Journey of a Professional Dabbler
Here’s a screenshot for future reference…
The site theme updated again in June 2020 as I moved from 1and1 to Bluehost. I moved all my sites as 1and1 (a.k.a. IONOS) support and technology left more and more to be desire over time. It got to the point where site security and performance were being effected beyond what I could accept. I went through the tedious process of migrating everything over.
What
The intent is to focus on topics I already write about in my personal journal. Of course, there are details I will exclude for obvious reasons, but many of the topics cover passions and interests that I’m sure many people share. This is my way of sharing and contributing to those communities.
Why
How
Today I had my APR. Over the years, I’ve had my share of performance reviews, sometimes called performance appraisals. Some companies never had them. At one employer they were conducted but irregular. Many were very subjective and unstructured. Those didn’t provide much value. In my more recent workplaces, I’ve been fortunate to have had very formal reviews that were well documented and based on performance to measurable metrics. While you may hear arguments against the value of performance appraisals in general, I’ve received valuable feedback when they have been done properly and I’ve used those open conversations to better understand where and how I could improve. Take today for example.
What I liked about today’s review:
What could have been better:
The whole thing lasted about an hour and we ended on a positive note. I left feeling motivated to work harder and focus more on the right things.
Throughout my career, I’ve also had my time sitting on the other side of the table. I know firsthand what it takes to prepare properly for annual reviews and the impact it could have for those on the receiving end. Exercising emotional intelligence is crucial. Treating reviews as “one size fits all” is a common mistake.
An important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that reviews are less stressful on both sides when expectations are clear from the start, and feedback is provided on a regular basis whether through regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings, or via regular reporting of metrics…actual performance compared to plan/target. If this is done, very little if anything that comes up during a proper review should be a surprise to either side. It becomes just a formal appraisal that is documented and provides a basis for potential merit increases and/or promotions. If a review is more negative than positive and an overall poor rating is inarguable then that simply prompts a decision whether to take more drastic measures or, if possible, to find a better ‘seat on the bus.’
Finding the right seat on the bus is important, but you have to be on the right busin the first place. Is it going where you want to go? Will you enjoy the ride along the way. Does it make frequent enough stops in case you feel like getting off? As far as employers go, when choosing an organization to work for, I’ve also learned that corporate culture, values and leadership mean much more than the size of the paycheck, the free lunches, or the ping pong table in the game room (though such things are definitely nice to have). Good companies inherently follow best practices for creating a culture that fosters professional growth as well as the bottom line. A healthy environment and playing the right role (given your skills and experience) optimize your chances for success. When the time comes that things no longer align, then it’s a tell-tale sign to get off the bus and move on.
[Original entry written on February 9, 2016]
Questions:
Credit for Featured Image: prime-decision.com/behavioural-insight-posts/behavioural-insights-for-hr/