work evaluation having to rate co-wokers ?

[sfer]

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Unless you are fairly high-up in the company with a real investment in your future there, looking to improve the company, I would personally recommend being as bland and neutral as possible in your reviews. Little upside with lots of potential downside.

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I never understood this attitude at a job you consider a career. Why not try to make things better if you're going to spend 40+ hours a week there?

Also, in all likelihood your bosses want to know if you are unhappy or if there are specific things that you would like them to do differently. I know I want to know. It's hard to replace people.

[gorie]

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Unless you are fairly high-up in the company with a real investment in your future there, looking to improve the company, I would personally recommend being as bland and neutral as possible in your reviews. Little upside with lots of potential downside.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never understood this attitude at a job you consider a career. Why not try to make things better if you're going to spend 40+ hours a week there?

Also, in all likelihood your bosses want to know if you are unhappy or if there are specific things that you would like them to do differently. I know I want to know. It's hard to replace people.

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if my boss were normal i might agree with the way you see things (except i still think evaluating co-workers is terrible).
but he's psycho, and trust me no matter what anyone says that they'd like to see changed or improved, it doesn't matter.
i think it is better to be bland and give generic answers. nothing good comes out of these things, at least not where i work. he has fired people for being honest in their reviews before, if he doesn't like what you say then you're not worth it.
when he interviews people to hire, he always says "the only right way to do things around here is my way" - that is there first impression. he makes it very clear, and it's true.
he also thinks everyone is disposable. if someone isn't happy, he would rather them leave. people leave this place all the time. looking at the staff photos, most people cycle out within 3 years because they can't stand him.
it's just a weird place. and this new evaluation sheet only makes it weirder. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Aloysius]

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Unless you are fairly high-up in the company with a real investment in your future there, looking to improve the company, I would personally recommend being as bland and neutral as possible in your reviews. Little upside with lots of potential downside.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never understood this attitude at a job you consider a career. Why not try to make things better if you're going to spend 40+ hours a week there?

Also, in all likelihood your bosses want to know if you are unhappy or if there are specific things that you would like them to do differently. I know I want to know. It's hard to replace people.

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Well - first, you have to consider your company a palce you'd like to be for many years. I don't think is the case with most people.

I think that if you're committed to working at your firm, and rising the ranks, you have to do it in the best way that fits the firm's culture.

If, it's an open, trusting culture where you know senior management well, and truly believe they have your best interests at heart, I say, spout away! I would.

That's a pretty rare situation though. For the most part, office culture is about back-stabbing, blaming the other person, and not being accountable. In this world - playing it safe is smarter (again, my caveat - unless you are senior management and very invested in the firm's success, say what you want, otherwise... very little upside).

[sfer]

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Well - first, you have to consider your company a palce you'd like to be for many years. I don't think is the case with most people.

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Why? Two years at 40 hours a week comes out to nearly 4000 hours of your life. That's a meaningful amount of time worth salvaging and I think most people plan on working at their current employer at least two years.

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That's a pretty rare situation though. For the most part, office culture is about back-stabbing, blaming the other person, and not being accountable. In this world - playing it safe is smarter (again, my caveat - unless you are senior management and very invested in the firm's success, say what you want, otherwise... very little upside).

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I just don't get this. It's entirely possible that I have been exceedingly lucky in working at abnormally nurturing environments but I don't buy it. One thing I was taught very early on is to carefully manage your boss, i.e. make sure you both have the same understanding for what you are doing and what you want to do and all of that. I think what I'm reading here is that most people aren't even trying to do that.

[Blarg]

I think what you're reading is that the vast majority of work environments are not like your own.

[Aloysius]

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I just don't get this. It's entirely possible that I have been exceedingly lucky in working at abnormally nurturing environments but I don't buy it. One thing I was taught very early on is to carefully manage your boss, i.e. make sure you both have the same understanding for what you are doing and what you want to do and all of that. I think what I'm reading here is that most people aren't even trying to do that.

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I'm curious Sf'er what industry do you work in?

I've worked in i'banking, venture, now entertainment (all fairly cutthroat industries), so my personal suspicions of how "nurturing" a work environment are colored by this.

However - I have friends in a wide variety of industries - and from academia, to technology, to consulting... never, ever heard that the default work state is "nurturing".

Most people (co-workers whatever) are pretty self-interested. Succeeding in corporate america = someone else not succeeding. It's competition. How is it possible to have such a wholesome, nurturing environment at a work place? I find it difficult to imagine this truly existing.

Oh - and yeah - managing upwards is a really good thing to try and do. But I've found that it's much less about creating an understanding with your boss (for the greater good of the company) but much more about self-preservation and other selfish motives.

[sfer]

Banking.