The crazy year-end blog

Hold on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Busy-ness just sucks the life out of people. I don't know what has happened to the American mind in that we've been programmed into thinking that we have to be doing something productive every minute of every day. My totally un-scientific conjecture is that half of all psychiatric counseling problems could be solved by more rest and relaxation for the patient. There's nothing wrong with sitting around for a three, four, or five hour stretch doing - well - not a damn thing. Naps are a lifesaver for me. I am so much more amenable when I've had a nap. The Spanish got that right! I don't have kids, so I can't really say, but my opinion is that kids are going to suffer as adults if they don't know how to rest as kids. They need down time. Then again, many would consider me a lazy ass!

I could write a 10-page blog on Navy performance evaluation. Wow, it would make your head spin. As a tiny taste, let me just say that the member input (that's what we call it) from an E-6 is normally due to his/her supervisor around June 1st, when his/her actual performance evaluation is dated November 15th. That's how long and ridiculously painful is the Navy evaluation process. We also do what is called a midterm counseling (six months into the annual performance evaluation period) so that same E-6 will have had their midterm counseling only one month before they have to turn in their "this is what I did" input in preparation for their evaluation. At any rate, I don't like doing performance evaluation anymore than the next guy. The Navy forces us to rank people within the same paygrade and job field. The system is full of unwritten rules and tricks that have developed as people learn to manipulate the system over the years. I've always been a proponent of changing the evaluation system completely about every five years, because that's about how long it takes for people to learn how to manipulate a new system. But I digress. Here's the problem: in the Navy, we don't write a performance evaluation for the individual - we write it specifically for the people who will make promotion determinations. In other words, it's not really about the employee, but about the people who will decide who gets promoted. In my opinion, your starting premise is a bad one.

The evaluation training that I provide can be summarized with this statement: If you blow smoke up their ass during the midterm counseling, you are setting yourself up for an extremely painful performance evaluation with that employee. I use midterm counseling as a brutally honest assessment of where the individual is failing or needs to improve. Yes, I touch on the positives, but to be honest, I want them to walk out of the midterm counseling saying, "Wow, I need to get my ass in gear." In the Navy the midterm counseling is not part of your permanent record. it's a local document, so there is not negative long-term effect based on its content. When performance evaluation time comes around and they've done nothing in the previous six months to improve any deficiencies, all I have to do is pull out the mid-term counseling and say, "We talked about your need to improve in this area and some specific ways you could do it, and you didn't do any of it." If they made the necessary improvements, I'm happy as the supervisor and they will probably be pleasantly surprised with their performance evaluation.

Brad, unfortunately in the Navy performance evaluation is a documentation of PAST performance. We do talk about the way ahead, but the document itself is an evaluation of past performance. If you care to peruse the 213-page Navy "Performance Evaluation" instruction, you can see it here.

If you're really really really super bored, I made a post on Facebook that, at current count, has 92 comments. The post is about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) which is currently being debated in congress. Most of the free world is opposed to it because it will give the government authority to shut down websites that are facilitating internet piracy. In my limited knowledge it seems that people are getting nervous because the internet would no longer be the "Wild Wild West" with absolutely no regulation and no consequences. Anyway, it led to a long and winding discussion about stealing music, movies, and books (intellectual property). There are many arguments to support the pirating of music and movies. None of them seem to make any sense to me. The usual argument is that, "They're rich anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Classic Adrock performance in the fantasy football league this year: best regular season record in the league and then I got blown out in the semifinals. I won the consolation game so managed to come away with the third place trophy, but for the love! Two years ago the exact same thing happened. My NFL guys never seem to fire during the fantasy playoffs!

I haven't weighed myself in a long time, but I think I can say with complete confidence that I've been packing on the pounds over the past few weeks. My appetite knows no end! I'm getting in a little bit of exercise, but am already looking forward to warmer weather on the other end of this move. I'm very curious about where we'll end up living and whether or not I'll be able to ride easily from wherever that is. I'm also curious about the condition of my bikes when they make it to the other end. Brad mentioned a sprint triathlon in Cedar Falls in August. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

I'm watching my first NBA game of the season tonight, Dallas and OKC. Seems like some sloppy basketball from the defending champs and Western Conference finalists, but I have to remember that we are only five days into the season and barely 30 days post lockout. I missed NBA basketball. As much as I like Charles Barkley, I think the addition of Shaq pushed the TNT studio team off the edge. It's too forced. I don't think Shaq is going to be around too long.

When I did a search on it, it was clear that I'm not the first person to have this thought, but Rick Carlisle looks an awful lot like Jim Carrey! And why do I have Jason Terry on my fantasy team? I can't stand him. Too much of a show boat.

