Personality Vs Performance

When performance appraisal is done, which one rule, personality of the appraisees and appraiser or the performance matrix?

A colleague of mine called me up yesterday to console me. Why? You may asked. She noticed form the latest list of promotion from our Human Resource Department did not have my name. Instead, a colleague of mine whom I brought in to head a new unit which I initiated 2 years ago, got the promotion. What she felt was unjustified for me is that in addition to initiate the new unit, I also transferred about 30% consecutively of my portfolio and accounts for him to start the new unit in the last two years. I must said that this colleague had done a good job in expand the new unit. In contrast, the management felt that my unit did not grow as my portfolio remain status quo as comparatively, mine unit did not grow. They had conveniently forgotten the portfolio I transferred to this new unit.

I appreciate the called from this colleague. She felt that I must be feeling very sore, demoralized and despaired. Feeling sore, yes I did. If I said I didn't, I am a hypocrite. Demoralized may be for a little while as I knew this even before the list came out. Despair, why should I? Life still have to go on no matter what.

This leave to the question of Performance Appraisal, what one rule? Personality or Performance. It the performance is the yardstick, basing on the criteria to promote some of the colleagues, then I should have got my promotion 6 years ago. With consistent grow rate and profitability with good score on the performance matrix evaluation. Then it dawns on me that the chemistry between my bosses is not right, which some of my colleagues told me whom have the same situation as mine. Nor matter what we did, it just not good enough. This colleague of mine who called me had the same situation, however, she had overcame it and look like the chemistry had changed. Thus she is the rightful person to console me. ;-)

Any performance appraisal, nor matter how well it was developed, when its put into practice, most if not all appraisers will bring some personality traits into it. More so when the appraisees do not have the so called "right chemistry" with them. They will use this performance evaluation to teach the subordinates a lesson to see who is in really in-charge. So there is always a battle between Personality vs Performance when performance evaluation is concerned.

Should I just concentrate on my performance or change my personality to bow into their liking?

A question of Personal Value and Personality traits. For me, I knew it long ago that it is difficult for me to get promotion based on my personality of not knowing to how to polish apple. Worse when my psychometric test advice is "Stop Being So Blunt!" I guess, a leopard never change its skin.

As for why I did not feeling despair after all this years and still stay with the company, and since this is my first blog on workconnexions, I have this to share, as told to me by a friend, "Life is like a roller coaster, it has it's up and down. There is more excitement on the down turn. When the journey ended, you will always remember those down turn that excite you and make you a stronger man."

Enjoy the ride!

Life is Great, Live Your Fullest and Leave a Legacy!