The Software Developer's Career Handbook

Chapter 39. No Surprises

At the end of each fiscal year, companies take stock of their performance. How’d we do? Better or worse? This is a natural time to reflect upon individual performance. This is when your boss writes your review.

In my ideal management world, a review is simply a documentation of well-known facts about your performance over the year. It also contains constructive advice and insight regarding how your boss believes you can improve on that performance. My dream is that you already know all of this information because you’ve been getting year-round feedback from your boss.

I wish.

Whether your manager is consistently delivering this information or not, getting written feedback is entirely different from receiving it verbally. The path to your brain via the written word differs dramatically from the spoken word. Reading the highs and lows of the past year makes them permanent and real.

And then there’s the surprise.

Show Me the Money

Bad news. The surprise has nothing to do with money. We’re not talking about compensation here. Yes, you did a splendid job this year, and I think they should be throwing raises, bonuses, and stock your way. But it’s even better if it’s clear why you think you did a splendid job. Can you articulate it? And you might know, but does your boss? Can he explain to you, in detail, how well you kicked ass?

I didn’t think so.

See, your boss has you and a bunch of other “yous” who all are allegedly kicking ass, and all of that ass-kickery ...