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 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