Most of you in the professional work force have most likely been through some sort of performance evaluation or review. Some companies review once a year, while some companies review their employees twice a year. Whatever the frequency, I think we can all agree that from the perspective of the person being reviewed, we go through the evaluation in hopes that the work we have done for the company was good enough to be recognized by upper management, and good enough to earn a merit increase.

Every year our company reviews our performance evaluation process in an effort to improve the format of the review. For years, the format of our review has consisted of a number of open-ended questions that we are expected to extrapolate upon with essay style answers. Then we sit down and review our answers with our assigned manager.

It is that time of year again, at i.d.o. Incorporated. A committee of us are sitting down to evaluate our performance evaluation process with the intentions of developing a format that all of the employees will like. We are reviewing evaluation processes from other companies to find something that could work for i.d.o.

Which leads me to ask all of you: What evaluation format does the company you work for use? What format for evaluation would you most like to use? Do you want to review yourself or do you want someone else to review you? Do you have any other thoughts about performance evaluations?

Merriam-Webster defines RECOGNITION as acknowledging an individual’s due diligence or effort(s) with appreciation … (i.e., with a special emphasis on “appreciation” – that’s my personal add-on). I’m sure that over your career, at one time or another, you have heard the words … “Great job!”, “Well done!” or even better, “You are such an awesome teammate, I just love working on projects with you!” Doesn’t it just feel great to hear those few simple words filter through your ears – from time to time by a colleague, superior, boss or client? Yes, it sure does … I know it does to me. After receiving those complimentary words, we usually get a spring in our step, run a little faster and jump a little higher. Receiving positive comments and/or rewards normally helps us to maintain a sense of motivation, strive for improvement and continue to do the best we can possibly do.

By dusting off and referencing my old Management Psychology text book from college, (yes, many, many years ago Amanda & Lee), I remember studying about “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”. Psychologist, Abraham Maslow developed a five (5) step theory on the needs of human beings which lay out the basic components of life that people need in order to survive and thrive. Maslow went onto theorize that these needs have to be fulfilled before an individual could move on to the next level or stage.

In case I have peaked your interest and you want to know more about “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, the progression of these needs are as follows:

1.) Physiological Needs are biological related items that you need to stay alive … air, food & water. Needless to say, these needs rank as the strongest needs of all because an individual requires these things to survive.
2.) Safety Needs – After fulfilling physiological needs, individuals seek security. While adults usually display security conscientiousness during emergency siuations, children on the other hand constantly demonstrate signs of needing to feel safe … on a more regular basis.
3.) Needs of Love, Affection and Belonging – To satisfy this phase and in order to move on to the next level, individuals must promote self worth and value by giving and receiving attention, care and support to and with others. This display of affection creates a positive sense of belonging.
4.) Self Esteem Needs – After satisfying the physiological needs, safety needs and needs of love etc., the need for self identification becomes important. Naturally, all individuals possess a desire for self-respect as well as a need for respect from others. On the contrary, when these needs are not satisfied, there is a feeling of frustration, inferiority, weakness, helplessness and worthlessness.
5.) Self-Actualization Needs are realized after the previous four (4) needs are met. Maslow further characterized self-actualization as an individual being and doing what he or she was born to do.

Food for thought:
o So, how does RECOGNITION play out in your workplace?
o Do individuals seem to be motivated less by basic needs and more for something that creates personal fulfillment, esteem and self-actualization?
o Are individuals motivated by things other than money often through other rewards?

Our hard work and efforts result in paycheck compensation which helps us to survive in society. However, the opportunity for an individual to thrive and demonstrate his/her ‘best side’ is an incredibly powerful motivator.
Recognition is not only good for your career but it’s also great for your health.

In closing, President John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

In our 2 year old home we have a two-story stairwell that has been waiting to be painted since the day we moved in. I was able to talk my father into making the 2 hour trip to our house to help us with this challenge.

He brought with him a heavy duty extension ladder, a very sturdy 2” x 12” x 12’ plank and a gallon of Floetrol. I already had in my arsenal all of the paint brushes, rollers and paint that would be needed. One new item I had recently purchased, but had not used yet, was a Shur-line adjustable extension pole I purchased at Lowe’s. The pole attaches to the end of a paint roller handle in order to reach taller heights.

My father set the ladder on one of the stair treads and leaned it back against the back wall of the stairwell. Then he set the plank on one of the ladder rungs and the other end of the plank set on the stair landing. To raise the height of the plank up a little more to be able to reach the top of the wall, we then gathered a few scrap pieces of 4”x 4” posts that we had recently cut and set those under the end of the blank on the landing.

