Judgment, Evaluation, Feedback, etc. LO9868

Kerr, Donald (Donald.Kerr@alliedsignal.com)
Tue, 10 Sep 1996 07:25:00 -0700

I was just thinking about something Peter Senge said in an LO
Teleconference last year. I won't quote him directly but his message was
leaders must understand the difference between feedback and evaluation.
He did not elaborate. He seems to stay away from the issue of performance
appraisals. I'm curious why and how he feels about this issue. Could any
of you help me understand the following words and questions?

1) What is the difference between "evaluation" and "feedback?"

2) How is "evaluation" similar to/different than "Judgment.?"

3) How are these terms related to "ranking," "grading in school," and
even "Salary Grading and promotion?"

4) Are all these terms, including exclusive hierarchy, products of a
competitive system based on artificial scarcity?

5) If one speaks out against performance appraisals, ranking, pay for
performance, etc., how can one not also come out against salary grades
and promotion within an exclusive hierarchy?

[This next question is optional and related to the Christianity and 5th
Discipline thread]

6) How does the message "Judge not!" in the Christian Bible relate to
one's judgment of someone else's performance and worth to an organization?
Is it strictly a spiritual principle or is it a call to transformation of
social organization? Many are trying desperately to come up with
alternatives to the prevailing performance appraisal systems and exclusive
hierarchies...most are not very successful. Dr. Deming has shown us that,
no matter how you slice them individual performance cannot be separated
from the performance of the system and for this reason Performance
Appraisal cannot be done. From this can we go on to say that any form of
judgment cannot be done. Could it be that the reason they cannot be done
is because they violate the spiritual principle "Judge Not?" Could it be
that to empower people to learn...is a much more radical transformation
than has been sold by consultants so far? Is a 1 to 12 leadership to
disciple (employee) ratio where the least shall be the greatest the only
remaining model for social organization?

I'd appreciate any of your time in addressing any or all of these
questions. This is not intended to be a debate on how to do performance
appraisals, etc. I'm interested in the flow of meaning that runs through
my questions. My hope is you can help me understand why I'm asking them
and if they are legitmate questions. Please do not let the last one turn
you off from the first five. Thank you.

Have a Great Adventure!
Don Kerr
donald.kerr@alliedsignal.com 

-- 


"Kerr, Donald" <Donald.Kerr@alliedsignal.com>
 


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