Meets Expectations

We have a new yearly review format at work called Performance Management Process. Basically there are certain goals you must complete and criteria you must meet to be rated...well, who could say it better than the people who created it? Here you go:

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Performance Management Process (PMP)

is an annual process in which you and your manager work together to set

SMART goals, discuss competencies necessary for success in your position

and create an individual development plan. You should meet periodically,

once per quarter, to provide feedback, realign goals and recognize good

performance. It is a process that links individual goals and objectives to

organizational goals and objectives.

The Library’s Performance Management Process (PMP) ensures that all

library employee goals are aligned with library strategies and initiatives. In

this way, PMP enables every employee to understand his or her unique

contributions to help the Library remain customer focused, and fulfill its

mission, Expanding minds, Empowering individuals and Enriching our

community.
For the most part, this is an excellent model. I firmly believe that you should have constant communication with your supervisor and conversations should be had to make sure that what you're doing is on track with the goals and initatives of your company. In our PMP, this is how you can be rated:

Exceeds expectations

Meets expectations

Fails to meet expectations

Consistently fails to meet expectations


And this is where the flaws come into play. We were basically told it's nearly impossible to get "Exceeds expectations." Their goal is for everyone to "meet expectations" and if you go so far above and beyond the norm then you 'might' get "Exceeds expectations."

I don't know about y'all but I am NOT a meets expectations kind of gal. I exceed expectations. I always exceed expectations. That's what I'm known for. That's what I do. So to have my PMP this year and get "Meets Expectations" nearly killed me!

Until I realized something. I was actually in the review with my supervisor when it hit me:
This is my earthly job. Will it last forever? No. Am I to do the best I can possibly do in this job? Yes. Does it matter how humans rate my performance? Basically, no. I only care what God thinks of what I've done. If I strive to do my best and that best gets recognized as "meets expectations" here on earth, then I'll take it. My rewards are in heaven.

Plus, I'm not able to focus a lot of attention on my job at the library. I only work 20 hours. The majority of my time and my "full-time job" is at home with my kids and my husband. That's where I truly want to focus my time and energy and where it's even more important to receive an "Exceeds Expectations" rating. And the only rating that truly matters is the rating given to me by God.