You guys have any experience installing car stereos? I'm going to make an attempt at it in the next few days. I'm replacing the radio in the Escape (that's the truck, Ed) with one that has a built-in bluetooth so it's easier for Jennifer to talk on the phone. I'll let you know how it goes.

Just watched Kevin Durant hit a game-winning 3-pointer... life is good!

The Health Risks of Being Left-Handed

With 2 prominent members of the Baldwin family being left handed, I think it is appropriate to educate our loyal fan base about the uniquness of left-handedness. Please read this article and let the sniping begin!

Performance Management, as easy as 1-2 ... this?

When I googled performance management this is the image that appeared ... YIKES! Tell me it isn't this hard.

Tis' the season ... for performance reviews. Not the ending you were thinking of? Well as an HR guy the end of the year is filled with lots of effort to document a year's worth of accomplishments and results. Oh, and a performance rating. Can I get a collective "yuck" from the audience please?

Yep, supervisors dread it and employees dread it more. Time to sift the seed from the chafe and confirm for 20% of the people who think they are high performing that actually, they are. The rest of you are solid performers, meets expectations or average. Here's the typical response, "Me, are you kidding? I'm high performing; just ask the three people who I've asked to give you performance feedback on me for the 360 you wanted. They'll tell you how good I am."

It's a terrible thing telling someone something they can't see for themselves. Things like, "there are people in this company who have performed better than you, this year.
And last year too." But we try to find ways to make this message easy. It isn't. Best to take it like a bad tasting pill. Quickly, and with water.

Two suggestions for supervisors and employees alike as they approach this dreadful event:

(1) Be honest - If you're a supervisor tell your employee what they are doing well, and tell them what you want them to do better. Provide them with resources and tools to get better, and hold them accountable for improving. If they're not among your highest performers then tell them that too. At least not this year. If you're an employee be candid about those accomplishments you had this year, and equally candid about those areas where you came up short. Being honest on both sides makes you credible. And unless you are perfect, your supervisor already knows about your mistakes and has highlighted them as a basis for justifying your rating. If your year wasn't perfect, you can't expect your rating to be either.

(2) Invest most of the review time on the future, not the past - Reviews are often too much about what happened, and not what needs to happen. Hopefully there has been enough 1-2-1 dialogue between you and your supervisor that neither of you have been stockpiling performance indicators for the review. Performance reviews need to be done in real time. If you are excelling as a supervisor then more than likely your employee already knows what their rating is going to be, before you have the meeting. Dwelling on past accomplishments or past failures is old news. It's a "what have you done for me lately" world out there so focus on what must be done to improve, to get better, and to excel ... next year.

Two simple tips that are sure to make the holidays a bit easier to get through, for supervisors and employees who both just want to get "it" over with so they can focus on time with family and friends, turkey, and some football.

The Busy Lifestyle

As I enter the holiday season this year I'm feel like we (Holly and I) are busier than we've ever been. Now part of this could be that I have a terrible memory but I'm also sure there is some validity to just how busy we really are. With 15, 12 and 10 year old kids (lots of activities, no drivers, yet) Holly and I spend most of our "free" time either attending kids activities, dropping them off at their activities, picking them up at their activities, or some combination of all of the above. Now that's not a gripe since we both love being a big part of our kids lives, but it is a huge ask. Thankfully, my wife carries most of the load and I get to be the pleasant surprise when I am able to show up.

But I've been thinking, "is this busy lifestyle has emerged in our life really good for our kids, and us?" Scary thought actually just to think about that. It's a reality of today, you have to make a big commitment to something (anything really) to get ahead, to succeed. School, job, sports, music ... it really doesn't matter. To think that R&R is now a planned part of our schedules. It has to be otherwise it doesn't happen right? Is this viscious spiral ever going to end, and how?

Technology has enabled us to multi-task, stay connected, and be more productive regardless of location. Has it been a help or hindrence to the pace of life these days?

My view? I'm really not sure but I'm committed to enjoying every minute I can with my fast growing and soon to be independent kids. And I'm going to enjoy as much time as possible with my family and friends over the holidays - crunch it all into the schedule. And sustain my work/life balance with my smart phone by my side!

Just purchased a book called The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. I'm hoping it will address some of my questions about whether Holly and I are on the right path. Guess to some extent it's a personal choice. And you'll be making it whether you consciously think so or not.

The eye of the beholder

Kira, our one year old child art prodigy brought home some very thought-provoking art today. The big bad wolf, a pretzel stick: that's one way to do it!