I recently read an excellent article from “The Wall Street Journal” in the October 20, 2008 edition that isolated and exposed an issue that intrinsically is flawed in the corporate world. The article was titled “Get Rid of the Performance Review”. I have not met one supervisor or employee that looked forward to, was motivated by, or truly saw the value in this “process”.

My years of experience in sales, and sales leadership, via discussions with peers and employees have encouraged me to have the same conclusion that Dr. Samuel A. Culbert reached in his article. I once was on a taskforce where the suggestion to disband this event was brought forward, however, many traditionalists debated the issue down.

I am still seeking to uncover the constructive results of the annual review process. Besides generally de-motivating the appraiser, and appraisee, both sides are drained of energy at the conclusion of the “dance”. Before, and during the corporate review process annual scheduled “month”, or “review period”. Managers are virtually paralyzed from general, day to day activities, and miss opportunities to lead, motivate and help solve issues. The supervisor is more fixated on the unnatural task at attempting to document, and wordsmith paragraph after paragraph of double talk. One of their main goals is not to “rock the boat” with human resources, legal, the employee, their own supervisor, and their bosses boss (who knows what order).

Another great statement in the article is, “Objective is Subjective”. I cannot count the times I wrote an evaluation. Once complete, I would than prooceed to read the previous managers review. Often times I thought I was reading the wrong persons review, per the previous managers verbal feedback, and my observations. The different prioritizations and styles were amazing, not to mention the different reviews I have received.

Dr. Culbert offers a solution, and he calls them “Performance Previews’. These would be two sided, and would discuss how the employee and supervisor would work best together. I had the great opportunity of helping institute personal development plans which in essence, is very similar. There is agreed upon goals that are updated quarterly, taking a more positive approach. I have found this standard not only the employee’s development, teamwork improves, and everyone benefits. Hopefully we can start a network frenzy to discard the traditional “Annual Review Form” process. Something tells me the “Generation Y” team will give this suggestion a “Thumbs-Up”.

- “Skeeb”

For those of you who are seeing a slowing economy for the first time in your career. You assume the executives at your company are confident, decisive and have the same value system as you.

Many of us who have been in the corporate world know the hard facts. Many executives do not have the courage to make the tough call along the way that produces a strong long-term strategy.

If put off, this executive utilizes a slowing economy as the reason (or excuse) to cut staff.

If job cuts were done in small increments, when needs arose. The impact would have been less to the stock and to the individual contributor. To layoff in a slowing economy is not the besyt timing.
So bottom line, put your seat built on.

The individuals on McCain’s team who “threw Sara Palin Under the bus”, need to look in the mirror and check on their value system. Who ever they are, obviously they made mistakes (remember, the team came to her), and take some responsibility. If she made mistakes, fine, no one is the perfect candidate. I wonder if these indvividuals also took responsibilty and articulated their own behavior and mistakes to the press? When they were criticizing her, they were displaying their values as coworkers and as team players. Would you want to work with them? Would you hire them?

I had better loyalty, more people taking responsibility and less complaints when I played in a teenage, backyard football game (when we lost a game to other neighborhood kids).

With this type of loyalty, McCain did not have a chance. On the other side of the coin, reports from Obama’s team have displayed a non-backstabbing, loyal, team approach. At the end of the day, the team value system reflects the results.

President elect Obama is setting up his team to create his strategy for 2009.
Are you stymied in your present role at work? If so, now is the time to set your plan in place for 2009.
1. Set specific time oriented goals.
a) You can do nothing
b) Decide to take on more training or roles in your job to keep it fresh.
c) Move to another role within your organization
d) Change into a new organization
Set March 31, 2009 as the date for these changes.
Write your tactical goals and have them posted where you can visually see them every day.
Update these goals weekly.
Have a friend or mentor keep you honest and ask you how you are progressing towards accomplishing these goals.

It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), ‘Treasury for the Free World,’ 1946

Crime does not pay … as well as politics.
Alfred E. Newman

Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.
Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914), The Devil’s Dictionary

Man is by nature a political animal.
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC),

Politics I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
Charles De Gaulle (1890 - 1970)

Politics is made up largely of irrelevancies.
Dalton Camp

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.
Ernest Benn

When the political columnists say ‘Every thinking man’ they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to ‘Every intelligent voter’ they mean everybody who is going to vote for them.
Franklin P. Adams (1881 - 1960), Nods and Becks (1944)

Are we really surprised? Yes, the company had the reward meeting booked in advance. If you ever were in charge of a corporate function or any type of meeting, these events are not executed overnight while working with the hotel staff. On that subject, the hotel would have worked with AIG in rebooking the meeting, especially given the circumstance. The worst case scenario, AIG would have lost a deposit. AIG may have lost a deposit. Their bigger loss was a strategic move where they could have utilized the cancellation as a positive PR move making the cancellation made public. The opportunity was presented to display their humbleness, appreciation and concern to the taxpayers that they are the right company to lend a hand to in this situation. “We are in this mess, but we are the best company to trust with your precious loan money you worked hard for.”

What a great, trusting confidence builder we as taxpayers could have had from AIG.

The good news about this human behavior is that it offers this career-oriented humorous website job security and something for the YouHaveGotToBeKidding.com website team to write and shake our heads about!

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