Looking for advice from the group... I have a 15 year career as IT professional and have always been rated highly until last year. My manager changed in May and the new person gave great feedback in 1x1 however at the annual review I got a shock. While the comments were positive, the ratings/numbers were below average. No specific examples were provided and no real advice on how I could improve. I know that my business partners and peers provided positive feedback, however we don't have a system to capture 360 so it was all informal / email / verbal - no record of it. I have moved to another job within the company in February, but my new manager left the company and I have been working with his boss since then. My newly hired direct manager is supposed to start soon, but by year-end I would have only worked for him for a couple of months. I am sure he will be looking at last year... should I share with him my opinion about last year's review and explain what happened?
Don't be Defensive...Let it Go
> should I share with him my opinion about last year's review
No. Let it go. Your new manager will likely look at the information but any time spent defending, qualifying, or attempting to explain the past is less time you have for new accomplishments. Focus on doing a great job with your new manager by meeting his/her performance objectives.
It is best for the new manager to draw conclusions on *their* observations and *their* data on your work performance.
Go back to work with a renewed energy and commitment to knock out accomplishments for your new boss.
Compile a portfolio
One of the problem you identified is that there is no formal system to capture positive comments from others for your review. I'd suggest still capturing them as best you can (printing off emails, if someone gives you verbal positive feedback (I'm using the word feedback in the common usage here, not specifically MT format) on work you've done maybe say "Thank you. Would you mind putting that in an email? It would be really useful for my annual review." and make sure that when you give a non-direct positive feedback on their work you follow up with an email &c). Annual reviews go a lot better, I've found if you walk in with a folder bulging with emails from people thanking you for doing a good job and fulfilling their needs. It's hard for your boss to argue with a happy customer.
Maybe, whilst you're reporting to your bosses boss make a suggestion about having somewhere in the review system to include positive feedback from customers (internal and external). By getting people focused on getting positive feedback for a job well done it also gets them focused on doing the job well.
Where I'm working right now customer feedback is an integral part of the review process. At the end of every formal engagement (we're mostly a projects delivery section) part of the engagement agreement is that the manager who engaged us will complete an end of engagement form (this constitues part of the the sign off). At the end of informal engagements we're encouraged to ask the engagement manager to email our line manager with feedback on our performance.
Stephen
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Skype: stephenbooth_uk | DiSC: 6137
"Start with the customer and work backwards, not with the tools and work forwards" - James Womack