From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:

This is about the production supervisor for our company. He is generally well regarded by most of his subordinates, as easygoing, who tries to help his employees in any way he can. If a worker needs a small loan until payday, he digs into his pocket. If an employee needs some time off for a personal problem, he takes up the slack himself, doesn't dock the time off.

At the last performance appraisal, one of his workers had experienced a large number of personal problems during the year. In the appraisal, he decided to do as much as possible to help. Although an average worker, he rated him outstanding in virtually every category. Because the firm's compensation system is heavily tied to performance appraisal, this created a merit increase of 10% in addition to COLA.

The employee has acknowledged that his performance was no better than average, but didn't hesitate to tell his friends about his wonderful boss.

What difficulties do you think this has created for the company? Is there anything that should be done to diminish any negative impacts?

Response:

For, now, I will leave this to our readers. Please post any comments you have using the link below. To read posted comments, follow this link to the website that supports this blog. This should be interesting. -TF

"But, I want to improve," Barbara stated, flatly. "If there is an area, where I need improvement, or where I make mistakes, I want to focus on that."

"Indeed, if you are an ice skater," I replied, "and your laces are untied, you are likely to take a nasty spill. So get your laces tied, tightly, so they don't trip you up. But getting your laces tied, does not make you a champion ice skater." -TF

"You decide," I said. "You decide what you want to improve on."

The class had just completed a survey, looking at strengths and weaknesses.

"You decide, if you would like to focus on and improve an area of weakness. Or you may decide to focus on and improve an area of strength.

"Correcting a weakness only creates a mediocre performance. Building on a strength creates mastery. You decide what you want to improve upon." -TF

"I don't think it's me," Marion repeated.

"You are angry at the person who gave you the negative feedback and you would like to ignore the feedback," I confirmed.

"Besides, even it were true about me, I can't change, that's just not me. I couldn't do it. Out of the question. I don't see how anyone could do that."

I looked at Marion. Without a word. Silence.

"But if you could change, what would you do first?" I asked. -TF

Marion's bottom lip protruded. If she was eleven years old, I would have sworn she was pouting.

"I think I know who said that," she announced.

"Is it important?" I asked.

"Well, I think they have a chip on their shoulder and this evaluation was just a chance to vent, to make me look bad."

"Marion, there are positive things in this evaluation, and there are negative things here. You like the positive stuff, but you don't believe the negative stuff."

"Well, I think this person has an agenda. I don't think it's me," she continued to protest.

"Do you think that is part of the problem?" -TF