Performance Appraisal - The Bhagavad Gita way

Introduction

In general, Performance appraisal is seen as an exercise to financially reward performers. It is an exercise to distribute a given budget in such a way that financially incentivises the performers according to the rating.

While this aspect of remuneration is important, a performance appraisal done in this way is not sustainable. Here is another view of performance appraisal with ‘factors’ derived from the knowledge in Bhagavad Gita, an ancient scripture, in which Krishna the charioteer of Arjuna teaches him to face the battle.

Evolution of Individual and Organization

Organizations and Individuals in an organization evolve. But they evolve differently.

An organization carries its past ‘karma’, current effort and future potential. Individuals influence mostly current effort and a little future potential, while the past karma is untouched by them. The past karma of individuals and organization may be quite different. Hence their evolutions have different trajectories.

Individuals and organizations maintain optimal relationship at a point of mutual benefit. Hence it is important that evolution of individuals match the evolution of organization over a period consistently.

Performance appraisal should be seen as a process by which evolution of organization is matched with the evolution of individuals. It is a process to assist the individuals in this alignment and course-correction.

Three factors of evolution

Work in any place (including business organizations) proceeds through intellectual knowledge of the playing field (jnana), emotional devotion to the cause or work (bhakti) and right action (Karma), according to Gita. Gita written thousands of years before, elucidates them as Jnana yoga, Bhakti yoga and Karma yoga. Yoga means Union (of body and mind) in doing any work.

Hence any evolution has these three basic dimensions. Knowledge (Jnana), Ownership/Devotion (Bhakti) and Action (Karma). Hence these three parameters can be measured in an individual to check if it matches the evolving needs of the organization.

Appraisal Point One: Knowledge/Jnana: The trend of Soul Satisfaction

In Chapter 4, Text 38, Gita says “There is nothing more pure than Knowledge (na hi jnanena sadrsam) that exists here (iha vidyate). That in itself (tat svayam) when fully attained (yoga sam-siddhah) gives soul satisfaction (Atmani vindati) in due course of time (kAlena)”.

This knowledge that gives soul satisfaction to the individual is the first parameter in matching the evolution. This knowledge related to the work that individual is performing, that gives pure soul satisfaction to the individual should be increasing in the individual, over a period of time, if the evolution is matching.

Appraisal point Two: Bhakti: Emotional Devotion/ Ownership of work

How do we measure the ownership or devotion to work..?

In Chapter 12 Text 12 Gita says “Excellent (sreyo) is achieving knowledge (jnAnam) by passionate practice (abhyasat). Better than that knowledge is reflection/thinking (jnanad dhyAnam) with closed eyes (viSisyate). This reflection with closed eyes leads to newer ideas. Better than that is not giving up the action, but giving up the fruits of our actions (karma-phala-tyagas)”.

Abhyasa is passionately practising it repeatedly. ViSisyat DhyAnam is thinking through or reflecting closing eyes or purely processing it internally, which leads to different ideas.

Karma-phala tyagas is irrespective of the fruits of action, keep doing the action to succeed. These three constitute the ownership of work.

Simply put, Passion, Innovative ideas and perseverance are the three key elements of ownership of work.

The degree of matching of evolution of individual with evolution of organization depends on the passion, innovative ideas and perseverance shown by the individual.

Appraisal point three: Karma: Team-working

How to perform the Karma..?

In Chapter 12, Texts 13-14, Gita says “Without envy to any being(a-dvesta sarva bhutanam), kind and friendly (maitrah karuna), without ‘self-centricity’ (nir mama), without ego (nir ahankara), equal both in happiness and distress (sama dukka-suka), always satisfied (santushta satatam), with deep determination (drdha nischaya), mind and soul involved (mana buddhir arpita), one who performs work this way is dear to me”

This is called team-working.

Working without envy to anyone, without self-centricity, without ego, always satisfied, with deep determination, mind and soul involved working is the basis of Team-working.

The degree to which an individual is able to work in a team as above determines the matching of evolution of individual with the evolution of organization.

If an individual’s evolution diverges with the organization, then the individual won’t be able to work in the above way in an organizational environment. There will be constant bickerings with others, self-centric motives, low determination to succeed and the individual will not give his heart and soul to the team.