We did some patching and sanding of nail pops and other imperfections on the dry wall before starting any painting. Then he proceeded to trim around the tops of the walls at the ceiling and around the doorframes. Because of his years of experience he could do this freehanded, but for most people, you may want to tape your baseboards, doorframes and the ceiling where it meets the top of the wall. He then rolled on the first coat of paint and let it dry over night. The next day he took the Floetrol and mixed it with the paint and then proceeded with the second coat.

This was the first time I had heard of Floetrol, but I got to see it in use. Floetrol is a latex paint additive. It helps to eliminate brush and roller marks and allows paint to adjust to extreme hot or cold temperatures and even high humidity (great for bathroom applications). It also extends the drying time of paint, which can be handy when you are trying to create faux finish effects on a wall, or in the case of my project, paint a wall that spans two floor levels.

FLOETROL AT LOWE’S

My father used the brand new Shur-line extension pole to reach all the way up the wall to the ceiling. After he used the adjustable pole, he said that it really made this particular job much easier. He was able to reach all the way to the top of the wall and as he drew the roller down toward the stairs, he was able to retract the pole to a shorter length in the narrow stairwell. He liked it so much he wanted to know where I bought it because he was going to go pick one up.

SHUR-LINE EASY REACH EXTENSION POLE

In short, when tackling a hard to paint area do your research, tap the minds and experiences of those you know with more knowledge about painting challenging spaces and have the right tools.

Congratulations to the Butler Bulldogs for their successful season and NCAA tournament! The Bulldogs captured the hearts and imaginations of college basketball fans nationwide with their improbable NCAA run. Upsetting a Syracuse team that many “experts” favored to win the tournament in the Elite Eight, and Big Ten power Michigan State in the National Semifinal was not enough; Butler knew they belonged with the “big boys.”

Looking back on the NCAA Tournament, I think we all learned, or re-learned, an important lesson thanks to Indianapolis’ own Butler Bulldogs. First, most every analyst predicted Butler to lose most every game they played starting with Syracuse. At that point in time, it was understandable. Syracuse has been a national power for years led by Jim Boeheim, a future NCAA Hall of Fame lock. Butler didn’t get the message… They won. Then they faced the Michigan State Spartans led by another future Hall of Fame coach, Tom Izzo. Still, Butler won a very close game and advanced to the Final Four. Again, someone forgot to tell them they were supposed to lose. In the NCAA Final, Butler faced Duke University, a program led by Hall of Famer “Coach K” and his three national championships. Duke is home to some of the most celebrated basketball teams and players in NCAA history. Butler would surely lose by 20 points… Experts were convinced that Butler just couldn’t hang with Duke… It was unthinkable.

Butler ignored all the negative sentiments and continued to do what made them successful… They played to their strengths and nearly conquered their modern day Goliath. Butler lost by only 2 points to the team that was supposed to thrash them by twenty points or more. They even had two chances to win the game at the end… Butler proved that it’s not the size of the dog, or Bulldog in the fight that really matters.

March Madness made me wonder why can’t we all be “Bulldogs”? If we stick to what we do best, focus on our clients’ needs, customer service, satisfaction, and have fun, success will follow.

Submitted By: Amanda Medlen

The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in November of 1963, The Beatles appeared live on stage (in front of 250 screaming teenagers) on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and the USA Olympic Hockey Team won a Gold Medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. When I ask my colleagues if they remember or saw any videos related to any of these significant events, they quickly respond back to me by saying, “I was minus 25, minus 22 or minus 6 when that happened.” I can’t help but chuckle to myself and immediately think about the many cultural differences and diversities between Baby Boomers (me) and the Generation Xers & Millennial (pretty much the rest of the office personnel).

So, in an effort to encourage the different generational classes to be able to work together in a harmonious manner, I researched some Generational Gap DO’s & DON’Ts to share with you. With permission from the “Walk the Talk Company,” I was granted approval to duplicate and distribute the below resource information for your review and for hopeful discussion material:

The DOs and DON’Ts for Working Effectively with Every Generation:

• DO recognize and accept that generational differences naturally influence our ideas, expectations, values, perceptions and behaviors.

• DO accept that you can learn from others’ different life experiences, perspectives and approaches – just as others can learn from you.

• Be willing to flex your natural style and preferences in order to work more effectively with all of your colleagues. Continually remind yourself that increased cooperation and collaboration result in greater success for EVERYONE.

