Corporate Annual Goals

4,746 Views | 39 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by The Dog Lord
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:32a, 10/15/21
Every year and in every company I have worked at, they make us fill in annual goals. Instead of it coming from the CEO onwards and broken down by group and level, they make employees come up with their goals which the manager criticizes and changes anyway.

Then a year later, things have changed so much that I find that I have worked on none of the projects mentioned, a whole bunch of new projects that are not on the goal sheet. Then they make us evaluate ourselves. Why? I have no clue. Then the manager evaluates me evaluating myself. Again, seems meaningless other than to show employees the middle finger.

In many companies, no one takes this process seriously and just goes through the motions to keep HR happy.

Is the Corporate Annual Goals for Employees an outdated concept that should be killed?
Reply Quote
13
1 edit
Lt. Joe Bookman
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:34a, 10/15/21
AG
Yes. Sounds like your company has too many of these guys…


Reply Quote
29
texan12
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:40a, 10/15/21
You're the paid employee. They set the goals for you to accomplish. Tell them to EAD.
Reply Quote
4
planoaggie123
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:42a, 10/15/21
AG
One positive thing from COVID....it seems like HR has forgotten about goals.

We never cared in our group but just the administrative process of prepping / loading to system / etc was annoying.
Reply Quote
2
DannyDuberstein
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:47a, 10/15/21
AG
I feel like we have a good process for this. It does start with leadership establishing our overall goals and cascading down, and then you (in collaboration with your manager) refine to make it as relevant (and measurable) as possible to your role. Then we meet midyear to review progress as well as modify for changes, some may get deleted while others get added
Reply Quote
2
javajaws
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:47a, 10/15/21
AG
Welcome to my life today. Thinking about entering this:

Goal: do what you'll tell me to do

Results: I did what you told me to do, even when it was stupid or a waste of time that kept me from doing productive work.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin
Reply Quote
22
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to texan12 • 11:47a, 10/15/21
texan12 said:
You're the paid employee. They set the goals for you to accomplish. Tell them to EAD.

The point I am making is they set goals on Jan 1, and by Apr 1, they "pivot" and make people do different things. By Oct 1 what you did all year has no resemblance to your goals set earlier. Then it becomes a matter of if your manager likes you or not. If he does, he will paper over the goals and explain it away saying corp strategy changed. If he does not, then he will nitpick every goal that he himself put in cold storage.

Do goals even matter today?
Reply Quote
4
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:50a, 10/15/21
I had a conversation with my manager last month. He told me people in the "organization" have some questions about you. I asked him what. He gave me some meaningless non specific talk. So I told him he and I have been working closely for the last year. He knows exactly what I have been doing. Any issues I raise it. We meet every week and more. If anything was a problem for a year, why am I hearing about it now?
No reply.

Then he says I need to "show more leadership". A copout answer. He is a good guy but he is 60+ and just wants to spend the next few years not fighting with senior management and preserving his job.
Reply Quote
2
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to DannyDuberstein • 11:51a, 10/15/21
DannyDuberstein said:
I feel like we have a good process for this. It does start with leadership establishing our overall goals and cascading down, and then you (in collaboration with your manager) refine to make it as relevant (and measurable) as possible to your role. Then we meet midyear to review progress as well as modify for changes, some may get deleted while others get added

I like this process. But this almost never is done in most companies. Like I said in the OP, goals should cascade from the top. You say it above too. Not employees being made to write their own goals with "what do you want to work on next year?". I've never seen goals once set be changed mid year.
Reply Quote
1
aglaohfour
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:52a, 10/15/21
AG
I worked for a company where you had to do a self evaluation that took at least 8 hours to complete, then they would randomly assign 3 of your peers to do the same evaluation of you (writing peer evaluations usually took me 3 hours each), and finally your actual boss would do one (writing these for my direct reports usually took 6 hours each). This would all be compiled and presented in an annual evaluation meeting that lasted at least two hours. So every single evaluation required at least 25 labor hours, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars that had been spent to develop and maintain the proprietary software/platform that was used for this whole thing. And this was done across the company for anyone in a management position or above. The only people who actually thought this was a beneficial process were HR and micromanagers. I've never in my life witnessed a more egregious waste of time and resources and not once did I walk away from it feeling like I'd learned anything of value.
Reply Quote
2
DannyDuberstein
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 11:56a, 10/15/21
AG
Right. It definitely requires pushing and ingraining it as a culture. We do manager assessments every fall, and as a manager, if you are dropping the ball on stuff like this or having development conversations with your team (at least 2x per year is required), it won't reflect well on you and that ends up going into your year-end eval. So it seems to get people to do it. It also helps to have a good online tool for it so that it's easy and auto-workflow, which we do.
Reply Quote
1 edit
Anchorhold
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 12:01p, 10/15/21
infinity ag said:
Do goals even matter today?
No. it's just HR trying to justify their jobs and has become a trend.
Reply Quote
23
Stat Monitor Repairman
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 12:04p, 10/15/21
Dont like the sound of this.

