Appraisals and how to avoid the pitfalls
Time to plan ahead for your appraisal? Never too early to do think ahead for this one. It isn’t very bright to wait until the last minute, cross your fingers behind your back, walk into the boss’s office and hope for the best.
Get the basics right:
First and foremost, if you have any choice of appraisers in your peer group, try to ensure that they are people you can get along with. If you can’t relate to them on a personal level, it’s unlikely they’re going to sing your praises, with dire consequences for you professionally. So socialise with them. Regularly!
Become a feedback junkie: you need it like an addict needs a fix if you’re going to stay on top of your appraisal, year-round.
Manage your manager:
Some managers are better at reviews than others. Some put in a considerable amount of effort, others busk it – but no matter how little preparation your manager might have made, you have no excuse; you have to manage your review session rather than letting it manage you.
Do your homework. List your strengths and weaknesses. Highlight any successes. Make a note of any areas where there’s room for improvement.
Ensure your boss knows that you are doing this on a continual basis. Make sure you pass on any positive feedback you may receive.
Create a paper trail:
Don’t rely on verbal feedback – always create a paper trail to back you up. You’d be amazed how many people fail to do this – and how much they regret it when their review meeting comes up and their manager concentrates on a single negative area and ignores the solid success they might have achieved elsewhere.
It’s also a good idea to thank people for good feedback, as they’ll feel more kindly disposed towards repeating it – and it doesn’t hurt to reciprocate, giving positive feedback to them when you see a job well done.
Beware the pack mentality:
360-degree appraisals can encourage a pack mentality. In the highly competitive world of City banking, there is no reward for rating others’ performance highly, or for understating your own performance. The honest contributor risks being a sacrificial lamb to others’ ambitions.
Permanently plugged in to feedback:
The key is staying wise to the whole appraisal scene by making sure you’re permanently plugged in to the feedback loop. It will help you to avoid those pitfalls, I promise.