How to do the appraisal..?

In order to understand if the evolution of individual is matching with evolution of an organization, Manager and the individual should rate the individual on trend of soul-satisfying knowledge, Passion, Perseverance, Innovative abilities and team-working of the individual.

If the trend shows an increasing trajectory, then the evolution is well matched. If the trend shows a decreasing trajectory, then it is not well-matched.

The process of appraisal

The best process for this kind of performance appraisal that matches the evolution of individual in an organization to evolution of organization is to ask the individual to come up with measurements of trends of level of Knowledge, Passion, Perseverance, Innovation and Team-working in the current work environment. Then the manager can have a discussion with the individual with the manager’s feedback. This can lead to alignment and course-corrections on either side.

The next best process is to have the manager measure the above and call the individual for a discussion, wherein alignment and course correction are done.

Wherein the manager sees that Knowledge, Passion, Perseverance, Innovation and team-working are lacking in various degrees, appropriate but very specific feedback needs to be given and taken from the individual. Irrespective of what manager thinks or individual thinks, it is the alignment between them that matters in all these.

The role of Manager

The role of manager in a performance appraisal is to ensure that the individual evolution is matching with the evolution of organization.

The manager is not determining the overall worthiness or value of individuals. Every human life is precious and of great value.

A Manager is simply assisting the individual to determine the relative worthiness of the organization to the individual and individual to the organization.

Like Krishna who taught Arjuna in the Mahabharata war by showing a mirror in the face of Arjuna on Jnana, Bhakti and Karma yoga, when it comes to managing people, Managers need to help their team members in facing their battles with right abilities.

In short Job knowledge, Passion, Perseverance, Innovative abilities and Team-working are key parameters which drive evolution of individuals in organization. These need to assessed and aligned between a manager and individual as was done by Krishna with Arjuna.

Remuneration as a catalyst

When we look at performance appraisal as matching the evolution of individual with evolution of organization, remuneration plays a significant but a different role.

Remuneration is a ‘catalyst’. It does not take part directly in matching the evolution of individuals with organization. It can amplify the matching, but cannot create it, when it does not exist.

If the soul-satisfying knowledge trend does not show a significant increase in an individual, it can be addressed through re-training or re-deployment.

If team-working is lacking, then an appropriate training needs to be done and specific short term goals set. Since team-working involves giving up the ‘I’, it is not so easy. One has to be an expert and supremely confident of oneself to give up the ‘I’ for the team. Hence setting short term goals for improvement is essential.

If perseverance is lacking, then counselling and mentoring will help. But the individual has to realize and make a great leap, as it involves changing the fundamental behavior.

If the innovative attitude is lacking, training to improve thinking abilities can be attempted. But this also calls for in-depth job knowledge and emotional devotion to work.

If the individual does not possess passion in work, then nothing can help.

Any amount of Remuneration change cannot create all these, but can catalyse their growth if they already exist.

-TBT

In india we use caste as the best basis for appraisal.

Nothing can change that.

Not even Bhagwad Gita

Hmm... My blog was on how to do performance appraisal and not how it is being done.

My comment is strictly on the title and not on the Opening post itself.

There are some topic areas that do not mix but there has been attempts to do so all the time. Though books are written on Management or leadership and B. Gita, they often represent not understanding of either topic areas.

There are few reasons why such mixing does not work

1. B. Gita is a teaching aimed at one and only goal. It is summarized in verse 18.66
All topics that are presented in the prior chapters of B. Gita are directly, for most part, related to that verse. It is possible to take a topic area and apply to some other concept but what one may not know is that the very act of doing so will violate teachings embedded in many other verses.

2. Performance review system is but an apology for not knowing how to lead and manage an organization. It is a creation of a western world view wherein the idea of competition is made into a sacrosanct concept. Its focus is rarely in creating excellence and has its origin in greed and control. Perhaps a comparison to Artha Shastra may make more sense. I am saying all this having actually developed a custom performance review system for a global organization that reported to me. It is a necessary evil in today's world order. There is no way to make to appear better by making some inappropriate comparison to B.Gita or similar texts that aims to deal with a different area altogether.

To use an American expression, it is like putting 'lipstick on a pig but it still remains a pig (with apologies to the Pig which does not deserve to be referred that way).

