For the birds
This being a grown up thing is really for the birds.
I mean, sure, being an adult has its benefits. Cookies and ice cream and beer for dinner, for example. Yeah.
I don’t have to ask permission to buy a candy in the checkout line.
Disposable income.
I can tie my own shoes.
No homework.
Yeah.
But being a grown up means getting up every morning to go to work.
Trying hard to “get ahead”. Get that better job. Be a better employee. Get paid more. More respect.
Sleepless nights worrying about getting that project done, or the political implications of a decision.
No summer vacation. Of if you get one, it’s just a week long. Ugh.
The reason for my lament today is that we’ve entered the performance review stage at work. Meaning I have to write up and rate my team for the year.
Now, this isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve done this for many years, but it never gets any easier. To reduce the sum total of another human’s work for the year to a percentage number and a couple paragraphs is an agonizing process for me.
Part of what makes me a good manager is the depth of my compassion. But it’s also one of my biggest limitations.
Our company gives out paltry merit raises, and it’s hard to hand out a tiny raise for a hard year’s work. This year, I have a pretty good boss who is helping me fight the good fight for rate increases. But I still go home a little bit demoralized.
Good thing I can have all those cookies and beer for dinner.
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