How to deal with a bad review - one that is misstated

Hmmmmmmmmm...

You've already said a lot about the financial issues your company, this could be a weaselly way for them to save money.

That does smell a little funny.

I'm not sure what you can do about it beyond looking for another job, though, as a precursor to saying, "I have another job offer -- would you like to keep me?" Then let the sucking up begin.

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

Do you have a union or anything?

It is confirmed today – as today is the drop deadline date – that my review is needs improvement.

Sozobe – no union in these sorts of professional jobs. Kind of an oxymoron here stating professional in this circumstance. Luckily I have a mentor within the company – different division so that no loyalty issues and she and I are going to meet this afternoon before my meeting.

I also had the opportunity to speak with someone from our client – a VP that is a very straight forward no-nonsense type of person. Basically if he has an issue with you - you know it. I asked him as end of year and end of cycle has just come up, I want to be better prepared both to service them better (normal type of things you do at the end of a busy cycle) and how I can improve personally. He had some very good suggestions as well as concluding that there have been issues throughout the year, but in his opinion they were minor and you have to expect a few issues. He said he would NOT tell my manager that their were any major issues.

By the way I am actively looking and a recruiter has sent my resume to a couple of companies. They are even looking into getting me to see a former company that I actually loved working at and left on excellent terms.

Linkat,
seems like you're being framed and if I were you,
I'd have a recruiter look for other opportunities as well.

However, in the meantime, you should get statements
from your clients and co-workers stating the fact, that
you indeed have a "can do" approach and leadership
qualities. I would get them to retract their review and
insist on the much deserved raise and bonus - retroactiv
to the date of when they were supposed to give it to
you.

It is especially hard to swallow, when you worked so
hard and such long hours. Good luck to you linkat!

Is there a way to challange or appeal the review you were given?
And if so, then I would do as CJ suggested..
Statements, statements STATEMENTS...

Aside from it being fishy, has there been any thing out of the norm for your boss to jump to this conclusion?
meaning.. has your boss been absent abnormally this year to where it would effect the ability to SEE what you have been doing? Have you been absent more then normal ? Is there anything at all that is outside of your work ' behavior ' that could lead to this?

Thank you Calamity. It is helpful just to hear some support from others. I just don’t know how I am going to maintain my composure when I speak to this a*hole at 3:00 today. I think my mentor will help give me guidelines.

I once fought my dental insurance for 9 months on a crown they refused to pay for – about $300 or so dollars were involved. I eventually won because I was in the right. This was little dollars and personally did not affect me, so just imagine my resolve with this matter! The hard thing for me will be to keep my cool. On the positive side, it was very nice to hear such positive things from peers, clients, auditors and my staff.

Shewolfnm – Last night I did try to find something on our intranet website in regard to appealing. Basically I could not find something specific in regard to performance reviews, but there is a process in regard to general type of issues in which some one outside the group – I believe even though I am in Boston, it is a group in NY and they will do some investigations, etc.

Nether one of us have been absent a period of time. My boss may have been on a few business trips, but typically they only last a day or two. I have not been out except for a week vacation the last week of the year. Certainly nothing more than normal.

Here are my guesses – I wanted a promotion, applied and was denied. As he originally set up an interview for me, and then recanted the interview and just told me another person was selected, I voiced my opinion. I did not talk in an angry tone, I just stood up for myself. I stated I understand why his decision for this person was made, but I felt it unfair he did not even interview me. In addition, I voiced my one concern that even though this person was qualified, it may not be a good decision in that this person applied for this job after being laid off from another department. This person actually had worked in our group several years ago, but moved to another department and coincidentally was laid off on the same day she spoke to the director of the department about this job.

I have also expressed concern to him about being understaffed. We recently had a significant increase in business with my client – we more than doubled the amount of work and in addition there are new quarterly requirements that began in September where prior it was only semi-annual reporting. Obviously we did not come close to doubling in size and when verifying with other similar companies, they have one third of the work load per manager than I have here and more staff. Being some one that prides herself on client service and quality of work, I have legitimate concerns about this.

Perhaps I am some one who challenges him and he is a “yes” man with little back bone.

Good for you linkat, one has to stand up to its rights.
Having the positive reinforcement from peers, and other
staff is crucial in this, as it seem your review was given
without substantial back-up, and your boss has to prove
to you that his review is based on these factors (which he
doesn't have).

Please stay calm at the meeting this afternoon, just
think of the support you've been given by your staff and
how much you appreciate that. This will help you to
argue your case and have your boss re-evaluate your
work performance. It would be nice to get some statements
of clients and co-workers prior to the meeting, or at least
some verbal reassurance from them.

I'll keep my fingers crossed, and please keep us informed
afterwards, as to what happened at the meeting.

Thank you so much all of you – you don’t know how much this moral support means. I just came back from meeting with my mentor and she gave me some valuable pieces of advice. My meeting is in ten minutes. I cannot wait to see him squirm. I will let you know later.

i hate working for Yes men...
much luck to ya!

Here is what happened for those interested. Basically I let him do the talking initially. That actually was the best way because he dug a hole for himself from the beginning. Anything negative he tried to use, I already had a legit response. Once he finished I explained how surprised and shocked I was. I pulled out my notes on all the people who told me how wonderful I was and directly quoted from some especially those items in which he particularly pointed out to me. His expression was priceless. When I challenged him in a professional manner on specific details of a certain remark, he could not remember a particular instance where I lacked, but made note he would come up with something.

