Just got a fucking harsh yearly review at work

[ToddBonzalez]

So I work with a small team of about 6 people and there's one dude that I don't get along with at all. My manager solicits feedback for all of his underlings from people they work closely with. I had my review and my manager was reading feedback I got from "the team", but I could absolutely tell most, if not all of the negative comments were coming from that one dude. They were written in his exact speech patterns. My manager is very hands off and doesn't know of this beef or much of what the day-to-day is like on our project, so it sucks that he thinks I have these negative qualities, when really it's just me and one other person who have a poor working relationship and don't mesh well on the project.

I didn't want to call out the other guy and makes excuses in my review so I just "grinned and beared it" as they say. My manager ended it by saying that these things are going to hold me back in my career and I really need to work on them if I want to move up in the company.

Also, this other guy on my team has a different manager who doesn't solicit feedback from coworkers, so I didn't even have the chance to say my piece in his review.

I still got a passing score, but it just feels really, really shitty that one guy had so much sway over how my review went....

 

[Mona]

well that stinks

i'll come work with you and put in a good word

 

[samoscratch]

What were the supposed problems he brought up?

 

[Elfgore]

That sucks. Even worse, it sounds like you have a shitty or apathetic boss. What kind of boss only listens to one employee? What kind of boss doesn't notice that one dude having issues and then realizing it's a personal thing? I'd be looking for another job ASAP.

 

[entremet]

Your boss sounds shitty btw.

Good bosses defend their employees that are producing results. He also sounds incredibly detached.

Most managers suck, though. That's why you need to play the politics game wisely.

 

[Rygar 8Bit]

Should have told him you and the other guy have problems. Not saying anything makes you look guilty.

 

[DirtyLarry]

I literally had the exact situation at my job about 5 years ago.

Unlike you, I called the person out, my manager smiled and said "you are absolutely right, it was so and so who said all of this" and I then explained how said person had it out for me, which they did.
So unfortunately I would have advised you no doubt call said person out. Work is not the streets. If someone tries to talk shit about you behind your back, which I see this as no doubt doing, then you call their ass out back. People in work environments will do whatever they can to look out for themselves, and you need to do the same.

With that said, I also primarily have worked in pretty large office environments. I realize it is a different situation on a smaller team, but still, work places can be brutal and make no mistake about it, people are going to fuck you over if they believe it will get them some kind of advancement and pay raise.

 

[ToddBonzalez]

That sucks. Even worse, it sounds like you have a shitty or apathetic boss. What kind of boss only listens to one employee? What kind of boss doesn't notice that one dude having issues and then realizing it's a personal thing? I'd be looking for another job ASAP.

Click to shrink...

We work on by far the smallest team in the company. I think his system works better if you're on a team of 25+ people, but when you only have 5 direct coworkers and one guy doesn't like you, a huge portion of your feedback is now negative :(

To make matters worse, this manager doesn't actually work in our discipline. He was promoted from another area. So he literally said "I'm not an expert and can't really judge the quality of your work personally, so I leave it up to the anonymous feedback to let me know how you're doing." Just feels really shitty and unfair.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

Same thing happened to me last year. My manager doesn't like me, he is also jealous of me since all my dev works goes to the top people at the organization or it helps multiple teams within the bank. The guy is a douche, i don't really talk to him much anymore.

 

[John Omaha]

Should have told him you and the other guy have problems. Not saying anything makes you look guilty.

Click to shrink...

I second this. By not speaking up, you basically let the other guy lower your reputation at the company for at least one quarter.

 

[ToddBonzalez]

I second this. By not speaking up, you basically let the other guy lower your reputation at the company for at least one quarter.

Click to shrink...

It's a bit of a gray area imo, because I think some of the feedback is valid, but was phrased in a very negative, harsh way and exaggerated in some places. So I can't really say "No, this definitely isn't true!" But this dude just went in on trying to hit me with everything negative he could think of.

 

[entremet]

We work on by far the smallest team in the company. I think his system works better if you're on a team of 25+ people, but when you only have 5 direct coworkers and one guy doesn't like you, a huge portion of your feedback is now negative :(

To make matters worse, this manager doesn't actually work in our discipline. He was promoted from another area. So he literally said "I'm not an expert and can't really judge the quality of your work personally, so I leave it up to the anonymous feedback to let me know how you're doing." Just feels really shitty and unfair.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that's terrible management.