TBT, My point is not to attack you - please consider posting whatever you believe in - I just wanted to provide a contrarian view with some reasoning.

Dear TKS

Your comments are welcome. I really appreciate them. May be here is a different understanding.

On Bhagavad Gita

I think very often ‘spiritualists’ try to interpret slokas in stand-alone mode and map it to their pet beliefs and faiths.

For eg. in the sloka 18.66, Krishna is talking about Arjuna surrendering to him, having faith in him and heed in his words.

Krishna had explained to Arjuna the Karma,, Bhakti, Jnana ways of performing worldly duties and summing up his arguments on why Arjuna should fight the battle. He is asking Arjuna to have faith in him, believe what he says and follow his words.

Let’s see the sequence

svabhava-jena kaunteya
nibaddhah svena karmana
kartum necchasi yan mohat
karisyasy avaso 'pi tat

Due to ‘Moha’ you are declining to act (according to Krishna’s guidance) while your own nature would force you to act

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya

Isvara is in situated in everyone’s heart and is guiding the wandering of living beings which are machines of ‘mAya’.

tam eva saranam gaccha
sarva-bhavena bharata
tat-prasadat param santim
sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam

Surrender in all respects (to that Isvara guiding from heart). That results in peace in everything and always (Listen to your heart and get peace)

iti te jnanam akhyatam
guhyad guhyataram maya
vimrsyaitad asesena
yathecchasi tatha kuru

This the secret, most-secret knowledge/wisdom that I give you.. Deliberate on it and do what you wish

sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah
srnu me paramam vacah
isto 'si me drdham iti
tato vaksyami te hitam

This is the utmost secret that I am telling you for your benefit as you are very dear (The secret here is that Isvara is in our heart and we should listen to it)

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo 'si me

Think of what I said my bhakta, who sacrifices for me, who pays obeisance to me, unto me seeks the truth (satya), I promise my dear

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

Abandon all (your) dharma, just surrender unto my shelter alone, Do not worry, will give liberation from all your sins

From the above discussion it is extremely clear that Krishna is exhorting Arjuna to fight against the Kurus and is talking about abandoning all dharma and believe in what he says and fight. It is nothing more than that.

In fact the most secret that Krishna is sharing with Arjuna is this. Human beings are machines of mAya and Isvara is situated in the hearts of these machines and is directing the wandering of all machines. Just listen to him.

Or utmost simply LISTEN TO YOUR HEART. That’s the utmost secret that Krishha is telling Arjuna.

In the sequence of exhorting Arjuna to fight, he is telling Arjuna to listen to the Ishvara in his heart, believe in these Krishna's words, surrender to these words, deliberate on them and take up the fight according to Krishna's guidance.

Now you can take 18.66 out of context and say Krishna is asking people to just surrender to him, will liberate people from all their sins if they surrender to Krishna (Whatever that means), abandoning all their dharma. You can make a cult out of Krishna. It is upto us make our cults, beliefs and faiths out of words that people speak.

On performance Appraisal

I lead an organization of few hundreds and have been leading organizations of various sizes for last two decades. I would not concur with your views on performance appraisal.

First there are no dads and grand-dads in organizations who want their children to excel. The parenting attitude (if it exists) to make employee children excel is sickening attitude. In organizations there are free-willed individuals who decide to work together to make the sum bigger than the parts.

Appraisal is a method to check if we are in alignment given the individual aspirations and overall organizational aspirations evolve over a period of time.

Second appraisal cannot be one-sided. It is mutual.

I understand, in reality, in many dad/grand-dad organizations appraisal is either used for parenting children to excel or keeping employees at bay/pay. But this is not how a knowledge based organization evolves or should evolve. Such organizations will not evolve.

I know our past experience can be sickening at times. But it is our responsibility to improve upon in future. We will not let the past negativity to reduce our future positivity.

On using Bhagavad Gita for PA

As I wrote, Krishna is explaining to Arjuna the Karma, Bhakti, Jnana ways of performing duties. The duties can be worldly duties or organizational duties. Organizational management in my view is about being sum greater than parts and has to be looked at from the sense of how we perform as a team rather than as a sense of rulership over people.

This is not to discount your views. I fully appreaciate and respect them. Just presenting an alternative picture here.

