with Britt Reints
Forget the 9 to 5; Full Time, All the Time is a blog about the mobile working life - when you have the freedom to work from anywhere and the responsibility of always having your smartphone turned on. Britt Reints works as a freelance writer while traveling fulltime in an RV with her husband and two kids. She explores balancing real-life bills with an unconventional work life, and finding time to maintain relationships with family and friends.
You can also find Britt at InPursuitOfHappiness.net.
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It’s Performance Review season at my company again. I’ve always hated performance reviews. Not because the reviews are bad - in fact, I’ve never received a poor review. Something about getting a corporate report card has always bothered me. Of course people need to know how they are doing, how they can improve, and get recognition for their accomplishments. But I stand to reason that most performance reviews, in practice, are pointless.
For years, I have practically received the same evaluation. I am a top-rated employee. I have solid judgment and am known to always get the job done. I am highly respected in the organization. But… (isn’t there always a “but” in performance reviews) I am too tough.
Typical working woman dilemma - be nice and get called “too soft.” Be tough and get named a “bitch.”
I’m proud of the fact that I am tough. I don’t let my project team get away with poor results. I expect them to do their job in the timeframe of the project. I tow the line. I have a no-nonsense approach to managing my projects.
I also motivate people. I reward results. I never take credit for other’s work. I always call out the successes of those on my team. I defend my team and don’t throw people under the bus. I’m never rude. I’m never disrespectful. I don’t swear and I don’t yell.
I’m not afraid to challenge the status quo. But I am no bitch.
In years past, I shouldered the burden of the bitch label. But last year, I challenged my manager’s assessment and eventually left the company when my manager could not produce any concrete examples of being “too tough.” To me, it was apparent that the label would prevent further advancement, even if it was just my manager’s perception.
This year, I do not know what to expect. In a new role and under new management, I am still finding my footing at the new company. I have already made key wins and have earned the respect and trust of my Senior Management. And not once so far have I heard that I am too tough. Who knows? Maybe I’ll grow to love the performance review.
Even if I assume the results should be good, the very idea always makes me anxious.
Miss Britt | December 4th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I wish my company did performance reviews. They do not. I asked for when a year after I first started and my manager gave me one. It went well. No performance reviews after that, because for 2 years I have been asking for a raise and a promotion and not gotten it. I am a good worker and I am sure I have my flaws too. But since my performance outweighs that, and they do not want to promote me, no performance reviews.
Only slackers or people with something to hide don’t want performance reviews. Most employees want to know what they are good at and where they need to improve. And if it isn’t good, you know if it is valid and you need to work on it, or it is not valid and you probably need to start polishing your resume.
MamaofTwo | December 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
If the person doing the review is OK, then it’s good. But unfortunately, I’m not happy with how my boss is with me, so I have not enjoyed them. Last yr was bad. One reason is I did not get a COLA increase and although I asked why, was never given a straight answer. Unfortunately, we seem to have a difference of opinion about how well I am putting in my hours. B/c I leave 10 mins early 2x/wk to take my son to an after-school activity and use my lunch hour to go to the gym, even though he has signed off on these, he seems to have an issue with it. I have point-blank asked him, and he replies, “As long as you put in the hours….” I do have the ability to do work from home to make up missing time and have done so, although they prefer employees on site. He also has the tendency to come to my desk right at the end of the day, when I’m ready to leave to pick up my son from daycare. I always try to accomodate him when he does this. My work anniv was more than a month ago, and not a word about when we’re going to have the review. I don’t want the review, but I do want a raise if our company can afford them, and dammit, I deserve one. I know he’s busy, but he also tends to lose sense of common courtesy. (When he gets this way, he doesn’t say “hi” or “good morning” and acts cranky.) And I have to put up with it b/c this is not the time to look for work elsewhere. I’m grateful that at least I have a job.
Paula | December 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I’m with you. I can’t really complain b/c I always get good reviews (knock on wood!), however I find them pretty pointless. At both my current and previous company I have to write a self assessment, which pretty much becomes my review. So at the end of the day I write my own review? And here’s the other weird thing (again both companies), the compensation planning is done BEFORE the review. How does that make sense?
I’m just thankful I only have one direct report since I find the process of writing reviews just as painful (the whole time thinking, is she going to find this process as pointless as I do?).
Christine | December 8th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I respect my superiors, so I know that I can handle their constructive criticism as well as their praise. I hate that butterflies feeling that comes at review time, but I’m not afraid of what I will hear.
Robyn | December 8th, 2008 at 6:43 pm