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ShellNic: Since your boss has a superior who came up with some negatives in his assessment of your boss, couldn't you go a step higher?
Thats a good point. I've decided to wait to do that...I believe it would cause a big stir. And I'm not entirely sure that talking to HIS boss would result in positive change. Unfortunately for me, these folks here are ...don't know how to explain it... close-minded, 15 years behind my last company in management, software, etiquette...
I've never worked anywhere like this so I think the best thing for now is to get more education (on their dime) so that I can show that I'm a valuable employee. You know, get a better standing...then, if I'm not "used" for all my ability, I'll actively look elsewhere. I really do wish that taking things up the chain would work, but I'm doubtful!
Nowadays, this is becoming the sole motivation everywhere you go. Employers know that people have very few options, so they take advantage of them. Pure and simple.
As for the rest of it, I agree with you. It sounds like BS to me, especially the "vision" part. One should never give a low rating on (or even make a section on) such a vague quality for performance review. Sounds shady. I could be wrong, of course, but it sounds as if these people want to maintain their perceived right to play favorites and use their "performance reviews" as a front.
How to stay motivated? Do a good job for you. Remind yourself that you wouldn't feel any better (at least not long-term) if you had done a horrible job and got a good review for it. That means your real motivation is coming from within, at all times.
Regardless of what they say, no one knows how good a job you're doing but you, because you're the only one who's qualified to take all the obstacles you encounter along the way into consideration. They know only a portion of it. Maybe you will find you can improve on some things, but others you know there isn't anything more you can do with. So what do you think about the job you're doing? That's all that matters.
Often performance reviews are done by manager who only speak to you about once a month, have no idea of the obstacles, and issues you face - and often don't want to hear about any problems - they often spend most of their time at meeting and replying to email, and simply hire and fire with little idea of the practicalities- start talking in the practical details to corporate manager and you just get a frown or dirty look - its like they don't want to hear reality, and just like in their fantasy world where everything works like clockwork - this attitude pervades right the way up the ladder with no one wanting fix or resolve problems.
I'd love to see what some of these companies actually want - in my experience most of them expect miracles from day one, there never completely happy with anyone, they think everyone is surfing the net all day, and ripping them off - they make up all sorts of picky reasons to give bad feedback, like not talking to colleagues enough, avoiding the specifics - any stupid reason to give bad feedback - they breed bad attitudes in their staff, destroy their employee confidence. - and wonder why people leave.
They have a negative attitude toward their employees - there something they cannot run the business without them, but would dearly love to get rid of the cost of having to employee them.
Or just documentation in a process that leads inexorably to termination. A negative review is a warning to start looking elsewhere.
What is a negative review?
Often there are 1 to 5 or 1 to 4 scales. On a 1 to 4 scale a 2 might be "acceptable performance".
What happens in many companies are that supervisors are allowed to give everyone "outstanding" across the board and people get used to feeling their job performance was perfect in every way. Most employees are not perfect in every way even if that's how many supervisors end up ranking them.
For example, you can find supervisors who will give a "4" or outstanding for attendance because someone followed the company policies on attendance. Following policies and procedures is simply meeting standards which should get "2".
A constructive performance review with some thought put into it might appear to be negative to those who think their boss should give them a "perfect in every way" kind of review but it would actually be to help the employee look at his or her strengths and weaknesses. To improve, you have to know where you should focus on improving.
Your employer needs to make your job requirements explicit - i.e. put them in writing and share them with you. How can you meet or exceed the job's standards if you don't know what they are? Also, the employer would never be able to legally terminate you for non performance without documented requirements. If you want to keep the job and cover yourself, create your own understanding and email it to the employer for confirmation.
That's actually perfect advie for my current situation I am going to do this. Thank you.
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