I then asked him to explain how 6 weeks prior I could be considered qualified as a VP and 6 weeks later I am no longer even qualified for my current position. He tried desperately to dance around it and said at first that he did not say I was qualified. I then recited verbatim his wording. I put him on the spot and he admitted he said. Finally he gave up and said it is company policy that a manger must be rated as needs development. I said I will not judge the other managers, but are these others qualified to be a VP and basically he danced around that without any clear response. Finally he concluded that he agrees with me, but cannot change the rating himself. He asked if I wanted to talk with the director of our department and I said no (knowing that this guy would feed me bullsh*t, but is not as weak as my manager). I said I am going to take it up directly with HR. He said he would talk with the director and see if there is anything he can do. He also stated that he was very impressed that I talked to all this people.

I plan on talking with HR tomorrow.

YES!!!!
I am so proud of you Linkat, and tomorrow you'll take
HR with your left finger. You have done well, congratulations!!

Well, I finally got a meeting with the director of HR. I emailed him asking him to meet with me. Seeing our company has cut expenses to a bare minimum we only have 2 HR people in our office a director and VP. The VP is out until March, so I went to the top.

I followed up with a call and as we have worked together on some other projects before we do know each other. He asked me to summarize what I thought were the issues (seeing he has such little time he wanted to make sure my complaint was legit). When I got to the fact that I was told I was going to get a raise – he immediately said – oh oh, that is a problem. No duh, I thought and isn’t making false statements with no detail to support it a problem either.

Honestly I am not trying to get my boss into trouble, but he was the one to write these things down and he was the one that said these things to me.

So what are my chances? By the way, a recruiter has sent my resume to another company and the company is very interested in seeing me. See what a great commodity I am.

( cheering )

Way to go!
bonsai kittens brighten any mood
send one to your boss to show your appreciation.

One of the bones of contention has to be that according to your description there was not a single negative comment beforehand that would make you examine both yourself or your immediate superior for a means to correct that performance. This is a very shallow treatment on their part. The likelihood of your immediate superior to have someone like yourself put into this awkward position without his/her knowledge is remote. Sounds like collusion to me. In my estimation you are correct to seek elsewhere. People you should find trustworthy have proven themselves otherwise. If you leave, as I'm sure you will, leave professionally. Don't burn your bridges. It's tempting to spew some venom but nothing will be gained and you're only letting them know they got to you. Given the scenario as you've described it you've an enemy there who's too powerful for anyone to say no to.

I think you hit it on the nose bobsmythhawk and I think I know who that enemy is, but my boss is too much a wimp to stand up to him. I honestly think he was the one who decided the person who will get the “needs improvement” and “persuaded” my boss to write up my review to reflect the rating. The one thing is, this enemy probably felt I would not fight it. I have the type of personality that unless you are close to me you really don’t know how strong and how when I believe in something no matter how trivial – I will speak up and fight until I win.

Also, don’t worry about me mouthing off. I am also professional to the end. For example, even though I plan on leaving as soon as I get suitable employment, I still work to my full abilities. I will possibly be working as late as 11:00 tonight. Even though my company and many people in management right know s*ck, I am still dedicated to my client and do not want to leave any slack to my staff. In addition, my industry is large, but yet small – in other words where ever you go you will bump into some one you know from a previous job. I would never leave on bad terms – because it could hurt me professionally and because I am some one who has a strong sense of integrity.

I am meeting with HR in ten minutes and for some reason I am nervous as h*ll. My palms are sweaty, and I have a stomach ache. But I also feel relieved – this could be over soon.

O-K, I spoke with the director of HR. If I want to continue to pursue this, I have to approach “the enemy”. The one I suspect as bobsmythhawk is talking about. Tell him about how my boss said I was going to get a raise and that I was qualified to be a VP. And also state that I want support for each negative item that there is no support. For example for the June cycle there were many issues and communication problems (of which my boss could not come up with when I met with him). The “promises” of a raise and the statement that in November I was qualified to be a VP, means nothing in my favor other than getting my boss in trouble for making them.

So basically I am stuck with talking with “the enemy” about the fact that most claims on my review are not supported with details and actual support. If between “the enemy” and my boss they cannot come up with anything, then I approach HR again and they will bring in all parties and basically say the review is crap. Now looking at it realistically, you can also come up with something. The type of job I do there are always issues, it is whether – 1) you caused them, 2) they are material, 3) you really pissed some one off. So in my case, yes there were issues, but none were major or to make note of. So my boss could also exaggerate a little issue and say it was a big deal. I told the HR director so basically I could go through all this aggravation and still come up with nil. And he pretty much say – yeah. Looks like I am up a creek without a paddle, and seeing I am not a vindictive type of person, it is hard for me to continue, as I am not really trying to screw my boss. But I really have no choice.

What happens if you win? You get the job. What do w/your current boss and or the Director. I'm not trying to be negative, far from it, BUT LOOK OUT, these people generally do not take these things well.

You will need to b on P&Q's, I'm afraid. Have you given this any thought?

If I “win”, I will get my raise and bonus. This would equate to about $15,000. No matter the outcome, I am still looking for another job as I cannot work here any longer. There is no longer trust.

HR is passing the bucket Linkat. They are the ones who
should investigate this matter and not you. Why have
a human resources department if you have to fend for
yourself in the end.

Agreed, I would look as soon as possible for another
job opportunity as well. In the meantime, I would
approach the "enemy" (what have you got to lose?)
and try to get to the bottom of this. However, in approaching
the "enemy" I would confront him together with your
boss. Don't do it alone, have some witnesses with you.

Definitely with CJane on bringing a witness. I am a bit surprised that HR did not assign someone to set up and attend/mediate the meeting. When I was working on my designation, that was certainly a must-do. It was why we had to take mediation training.