Sunday, January 3, 2010

New year resolutions or wish lists?

"Resolution" is firm determination to do something in a certain time frame. Wish lists are like must-do tasks with no particular implementation date. So why do most resolutions often end up as items in a wish list?

Resolutions without an appraisal naturally gravitate to wish lists!

Appraisal, especially self appraisal, is tricky. The rating forms in annual job appraisals is the time when we come closest to structuring a self appraiasal. A new year, for most of us is about resolutions...appraisals can wait.

But then resolutions will start falling apart from next month. We forget some, cant hold on to most and never start with the rest. Appraisals can be of great help in uncovering the obvious.

Simply put, imagine this year we are out for a journey and we have our vehicle. Resolutions are the destinations that we intend to reach. And what we do is simply start driving ....without really checking how far one has to go? is there enough fuel for the journey? What about battery, air pressure, shocks (crucial if we intend to take the bumpy road) engine maintenance? Do we have the map? Have we figured out how and where to ask for help to get the right directions?

And the disaster begins, for most journeys the fuel ends mid-way, for others you are not sure about the road and so on...Appraisals can help in testing things you already know and uncovering issues which could be critical but are currently hidden from you.

Do a self-appraisal and check your fitness for each of the resolutions that you have taken up for 2010.

Happy New Year!

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