Its the block rating season again where everyone is given a number depending on your results and behaviors. The old adage of having 5% of a teams population to be rated at an elbow rating as a guideline is where every manager has to put in regardless if the whole team is doing a stellar job. Although its mentioned as a guideline, everyone knows that its a firm guideline to follow or the manager himself would be in the elbow for not being a team player. Its absolute nonsense if you ask me. (full post on @1sfp+1dtOegX4 )
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I pulled this post into a new thread because I agree with every word of it. Perhaps someone wants to add something to this topic?
12 replies (most recent on top)
Here the real deal at HW Aero folks....... MM and his bobblehead leaders don't really understand where or what to value in the company, heck they don't even really understand what is core or non core. Saw this first hand over in GS&I, they don't know with any certainty what each site does. The decision was made to close many plants and no one had even visited to understand it. This is a company that has become so inefficent under MM rule and with the extreme pressure to meet financial commitments at the end of the quarter, there is only one way to turn and cut costs, close sites and layoff people. That is pretty much the only thing that has been constant under MM. Go back 8-9 yrs and HW dealt with uncertainty a bit differently with more subs, less site closures, and more focus on driving process improvement. HOS caused everyone to better understand where the value was. The only value MM sees is cutting to meet numbers so he gets paid. How about actually improving performance and driving real process improvement MM.....wait.....that can't happen unless you have leaders that are actually empowered and have true ownership. Until then, MM holds the codes to ruin this company. He is looking pretty tired lately, so I can only hope for everyone left behind that he decides to retire soon.
Here's a "thought experiment"... let's say you own "WidgetCo" and you have a great team of Widget Engineers and fabricators. Everything's fine, and you're making money even though you're not the best in the industry.
Q: Would you tell your Managers to cut 1/10 of your workforce per year, just because it's what "Hack" Welch recommended at Wall Street roadkill, GE?
A: He-l no, you wouldn't. Because you built a company on the concept that every employee is an ASSET, and your mission is to create a positive environment for productivity.
A good shepherd doesn't ki-l off 10% of his flock every year thinking it might make his flock better.
If a ship hits an iceberg don't hang it on the engine room guys. Fire the duty officers first.
Yeah. We used to joke about it. We’d say, “5 Block!” Then it got to where if we were considered “average” we would all just give average effort. Most left because we weren’t “average.” Pretty sad company that blatantly discriminates against their own employees to save money.
If you forgo the vaccination, will that affect your 9 block?
If I get the bad, can I get out of the elbow?
Asking for a friend.
I was put in the elbow. Finished at 110% to plan. I was out on a pip 2x this year, and k was at 213% to plan. I found a new job…. Making 30k more a year. Once I gave my notice I didn’t hear from my manager until i was told to cut up my corporate card. I’ll enjoy selling anything but honeyhell now.
Another former director here who had a high performing team that exceeded goals on a regular basis. The forced lower rankings were strictly to manage the paltry merit pool allocation provided - if we were fortunate enough to have a pool that year. There were several years that I was told to lower the ranking on one or more of my team members to meet the bottom quota. One VP boasted about "returning" merit pool each year rather than using it for his organization. I know individuals who were placed in the elbow and told it was "their turn." Very dysfunctional organization. It's no surprise so many walk away and don't look back.
I agree, except that I suggest the real percentage is a lot closer to 10% than 5%, depending on the number of people who report to a supervisor. Any way you slice it, it is a disgrace and creates a hostile work environment. Gratuitous cruelty is the HON management philosophy and it stinks.
This is a filthy, manipulative, greedy company and it starts at the top. Guys like DA and MM should be ashamed of themselves. They perfected the messaging and manipulation with share holders, but it's smoke and mirrors for now and it will end up come back on them. Poor managed org that has no clue how to take care of employees and customers. They only know how to take care of themselves.
You are absolutely correct. As a former Director, I can tell you this is the most frustrating guidance as a leader. HR and Sr leaders will tell you there is no prescribed numbers for elbows, but managers are forced to pushed employees into elbows to meet targets regardless of results and behaviors. It's all about managing merit budgets, not the HW allocates much for merit. Just throw out the 9 block already. It's all a bit of joke anyway because HWs track record for pulling back merits or pushing then is is pretty strong. Your manager has zero power in the process and just have to follow your lovely HR teams guidance and MMs greed.
This is just another HoneyHell hemorrhoid. An employee evaluation with pre-determined results.
These are the grown up bullies from grade school who know from their past who to pick on. It's usually the personalities they don't like are the smart ones who get the job done. Also, don't forget the ones who are older, male and White who are prime bait for the PIP.
Facts of life. The unpopular get left behind. Same rules since kindergarten. Evolution at work. bureaucracy selects for a particular personality and set of values.
Be nice, be helpful, bring donuts, sleep with boss on the side. The universal rules for success as a wage slave.