Performance Management > Career Review

I recently finished reviewing the performance of my direct and indirect reports, and also getting my performance review. A key argument that I delved after those review is whether the phrase "performance management" is appropriate.

1. Most often, there is little "management" in the exercise. The exercise is more of a review or an evaluation, and little of management. (As such, I put my guard the moment I see/hear the word 'management' because more often that not, the usage is stupid.)

2. Please note that supervisors review "past" performance, and that, in my opinion, makes for the rather limiting perspective. Most, if not all, organizations pay lip service to what the employees want to do next. As a matter of fact, most employees (and particularly, in emerging economies) have little clue on that thing called career.

Given these two points, I advocate that organizations use the phrase "Career Review."

While change of phrase is the starting point, what I advocate is change in perspective. Employees should be counseled to determine what they really want to do, where their passion lies, and match all that to the right jobs.

I may sound utopian, but I resolutely believe that this move will benefit the employees and the organizations. And at the end, an organization is nothing but the set of employees. Also, this will put greater emphasis on the employees to dig deeper into their interests and the matching jobs/roles at the organization.

Please note that I am not advocating against review of past performance. That is a must. However, I prefer that the annual/biannual review also consider the wider career of the supervisees, and not only what they did (and how well they did) in the last 6/12 months.

So, the next time you are reviewed, will you have the courage to ask your boss to review your career, and not only what you have done in the last review cycle? :-)