Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 8: Great Performance Appraisals

This continues our series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Drew heard people complain about the company’s performance appraisal system. His employer followed standard performance appraisal practices involving quarterly performance discussions and completely a quarterly performance appraisal form outlining performance during the previous year and goals for the next year. Drew’s mentor taught him how to use home run statements while his co-workers said stupid stuff. As a result, Drew received the biggest raises.

Stupid Stuff People Say in Performance Appraisals

The typical performance appraisal process asks you to outline the results you generated during the previous year and the goals you set for the next year. While the complexity or simplicity will differ, the two concepts remain the same. Most performance appraisal systems also ask you to draft plans for training and future growth.

You may follow the practice of many people and treat the performance appraisal system lightly, regard it as a requirement in busy work, or a total joke. As a result, they say stupid stuff in their performance appraisals. For example:

• Galloping generalities: “I did my job really well this year” “We got a lot done”
• Hyperbole and exaggeration: “This was my best year ever” “I’m your best worker.”
• Implied specifics: “I increased my productivity over last year” “I improved sales”
• Sarcasm: “I did everything you asked me to do and more. So, let’s see what you give me”
• No thought: “I haven’t really thought about what I did this year”

Provide Reasons to Give You the Biggest Raises

Instead of saying stupid stuff, you should provide your supervisor with reasons to reward you with the biggest raises. Share facts about what you did and how they apply to the goals you set. For example:

• “I set a goal to increase my productivity by 10% over last year. I not only met my goal, but exceeded it by increasing total productivity by 14% this year.”
• “I increased sales by $190,000. $25,000 more than my goal.”

Friday we outline how say things that will impress future supervisors so they transfer you