Ordinary words
The words and methods used to evaluate work often do not capture the personal thoughts we have about our own performance. Companies advertise that they are performance based but don’t always live up to that lofty goal. Evaluations rarely articulate what we are trying to bring to our employer in terms of value. They can be a snapshot of metrics, but for those who crave meaning and purpose, the once a year piece of paper evaluation does not suffice. Even the titles used to describe the level of competence can be left open to misinterpretation. Words have meaning and if a word is co-opted to describe performance because it’s trendy, that will be a loser. The word awesome comes to mind due to overuse and its lack of real meaning.
Say it with me, Phenomenal
Phenomenal is not a word I would choose to describe my effectiveness but as the highest rating possible at my company, and I have been described this way every year. A couple of years ago, I knew that I would be called in for a short talk and thanked generically for all of the work that I had completed for the whole previous year. To encourage my boss to branch out and practice saying something other than “great job,” I asked my boss to name one thing I did in the past year that was especially good so that I could better understand what he considered worthy work. One thing. My evaluations had never had any specific details on them with the exception of the ranking and the performance increase, if there was one. Sadly, he could not answer the question and after an uncomfortable minute of silence said that he would get back with me in three weeks. Three weeks. My heart sank and my expectations followed. Needless to say, I never got the answer. I gave up at that point and decided not to consider these yearly talks any more than a formality. I continued to receive Phenomenal ratings but they lacked meaning.
My power is in the work
I really like to work and always have. I got my first job at 13 and worked in two main industries in my career. Many of my previous employers understood the ability to re-motivate an individual by noticing what they had accomplished with words of gratitude and appreciation. Some took me to lunch for the evaluation, some used the words of my team members to add to my evaluations and some just simply said thank you with so much attentiveness that I was touched. They reinforced my feelings of worth in my purpose and I always vowed to perform with even higher self-expectation to make it easy for them to notice me again well the following year. Their simple acts paid dividends because I gave it power. The trick I needed to learn was not to give my boss the power to influence my worth again incorrectly.
Reserve your own power
Now, I reserve my power and energy and use it to move forward instead of releasing it needlessly to negation. This change in practice has resulted in the knowledge that my evaluation of my own work holds much more power than the painful interactions that lacked care. I neutralized the thought. Once there was some distance, this felt liberating and I worked to impress myself and my team, trickling down the effort instead of pushing it up to the next level wastefully.
Get power from real contributors
Potential traps disappeared as I understood what efforts resulted in the best support for my team. I was fortunate to have them to answer to and use descriptive assessments on a monthly basis to keep them apprised of their status as contributors. And there is always something good to say about everyone. The lesson I model for them is to recognize personal potential and don’t let anyone steal your power. When you have an inkling that someone is shifting a situation to just get it checked off, pause, step back and check your gut. Your brain can spot the thoughtless.
Don’t wait to rate
I still rate at the Phenomenal level each year but I don’t wait for anyone else to send me a form with that evaluation. I know every day what I bring to my purpose and the value I bring to my team.
Do you let anyone rate you? How can you adjust that power and decide what you are bringing to the world? Why do generic descriptive words appeal to employers?
