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Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

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Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#291

Post by r00fus »

mdip wrote: post #287
danek wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That really sucks. But also what's the point of even having reviews it if it's going to be years in between them? There doesn't seem to be any upside, but lots of downside

> what's the point of even having reviews if it's going to be years in between them? Unfortunately, I would bet the point is to do exactly the kinds of things that "really sucks" which this individual encountered. I'd hazard a guess that the multi-year review situation isn't consistent, either. It probably is decided "it's review time" when management has decided things aren't going well, so they use the reviews to c…

That sounds like Seagull Management

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seagull_manager

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#292

Post by r00fus »

dredmorbius wrote: post #216
citrablue wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Subtle adjustment, I think the real cause is scaling human relationships. IT enables this scaling. So if interpersonal trust scales sub-linearly with number of connections, it's not really IT corroding trust, it's what IT enables.

It's ... complicated. More than I can get into here, or eveen than I've really worrked out. Short version is that in the absence of advanced comms, you have no option but to extend trust . I'm thinking here where inteervals might have been months, eveen years. (Historically, sea passage was not possible from November through May.) Instead you had trust-establishing institutions, a role usually filled by religion, in…

They also come with significant opportunities for fake signaling.

Gaining trust means you signal properly to the people you are attempting to influence. With records you now move mechanisms with which your signal that trust.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#294

Post by scarface74 »

mythrwy wrote: post #290
scarface74 wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power. There are one or two that I feel are unethical (Law #7 in particular).

They should rename this "48 Laws Of Getting By In Mediocre to Poor Organizations". Poor managers are threatened by underlings smarter than themselves. Good managers seek people smarter than themselves then try to get the best out of them. Poor organizations are those where everyone tip toes around afraid to mention reality lest it offend someone. These are organizations on the path of decline. Growing organizations a…

There are ways to do things and affect change without stepping on toes. By nature, I have very low emotional intelligence. It was a skill I had to learn. I start off building and nurturing relationships, slowly proving my effectiveness, and then slowly start implementing change.

This goes along with the three types of power in an organization - relationship, expert and role power. You'd be amazed by the things you can accomplish in smaller organizations with no role power if you build the right relationships and you prove yourself.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#295

Post by dingaling »

slededit wrote: post #87
tootie wrote: post #58

I sorta agree. A lot of place do these very wrongly. I think goal-setting is a waste of time because project work usually sucks up all your bandwidth no matter what. Anonymous peer feedback can be very helpful. Really, you and your manager (or reports) should know what's going on pretty constantly and never been surprised by a year-end review. I think the formal processes are less about getting new information and mo…

I you don't make time for your long term goals your career is going to stall. If project work is really taking all your time then you need to push back.

The 'goals' in peef reviews generally aren't useful personal goals though, they are goals set by the company to shape the performance scoring distribution

For example from a previous company some 'goals' included:

1. Take part in at least one company promotional activity e.g. manning a recruiting kiosk

2. Complete at least five computer-based learning modules.

Given the demands of project work these led to people staying behind after work to complete 'goals', or others just sacrificing performance 'points' because they didn't have time to compete. And them each year the thresholds would be ratcheted up.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#296

Post by Mandatum »

mrhappyunhappy wrote: post #270
lskadf93idk wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have performance reviews not annually, but every few years. My last review, the head of our division got really angry with me and gave me a very negative, punitive review. What I am infuriated about is that never in that few years did I receive any negative feedback, and I tried to do exactly what our subdivision had decided as a group to do, and what the immediate superior had wanted. My last review was glowing,…

It could have been a positioning move to justify firing down the road. I freelance now but when I went through 9-5 I found the key to positive outcomes was always tied to confidence. The confidence I tried to harness cane in a form of acting like I was the boss with nobody above me. I found that my own bosses saw this as a strength and never questioned my judgement. Even when someone came back with logical counterpoi…

> Even when someone came back with logical counterpoints I'd stick up for my opinion very aggressively.

I hate this so much. I hate it even more, because it's mostly true that it works. YMMV, and I'm talking of non-technical organisations or organisation where tech is a cost-centre rather than value-add.

Those who don't fully understand it (it being whatever technical disagreement or choice made), which is usually the majority, will side with you. The remainder are usually people who can see that the organisation is structured this way and either give up out of apathy or leave for greener pastures.

If someone literally yells at me, I'm out. Notice in that day, usually within the hour. If the organisation is willing to allow that behaviour, it's usually toxic. If I'm on contract (which I always am now), my opinion within that organisation will no longer be respected. Notice of non-renewal immediately.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#297

Post by r00fus »

lmkg wrote: post #192
gowld wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You can’t just promote everyone the same Why?

Most common reason is probably "budget." A reason which is valid on the surface but difficult to implement properly is "it's bad for morale if deadweight employees get promoted just the same as people who contribute."

It makes more logical sense if you value people's achievements. Some years, I simply have to put more emphasis on family. Or I may get crappy projects or overwork myself and have to recover. Other years are better.

I think a strong (30%+) bonus compensation plans + automatic basic raises guarantees the best results. You know you aren't "going for the next level" but simply executing and on bad quarters/years you don't get as much. Easier to accurately quantify in a profit-center as opposed to a cost center, for sure.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#298

Post by sosborn »

mrhappyunhappy wrote: post #272
adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

Performance reviews sound so cringey, I don't know how people can subject themselves to such practices. I guess it's one of those legacy practices to allow people to move up the ladder.

Done right they are actually helpful for everyone involved, especially if everyone goes in with a growth mindset.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#299

Post by elgenie »

lquist wrote: post #259
adrianmonk wrote: post #129

Paraphrasing what a manager told me once: "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager." Coaching is not a purpose of a performance review. The coaching and communication should be an ongoing process that happens before the review. Problems should be brought up early enough that you have a chance to change or improve before it gets to the point of being written in a review. I…

An opposing viewpoint from Andy Grove's High Output Management: Let's talk about surprises. If you have discharged supervisory responsibilities adequately throughout the year, holding regular one- on-one meetings and providing guidance when needed, there should never be surprises at a performance, right? Wrong. When you are using the worksheet, sometimes you come up with a message that will startle you. So what do yo…

That's an opposing viewpoint to "If anything in your performance review is a surprise, then I have failed as a manager" if and only if managers are infallible.

Re: Performance Reviews Are a Waste of Time

#300

Post by daveheq »

"What have I done for the company lately?"

If a manager or the company isn't aware of this then they're not paying attention; you shouldn't have to do their job for them.

"What have I done for myself?"

What? Who cares? That's my business.

"What do I want to be when I grow up? (And what do I need to get there?)"

I'm already grown up, do you think you hired children? If of course you meant what do I want to be by next review, well the easy answer is more adept and better paid, hopefully with your help.

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