Would start looking at that backup plan.
Reply Quote
texan12
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 12:05p, 10/15/21
So what prevents people from setting very general
or generic goals? It'll be scrutinized regardless.
Reply Quote
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Stat Monitor Repairman • 12:07p, 10/15/21
Stat Monitor Repairman said:
Dont like the sound of this.

Would start looking at that backup plan.

I know, I am looking for a new one. The background is that the money the board gave the department is running out in 6 months and the dept has to fund itself. Now sr management in the division has been mucking around for years and things will come to a head soon. I expect layoffs. I am looking all over but even if it hits me, I am okay with it. The job sucks and is not adding to my skills anyway.
Reply Quote
normaleagle05
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:32p, 10/15/21
AG
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.
Reply Quote
8
Funky Winkerbean
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:53a, 10/17/21
AG
HR is the untreated tumor in every business.
It is so easy to be wrong—and to persist in being wrong—when the costs of being wrong are paid by others.
Thomas Sowell
Reply Quote
9
Ghost of Bisbee
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to normaleagle05 • 12:08p, 10/17/21
AG
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.


Examples?
-Ben There/R.C.
Reply Quote
2
Ghost of Bisbee
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:08p, 10/17/21
AG
I work in an industry driven by egos. Makes the goal-setting process that much worse
-Ben There/R.C.
Reply Quote
lotsofhp
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to normaleagle05 • 5:47p, 10/17/21
AG
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.


This was the right answer for me. Don't miss the corporate stuff at all.

I always just wanted to say, "I'm going to show up every day and work as hard as I can to sell as much as I can so I can make as much money as possible. What else can I do?"
Reply Quote
2
normaleagle05
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Ghost of Bisbee • 6:15p, 10/17/21
AG
Ghost of Bizbee said:
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.


Examples?

Most of these buildings house three or four. Go knock on some doors.

Reply Quote
2
1 edit
Ghost91
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:59a, 10/18/21
I've always said that your job description should = your annual goals.

I've literally copied & pasted my job description into my annual review/goals at the beginning of the year a few times and then sat back and watched heads explode.
Reply Quote
8
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to normaleagle05 • 8:16a, 10/18/21
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.

I agree with this.
I worked at small and medium companies and they either went out of business or got sold resulting in layoffs. I now work at a big-ass company and have to deal with this corporate nonsense.

I'm at a stage in my career where stability is less important, quality of work is. Even money is not that important. I'm looking for a good startup or small company to work for.
Reply Quote
MouthBQ98
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:52a, 10/18/21
AG
HR and middle managers need work too.
Reply Quote
ABATTBQ11
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 11:51a, 10/18/21
AG
infinity ag said:
Every year and in every company I have worked at, they make us fill in annual goals. Instead of it coming from the CEO onwards and broken down by group and level, they make employees come up with their goals which the manager criticizes and changes anyway.



This is what I like to call, "delegated leadership." The people paid big bucks to lead the organization and make decisions really just delegate those tasks and do... well mostly a lot of talking. Instead of saying, "This is my vision and what I want. Let's execute it," they ask, "What would we be doing?" or, "What do you want to do?" At the end of the day, the organization runs itself and does what it needs or wants. There's no one, "leading it," it's just pushed and pulled in whatever direction the majority of employees want to go in. The executives certainly have a say, but if they're not forceful or involved enough in leading and influencing, the organization will take over and they will simply be subverted by process and procedure over policy.
Reply Quote
2
1 edit
Carlo4
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to javajaws • 1:09p, 10/18/21
AG
javajaws said:
Welcome to my life today. Thinking about entering this:

Goal: do what you'll tell me to do

Results: I did what you told me to do, even when it was stupid or a waste of time that kept me from doing productive work.


Reply Quote
2
texan12
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Ghost91 • 1:27p, 10/18/21
Ghost91 said:
I've always said that your job description should = your annual goals.

I've literally copied & pasted my job description into my annual review/goals at the beginning of the year a few times and then sat back and watched heads explode.


Exactly. The scenario with the employer/employee relationship should be simple: you hired me to do ___ and and I will perform that. If my abilities or your expectations of me exceeded what you had in mind, then goals have been met. Good management would recognize this without needing employees to write it out for them. If they don't recognize this then they are out of touch with their line of work or dont value their people.
Reply Quote
Tom Kazansky 2012
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:26p, 10/18/21
AG
We use weekly, monthly, yearly goals at my mom and pop. Works fine.

