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The other day I read an article by a writer who was ranting on and on about how his boss was "out to get him" and he had to consult the union and he was oppressed and the system was a "scandal" yadda yadda. The article really bored me because I felt like it was just a bunch of useless complaining. If you get a bad evaluation, or even if, god forbid, you get fired ... it's not the end of the world. Instead of blaming your boss or the "system," another option is to see what you can take away from the experience.

I'm not in business, but I do work with professionals and I can tell you that over the course of my 9 year career thus far I have come across every type of do-you-want-some-cheese-with-t hat "whine." These days as so many businesses are "downsizing" and "restructuring" there is a lot of performance reviewing and job changing going on, how one views the process depends on a chosen point of view.

Every type of job has an "evaluation" or "performance review" process. Many professionals I have known (myself included) at one time or another have feared this process, seeing it as a way for a manager to fire them. The reality is, it is not about firing the employee (ideally anyway). The review process exists to improve the effectiveness of the workplace. If the boss says you aren't "cuttin' the mustard," it would behoove you to stop, take a breath, and absorb that for what it's worth. Don't go into it thinking it's a bad thing

For most people, a bad review leads to feelings of despair and self-pity. It makes people very defensive. If you're in this position, you can combat these awful feelings by summoning COURAGE and asking yourself (as well as your evaluator) "how can I do better?" When you do this, you can sleep at night. You can take the recommended steps and see yourself as a work in progress, submitting to the powers that be as a dutiful person ought to.

Now if your boss is doing something unethical, or she/he truly seem to be harassing you with a bad review because they don't like you, then I would say . . . contact your union or human resources department to put that in writing and get legal assistance. I am not referring to those unbalanced situations. Instead I am talking about self-awareness. Many people are like ostriches: they let opportunities for growth pass them by with their heads in the sand. If you find the bravery to listen to the evaluation and try and become better through the bad marks in your evaluation, you will be a better person . . . come what may . . . and even if (yes your worst fear) they end up firing you! You will stand tall knowing you did everything you were asked and added your own stuff to that to do a great job.

I hope I don't come across as unfeeling or callous. I have been in the "bad eval" camp before and it truly sucks. I can also say I have benefited greatly by humbling myself and trying to make the suggested changes as best I could. That process will change anyone who tries it, and I wager to say that a humble attitude toward a bad eval will teach you more than a favorable "pat-on-the-back" eval ever could.

Learn more about this author, Damien Riley.
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