The Tribune

By MICHELLE M MILLER

Annual evaluation or performance appraisal is a method by which an employee's job performance is documented and evaluated. Even though these evaluations can be somewhat stressful, they provide opportunity for employers to determine if you are performing adequately and they also give you a chance to assess the degree to which you are mastering your personal performance.

It is the latter opportunity that is most often ignored. Yet the habit of self-assessment is the only way for you to know how well you are performing. In other words, you get to know whether you coming or going, as the old folks would say.

Oftentimes employees allow their performance to be shaped by the limits of their job descriptions. That is, they perform just to get past the evaluation or just to get some promotion or salary increase.

This can lead to ordinary, average or just mediocre performances. When it comes to the way you perform, the goal should always be about mastering yourself by mastering your habits, attitude and sense of cooperativeness.

In the early start of my working years, as an 18-year-old, I started to have bigger conversations with myself about what specific attributes I possessed that would enable me to become an outstanding employee. I knew that I didn't want to just fit in, but stand out. So I pondered questions like, did I arrive at work ahead of time, was I willing to stay late, did I produce quality work? What about my work ethics? What kind of attitude did I have?

These soul-searching questions early in my career pushed me to be my best and set in motion the habit of ongoing self-evaluation. As I watched myself excel through many amazing opportunities, it soon became abundantly clear that I was fully responsible for my personal performance. Once I 'owned it', I could literally change the game for my career.

Because while my employer was responsible for providing the framework and setting my job description, I alone was responsible for how it would be executed. The quality of my work and the timely manner in which it was produced was all up to me.

Same is true for you. Only you can determine how well you will perform.

I heard this question asked at a motivational seminar about Kobe Bryant (now retired). If Kobe was fired from the Lakers, was it likely that Kobe would easily get another job with another team? Of course he would. The bigger question was, would Kobe get that job with another team simply because he played for the Lakers or because performed for the Lakers? Needless to say, Kobe's personal performance was what set him apart from the rest. Who do you think was responsible for Kobe's performance?

There's a big difference between just playing for a team compared to performing for a team. Similarly, there's a difference between working for a company and performing for that company. You and only you are responsible your performance but you must 'own it'.

Taking responsibility for your performance gives you confidence to self-evaluate. One of the more powerful assets of a high-performance individual is having a cooperative attitude. Your attitude is the glue that holds your personal performance together. The right attitude opens many opportunities for you to excel. In many instances, having the right attitude is often better than having the right qualifications.

No matter how qualified you may be, if you have a bad attitude nobody wants to work with you; your personal mastery will suffer.

Leader to leader, recognise that you alone are responsible for mastering your performance. Find ways to adopt the right attitude, go the extra mile, take initiative, get to work ahead of time and offer your assistance beyond your job description.

Ultimately, once you accept responsibility for your performance, you will always find opportunities to thrive. The ball is on your side of the tennis court. When you are the master of your own faith you better volley the ball with confidence. In so doing, you position yourself to live an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.talktomichellemiller.com or call 1-888-620-7894; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.