn’t just about bonuses.

According to Gallup, employees who don’t feel adequately recognised are twice as likely to quit within a year.

Ask these questions to understand how your contributions are seen and valued.

73. How do you typically recognise strong performance in the team?
74. Do you feel I receive recognition that matches the effort I put in?
75. What would it take for me to be considered for a promotion or pay review?
76. How transparent is the company about salary ranges and pay equity?
77. What non-financial rewards or benefits do you think are most valuable?
78. How do you advocate for your team’s recognition with senior leadership?
79. If I wanted to make a case for a pay increase, what would I need to demonstrate?
80.How often does the company review salary benchmarks against the market?

Category 9: Innovation, Problem-Solving, and Initiative (Performance Review Questions 81-88)

The best teams don’t just execute, they innovate.

These questions help you understand how much creative thinking your manager wants from you.

81. How much room is there for me to try new approaches and take initiative?
82. What’s the process for suggesting improvements to how we work?
83. Have I identified any problems recently that you think I handled well?
84. Are there any challenges in the team that you’d like me to take ownership of?
85. How does the team handle failure when an experiment or initiative doesn’t work?
86. What would you say to someone who wants to do things differently from the established process?
87. Where do you see the biggest opportunity for innovation in our work right now?
88. How do you encourage creative thinking within the team?

Category 10: Relationship Building and Collaboration (Performance Review Questions 89-100)

Strong professional relationships don’t build themselves.

This final category focuses on the human side of working together, and it’s arguably the most important one.

89. How can I better support you in your role as a manager?
90. Is there a time in the past period when I let you down, and what did you learn from that?
91. What’s the best thing about working with me from your perspective?
92. How can we make our one-on-ones more valuable for both of us?
93. Are there relationships across the business that you think I should invest more in?
94. What’s one thing I could do differently to make your life easier?
95. How would you describe my working relationship with our key stakeholders?
96. Is there any tension in the team that I might not be fully aware of?
97. What do you wish more people on the team came to you with?
98. How do you think I handle difficult conversations?
99. What’s the one thing you’d most like me to take away from this conversation?
100. What question do you wish I had asked you today that I didn’t?

Making the Most of These Questions: A Quick Practical Guide

You’ve got 100 performance review questions. Now what?

Before the review, pick 5-8 questions that align with your current priorities. Write them down. Don’t improvise; nerves are real.

During the review: Listen more than you talk. Take notes. Follow up on anything vague.
After the review: Summarise what was discussed in writing and send it to your manager. This builds accountability on both sides.
Repeat the process: Great teams don’t have one good performance conversation a year. They have ongoing ones. Monthly one-on-ones with even a handful of these questions will do more for your career than any annual review.

Final Thoughts: The Teams That Ask Are the Teams That Win

Here’s the thing about strong teams: they’re not built by managers alone.

They’re built by everyone being willing to have the conversations that matter.

The 100 questions in this guide are not a checklist to rush through. They’re a toolkit.

Some will feel relevant now, others later. Some will spark the best conversations you’ve ever had with your manager.

Others might be uncomfortable, but discomfort is often where growth lives.

Australian workplaces are maturing fast. The days of the annual review as a one-way monologue are numbered.

The future belongs to workplaces where feedback flows freely in both directions, where managers are held to the same standard of growth as their teams, and where asking a good question is treated as a strength, not a threat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What questions should I ask in a performance review?

Ask questions that cover four key areas: your performance and goals, your career development, the health of your team, and your relationship with your manager. Good examples include “What does success look like for me this year?”, “What’s my biggest gap right now?”, and “What can I do to better support you?” Keep your questions focused and genuine; your manager will respond better to curiosity than criticism.

2. How do I prepare for a performance review with my manager?

Start by reviewing your work from the last review period. List your achievements, challenges, and any areas where you felt stuck. Then, choose 5–8 targeted questions from a list like this one, based on what matters most right now. Preparation signals professionalism and seriousness, and it almost always results in a more productive conversation.

3. What are good questions to ask your manager?

The best questions are open-ended, specific, and focused on growth. Questions like “What’s the biggest gap between where I am and where I need to be?”, “How would you describe my impact on the team?” and “What would a standout year look like from your perspective?” give your manager room to be honest and give you actionable feedback. Avoid yes/no questions; they rarely lead anywhere useful.

4. How do you evaluate a manager’s performance?

You can evaluate a manager’s performance by examining how clearly they communicate expectations, how consistently they give feedback, how well they develop their team, and how they handle pressure and conflict. As a team member, your observations during one-on-ones, performance reviews, and day-to-day interactions all feed into a fair assessment of your manager’s effectiveness.

5. Should employees ask questions during a performance review?

Absolutely, and more often than most do. A performance review is a two-way conversation, not a one-way report card. Asking questions shows self-awareness, initiative, and a genuine commitment to improving. It also helps your manager understand what you need to perform better. Employees who ask questions in performance reviews consistently report higher satisfaction with the process.

6. What is the purpose of a performance review?

The primary purpose of a performance review is to assess an employee’s work over a defined period, set future goals, and identify opportunities for growth and development. But a well-run performance review also helps managers identify performance barriers, strengthens working relationships, and gives employees a formal channel to voice concerns, ask for support, and discuss their career aspirations.

7. How often should performance reviews happen in Australia?

Most Australian organisations conduct formal performance reviews annually or biannually. However, AHRI and leading HR practitioners recommend supplementing these with regular one-on-one check-ins monthly or fortnightly to keep communication flowing and address issues before they escalate. The annual review alone is widely considered insufficient for managing performance effectively in modern workplaces.

8. What should I do if my performance review is unfair?

If you believe your performance review is unfair, document your concerns clearly and with specific examples. Request a follow-up meeting to discuss the review in more detail. If the issue remains unresolved, most Australian workplaces have an internal complaints or HR escalation process. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, you also have rights around unfair treatment in the workplace, and Fair Work Australia can be contacted for advice if needed.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this blog post is intended for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional workplace advice. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information at the time of publication, workplace laws, regulations, and best practices may change over time.