Upcoming performance review... truth or consequences?

[LOL!]

Usually I am not bothered by performance reviews no matter which side of the desk I am sitting on, but this time I am financially independent, so I don't feel I need to pull any punches or hide any cards this time. I like my job just fine, but I don't love it like I did a couple years ago.

The upcoming review gets coupled with a new form with a whole new section on "What I'd like to be when I grow up" with 1-2 year and +5 year answers. There is also the "Personal growth" section.

I feel like my short-term goals are to say "I will be retired in less than 12 months" and my long-term goals are to say "I will still be retired in 5 years."

Anybody give the blunt facts in their performance review after becoming FI? What happened? Didn't have the guts? Want to live vicariously through my experience? Or should I chicken out and tell them what they want to hear?

 

[Peaceful_Warrior]

I give the blunt facts before the FI. My manager is more supportive of everybody as individuals than anything else, so he's honest with us and we're honest with him.

 

[W2R]

should I chicken out and tell them what they want to hear?

Unless you have already given notice, I would. Put down what they want to hear, and then if you really want to, say something about FIRE verbally. Don't put it in writing until you are ready to give notice.

Just my opinion! I'm still working but that is what I plan to do.

 

[Darryl]

Do not tell people you can leave don't need this job are independent and do not need to be there or any variation of the above if you want to keep control of your career management, departure dates, promotability etc...

We all have different levels of political correctness and I theorize those evolve depending on our age, abilities and FI state. I also theorize most management (I am among them) like to believe hope pray wish? they are in control of events past present and future. If you tell your management you don't need to be there (might be interpreted as they have no influence over you) there are almost no positives that can come from that, but some neutral and some negative.

Just theories this advice should not be construed as career coaching past results are NOT an indicator of future returns.

 

[ExtinctBird]

I tend to agree with Darryl. Unless you are ready to give your notice now, then no reason to give the company the indication that you are soon to leave. Your plans could change for some reason before you are ready to give notice, so no reason to get the company started on the path of your departure too soon.

Those questions on your review make this a bit tricky, but some creative wording can help with the political correctness. If you have a supportive boss, then you might mention that giving you any sort of options or other incentives that have any vesting period might be better spent on another co-worker.

 

[travelover]

I agree with the above posters. Beyond your own short term satisfaction, no good will come of declaring FI at this point, either from your bosses or peers.

That said, I relished my FINAL PR. I was courteous, but made it known that this was the end of the BS.

 

[CompoundInterestFan]

Two words: Office Space

Bob #1: You see, what we're actually trying to do here is, we're trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work... so, if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob #2: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

 

[Sandy]

A parallel world in middle school:

My twins just started middle school. Both of their language arts (LA) teachers have the kids writing sentences and paragraphs that [-]help them get to know the kids [/-] pry into their personal feelings. The prompts include things like: tell me what makes you cry, what you are afraid of, etc. Both kids have said they do not particularly like their LA teachers and don't know them, so they are not sharing their deepest secrets with them. They just make stuff up to do the assignment.

Guess school is actually training them well for the corporate world.

 

[maddythebeagle]

I tend to agree with Darryl

Same here...I am sitting in a similar postion and agree that is best not to tell your plans....

 

[LOL!]

Would any of your responses change if you were third in line for the CEO's job?

 

[Goonie]

Usually I am not bothered by performance reviews no matter which side of the desk I am sitting on, but this time I am financially independent, so I don't feel I need to pull any punches or hide any cards this time.

My (now former) boss did annual "performance reviews".....the last one was in 2005. He evaluated each of the employees, and offered to let each of us evaluate him. The latter was his mistake!

I always performed the duties of my job to the best of my ability, and with excellence as much as was possible. That's how I was taught by my parents and grandparents. I always got very good reviews, and he seldom found any room for improvement. Of course he was also VERY easy to impress, so that helped immensely, too!

Anyway, in '05, we got through the 1st part of him reviewing me, and ventured off into the 2nd part of me reviewing him. He was (is) the most pathetic boss that had ever worked there. He knows nothing of the operations, what needed to be done, or how things needed to be done. He obsessed about minuscule, mundane BS, and would NOT deal with REAL problems and situations.

I bluntly told him exactly what I thought! He then canceled the remaining reviews that year, and no longer does yearly reviews. I had top seniority, I was already as far up the ladder as I could could go (without taking his job...that I didn't want, which is why he got it), and performance of my duties was stellar, so I wasn't the least bit concerned about 'repercussions'.

Over the last several years, my BS tolerance level has become very low, if not non-existent! My motto is "If you don't want to know, DON'T ask!" And even if I'm not asked, I may still offer my view!

 

[brewer12345]

Unless you are fully ready to be defenestrated, play the part of the happy employee charged up about work. Probably goes double if you are close to the top, although I think I would be a little more careful not to completely mislead them that you will be around forever if that would lead them to count on it.

 

[Dawg52]

I gave my boss a 2 year retirement notice. Even though I did not agree with management on everything, I saw no reason to throw punches on the way out. If they asked my opinion on something, I gave it.......but in a diplomatic way.

That's just me. Overall they treated me well, so I tried to play ball.

