Every year my company sets a few goals for me and defines the measures for determining my performance in meeting those goals. This year they came up with templates, a template for a Software Engineer, a template for a Team Leader and so on.
I hate templates, they put you in a mould. Templates generalize things ( goals in this case) . They have one serious problem, a template can’t fit everyone. I can’t fit in a template because I am different from the person who sits in the next cubicle to mine and so are everybody else.
How can the goals be same for all of us? I agree that they are based on designation, but still all team leaders are not the same.
I guess this makes the job of HR easier, cast everybody in the same mould. I differ!
Instead of templates, establish a framework, a set of guidelines within which employees can set up their own goals. Let the managers sit with his/her teams and come up with specific goals aligned to that of the department/company. Then measure them and see if he/r has met them. Then reward!!!
Is it so difficult to achieve ? What do you think ? Does the company you work for does something similar to templates or something different ? Let me know in the comments.
I agree with you whole heartedly. I once worked for a company who made me come up with time sheets for a graphic arts team. It was horrible. There was a group of creative and eclectic people who now had no idea what to do next. They spent more time figuring out how to use the sheets, designing the sheets and figuring out where to place them on their computer so they can have access to them. Work slowed, creativity dropped – but the person who decided it was a great idea – he is still there pulling those kinds of stupid stunts… I am not!
You can not fit everyone into the same mold – yes you can design a system and a set of rules and guidelines – but different people accomplish different things at different speeds and in different ways!
Benny
http://www.ya-ttitude.com