The Ultimate List of 100 Performance Review Questions for Managers
It’s a core part of performance management, and it should work both ways.
Yet in many Australian organisations, the typical performance review still feels one-sided. Managers lead the conversation, employees politely agree, and the opportunity for genuine feedback quietly slips away.
That approach no longer stacks up.
Research consistently shows that managers play a defining role in employee engagement and team outcomes. If leadership quality directly impacts performance, then your performance management process must include meaningful, two-way dialogue.
That starts with better questions.
This guide delivers exactly that: 100 practical, real-world performance review questions for managers. They’re designed to support stronger conversations, improve leadership capability, and lift overall team performance.
Why Performance Review Questions for Managers Matter
A performance review should never feel like a tick-the-box exercise. It’s one of the most important tools in your performance management framework.
Asking your manager thoughtful, well-structured questions isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being professional and contributing to a healthier workplace.
Across Australia, organisations are recognising that open feedback cultures lead to:
Higher employee engagement
Stronger retention
Better team collaboration
Improved business outcomes
However, there’s still a gap. Many employees want to give feedback but don’t know how to start the conversation.
That’s where the right performance review questions make all the difference.
They help shift the dynamic from passive participation to active contribution, ensuring performance conversations are balanced, constructive, and genuinely useful.
How to Use These Performance Review Questions Effectively
You don’t need to run through all 100 questions in a single performance review. That’s not effective performance management — it’s overwhelming.
Instead, take a focused approach.
Choose a small number of questions that align with your current priorities and context. Quality of conversation always beats quantity of questions.
These questions are most effective when used during:
Formal performance review discussions
Regular one-on-one meetings
Career development conversations
Periods of organisational change
Onboarding into a new role or team
The key is intent. Approach the conversation with curiosity and a genuine interest in improving how work gets done.
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.
What are the top three priorities you want me to focus on in the next quarter?
How do my individual goals connect to the broader team and company objectives?
How will you measure whether I’ve successfully achieved my goals?
Are there any goals from the last review period that should carry over?
Where do you see the biggest opportunity for my growth in the next six months?
Are there any team goals that I should be more involved in?
How often will we check in on progress toward my goals?
What does “exceeding expectations” look like for my role?
If priorities shift, how will you communicate that to me?
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 2-30)
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 Your Performance Review Conversations
Having a strong set of performance review questions is only part of the equation. How you use them within your broader performance management approach is what drives results.
Before the performance review
Select 5–8 questions that reflect your goals and challenges. Write them down and be clear on what you want to learn or improve.During the performance review
Listen actively. Take notes. If responses are vague, ask follow-up questions to clarify expectations and outcomes.After the performance review
Summarise key points and agreed actions in writing. This strengthens accountability for both you and your manager.Keep the conversation going
Effective performance management doesn’t happen once a year. Ongoing check-ins and regular conversations will deliver far better outcomes than any annual review alone.
Final Thoughts: Better Questions, Better Performance Management
High-performing teams aren’t built through one-way feedback.
They’re built through open, honest, and consistent conversations.
This list of 100 performance review questions for managers isn’t a script to follow word for word. It’s a practical toolkit to help you navigate real workplace discussions.
Some questions will resonate immediately. Others will become relevant as your role or organisation evolves.
A few may feel uncomfortable and that’s often where the most valuable insights sit.
Across Australia, workplaces are moving towards more mature and effective performance management practices. The traditional, top-down performance review is being replaced by something far more useful: continuous, two-way feedback.
And at the centre of that shift is a simple idea asking better questions leads to better performance.
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