It’s time again ...for blowing my own trumpet and getting busted!

It’s the month of June and we are already six months into the current year. While this is not an earth shattering revelation, it does have serious repercussions on my precariously balanced mental peace. It is time for half yearly appraisals at work... What’s the big deal, the uninitiated may ask? But the experienced ones, I believe, would understand and empathise.

To add to the whole rigmarole of feedback and ratings, THE MANAGER has come up with a fancy self appraisal document titled “Inter Ranking Template “.The document not only requires one to size themselves up against their objectives but also to quantify their assessment of self in terms of “Ratings” – all of which is nothing new -except for the threatening undertones in the document under the name of “Forced Rating” ..makes it sound like a trial in a court of law where one is expected to provide evidence to support their testimony and in case of failure, be ready to accept a judgement that would be taken by a competent jury and be forced down one’s gullet.

As frustrating as the whole process of classifying six months’ worth of work into “ met expectations “ or “ exceeded expectations “ category is , there is something to be said about the opportunity it offers in terms of unabashed self aggrandizement. This is one of the bi-annual occasions where one gets to go on a glorious ego trip counting one’s achievements and hard work and the boss actually listens …or well, the boss actually pretends to listen! Ironically though, this is an exercise in futility as the boss has already made up his mind either on his own or succumbing to the “higher influences” or statistical pressures of curve-fitting et al.Despite this, elaborate forms are required to be filled in, discussions are held, good work is recognised ( by asking you to do better next time as you have already achieved “ good” ) and “not so good”  work is held against you for justifying boss’s “mental make-up”  . And in the event of your failure to produce acceptable evidence for your good work, “not so good” work prevails and dominates the course of discussion!

Having to go through this necessary evil is one of the bane of one’s corporate existence. Even after spending 8.5 continuous years wading through these waters, I still get flustered and keep postponing above mentioned event till the day of reckoning arrives! And it seems, for this year, the day has arrived and I must tackle the monster head on now. So, off I go to blow my own trumpet and oblige the universe with my filled in “Inter Ranking Template “!!