 

[Darryl]

LOL, you are complicating this quiz.

I will stand with my initial post, though I did leave myself a very narrow door to allow what I am about to post "there are almost no positive that can come from that".

In this possible example if I were third in line and had a long term relationship (think decades) with the ownership/board/departing ceo and I was considered a nearly indispensable asset to the organization AND was FI on the day of the conversation AND I was truly ready to retire (read not satisfied doing what I have been doing for years) AND there was some other catalyst within the organization like a crisis of some sort or the departure of the #1 or #2 candidate. A well placed comment with ownership about considering retiring soon might yield a "carrot" of some sort in order to keep you and it might hasten your departure. If all of the above were true there really is no down side as you were ready to leave anyway.

 

[wmackey]

I had my Mid-Year performance review ~ 2 weeks ago. It went really well. Boss said come in and lets talk about how you are doing and I said I will be resigning effective the end of the month. I didn't plan it that way, but It's nice when things just work out.

And yes, I do already have another gig lined up. FIRE is still a few years off.

Wade

 

[clifp]

I think the conventional wisdom to keep mum about your plan is the safe way to go but... not what I did.

I came back from a 2+ month sabbatical and within a few weeks of being back to work, I decided I was going to ER as soon as my next set of options vested. One of my friends nicely gave me a low stress "research" job in her dept, I didn't have much to do my last 5 months. Like many big companies, Intel grades employees on curve. Before the performance evalution season. I told her to give me a "slower" result and take my stock option and most of my raise money and give them to her other employees. I figured it was the least I could do.

 

[Spanky]

Anybody give the blunt facts in their performance review after becoming FI? What happened? Didn't have the guts? Want to live vicariously through my experience? Or should I chicken out and tell them what they want to hear?

I would just go along. My boss asked me to finalize my objectives and long-term career plan today. I told him that I am very content with what I am today and prefer to continue on that path. That is, I am not interested in the management track or a leadership role. I do not mention anything about retirement.

 

[LOL!]

An update: the review went extremely well in my opinion. The review consisted of two separate meetings on different days. It's clear the info discovered in the first day was exchanged with the CEO.

My boss is looking to do new things so needs someone to take over many of his duties. I made it pretty clear that I was not going to be that person, so we discussed whether to look outside the firm or promote from within. And we agreed on that decision. I get to do the things that I love to do and slowly [-]cut back on[/-] push onto someone else my responsibilities

Y'all can all call me a lame duck if you like.

 

[Peaceful_Warrior]

An update: the review went extremely well in my opinion. The review consisted of two separate meetings on different days. It's clear the info discovered in the first day was exchanged with the CEO.

My boss is looking to do new things so needs someone to take over many of his duties. I made it pretty clear that I was not going to be that person, so we discussed whether to look outside the firm or promote from within. And we agreed on that decision. I get to do the things that I love to do and slowly [-]cut back on[/-] push onto someone else my responsibilities

Y'all can all call me a lame duck if you like.

I'm always a big fan of honesty... lame duck or not. I figure if I put the facts out there, then my manager can do with it what he feels is best for the organization.

It helps that I work for people with integrity and who truly care for their employees... makes a world of difference.

 

[bright eyed]

i agree w/ above...also, are you losing chance of possible raises if you tell now?

 

[LOL!]

It's interesting that all the folks who were, shall we say, honest had nothing bad to report as a consequence of their honesty. Yet quite a few folks recommended a less forthright path. Does anyone want to speculate on the disconnect?

 

[Fireup2020]

My "bosses" are full aware that I will be in one of three positions available to me while remaining in the arena I am in - and retiring in 2020 or 2025. Testing and applications are required for promotions out of my department...it would all be on me - and that is a game I will not play. No problems from my peers or "bosses" - just a bit of admiration tinged with both envy and confusion

 

[Sandy]

It's interesting that all the folks who were, shall we say, honest had nothing bad to report as a consequence of their honesty. Yet quite a few folks recommended a less forthright path. Does anyone want to speculate on the disconnect?

I think it depends on the situation you are in. My current setting will allow/support full and honest disclosure. I have been in situations where that would have been suicide.

 

[Darryl]

Sandy & peaceful warrior said it I think.

It's environment.

As a big believer in self fulfilling prophecies I do question what came first the chicken or the egg? Did the company bail on the the individual or vice versa?

My wife worked for a restaurant chain years ago and whenever folks gave a two weeks notice they were dismissed on the spot. Do you know what happened?

Of course after a very quick learning curve the staff stopped giving notice and the managers were scurrying to cover the no call no shows.


Each of us is in a different position different bosses different industries and different positions in the growth cycle. Is your company growing and everyone is a cherished member of staff or is growth slow or gone and the company is trying to decide who to get rid of.

I think that is why the different answers.

 

[RunningBum]

I've told my bosses not to count on me for too long, and gave an unofficial years notice not long ago. Part of it was to take a lower stress assignment and not get hassled about picking up new technology and training. It's worked out very well for me, but you need a good boss who can handle this information without trying to replace you right away or do something else drastic. I wouldn't have trusted all of my past bosses by offering this information.