January 31, 2007

The Biggest Mistake I've Ever Made...Today

January rolls around and I start to smell the first scents of spring. Cherry blossoms begin to show and the sky's dismal grey only rears it's ugly head 5 days a week instead of 7. My mood lifts as I anticipate the weather changes and then it hits me - January is also review season.
As much as I try to block it out the remainder of the year, it still comes back. So when the emails started piling up from peers and my manager that entailed all the things I would need to do in order to complete my reviews, my mood deflated again.
I had a three hour timeframe blocked off so I could focus directly on the reviews. I started with my own and knocked that out in 30 minutes (a new record). Then I moved on to my boss'. I went through all the proper channels, sorted through all the proper documents and I felt good about my essays. But as I tried to move onto my peer reviews I realized that I made the catastrophic mistake of sending my boss's review TO MY BOSS!
It was supposed to go to his boss in the name of anonymity but due to an error I could not foresee, it went directly into the lion's den.
Over the course of the next 45 minutes, I scrambled to correct the mistake but to no avail. As my final option, I waited outside my boss's office and nearly tackled him as he exited a meeting. After explaining my situation, I followed him to his desk and watching him return the review to my mailbox and then delete it from his.
I'm sure there's still a way for him to bring that back up on his desktop and it's only a matter of time before he finds sneaky ways to undermine my efforts here until one day I am let go. And all because of the stupid review season!
Damnit! I hate January!!!

1 comment:

The Guy Who Writes This said...

Oddly I'm in a specialty position and have a reputation of getting away with murder because of my specialty so I don't take them seriously at all. Here is the one I turned in last year:

1. Please list the goals that you and your supervisor developed last year, and describe your progress toward achieving your goals.

I have no recollection of previous goals, but I’m sure it was something nebulous like I will try to be more positive and try to cram more efficiency into the work that I do. As for progress; my face hurts from smiling all day and I don’t take my work home anymore.


2. In what other ways have you contributed to your job, your department? How have your contributions impacted the strategic plan? How have you contributed toward the organizational vision of becoming a “learning organization”?

Oh, that moving target. I support it fully, what ever it is this week. As for the Organizational Vision, let’s say I haven’t written any letter to the editor against it. OK, here’s a contribution for you: Hint this “is” a learning organization, so why does the question above talk of it “becoming a Learning Organization?” Perhaps the author of this question has some issues.

3. List areas of concern, if any, you encountered in accomplishing your job responsibilities during the appraisal period.

I have none. I have a great boss, who is flexible, who welcomes comments and concerns.


4. In what areas of your performance do you have opportunities to improve?

I will see if I can be medicated to improve my attention span. Really this year I will do it.


5. What goals/objectives do you plan on achieving during the next appraisal period? What tools, training, skill development, or professional development is required to accomplish these goals? How do your goals address the strategic plan?

My goal is to continue doing what needs to be done right away, and I promise to take this evaluation process more seriously next year. As for how this relates to the strategic plan…let me get back to you on that.