• DO remember that each individual brings something special to the table. Each person represents a piece that must be present in order for your organizational puzzle to be complete.

• DO focus on what REALLY matters: PRODUCTIVITY; TEAMWORK; CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MUTUAL SUCCESS!!!

• DON’T “Profile” or Stereotype! Avoid judging your colleagues’ capabilities by what they wear, how they approach tasks, or what hours they seem to work.

• DON’T ridicule others. Avoid derogatory statements like “dinosaur”, “punk kid”, “bureaucrat,” etc., as these labels are disrespectful, degrading and counterproductive to group cohesion.

• DON’T assume that all members of any given generation think and behave exactly the same. While trends and similarities will exist within age groups, members of those groups still are INDIVIDUALS and should be treated as such.

• DON’T entertain the arrogant belief that your way is the BEST way and ONLY way. If you catch yourself falling into that trap, then take a moment to reflect on the successes your TEAM has experienced from diverse people and approaches.

• DON’T presume that your time, your ideas, your feelings or your individual goals are more important than those of your colleagues.

Effective interaction between all generations in the workplace is paramount to a Firm’s success. The assembly and coming together of Baby Boomers, Generation Xers & Yers, will only and truly be effective if there is open communication … with a sincere focus on the common good of the company.

Submitted by Gary K. Pino, FMP

Throwing a get together for the upcoming Colts AFC Divisional Playoff Game? As I prepare my menu, clean my house, refill snacks and restock cold beverages for family and friends – surely this goes beyond the scope of any “how to” blog, since a great party can only be defined post-hoc, after it is over, and is the result of a combination of superb planning and astonishing good luck regarding such uncontrollable issues as the weather and guests’ moods, interactions and especially how the Colts play…..
The best I can hope for is to plan ahead with care and then “wing it”. Here are a few tips that make the party planning a little easier…
Plan ahead.
Decide on the guest list, and invite them…easiest way – Evite
Figure out what to serve in the way of the food and drinks, and make center arrangements…I love to reuse game programs and hang all the freebies that the Colts marketing department hands out during the “Blue Friday” events.
Set up the music play list for guest arrival and pre-game festivities then turn the radio to ESPN the fan 1070 on the am dial…I love the enthusiasm of that Bob Lamey! Just place the volume on low during the game…
Make sure that the place is tidy and functional…so that people can circulate, sit down when they need to, and use the washroom and other facilities during the game without walking in front of those who will not move until the game is over.
Develop a theme and encourage your guests to dress according to the theme…of course everyone this weekend must wear blue and certainly it is a pitch-in, so less stress for me…I assign who will bring what after they RSVP.
Always try your best and have lots of fun!
GO BLUE!!!!! GO COLTS!!!!!

Submitted By: Donna Metallic

While driving to work this morning, I was listening to my favorite band of all time, yes; you guessed it – The Beatles. When one of their many hit songs blared through my car speakers, I couldn’t help but think that this particular song pretty much characterized my 2009. With the economic conditions we all faced last year and after personally experiencing three very close family tragedies over a five month period, it was truly “A Hard Day’s Night” or should I say A Hard Day’s Year? Thanks to the love, support and prayers from family and friends, I was pretty much able to endure the aftermath and deal with executing 3 estates. Despite the challenges our family faced in 2009, our year ended on a higher (Beatles) note (no pun intended), as my wife, Cindy, willingly and without hesitation donated her kidney to my brother, Ed, thus giving him at least another twenty years of a precious life.

After being able to kick back over the holidays, and count my many blessings, 2010 has started off much better for me. With that said, The Beatle’s song that immediately came to mind for this early part of the year is “Good Day Sunshine”.

After being inspired by Jill’s “Giving versus Getting” blog from last week, coupled with all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me, my blog entry this week gives me an opportunity to not only talk about the greatest band in the universe but also say “Thank You” to our valued clients for their continued business and support. In today’s difficult economy, we truly value the loyalty and confidence our clients have entrusted in us … and we pledge to do whatever we can to maintain the best possible fees and service that have satisfied them in previous years.

We are looking forward to a prosperous New Year … and fully realize that the success of our Firm depends on the dedication of our Associate’s and the solid business partnerships / relationships that we have built with our clients. We want our clients to know that they are appreciated, and if there is anything we can implement to enhance our innovative service offerings and/or serve them better, we are open to their constructive guidance! Again, many thanks and best wishes for an economically sound future …

So, in closing, what was your 2009 song and what will be your 2010 song?

Submitted By: Gary Pino