Less than a Minute Life Lesson-2407 Character and Competency

Monk on Appraisal Part-1- Junior

A monk was in a meditative state and a junior corporate employee sits opposite the monk. The monk opens his eyes after few minutes and the conversation starts…

Monk: How can I help you gentleman?

Junior: I want to get a good appraisal

Monk: Smiles, it is not there in my hands

Junior: I know that, I wanted some ideas to get a good appraisal

Monk: You are in the wrong place

Junior: I’m sure with your wisdom, you can help me

Monk: Smiles, OK let me ask you a question are you here to learn how to get a good appraisal or how to manage yourself after the appraisal?

Junior: Both

Monk: With a sarcastic smile, ok. When you work for appraisal you are restricting yourself to performance matrix, hence the essence of enjoying the work reduces. When you focus on your rating, you have decided to work for others and hence you have disconnected with your purpose and alerted your thoughts to suit others. This might not help you in the long run and hence you will feel the pressure of appraisal.

Junior: Master, it is confusing

Monk: It should, it will, clarity comes after confusion

Junior: Can you put it simple words

Monk: Enjoy your job, see the learning in every aspect of your job, and rewrite your CV every year, you will know who you are.

Junior: Am I right in assuming that “I should focus on what I want and leave the rest”?

Monk: Do it

Junior: When the appraisal is favourable to me, I’m happy, if it is not I feel disappointed, how can I handle such situation?

Monk: That’s the way humans should behave. Happiness at one end and disappointment at other end is an indication that you are normal. Then why you should feel bad?

Junior: My question was how to handle disappointments?

Monk: Avoid taking appointment with disappointment, I mean accept the fact that you cannot be the best every time.

Junior: Thought I do a good job and I personally feel I deserve something better, in such situations how can I take it easily?

Monk: Are you prepared to die when you are old?

Junior: I should, but …

Monk: When you are ready for happiness, you should also be ready for disappointments

Junior: Sometimes my manager, knows I did a good job, but system is not favoring me

Monk: During Christmas it is jingle bells, during appraisals it is bell curves, and I pity you. If system is favorable to us, we give credit to our hard work, when it is not we find fault with the system. If you want to change the system, you should aim to be a part of the team which develops the system.

Junior: If I am not promoted how can I be a part of the team that develops the system?

Monk: First of all, do you wanted to be promoted?

Junior: Yes, I do

Monk: will you play the role of a boss or a leader, when you are promoted?

Junior: I will play the role of leader when I’m promoted

Monk: When you cannot think and act like a leader in the role you play now how can you be a leader in a promoted role. It is like a player trying to play a game without practice.

Junior: I am able to understand what you are telling. Can you give me a suggestion on how to handle post appraisals which is not favourable to me?

Monk: Favourable or unfavourable is your perception. Remember your performance and behaviour was appraised not your personality. The only person who can appraise you is-You. We have a choice in life, either to listen to outer world and ruin ourselves or listen to our inner world and build our future.

Great entities are not symbol of luck; they are symbol of failures and determination similarly every individual is an entity who is capable of building entities.

Junior: This kind of conversation sounds good for a day or two, after that we are still negative, how can we implement such thoughts in our life?

Monk: Between a stale food and a fresh food, which one do you prefer?

Junior: I will go for fresh food

Monk: Why?

Junior: The purpose of food is to be healthy, how can I be healthy if I eat a stale food?

Monk: Similarly purpose of life is to be peaceful, how can you be peaceful with negative thoughts. When you use fresh food, why can’t you use fresh thoughts?

Junior: Thank you, I know that bell curve is not in my hands, but my life is in my hands.