Performance Appraisals

This week was performance appraisal week at Prudential. This means that I had to sit down with my 11 employees and provide them with a performance rating for 2004 as well as provide them with their salary increase and bonus amount. I am very fortunate that I have a very talented team. Giving reviews to talented/high performing people makes it quite easy. It is always easy to tell people they are doing a great job. What gets more difficult is telling people they are doing an "okay" job, or even worse, a poor job. I have been spared the opportunity this year of letting someone know they are doing a poor job, but did have a few that were doing okay. At Prudential we have a rating system of 1-5. 5 means you are greatly exceeding expectations. 4 means consistently exceeds expectations. 3 - meets expectations, etc. Very few, if any get 1s or 5s. The majority (80-85%) get 3s.

Very few people like to hear negative or critical feedback. When I have an employee who is a 3 performer, that means they are doing their job. But most people like to think they are great employees. Rarely have I come across an employee who thinks they are average - at least at my company. People rationalize their greatness by remembering days they worked overtime, or a great email they received from somebody at some point telling them they did a great job. I am a manager that believes in rewarding performance (as is my company). Therefore there has to be a good reason somebody is better than a 3. I have to have a lot of backup and proof that this person exceeds expectations, and isn't just doing a good/great job in their role. At the same time, I am the type of manager that puts my trust in my employees. I empower them, and expect them to meet my expectations. When I give critical feedback, I do it in a subtle manner, trying not to hurt people's egos and let them know I still trust them (if I do). But to an average employee, this can often lead to delusions of grandeur. So reviews can be difficult if we sit down and I am certain they are a 3 and they are certain they are a 4.

What I try to do to avoid these types of situations is sit down with my employees on a quarterly basis and have a frank discussion. I ask questions like, "what rating do you think you are?" If they say something I disagree with, we discuss it and I tell them what I think the gap is between the two. This has helped me with difficulties with big surprises in performance ratings. But even if they agree they are not a 4, they just don't like to hear the negative aspects. I believe mostly my generation and the generation below me are just not used to receiving good, critical feedback. We have always been told we are the best. So usually critical feedback is a blow to our fragile egos, and we get defensive. The truth is, in most cases the feedback I am providing is not to point out flaws, but to help them reach their goal - or at least see what lacks for them to achieve - of a higher rating. We spend tons of time going through how much time they worked that one weekend or how it will be impossible to be that proactive with such a high caseload, never realizing that by rationalizing or denying such feedback, they are holding themselves back from achieving the next level. They won't even try because they see no need. They are already there.

The truth is, I guess this is necessary, as we can't have all high performers. There will always be those that stand out - and usually they are always the same people.

My review went well. I went in with a particular rating and bonus amount in mind, and was pleasantly surprised. I believe I have grown over the past two years and actually like to hear critical feedback, since I am starting to realize that I am not perfect. Even if I am the best manager in the department (ok, so I haven't grown a TON!), I can still become even better. There is no reason to leave the mark at a low level - we must continually grow. So at the beginning of this year, I am humbled. In most years I would have left my review with pride and confidence, saying I deserved this. This year I felt that I am so lucky to be in this situation, and that the Lord is too kind. I am so grateful for my job and the opportunity I have to use my skills in a way that I enjoy - and that are recognized. That is a blessing that not all people experience. I am also grateful that the Lord listens to our prayers.

I have a long way to go, but I feel that now that I am 30 and have settled into this "adult" life, that I am maturing and that I am getting more humble. So many people are ruined by the thoughts that they "deserve" what they receive. None of us "deserve" anything. Even if I lived perfectly for the rest of my life, I would never merit the blessings I have received up to this point in my life - and the gap would increase as God would most certainly provide even more for living such a life. Be grateful for what you have! It can all be taken in an instant. Cling to the things that are eternal: family, testimony.