Areas of improvement examples, and how to word them
A good area of improvement is specific, observable and paired with a plan: "flag risks earlier" with a goal, not "be more proactive". Below are twelve common areas, worded for a manager's review, for your own self-evaluation, and for a job interview.
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What makes an area of improvement fair
- It's specific. One behavior, not a personality trait.
- It has an example. A date, a project, a number.
- It matters. It affects results, the team or the person's growth.
- It comes with a plan. A goal and the support you'll give.
Pick one or two. A review with six growth areas reads as a verdict, and nobody can work on six things at once.
Twelve areas, worded two ways
The left column is for a manager writing a review; the right is for your own self-evaluation.
| Area | In a manager's review | In your self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| Time management | Tends to underestimate tasks, so deadlines arrive with a last-minute push. Goal: weekly milestones on projects over two weeks. | I underestimate how long things take. I'm tracking estimated against actual time and adding a buffer. |
| Communication | Updates often arrive after decisions are made. Goal: flag scope or timeline changes in writing within a day. | I share bad news too late. I'm committing to flag risks within a day of seeing them. |
| Delegation | Does the team's hardest work personally instead of coaching others through it. Goal: fully delegate one project this quarter. | I hold on to work I should hand off. I'm delegating [project] and coaching instead of fixing. |
| Attention to detail | Errors in client-facing work have reached clients twice this period. Goal: a self-check against the checklist before every handoff. | A few errors slipped through when I rushed. I've added a final check before anything leaves my desk. |
| Speaking up | Raises concerns after meetings rather than in them. Goal: share one point in each planning meeting. | I want to speak up more in larger meetings. I'm preparing one point in advance. |
| Prioritization | Works on urgent requests while important projects stall. Goal: start each week by naming the top three priorities. | I get pulled into urgent requests. I'm protecting time for my top priorities each week. |
| Asking for help | Waits too long to raise blockers. Goal: raise anything blocking work for more than a day. | I try too long on my own. I'm raising blockers within a day. |
| Receiving feedback | Has responded defensively to feedback. Goal: ask one clarifying question before responding. | I can get defensive with feedback. I'm practicing asking a question before I respond. |
| Strategic thinking | Delivers well on assigned work but rarely connects it to team goals. Goal: propose one improvement tied to a team goal each quarter. | I'd like to think beyond my own projects. I'm proposing one improvement a quarter. |
| Conflict | Avoids disagreement with peers, so issues surface late. Goal: raise concerns directly within a week. | I avoid conflict. I'm working on raising concerns directly and early. |
| Technical skills | Still relies on others for [skill]. Goal: handle [task] independently by [date]. | I want to be independent on [skill]. I'm working through [course] with [mentor]. |
| Work-life balance | Regularly working late to keep up, which isn't sustainable. Goal: agree on priorities so the load fits the week. | I've been working late to keep up. I'd like us to look at priorities together. |
When an interviewer asks about yours
Pick a real area, show you know its effect, and spend most of the answer on what you've done about it.
One area I've been working on is delegation. Early in managing, I held on to too much of the hardest work, which meant my team wasn't learning it and I was working late.
Over the last year I've started handing off whole projects with weekly check-ins instead of reviewing every step. On [project], [name] led it end to end, and it went better than if I'd done it myself.
I still catch myself wanting to jump in, so I ask "what would you do?" before I offer my answer.
Mistakes to skip
- Disguised strengths. "I work too hard" in an interview or self-evaluation reads as a dodge.
- Personality labels. "Not a team player" or "lacks confidence" tells nobody what to do differently.
- Too many at once. Pick the one or two that matter most.
- No plan. An area of improvement without a goal reads as a complaint.
Find the right one with Lauren
self-eval asks for 'areas of improvement' and I don't want to hand my boss a reason not to promote me
fair worry. the trick: pick something real that you're already fixing. it reads as self-aware, not weak
what's something you've gotten better at this year, but not all the way?
delegating probably. I used to do everything myself
perfect, because it's also a promotion skill. "I held on to too much early in the year. Since [month], I've handed [project] to [name] with weekly check-ins, and I'm doing that on every new project." shows growth, and it shows you're ready for more
Honest, without handing over a weapon.
Text Lauren the review you're writing, yours or someone else's. She'll help you choose the area, word it fairly and attach a real plan.
Hi Lauren! I need help writing areas of improvement for a review.
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Frequently asked questions
What are examples of areas of improvement for employees?
Common ones are time management, communication timing, delegation, attention to detail, speaking up in meetings, prioritization, asking for help sooner and handling feedback. Make each one specific, with an example and a goal.
How do I write areas of improvement in my self-evaluation?
Name one or two real areas, say briefly how they affected your work, and spend most of the space on what you're doing about them. Choose areas you're already working on.
How do I answer "What are your areas of improvement?" in an interview?
Pick a real, relevant area that isn't core to the job, give a short example, and focus on the steps you've taken and the results. Avoid disguised strengths like "I work too hard".
How many areas of improvement should a review include?
One or two. More than that is hard to act on and can make a solid performer feel like they're failing.