1. At a personal level — how we view our individual performance.
2. At an IT service delivery level — how our customers might have a different view of our collective performance.

So how close is the way we see ourselves (and our IT service delivery) rooted in reality? How "honest" are we being with others AND ourselves?

Understanding and communicating our own performance...

Performance reviews are usually seen as the corporate barometer of whether we are good, bad, or indifferent in our work lives. But how many of us have, in the past, been so focused on the performance mark — and probably the recompense that is associated with achieving the best possible mark — that we focus on the upside of performance, conveniently forgetting (if not hiding) the things that weren't so great.Unfortunately we're possibly the victims of ill-devised corporate performance-review-and-reward-systems such that it's driven us to said behavior; but ask yourself: "Am I doing my customers, my employer, and myself a disservice to get a short-term benefit over longer-term improvement?"

I'm probably (OK, definitely) not the best person to give advise on "matters of the HR" but I can point you at this HBR blog: "How to Write the Dreaded Self-Appraisal" by Amy Gallo. On self-appraisals, Amy recommends that we should:

1. Know how our boss will use the performance appraisal
2. Emphasize our accomplishments
3. Acknowledge mistakes — carefully
4. Keep the focus on us.

Amongst other things, IMO many of us have a lot to learn about point number 3 — not just personally but also at an organizational level.

Understanding how well we deliver IT services...

If only this was as "easy" as personal performance reviews. I'm not going to start to preach about how best to do this but I am going to return to contestant X with a few probing questions for any IT organization:
* How is our appreciation of our performance rooted in reality?
* What do our "judges" really think of our performance (and is it completely different to our own view)?
* Are our judges offering "advice" and, even if we hear it, do we ignore it on the basis that they are "wrong"?
* Is there an equivalent of the reality-TV exit door and are we moving towards it?

The bottom line for me is: "How honest are we being with ourselves?" "Do we do the great job that we think we do?" and "Are we able to improve?"

Do you know a corporate contestant X?

As always your thoughts and comments are both encouraged and appreciated.