#2 Acknowledging the Rules of the "Game"

#2 Acknowledging the Rules of the “Game”

I had a hard time putting my thoughts on paper for this topic. It is the area in which I have received the most questions from mentees over the years. It is also the most challenging to help people with.

I want to focus this newsletter on the interrelated topics of performance reviews, salary management and promotions opportunities. I think these topics are most frustrating for new employees in large companies, and hard to coach about because it is a delicate weave of art and science and is dependent on how individual Managers perform on these tasks with their employees. The summary of my advice is: While there is much an employee cannot control about their situation or processes at large companies, we can choose to accept those, and rather focus on the areas we can control. This will make for a better experience for the employee, and better contributions for the business.

I am focusing on large companies for this topic because I think small companies manage some of this work differently. There are many positive attributes to working in large organizations; opportunities to work abroad, have assignments in different functions, exposure to brilliant leaders, etc. However, it comes with many processes to ensure the organization is well-managed against fair and equitable practices. For those that are responsible for managing employees, this can be helpful, but also an area of challenges. Let’s jump right in because this is a long one!

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At the beginning of the year, employees typically write a work plan that helps align their priorities with their Manager, ensuring the employee is working on the “right” things. At the end of the year, the Manager is responsible for evaluating the employee’s performance based on how they delivered against that work plan. Additionally, that review is linked to salary updates and potentially promotion opportunities. That is a lot of responsibility for the Manager, and the employee has to rely significantly on how their Manager assesses the work. Shouldn’t performance reviews be completely objective? Black or white…did I do what my work plan said, or did I not? If only it were that easy. The results delivered by an individual are often grey. Sure, they may have completed something, but was it done well? The answer is subjective – the Manager will determine if it was good or very good. And different Managers could answer in different ways, depending on their past experiences or preferences in how the work should have been completed. Because many of us work in spaces that can’t be quantitively measured daily (we aren’t counting how many buttons we sew each day), the deliverables are complex, making the evaluation of those deliverables more complex. Is it fair that someone’s performance can be judged differently depending on who the Manager is? Maybe not, but, is there a better way? The earlier you acknowledge the role “subjectivity” plays in your professional career, the less frustrated you will be.

Two extreme scenarios:

(1)??? You may have a Manager that has recurring, consistent check-ins with your throughout the year, providing coaching and guidance in real-time. So, it is no surprise at the end of the year how your contributions are viewed by your Manager.

(2)?? In another scenario, if your Manager doesn’t spend a lot of time understanding your work, or doesn’t give a lot of feedback throughout the year, their review at the end of the year could be surprising. While you thought you were performing well, all of a sudden, your Manager shares examples of where you missed their expectations, or didn’t complete something well. This ‘poor’ review will lead to no salary increase and no opportunity for promotion. You are crushed!

My point is, your Manager holds the key to a lot of how these reviews will unfold. Some of us have great Managers, others do not. Some Managers just have a style or opinion that doesn’t match with their employees, so it is very challenging to secure a positive evaluation. These are things you cannot control. You can do your best to check-in regularly, ask questions, and document process. But if you are in scenario #2, you should seek additional support from mentors or other stakeholders that can provide constructive coaching throughout the year. Sometimes you have to put forth more effort if there is a gap in the quality of coaching you get from your Manager.

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Now, regardless of how well you and your boss work together, there is also some parameters Managers must honor when working in large organizations. Salary and Performance management tools are staples in these companies. The intent is to ensure employees are compensated fairly and performance can be calibrated when you have several employees at the same level doing similar work. Typically, Managers can only give raises within a certain range, as dictated by the HR-led process and system. If an employee is comparing their salary with a peer, it may be different because the Managers gave slightly different raises. Most employees believe they delivered above expectations and are surprised when their raise doesn’t reflect the highest increase possible. The worst case is the employee feels less valued by their Manager. But the truth could be that the peer in the comparison might have started out at a high salary because they received a signing bonus, have an MBA, or had previous work experience. There are many scenarios, and most cannot be compared apples-to-apples. In my opinion and through experience, these salary differences are not meaningful and often converge over time. So instead of jumping to conclusions as to WHY your salary is not higher, seek to understand the potential causes. If you aren’t happy about your total compensation or aren’t happy that your peers make a little more than you, it might be best to find a different company to work for. If you can accept the variation in salary or evaluations for a given role, you can better focus on building your skills, training, and other opportunities the company provides. It is probable that you can move to another area with another Manager and/or adjust your performance per the feedback. One or two years with a tougher situation won’t hurt your long-term career path in a big company. If it’s longer than that, more drastic changes may be needed.

Similarly, it would be ideal if your Manager is putting your name in the hat for promotion opportunities. But you can’t rely solely on that communication. Remember, others will be vying for the candidate THEY think is most deserving too. You should ensure your mentors and other trusted leaders understand your professional goals and can help coach you on readiness. This increases the probability that several people are seeking opportunities for you, not just your Manager.

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After saying all that…I will now come to the advice I received time again while in the corporate environment. If you spend a lot of energy chasing the quantitative metrics of “work”, i.e. salary, job level, time to promotion, you will always be disappointed because there is no objective way to manage this, and you might never be content. If any of these points are way off your expectation, you should look for a new job. If it is only minor variations between reality and your expectations, it is important to acknowledge these unofficial rules or norms established and focus on other variables. It is better to spend your energy appreciating what is most important to you; Job flexibility? Health benefits and employee perks? Flexible vacation? Learning new skills? Travel? I think these “variables” are more correlated to your well-being and long-term fulfillment.

I know this topic is a tough one, but I think it’s worth sharing so younger folks can learn from those of us who have experienced the highs and lows. Follow my newsletter if you want to hear more about the great advice I have received over the years.

Next month’s topic: #3 Digest!