I had my appraisals a few months back, for which I was able to maintain my cool. As a result, I didn`t put in my papers the same day. Surprising isn`t it, the books,newspapers or any expert never write on how to deal with good appraisals. But then, do good appraisals exist? Or are they like the UFOs?

“Vijay, I’m impressed with your work,You are a great resource and you should go far,” my boss initiated the dialogue. I was happy. Not all bosses know to break the ice with such simplicity. “That`s nice to hear sir.” “Thanks.

The sooner you go far, the better,”He said staring at the computer. Being an honest, chaste man has its drawbacks. When somebody is pulling you down, scolding you or making fun of your ability, you don`t realize. I didn`t realize and continued:

“So what is the hike I am getting?” “Hike? I don`t think you will need one….you have set yourself low standards and have consistently failed to achieve them.” “But why would I not need a hike?” Even as I persisted, I saw my boss rating me as ‘Excellent` against the ‘Perseverance` parameter.

He was trying to read my motives, future plans before trying to say something good.

“In your last appraisal I had rated you as ‘Doesn`t meet expectations`. Remember?” I wondered why he was bringing in the past. Wasn`t an associate`s career path all about the future? “Yes,” I snorted. “Since my last report, you have reached rock bottom. In the next two days you would start to dig.” “So what if I dig?”

I have always known my boss as somebody quick to the gun and this time too he didn`t disappoint. he said, “If you dig, you would soon reach oil…and think of how rich you could be.”

Honest(strange huh) and chaste men like me can only be pushed to a certain extent. There is a limit beyond which the i can take insults. I wanted to fight back. “But I worked hard the last one year,” I replied. “Yes you did…but only under constant supervision. To put it bluntly, you worked hard when cornered like a rat in a trap.”

If only I hadn`t lent my gun to Pravin Mahajan. Even as I was giving it to Pravin, I remember my mother had said: “Lend books…but never lend your gun…you might have to go to the prison to collect it.” But I said, Sir I’ve done my part and have exceeded expectations in higher tone. He smiled back and said dude, you’ve got a great whip.

He told few observations too,
1. I’d like to see you in formals at office(which likely to remain observation next time too).
2. Log in timing, need to maintain.
3. No round collared T’s(again it’ll continue though).