Kinda sucks, but management is not really taught. People are just promoted to it, aka The Peter Principle. So it creates a class of employees that basically wings it, without much accountability overall.

 

[Dwayne]

It's a bit of a gray area imo, because I think some of the feedback is valid, but was phrased in a very negative, harsh way and exaggerated in some places. So I can't really say "No, this definitely isn't true!" But this dude just went in on trying to hit me with everything negative he could think of.

Click to shrink...

Even still, say this. This feedback is costing you, you need to stand up for yourself and put it all out on the table. Especially if the manager is out of touch like you say, it's their responsibility to listen.

 

[FaceHugger]

You should bring it up. If someone you;re expected to work with is difficult and is complaining about you then your manager totally needs to know. Motherfuck that guy, don't just take it.

 

[Cation]

That sucks. Even worse, it sounds like you have a shitty or apathetic boss. What kind of boss only listens to one employee? What kind of boss doesn't notice that one dude having issues and then realizing it's a personal thing? I'd be looking for another job ASAP.

Click to shrink...

Pretty much this. Wtf is your boss a moron?

 

[Joshua]

What's the job market like in your area? I'd suggest you start looking for a company that properly values you.

 

[Lord Fagan]

Been hearing this from a handful of folks I know that are still lucky enough to have their jobs over the last few weeks.

I'm wondering if stuff like this is a sign that corps are prepping to cull some of their white collar workforce and laying the groundwork to fire for cause so they can avoid fees when those people file for unemployment.

Regardless, it's a shame OP. Best of luck in the year ahead.

 

[Rad Bandolar]

My manager ended it by saying that these things are going to hold me back in my career and I really need to work on them if I want to move up in the company.

Click to shrink...

Move up in the company?

The only reason you're there is to get the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to get a better paying job elsewhere.

That's the only way you advance in the modern world.

 

[mrmoose]

Makes no sense to base a review on what one peer says. If the pool of feedback is too small than either make the pool bigger or do away with it except as maybe constructive criticism that is separate from a manager's review.

It's also why in many places, solicited peer reviews (and I realize the ones in the OP are unsolicited) are a game and of little to no worth. If you can choose who's going to review you, it never ever behooves you to choose someone who will even remotely say anything negative because that's what people focus on. So nobody ever improves. In my youth I tried to pick people from different teams so I could get different input but nope, you better pick people who are in love with you or are your buddies.

 

[cyrribrae]

I actually don't think this is terrible management. Soliciting feedback from the team is a completely valid way to get at the truth, especially on small teams where the other people will know you well. The problem is that your boss wasn't also hands on enough to seem to know your habits and traits themselves (supervising...?). I also don't think you should have simply taken it. I think that was a great place to acknowledge that there are shortcomings that you have been and intend to keep working on - and that with most members of the team, you've found a way to work well with them and get things done.

Still, that sucks. Sounds like a toxic work environment day to day, if 1/6 of your team is against you. Hope it gets better, but it might be worth being a bit more proactive about it? Maybe lol, not like advice on the internet will understand all the nuances and challenges of your situation.

 

[Boogalogist]

You need to defend yourself during these reviews. Do it in an non-emotional and non-confrontational way.

 

[EVIL]

From my experience, peer reviews are never there for your benefit, they are only there to give the company excuses not to promote you, or to keep paying you the same wage, so I would def dig into any negative point you receive and look out for yourself more. Don't flat out lie about your own performance, but def don't play yourself by thinking things like .. "well I did great on this, but I don't want to brag, I am humble, so lets put it on average instead of above average". I see too many people score themselves lower than they should with these systems, and if they then don't have a manager to back them up, any negative point of feedback from others can really kill you.

companies take these reviews way more serious than seeing you actually do a good job on the work floor on a day by day basis.

 

[SupremeWu]

Some people are just assholes -- but, OP, in your bosses defense it's hard to tell which is the asshole if they only get one side of the story (kind of opposite of the OP where we assume the other guy is all bad, maybe he has some legit gripes?)

