In most of the organizations I have worked for, I got exposed to the annual appraisal process, which was cyclical.
Someone in the organisation would send a trigger to get the assessment started and completed.
The process happened either once a year or twice. The design took away the ownership of assessment from me.
My first boss exposed me to the power of selfassessment, and since then, I have been an evangelist of “Ownership with the learner” approach.
I remember my first performance conversation with him, somewhere in 2007, where he asked me to come with a self-assessment form filled. This form was called “Job Chat” document. Fresh out of campus and into my first year of service, I hated it!
But the way the document was structured and how he drove the conversation is beyond words; it was an experience. I can replay the conversation in my head even today. The process put me in charge of my performance and development. Since then, the focus of my appraisal conversations has shifted from financial rewards like bonus or increment to development. It has proved to be a gamechanger in my pursuit of becoming a better version of myself. I have copies of most of my self-assessment and conversation documents, starting from 2007.
Over time, I have built a structure around this and use it even today. It is a four-step process, and here it goes:
Awareness: Where am I today? What are my strengths and talents? Am I bringing my best to work every day?
Aspiration: Where do I wish to reach? What are my goals?
Actionability: What actions should I take to reach there? What capabilities do I need to build?
Accountability: With whom and how frequently should I do my check-ins? What can I do to ensure that I am on the right path?
You should not get into a performance conversation only for the reward, but for development. The development focus will give you far higher returns in the long run.
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