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    Actual for You - The Truth About Performance Reviews

    Sense Of Urgency To Create Your Life - Tap Into The Real Power
    "You must take action now that will move you towards your goals. Develop a sense of urgency in your life.- Les Brown"You have only one life and one opportunity to create what you truly want. You can create anything you desire, but it takes total commitment to make it happen. This quote by Les Brown brings to mind how important it is to focus and take action.Get clarity in what you want. Once you are totally clear that your goals are what you want then put the Law of Attraction to work for you. Remember the Law of Attraction will bring you what you focus on regardless of rather it is wanted or unwanted. It is entirely about focus.The fuel behind the Law of Attraction is emotion. When you set a goal that is scary or exciting or motivates you to take action, then your chances of the goal manifesting in
    increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to comp

    Material Handling Equipment
    Material handling equipment is equipment that is specifically designed for mechanically handling packaged or bulky items, generally in a production, shipping or storage facility. Selecting the right material handling equipment is vital, as it affects the operating cost and operational efficiency of a factory. The material to be handled, the plant building, and the issues of urgency and safety are a few factors that affect the decision on selecting the right material handling equipment.The equipment is designed after taking into consideration the direction, speed of movement and the level of supervision required. Normally, the equipment used for lighter loads includes wheelbarrows, trolleys and pulley blocks. Trucks, cranes and hoists, monorails and lifts are regularly used for heavy loads. In mass production facilities, conveyors, slides
    Now that it is January, many of you are putting together, or have just finished putting together your annual Performance Appraisals for your staff. Feedback on performance is certainly one of the most critical aspects of personnel development and one that deserves to be taken very seriously. But after 25 years of managing people I am going to finally confess how I feel about the whole process.

    I HATE Performance Appraisals. I hate giving them. I hate receiving them.

    Whew! I feel better getting that off my chest.

    Some of you may feel that there is an incongruity between my statement that feedback is critical in development and my disdain for Performance Appraisals. You would be correct in that feeling if there were any real relationship between feedback and most of our current Performance Appraisal systems. But it is that lack of relationship between feedback and Performance Appraisals that feeds my disdain. Indeed, annual Performance Appraisals have now become just another task to be completed and crossed off the list of most managers, rather than being a vehicle for employee development. And while Performance Appraisals and even the Performance Appraisal systems are noble ideas, they continually fail to hit the mark when it comes to delivering quality feedback and growth targets for employees.

    Personally I have received 25 Performance Appraisals in my career. I can count on one hand those that provided me with any real help. But I received numerous reviews that were clear indications that my boss did not consider the process important. For example, one year I received a Performance Appraisal that had every category (about 18 of them) marked with the highest possible marks. However, there was not a word written on the rest of the review. I later discovered that the Admin Assistant of the Vice President had written the review.

    In my very first Performance Appraisal several areas were identified for me to improve my performance. One specific item was a report that I had produced each month. In the review I was told that the report had been incorrect for the entire year. When I asked why I wasn't told sooner, the response was "That's what Performance Appraisals are for".

    On another occasion I was asked to provide input for the review. That is not an unusual request and I complied by providing insights on key objectives and skills. My boss called me to explain that my input was incomplete. I realized that I was not "providing input" but rather I was writing the review. As an act of rebellion I rewrote the review giving myself the top mark in every category and justified the ratings in glowing, verbose language. To prove my point (that no one really read or cared about the review) I left several sentences horribly incomplete, and even included a "joke" in one category. The review was later presented for me to sign, approved by my boss and his boss, with not one word changed.

    Those are just examples, and it would not be hard for me to go on. But why would I hate giving Performance Appraisals?