 

[ToddBonzalez]

From my experience, peer reviews are never there for your benefit, they are only there to give the company excuses not to promote you, or to keep paying you the same wage, so I would def dig into any negative point you receive and look out for yourself more. Don't flat out lie about your own performance, but def don't play yourself by thinking things like .. "well I did great on this, but I don't want to brag, I am humble, so lets put it on average instead of above average". I see too many people score themselves lower than they should with these systems, and if they then don't have a manager to back them up, any negative point of feedback from others can really kill you.

Click to shrink...

Yeah I got positive feedback that said "likeable and easy to work with" and then "doesn't take feedback seriously. Not sure if he's even listening" like how can these things coexist lol. I still got a 3 out of 5 which means "performs all job duties up to expectations" but I got a 4 for "above expectations" last year when I had a different manager who was way more in the know. I don't think my performance has suffered so it feels shitty to get docked and now I'm seen as someone that has issues I need to work on.

 

[xxracerxx]

when I had a different manager who was way more in the know.

Click to shrink...

You should have told your manager that you think you know who wrote those bad reviews of you and discussed it.

 

[ToddBonzalez]

Some people are just assholes -- but, OP, in your bosses defense it's hard to tell which is the asshole if they only get one side of the story (kind of opposite of the OP where we assume the other guy is all bad, maybe he has some legit gripes?)

Click to shrink...

I think some of his gripes are legit, but he went all in with fairly exaggerated language like, "Doesn't take feedback seriously. Not sure if he's even listening." Like yeah dude, I don't always do exactly what someone in a different discipline/role suggests. I always listen, but I'm going to do the way I feel is best unless a lead or senior member in my discipline gives me a suggestion.

 

[gozu]

So I work with a small team of about 6 people and there's one dude that I don't get along with at all. My manager solicits feedback for all of his underlings from people they work closely with. I had my review and my manager was reading feedback I got from "the team", but I could absolutely tell most, if not all of the negative comments were coming from that one dude. They were written in his exact speech patterns. My manager is very hands off and doesn't know of this beef or much of what the day-to-day is like on our project, so it sucks that he thinks I have these negative qualities, when really it's just me and one other person who have a poor working relationship and don't mesh well on the project.

I didn't want to call out the other guy and makes excuses in my review so I just "grinned and beared it" as they say. My manager ended it by saying that these things are going to hold me back in my career and I really need to work on them if I want to move up in the company.

Also, this other guy on my team has a different manager who doesn't solicit feedback from coworkers, so I didn't even have the chance to say my piece in his review.

I still got a passing score, but it just feels really, really shitty that one guy had so much sway over how my review went....

Click to shrink...

Keanu Reeve said you're breathtaking so don't let the hater(s) and the fool(s) bring you down. You'll show them. You'll show them all!

#teamtodd

 

[SupremeWu]

I think some of his gripes are legit, but he went all in with fairly exaggerated language like, "Doesn't take feedback seriously. Not sure if he's even listening." Like yeah dude, I don't always do exactly what someone in a different discipline/role suggests. I always listen, but I'm going to do the way I feel is best unless a lead or senior member in my discipline gives me a suggestion.

Click to shrink...

This is a potentially great opportunity for you -- if someone on your team isn't feeling heard, make them feel heard. Explain why you may not do what they suggest. Some of the most valuable colleagues are ones I butt heads with most often -- we may not be friends but we let each other hear what we don't like to hear, and that can be more important than 'yes sir right away sir'.

 

[Dragoon]

From my experience, peer reviews are never there for your benefit, they are only there to give the company excuses not to promote you, or to keep paying you the same wage, so I would def dig into any negative point you receive and look out for yourself more. Don't flat out lie about your own performance, but def don't play yourself by thinking things like .. "well I did great on this, but I don't want to brag, I am humble, so lets put it on average instead of above average". I see too many people score themselves lower than they should with these systems, and if they then don't have a manager to back them up, any negative point of feedback from others can really kill you.

companies take these reviews way more serious than seeing you actually do a good job on the work floor on a day by day basis.

Click to shrink...

This man speaks facts. If you don't value yourself highly, why the fuck would anybody at work do so instead?


I would have called that person out, but everyone has their own style. If you let things like this happen, it's bound to continue happening.