Last week, our not-quite-a-VP announced a big push for everyone to do performance reviews. She was very excited about doing hers with the president and encouraged her direct reports to schedule time with her.

I’ve made no bones about my disdain for performance reviews.  A once a year  – or even once a quarter – goal setting is no replacement for day to day communication and feedback.  There’s also no raises tied to these – ever.  And no terminations or action plans – that is a separate operation.

So, after she wrapped up her announcement, my legendary candor kicked in.  I said,

“I already know the answer to this, but are these going to be tied to changes to compensation or promotions?”

She noted, with regret, that they would not.

“In the past,” I continued, “We’ve done these and nothing happened.  All the paperwork and goals, quarterly check-ins, and then a final follow up.  Then the paperwork gets filed and no one ever looks at it again.  We’ve also not done these and nothing happens,”

She sympathized with me and said she didn’t like busy work either, but noted that we had to do them.

And the conversation moved on.  Later, after the meeting, several people came up to me and thanked me for saying what they had been thinking.  I said if we had a choice between doing them and nothing happening and not doing them and nothing happening, the “not doing them” seemed like a better use of our time.

The week prior to that, I was remote and several people had been in a meeting room.  The technology set up is terrible and when sidebar conversations happened I called people out on that and asked them to take turns for the sake of those not in the room.  I got a few private messages for that in thanks – I quipped back “don’t make me stop this car”

Today was another meeting and my boss sent me a message asking for a call after it was done. When we spoke directly, he asked if I was doing okay because I seemed “more irritated than usual”

I told him the meeting was more useless than usual and I’m swamped with projects.  Nothing I can really hand off – even if there was someone to hand off to – and I resented the late attendees and idle chatter. 

I think I’m starting to push things.  Not on purpose, but just because I’m so tired that my filters are wiped out.  I’m turning into the cranky old man wanting the kids to stay off his lawn.

And yet, I’m still trying.  I dyed my beard so two of my coworkers and I could emulate the powerpuff girls.  I spent part of the weekend making butterflies for another coworker to share.  And I came up with a really fun idea for convocation – even though a co-worker did shit all over it. 

In August it will be 29 years at UA.  I’ve seen and done a lot – but I think I’m finally getting tired of the place.