Wednesday 3 February 2016

Life appraisals...


I can well remember those heady days of 'team' and 'self' 'appraisal' whereupon one looks back with fondness upon the multitude of achievements over the past year, and then with great anticipation into that bright new shining dawn that is 'tomorrow.' I have been reminded again recently of the multifarious rolercoaster highs and lows of this absolutely priceless tool to modern day work practices and to thrusting future aspirations, as my partner is currently undertaking this soul replenishing activity.

And a breath of this marvellously fresh air is currently also running through one of my old working haunts. Is it really that time again already? I'm sure things can only ever get better and better, ad infinitum, if the UK continues to respond so 'openly' to the whims and hopes of its current foot soldiers. I think one of the UK's saintly ambassadors may once have termed this sort of 'inclusiveness' the 'Big Society!' And it's certainly the 'Big Something.'

Oh, eh-hem, except, of course it isn't really like this... is it? 

I had hoped that it might get better, but it hasn't. I had hoped that quite a lot of things might get better, over quite a long period of time, but again they haven't!  So, I am given to wonder, whatever can the purpose of these 'appraisal meetings' be? 

Does one feel reinvigorated? Does one feel that there may be new and rewarding challenges to be undertaken? Is one made to feel more fully embraced by one's own particular workplace? 

The answers may indeed transpire to be a full and hearty, 'Yes!' to all of the above. The answers  may indeed have all been, 'Yes,' last year, and, 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' the year before that. The, 'Yeses,' may already be primed and ready for the following year. Or they may not.



There are those who might term me jaded, and I would have to concede that I am not the most positive. But these observations are not based very much at all upon my own current observations. They are, instead, based upon the comments of family, friends and others, nearly all increasingly of the opinion that such practises as 'Appraisal Meetings' are, at their vey best, 'a damned waste of time' and 'far more of an imposition' than a benefit. 

So, what can be their purpose? Why not just do away with these things altogether? George Orwell might have had something to say (or to write) upon the subject. But, in his absence, here is my half-hatched attempt...

I believe that there is a purpose to these meetings, far more sinister! Perhaps not necessarily 'sinister' at the point of delivery but certainly so at source. The process of jumping through the 'right hoops' in the 'right order' isn't free, it costs, and if it isn't working then those who it is costing will not be happy. They will not be happy at all! What is it then that the money lenders want for their cash? 'Privatise profit and nationalise debt,' isn't that the current rule?



Well, they already have most things! They already possess most of the country's worldly wealth, most of the country's land mass, the country's commerce, the country's entertainment, leisure, media outlets, property, increasing volumes of the country's health providers, really pretty much everything, whether real or 'virtual.' Escape into your virtual world to exercise your freedoms, and you can bet that somebody else has either helped to shape this, or else is exploiting it. 

They don't yet possess our thoughts, but they are increasingly manoeuvring to shape these, either through the interpretations they may place upon worldly and national events, or else the means by which we might access our 'chosen lifestyles.' Remember that the 'free press' simply means the freedom of the 'individual' to own this. That would be the freedom of the individual with the wealth to afford a media empire, or part thereof. But, they don't yet possess our souls! 

Nor will they. This much is not ever likely to be within their powers. That stuff is the realm of science fiction. So they will just have to pretend, won't they? And that is where, I believe, these 'Appraisal Meetings' feature. They do no more and no less than to 'encourage' us to verify their choices made on 'our behalf.' 

When we are busy jumping through these hoops we are, in effect, pretending to ourselves that we are shaping our destinies. We select our future goals, but from their predetermined shortlist. We appraise our achievements, but only by ticking a series of predetermined boxes, not through any genuine outpouring of free thought. And then we discuss our individual pathways with our colleagues, within the shaped boxes that have been constructed for the purpose. Of course, it's part of your soul, look you've even signed inside the box. 



Perhaps there really is something to this 'thinking outside the box' after all! Go on, think outside the box, no not that one, this one! 


2 comments:

  1. Ah: appraisal! When I was a teacher I came to think of this process as a method of weeding out those of a contrary opinion and rewarding others who agreed to stop thinking and follow the 'party line'.
    BTW: are these examples of your excellent artwork, Mr R?

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