IF you are one of those lucky few who work in organizations where Performance Management (goals are set, systematic assessment is done and feedback is given to employees) is serious business, then you would at least be knowing where you stand in the organization quicksand. However, if you work in a company where Performance Management is given a go-by, you may not have an idea how you stack up. Here is a simple quiz to help you figure that out. Your score will decide what you need to do.
Be honest and factual with the answers in this game show that will check the health of your career. You get 1 point for every ‘YES’ and 0 for every ‘NO’.
1. I was nominated for a training program in the last 12 months. YES / NO.
2. From the information I have, I know that my salary raise this year is within the top 50 per cent of the salary increases in the company. YES / NO.
3. I am always included in the cross-functional teams that the company sets up for major decisions or projects. YES / NO.
4. My professional needs and aspirations are addressed by my organization through appropriate job rotations. YES / NO
5. I have been promoted in the last 24 months. YES / NO
6. My age is lower than the average age of my peer group. YES / NO
7. My boss invests time in me. He periodically discusses my contributions with me and gives a patient hearing to all my career-related anxieties and issues. YES / NO
8. I made at least two presentations to senior management teams or the board on project successes in the last 12 months. YES / NO
9. I am always called in for important meetings with customers or when senior officials visit us from our parent company. YES / NO
10. In the rare instance where I mess up a project or miss a deadline, I never get pulled up and my boss actually offers help in the form of additional resources. YES / NO
If you score a 10 on 10, your career is on velvet. You are on a solid wicket. Continue to give your best shot to the company and you will continue to get rewarded and recognized by it. Banish any thoughts of seeking greener pastures.
If your score is 8 or 9, you are doing fine. However, there is scope to improve the score to the perfect 10. Study more successful people in the company to take your score up by at least one more point in the next one year. You are a valued contributor and an asset to the organization.
If your score is 6 or 7, you would be called a solid citizen. You are respected, wanted by the company and seen as a solid and reliable employee who will do a job well. However, a similar score would be unwelcome next year.
If your score is 4 or 5, you fall under the ‘they also serve who stand and wait’ category. The company will tolerate you in boom times as the cost of replacement is high, but you could be off-loaded when the sea gets choppy. Not a good score to have. You have to use your imagination to come up with some real successes and increase your score by at least 1 point, if not 2 points, to stay afloat in the company.
If your score is between 1 and 3, you are on dangerous territory. Obviously, the guys in the HR function or your bosses have been too busy to notice your performance. Give your career a hard look and figure out a life saving strategy to take your score to at least 4. Better still, polish your resume and post it on the more popular job sites or knock on the doors of recruitment companies. The time to act is now!;
The author is a strategic HR consultant, an executive coach and co-founder of Track3 HR Solutions.
