Yeah yeah lots of thoughts cross your mind when you read a title like this. But before anyone drives any conclusions let’s just say it has nothing to do with parties, festivals, exhibitions and any thing else that comes to anyone’s creative mind. It’s all about the "Performance Appraisals". Yes, it is indeed that time of the year when you can be as free as you want in voicing your opinions (as long as you don’t want to get fired). Also, it is that time of the year when your boss can be as hostile or rude with you (as long as he doesn’t want to be fired from HR for irrational behavior). I personally have never understood these appraisals myself. How suddenly from being a smart worker, you end up being a burden for the organization? For simple reason, that you didn’t do enough to make your bosses happy.

I think I wouldn’t be wrong in saying that it is that time of the year when you gossip most about how good / bad your bosses are (simply based on their reviews, obviously). I think what kills you the most is the idea of writing your own accomplishments without being boastful. Firstly, how do you do that? I mean how can you mention your triumph and yet be modest and not make a mountain out of a molehill. I have friends who say that they follow the conventional method of Cut, Copy, Paste from previous year. Surprisingly enough it works well, after all who has the time to write about the year that has already gone by. And then talk about the targets for the year which is in front of you. I mean at one time we say, don’t worry about the future, just enjoy the present and at the same time we say, look into the future for what you can attain.

It just gets better when you mention anything out of the ordinary, something which should have been better off unvoiced. I am confused, I mean weren’t we suppose to say what we felt rather than influencing our speech to say what is asked out of us. The best is yet to come when you have peer appraisals (or as they say your counterparts appraise you). Let’s look at that closely, first of all, it is so very well understood that you won’t be liked by all in the organization and to have a healthy relationship with all is not viable. So isn’t it a given that they would not write too fascinating about you as they would write about the ones they know.  To make matters worse, if your boss is of the type who always sees glass half empty then my dear friend you are certainly doomed.

(Wishful thinking) As yet another financial year goes by; all I can hope for is that the year ahead would revolutionize & bring in some variation to the existing system (somehow, don’t ask me How) so that we all can say “Voila..!! I can’t wait for my appraisal” rather than the thought so prevalent now “Oooooops, there comes the appraisal again”.