The Star Review

At our company, we have this thing called the Star Review. The company believes that one should have the opportunity to shine and I do agree with that. They want the staff to enjoy challenging jobs, to know what's expected of them, realize their full potential and be recognized for a job well done. It ensures that we are all focused on supporting our business objectives by achieving our own objectives, receive timely and accurate feedback on how well we perfomed against the agreed objectives and behaviors for our roles. The Manager makes an assessment of our strengths and development needs and puts in place a meaningful development plan to drive performance and aspirations.

Perfomance is rated under O (Outstanding), E ( Frequently exceeds Requirements), M (Meets requirements), NI (Needs improvement) and U (Unacceptable). It is like an exam and you have to prepare for it as it involves reading through Performance objectives, jotting them down and coming up with your own individual objective, reasons you think you met them and what is agreed about your performance with your manager. Then it is rated using the methods above.

This is also measured using the SMART method of setting objectives, meaning Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related. You also need to inform of your Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Having finished the first section you get to move on to the second section, mainly discussing leadership principles and behaviours, how you have achieved it. How have you been bold and adventurous, focussed aggressively on profit (all employers want that), delivered the basics brilliantly and added some magic touches and stuff like if you inspired and engaged ur colleagues or ensured that great people could do great work.

Moving on to the PDP, you then had an opportunity to state your career aspirations, within and beyond your current role, your strengths and any additional skills, knowledge and experience you will need to develop to achieve your objectives for the next year (current as it is). Looking forward, its now you and you alone and if you need any help, where from. E-learning is made accessible for all so that is not a question. We can all make it if we put our hearts to it.

I wish all our politicians looked at this country as one great company that all wanted to work in, didn't feel like leaving until retirement beckons. Looking at the SMART method, we all should have a time-frame by which to achieve goals we set by, and seeing that nobody likes to take responsibility for their actions, why do we need them. Its is so painful that the same people who give deadlines are the same ones who will do anything to make sure nothing is done by the same deadlines that they give. How sad! Well, I do pray that sooner than later, we will all put aside our selfishness and strive to live together as one family like we did, without suspicion, without hate, but like friends, good neighbours.

Doing the star Review taught me a lot. We all have to aim to achieve some goals.