For those working in private organizations, the performance review season is approaching, where evaluations will determine annual compensation and promotions.

This time can be both exciting and stressful for those awaiting results and those responsible for making decisions. Each organization has its own standard methods for evaluations... some are obsessed with KPIs, measuring everything in numbers against targets, which can sometimes lead to a lack of flexibility within the organization. Clever individuals may manipulate targets from setting them to cheating on them... others may rely solely on judgment, leading people to flatter their superiors rather than creating efficiency and effectiveness for the organization... while some use a mixed approach.

Regardless of the method used, every year there will be both satisfied and dissatisfied individuals everywhere... if the solution is simply to average everything out like in government agencies or state enterprises, it will undoubtedly lead to inefficiency because everyone will work just enough to get by. The good, talented, and hardworking individuals will likely flee from such a system, or they will only stay if there are special rewards (which is essentially corruption).

The performance evaluation for promotions is crucial for all organizations, evaluators, and those being evaluated. If an organization lacks a Merit System and instead uses a Spoil System like the Thai bureaucratic system, which is often said that “the value of a person depends more on who they belong to than on the results of their work,” then one can expect the decline and downfall of that organization.

From the perspective of those evaluating others, they must strive to ensure fairness as much as possible by considering all factors, both measurable and those requiring discretion, in a systematic manner. They should also listen to feedback from others around the person being evaluated (what is known as 360-degree feedback). Importantly, there must be a system in place for those being evaluated to file complaints if they feel the evaluation is unfair (this system must be designed appropriately to avoid chaos and endless disputes).

For those being evaluated, it is essential to fully understand the system that will be used for their evaluation, which should be clear from the beginning of their employment regarding what the organization and department expect from them. If there are any unclear aspects or disagreements, they should discuss and clarify these from the outset.

However, when the results are announced, it is natural for dissatisfaction to arise. Due to human nature, which often favors oneself, we tend to find more dissatisfied individuals than satisfied ones... because people often fall into the mindset of “doing little but expecting much” and frequently believe they “do a lot but receive little.” Very few are those who think “do a lot, expect little” or believe they “do little but receive much.” Even those who receive the highest rewards or promotions often think “they should have received more” or, at best, feel justified because they “do a lot (and thus should) receive a lot.”

Believe it or not, dissatisfaction with evaluation results tends to double when we learn about the evaluations of our colleagues... some may initially be satisfied with their results, but upon learning about others' results, they become extremely dissatisfied. If someone receives less than us, we think it is justified, but if someone receives more (or sometimes even just equal), we become furious, perceiving only injustice because, from our perspective, we see ourselves as superior in every aspect compared to those we are comparing ourselves to.

Due to this chaos, many, if not all, organizations have policies to keep compensation and evaluation results confidential, treating them as personal matters that should not be disclosed. However, I do not believe this addresses the core issue and do not think it can truly remain a secret. Therefore, I do not strictly adhere to this rule (fearing that talented individuals with expensive watches might hesitate to raise their hands to shield themselves from the sun).

In my personal experience as a professional employee for over forty years, I was initially like most people. As a junior employee with high ambition, I would become extremely anxious each year when evaluation results were released, even though I consistently received excellent ratings. However, upon learning that others received more or the same, I found it unacceptable, especially if someone was promoted ahead of me, which made me even more envious.

There was one instance when the company needed to recruit someone from a competing business due to a lack of experienced and skilled candidates. Naturally, they had to offer both a higher salary and position to entice them... coincidentally, that external candidate knew me and had previously collaborated with me, and he did not hide the fact that his offered salary was more than mine by over half... that was when I completely lost it because, from my perspective, I believed I was better in every way.

After receiving a mere shrug from my boss, I stormed in to confront Mr. Wiroj Nuancha, who was then the President of Phatra Capital, confidently believing that I was indispensable to the company. After passionately explaining my feelings about the perceived “injustice” of that situation, Mr. Wiroj simply asked, “So what?”... as I began to elaborate further, he cut me off with a stern voice, saying, “You, Banyong” (which was well-known that when he started calling you by your full name, it meant you should prepare for something serious). “I think if you are so confident that you are better, more capable, and more diligent but are receiving less, instead of being upset, you should be happy.” Then he walked out of the room... after reflecting on it for a while, I reached an epiphany that instead of complaining, it was just a matter of proving myself, allowing everyone to recognize that I was indeed better, more capable, and more diligent, and then I would eventually receive equal or greater rewards.

Since then, whenever someone receives more or does better, I no longer feel envious; instead, I feel happy for them because it signifies opportunities for my own advancement. I even strive to help them achieve even greater success because if they rise, I will rise alongside them.

Comparing ourselves to others can be extremely dangerous, especially in contexts of who deserves more or less, who is better, or who is superior. Humans have many facets and qualities, and due to our natural tendency to be biased towards ourselves, we often see only our strengths and positives while overlooking the weaknesses of our competitors. When comparing, we tend to highlight only our strengths. If they have any clear advantages over us, we often overlook them or fail to consider them significant... I constantly remind myself not to compare myself to anyone. If I must compare, it should only be in areas where they clearly excel over me, to strive to improve myself to their level. Other comparisons are not our responsibility; that is for those tasked with such duties. We should focus on developing ourselves and proving our worth.

As evaluators, we must strive for fairness, but we must also be aware that we are not always fair ourselves. Those who are overly confident in their impartial judgment can be dangerous in their own right... the term “justice” is a complex one, depending on the perspective from which it is viewed. Anyone who has read Michael Sandel's work on Justice would understand this... as a fan of the Chinese drama “Judge Bao,” I have often seen that many times, Judge Bao's decisions are based more on feelings and common sense than on factual evidence.

As everyone knows, our happiness or suffering largely depends on our thoughts, satisfaction, and expectations... those who “do little but want much” while believing they “do much but receive little” will undoubtedly suffer more and be less happy than those who “strive to do much but expect little.”

I personally recognize that I have been extremely fortunate to be someone who “does little but receives much” throughout my life. Now, I strive to do more while demanding less and trying to give back as much as I can... thus, my life is filled with abundant happiness.

Everything depends on our attitude... I wish everyone happiness during the year-end holiday season and satisfaction with their performance evaluations.

Note: First published on Facebook Banyong Pongpanich on December 20, 2017.

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Thanks for the information and images from: www.thaipublica.org