    Simply put, our Performance Appraisal systems are trying to serve too many masters. No system can be a success when it is trying to please and serve everyone. As it is today, Performance Appraisals are not only used for employee development, but also for salary increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to comp

    Obtaining Financing For A New Business Venture
    You have a concept for a business, you have written a detailed business plan, and you have submitted it to literally hundreds of banks, financiers and venture capital companies and everyone has declined any further interest.You cannot understand why absolutely no one is interested in your business venture. After all your concept is unique and the financial statements that you have put together, as part of your business plan, shows that the proposed business venture is going to make millions of dollars.In the mind of any financier, be it a banker, angel investor, or venture capitalist, first and foremost is the qualifications of the management of the new company. The best idea in the world will not be successful if the management is not capable of implementing it.The first thing that a potential investor considers is the back
    ms. But it is that lack of relationship between feedback and Performance Appraisals that feeds my disdain. Indeed, annual Performance Appraisals have now become just another task to be completed and crossed off the list of most managers, rather than being a vehicle for employee development. And while Performance Appraisals and even the Performance Appraisal systems are noble ideas, they continually fail to hit the mark when it comes to delivering quality feedback and growth targets for employees.

    Personally I have received 25 Performance Appraisals in my career. I can count on one hand those that provided me with any real help. But I received numerous reviews that were clear indications that my boss did not consider the process important. For example, one year I received a Performance Appraisal that had every category (about 18 of them) marked with the highest possible marks. However, there was not a word written on the rest of the review. I later discovered that the Admin Assistant of the Vice President had written the review.

    In my very first Performance Appraisal several areas were identified for me to improve my performance. One specific item was a report that I had produced each month. In the review I was told that the report had been incorrect for the entire year. When I asked why I wasn't told sooner, the response was "That's what Performance Appraisals are for".

    On another occasion I was asked to provide input for the review. That is not an unusual request and I complied by providing insights on key objectives and skills. My boss called me to explain that my input was incomplete. I realized that I was not "providing input" but rather I was writing the review. As an act of rebellion I rewrote the review giving myself the top mark in every category and justified the ratings in glowing, verbose language. To prove my point (that no one really read or cared about the review) I left several sentences horribly incomplete, and even included a "joke" in one category. The review was later presented for me to sign, approved by my boss and his boss, with not one word changed.

    Those are just examples, and it would not be hard for me to go on. But why would I hate giving Performance Appraisals?

    Simply put, our Performance Appraisal systems are trying to serve too many masters. No system can be a success when it is trying to please and serve everyone. As it is today, Performance Appraisals are not only used for employee development, but also for salary increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to comp

    Can We Define Time Tracking
    The agenda is simple and straight, can we define time tracking? Here we are not talking about time tracking of a athlete, we are not talking about the time tracking of a swimmer. We are going into a very different domain, falling into the working hours of an employee. Earlier we read a lot about the intellectual definition from many places very well written by industry experts, here lets discuss about what you think an employee time tracking is. Some points for reference: Employee time tracking is about calculating the working hours of people working in a company. Time tracking is about keeping a check on employees. Time tracking is keeping a record of labor. Time spent by the staff in the workplace. A solid way of maintaining a check on your workforce. Electronic methods o
    18 of them) marked with the highest possible marks. However, there was not a word written on the rest of the review. I later discovered that the Admin Assistant of the Vice President had written the review.

    In my very first Performance Appraisal several areas were identified for me to improve my performance. One specific item was a report that I had produced each month. In the review I was told that the report had been incorrect for the entire year. When I asked why I wasn't told sooner, the response was "That's what Performance Appraisals are for".

    On another occasion I was asked to provide input for the review. That is not an unusual request and I complied by providing insights on key objectives and skills. My boss called me to explain that my input was incomplete. I realized that I was not "providing input" but rather I was writing the review. As an act of rebellion I rewrote the review giving myself the top mark in every category and justified the ratings in glowing, verbose language. To prove my point (that no one really read or cared about the review) I left several sentences horribly incomplete, and even included a "joke" in one category. The review was later presented for me to sign, approved by my boss and his boss, with not one word changed.

    Those are just examples, and it would not be hard for me to go on. But why would I hate giving Performance Appraisals?