We are made of different gunas and we see things differently. That's all.

-TBT

Abandon all (your) dharma, just surrender unto my shelter alone, Do not worry, will give liberation from all your sins

From the above discussion it is extremely clear that Krishna is exhorting Arjuna to fight against the Kurus and is talking about abandoning all dharma and believe in what he says and fight. It is nothing more than that.

Click to expand...

Sri TBT,

I know you wrote a long response and shared your views.

Perhaps I did not explain the point I was making well earlier. Let me try once more.

Verse 18.66 communicates the vision for Moksha and as such B. Gita is a Moksha Shastra. Words like Moksha, Isvara to name a few cannot be explained by any other words or thoughts because they represent 'entities' (for lack of a better word) that is beyond the mind/intellect.

B. Gita does not teach one how to deal with elements of Sansaritvam but it is about getting liberated from it all. Though one can choose a verse here and there to amplify one's views on elements of a Samsari life, many other verses would contradict the points made.

Since my intent is not get into detailed discussion of what various verses you quoted means from the above perspective, I do not want to say much more except to say that Sri Krishna is NOT asking Arjuna to fight.

Bhagavan - God of cosmos, as presented in the story is not teaching Arjuna to go and fight.

Asking one to "believe" in Bhagavan is not what is being taught though that is what it is usually interpreted from a literal meaning.

Now let me amplify my point about performance review system which is an unconnected aspect to the above statements. It is part of a samsari life in one's work career.

What is wrong with it is that it is based on a world view of scarcity.

Right from school and college years one is put in a comparison paradigm. In a large class, there are only 10% to 20% A grade awarded. One's performance is measured against the performance of everyone else. The bell curve of Gaussian distribution means that most are average and there are almost as many above average as those that are below average. Most people want to be above average since average is not good enough.

This gives rise to a scarcity mentality. Performance review (and associated salary review in most instance) deal with this paradigm. It is a zero sum game and under the name of competition it is all glorified.

Parents of middle class to upper middle class in most countries want to enroll their kids in the best pre-schools. Little kids are subjected to performance review on a number of subjects at a very early age in these so called competetive schools.

Hindu thoughts actually are not based on the idea of competition but excellence. There had been issues in its realization ever since Indian subcontinent was subjugated to 'alien' powers.

Life is based on an abundant principle of living. Everyone is unique and hence their needs often are different while there is still commonality in certain aspects. A culture of one striving for excellence happens when there is a culture of abundance in any organization.

Performance review system which is largely built on scarcity mindset can never create a culture of abundance.

You are welcome to have the last word.

Best,

Sir

I am not sure I will have the last word. My last words keep evolving

But just to share my thoughts. I don't think 18.66 defines 'Moksha' in any way.

Krishna talks to Arjuna about his concern that Arjuna is going to commit 'pApa' if he has to kill his brethren and gurus. In that context he talks of performing worldy duties in Karma, Bhakti, Jnana ways, talks about Isvara sitting in heart of machine of mAya (human beings), the need to listen to one's heart and in that context assures that if Arjuna follows his words, he will be free of (moksa) of all the pApa.

This in my view, no way defines Moksha.

But there is another place Krishna seems to talk about mokSa more clearly.

tad ity anabhisandhaya​

This is in 17:25. He says 'Those who hope for mokSa without design of a result, do their activities of yajna, tapas, dana in many ways".

So if you hope for mokSa (liberation from worldly bondages), it is performing yajna or tapas or wealth producing activities without the design of a result.

Again, we are all of different gunas. So need not agree on it.

Modern organizations are based on team-work. Individuals can excel but cannot perform if they are not good in team-work. A team has a variety of people. If organizations do promote competition between individuals as you believe, people will be competing amongst themselves and will have little team-work, as they outdo each other, leading to disaster. That's not how organizations should work. It is the team that delivers not individuals.

So the infamous 'Bell' curve does not promote competition between individuals. The competition is within every individual itself. How has the individual grown from last time to this time..? How has the individual evolved..? Is that evolution of individual and the evolution of organization over this period matching..? What skill-sets and capabilities are required to match the direction.

The excellence we are talking about is progress in our knowledge, our capabilities, our skill-sets. It is not in comparison with what others have.

-TBT