Q and A - 2

S: (Visibly angry, with a pre-planned agenda, probably rehearsed earlier) Have you gone through the entire body of my work through the year?

I had rated S as someone who 'needs improvement' during the annual appraisal cycle. That meant that S would receive no salary increment and would probably be asked to leave if he did not show significant performance improvement in specific areas within the next few months.

Myself: Yes S. Go on, I'm listening.

S: This is just not fair... (S went on trying to prove how good he was by citing one project after another. emotions ran high, his voice got heavy and eyes went misty)

Myself: I hear what you say. Please realize that we work in a pay for performance environment where meritocracy is rewarded. Lets assume that you are our country's best runner and you are representing our country at an international race... and some one else from another country proves to be faster than you at the contest. Taking this further, lets' assume that all other runners reach the finishing line before you. Let's say that the difference between you and the second last finisher was probably a millisecond. You would still be the last to finish right? You would still be the fastest runner as far as our country is concerned right? Try applying this example to the work place.

S: (broke down into tears. He probably saw his line of argument losing weight)

Myself: It is therefore best to know who and what you are up against by taking the intermittent performance feedback seriously and acting upon it.

Net, net... S continued to work in the organization for more than an year. I moved on to another organization a little more than an year after this episode... S was still around.

The Q and A format