The weekly ones are the most important, monthly is usually ignored and yearly are just sales revenue numbers.

Also the boss comes up with the company goals week to week and the department heads come up with their own department goals week to week. And we meet and talk about the goals once a week.

The boomers hate this process and ***** about it. When asked why, it becomes obvious they are just lazy as **** and dont want to be proactive. Boomers pretty much suck the life out of a room when the team is trying to collaborate and get **** done.

Edit: We do this on a shared dashboard and the boomers are constantly the ones looking at their phones and banging away emails while we are all trying to meet and discuss said goals. They also hate it when other departments critique their goals or call them unnecessary which is why we have the meeting in the first place to get aligned.
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
GIF Reactor
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to texan12 • 3:08p, 10/19/21
AG
texan12 said:
You're the paid employee. They set the goals for you to accomplish. Tell them to EAD.
I could see that going well.

Reply Quote
1
dcAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:57p, 10/19/21
My first job out of grad school my manager said, "Do your supervisers job. Makes it easier for them and when they get promoted you get promoted."

Years later I worked at a Big 4 firm as a consultant and spent about 8 hours filling out my review. I think I received a small bonus. The next year I submitted the same exact review and was promoted and received a pretty decent raise and bonus.

Years later I worked at a company (real estate development) where the President hated me because I had a very long relationship with the CEO that I still work with today (23 years). Well, 2008-2010 rolls around and everything stops. But I was able to develop a relationship with an "essential" tenant that basically saved the company. I pretty much dictated my bonus that year and she (the President) hated me even more. I went to Oktoberfest in Munich and upon my return on September 30...my birthday...I got a message from my CEO saying that we have left the company and sent to me our new office address.

Now I am the President of the company.
Reply Quote
6
1 edit
GentrysMillTX10
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:59a, 10/20/21
AG
At my last job - all of us that reported to the VP had to set annual goals. They had to be SMART goals….Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relative, and Timely.

One guy wrote his 5 goals and then the next day celebrated that he had met his goals for the year. The VP congratulated him and said the rest of us should learn to follow suit - and the VP was dead serious.

I later asked the VP why that was acceptable and even promoted. The VP said that everyone sees goals differently and for that guy to actually achieve his goals has been a lifelong struggle - so he was proud of the employee for setting and achieving his goals.

So I asked if I can set goals for the next day and be done for the year. The VP said no since I had already written my goals for the year the day before and he wouldn't let me change them.

Later that same year, the next day goal setter purchased 150 acres from the VP in east Texas. The VP then bought a beach house and let the employee go to the beach house whenever he wanted….
Reply Quote
1
EclipseAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 12:07p, 10/20/21
AG
infinity ag said:
I had a conversation with my manager last month. He told me people in the "organization" have some questions about you.
I had a boss years ago who was an expert at this sort of backhanded criticism. She would say things like, "People in the department are questioning ..." or "there's a lot of talk that ..."

Of course, there was never any talk or questioning. It was just her way of blaming other people for the picky things she wanted to ding you on.

Reply Quote
TexDill15
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to normaleagle05 • 1:43p, 10/20/21
AG
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.


Health Insurance is typically better at gigantic corporations. Mom and pop can't compete.
Reply Quote
1
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to EclipseAg • 1:59p, 10/20/21
EclipseAg said:
infinity ag said:
I had a conversation with my manager last month. He told me people in the "organization" have some questions about you.
I had a boss years ago who was an expert at this sort of backhanded criticism. She would say things like, "People in the department are questioning ..." or "there's a lot of talk that ..."

Of course, there was never any talk or questioning. It was just her way of blaming other people for the picky things she wanted to ding you on.


In my case, my boss is a nice guy but he is 61 and is in his last few years as an employee. He does not want to step on toes or stand up for his people. Just wants to ride things out. So when I asked him for details, he has none other than "need to show leadership". I did show leadership last year but then someone in the Engg team took offense as he wanted to run things himself so I got into trouble. So I took a backseat and things got done and now they want "leadership".

All bs. My boss knows this but is helpless. My company has been mismanaged by all the top guys and now they are looking for scapegoats. That is why I recommend that everyone ensure that they can run their homes without an income as soon as they can. Usually takes decades but don't always depend on your salary.
Reply Quote
1 edit
PoohAh97
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TexDill15 • 4:33p, 10/20/21
AG
TexDill15 said:
normaleagle05 said:
Y'all need to stop working for gigantic corporations yesterday. There's a million mom and pop places that are fun to go to just about every day of the year and pay just as well.


Health Insurance is typically better at gigantic corporations. Mom and pop can't compete.
Plus, mom and pop's third son will be uniquely suited to be your boss someday.
Reply Quote
1
Page 1 of 2 ▼
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.