    Simply put, our Performance Appraisal systems are trying to serve too many masters. No system can be a success when it is trying to please and serve everyone. As it is today, Performance Appraisals are not only used for employee development, but also for salary increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to comp

    Job Applications - Preparing Your Presentation
    If you get to the second stage of the job application process and are invited for interview, you may well find that candidates are required to give a presentation - a prospect which terrifies many jobhunters! The presentation generally lasts for 5 or 10 minutes and usually applicants are warned before the interview, but sometimes it’s sprung upon them on arrival.Whichever scenario you encounter, you can make sure you are well prepared. If you know the subject of your presentation in advance, this is obviously a great deal easier, but also means much more will be expected of you. So you must take the time to put together a professional presentation and practise it until you can do it in your sleep!Let’s assume you know your subject in advance. Here are a few pointers to ensure a smooth presentation.Read the Brieft rather I was writing the review. As an act of rebellion I rewrote the review giving myself the top mark in every category and justified the ratings in glowing, verbose language. To prove my point (that no one really read or cared about the review) I left several sentences horribly incomplete, and even included a "joke" in one category. The review was later presented for me to sign, approved by my boss and his boss, with not one word changed.

    Those are just examples, and it would not be hard for me to go on. But why would I hate giving Performance Appraisals?

    Simply put, our Performance Appraisal systems are trying to serve too many masters. No system can be a success when it is trying to please and serve everyone. As it is today, Performance Appraisals are not only used for employee development, but also for salary increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to comp

    How to Attract and Retain the Right People
    If you’re one of the many executives struggling with finding and keeping the right people to propel your business forward, you’ll find these insights helpful.If you’re frustrated by trying to motivate people, work instead to develop a company where people are self-motivated – where they do things because they want to. When we’re inspired, we enjoy our work, we’re productive, and we’re proud of our efforts. We remain focused and committed to the task at hand. In short, we put forth out best effort.An organization will attract and retain a team of people dedicated to the success of the organization and its goals when it has a Purpose, a Mission, and a set of Values that it lives by, effectively communicates them throughout the organization, and measures its actions and decisions against them. Let’s define what Purpose, Mission and
    increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities, to avoid lawsuits and so on. The simple truth is that certain employees have a higher ceiling than others. They have more talents, skills, and potential and we owe it to them to help them develop their talents. That SHOULD be the purpose of the performance appraisal. Salary increases, bonuses, etc. should be based on an individuals contribution to the organization, and not their potential. Until we learn to separate those items we will continue to confuse performance with potential.

    What specifically is wrong with Performance Appraisals today?

    · Performance Appraisals for most companies are completed for all employees within the same 2 or 3- week timeframe. This was intended to allow managers to do honest and fair assessments of their employees by allowing them to compare employee performance at exactly the same moment for every employee. In reality, it forces the manager to stack rank their employees and then rush through the Performance Appraisal process to justify those rankings.

    · Since most appraisals are completed in the same timeframe, the reviewer often either gets too tired to provide useful feedback, or gets writers block. Reviews end up looking like cookie cutter documents with similar wording, strengths, and weaknesses. It's difficult to provide honest, detailed feedback when you are writing your 10th Performance Appraisal of the week.

    · Performance Appraisals are used as a crutch to document performance issues that should have been addressed throughout the entire year. If we as managers do our job and provide feedback to our employees throughout the year, in a timely and helpful manner, then there should be almost nothing to document in the appraisal.

    · There is a myth of objectivity that surrounds reviews. It's a myth because so many of the categories on reviews are clearly subjective. And even those categories that are objective should be subject to scrutiny. Clearly if John produces 10 widgets per month, and Sally only produces 8 then John is the better performer. Unless of course I always give my toughest widgets to Sally because of her attention to detail. And her widgets always have 100 perfectly moving parts while John's only have 35.

    · Last, but certainly not least is the employees perception. Survey after survey indicates that 80% of the employees believe that their performance is above average. When we tie Performance Appraisals into salary increases and bonuses instead of development we do not strengthen the employees performance, instead we put them on the defensive as they compare themselves to their peers.

    So what is the answer? As a manager, there is little that you can actually do to change the system. What you can do is understand the dynamics and multiple purposes or Performance Appraisals and ensure that your employees receive their feedback on a consistent basis outside of the annual review.

    If you are a leader in your organization, it's time to step back and realize that the Performance Appraisal process cannot serve the company well when it tries to serve it's current smorgasbord of functions. It's time to formally separate a process that rewards performance (raises) from one that is used to develop an individuals potential. Employee development and employee performance are not the same thing. Let's recognize that and treat them differently.

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