unexpected bad performance review

[potsy]

If you are in HR, I need some advice.  I am an EA and I read my bosses email everday.  I read an email yesterday from our HR person asking him if his NI rating of me was going to be a surprise to me.  I almost fell off my chair and went home crying last night.  I was so upset.  A surpise to say the least.  I have not been told anything that about my performance at all being positive or negative during this past year.

What should I do?  Our reviews are given at the end of August.  This is really bothering me.  Any advice.  What rights do I have.  Should I tell him that I saw the email at this point?  Or keep my mouth shut.  We were just purchased by another company which means that a negative review will not look good in my file if I get laid off for future consideration to get back in to the company.  

Help please!

[gee4]

A difficult one Potsy but I have to say this was rather unprofessional of HR to correspond with your boss in this way given you have access to his emails.

Don't jump to conclusions though.  It may not be a case of a bad performance review but rather a "could do better" one.

Have you had a difficult year?  Personally I would wait until you are called to the review.  I would not instigate a situation were you might cause worry for yourself unnecessarily.

However that said, everyone is different and if it would put your mind at rest have a quiet word with your boss to say that you have seen the email and see what he/she has to say.

[jennika]

If your boss knows you read his mail, couldn't you approach him as he would realize you have seen that?  Then you can express your concern and sit down and make an action plan  or at least find out what you should improve on?   Let him know, nicely, it take communications between the two of you and you need to know what you are doing worng to improve.  

It is such a hard situation to be in,  I hope it gets better for you and let us know how it goes.

[msmarieh]

Personally, I would consider this a blessing in disguise. Instead of being blindsided in the review, you have an opportunity to pull your thoughts together, and prepare a strategy for response.

I personally wouldn't mention it (unless he does). I would however, gather all documentation to demonstrate any positive accomplishments for the year - have you taught any workshops to your co-workers, taken any classes, learned any new skills, taken on any new responsibilities, etc. during the year? If so, document them all!!! Be sure to include copies of any positive emails or notes that you have received where people commented on your good work.

In addition, check out classes that would address areas where you think your boss might think you need improvement and go in prepared to suggest them to improve your skills as needed.

This is a golden opportunity for you to be professional and prepared and have some positive results come out of a negative situation. At the very least, get your resume updated.

Marie

[peaches2160]

Everyone should always be continually improving and looking for ways to expand their knowledge and skillset.  This is a precarious situation.  However, all is not lost.  I would heed the advice above and not say anything.  However, go into your evaluation with documentation of your accomplishments.  if you find area your boss has marked a NI, discuss it.  Ask him/her or suggest ways you can improve.  Show a desire to improve and leave with a positive attitude.  If you find the ni stems from a particular incident, think of ways you have implemented to improve the area, process, whatever the case may be, and bring this to your bosses attention.  

Lots of great advice here. in the posts.  Let us hear how you decided to handle this and how it turns out.

[JessW]

Sorry to ask what might be a really silly quesiton, but what is an NI?

Thanks

Jess (I never gets any constructive or otherwise sort of feedback and my last staff review was in 2001 for the 2000 year!)

[potsy]

Thanks to each of you who responded.  I really appreciate it.  I keep getting mixed responses from people saying to let him know that I read the email and some say not to mention it.  The problem is that I don't want this to go in my file.  I really don't know why he would think this since we work so well together.  I'm thinking it may be the other manager that I have a dotted line to.  I'm stuck.  Still don't know what decision is the right one.  I just don't understand.  I have never ever gotten a bad review in my entire life.  This is so depressing.  Yes, a definite blessing to know ahead of time for sure but frustrating also since I want to talk with him but don't want it to backfire on me.

[msmarieh]

not silly... you won't know if you don't ask...

NI = Needs Improvement

Usually on a scale of 1 to 5, it goes something along the lines of: Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement, Unsatisfactory.

[msmarieh]

You will not be able to prevent this from going in your file at this point in time. Until it is presented to you, there is little you can do. There is a much greater risk of your speaking up backfiring on you versus staying silent.

Marie

[peaches2160]

 NI -  I assume stands for Needs Improvement.  Everyone needs improvement in some area.  No one is perfect.  It is something to use when setting goals.  In our performance review system, NI is taken as constructive criticism.  We must always seek continuous improvement in all areas.

Example:  Attention to detail - NI When goal setting, strive for improvement.  Implement a process whereby you highlight key items in messages or proof all correspondence before sending. (This is only an example)  Another goal is to take a training class over the next quarter or six months on improving details skills, proofreading or improving listening skills, whatever the case may be.  

Do you know exactly what the NI is in yet?  HR is probably following up to make sure the process is being followed and the developmental need is being properly communicated.  If you are called in and verbally counseled for performance infractions or counseled, (warned) in writing, then I would be worried.  

Take it as constructive criticism during your review and when discssing it with you boss during the review, be positive and take it for what it is.  Room for improvement.  Let us know how it turns out.

[Jackie G]

If your access to your boss's mail is for checking when he's not there then it may be perceived as 'snooping' and you should not mention it.  Equally though, if your boss is at a level where people know his secretary has email access, then the HR person was extremely stupid and should be shot.

If, however, you have access to his mail so that you check everything, then he must know you've seen it.  I would raise it and see where it leads.  After all, you know you have an NI rating, so be assertive but positive and see what it means for you in terms of your job and what type of training/support you will receive in the coming year to ensure there is not an NI next year.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[misslynn]

It is not your fault for having read the e-mail, it is the fault of the person in HR who did something as ridiculous as sending it.  As such, admitting that you saw it would not (or at least should not) cause you any trouble.

If it is interferring with your work as surely it is quite distracting on your mind, I would say go ahead and address it. As stated earlier, this could be a blessing in disguise as it does give you time to gather your thoughts and be more rational in response as opposed to emotional.

[raindance]

Tell now or tell later?  That's a decision that only you can make, particularly as we don't really know the set up in your company.

There are two ways of dealing with this - both of which are right and tactful in their own way depending upon the circumstances:

If you are authorized to read your boss's emails - and ONLY if you are - then you should go to him and say that you have read an email on his system that you clearly weren't meant to see, describe the contents and say how disappointed you are about the contents, it reflects badly on your performance, you thought that any problems would have been flagged up sooner etc etc.  And see where the conversation goes.  

If you are NOT authorized to see his emails, then keep schtum until your appraisal.  If that is the case, then at your appraisal you can say how sad you are that this was brought up earlier so that you had the opportunity to address any concerns that management had and work through them sooner etc etc.

Either way you come out on top - but you need to be very sure of the ground you stand on first.

[bellajgw]

Well, since your boss knows you read his e-mail you might as well confront him about it, because he WILL know that you have seen it.  By not confronting him about it he may think that you have something to hide.  Confronting him about it (in a professional way) will make you look more adult, professional, etc.  

I would do this as soon as possible, the longer you wait the stranger it will look.  Also, I would take a few minutes to go over the past year in your head, looking for things that maybe you missed, issues he has had with you, things he may be referencing.  Take those things and find a professional way to respond to them.  If this is all news to you and your boss has never really said anything negative, go to him with that.  Say you don't want to wait for your review to talk about it.  You work hard and have no idea if he's unhappy about something until he says so.  Why wait until your review to dump it all on you when he could simply been up front about it to begin with and given you a chance to improve.  Doing it this way is like passive aggressive sabotage.

And besides, if you go to your boss with this he may say that it wasn't him making the negative reports, but the other manager...then you at least know where the problem is coming from.  

Trust me, doing nothing and sitting on your hands until review-time is the worst thing to do.  You have to protect your job and your work-image, especially at this weird time.