Page 27 - Benjamin Franklin\'s The Way to Wealth: A 52 brilliant ideas interpretation - PDFDrive.com

9 CONDUCT YOUR OWN ANNUAL REVIEW

‘If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master
should catch you idle?’ notes Franklin, before concluding then that ‘are
you then your own master, be ashamed to catch yourself idle.’ So, as your
own master, how do you think you’re getting on?

DEFINING IDEA…
What is interesting about self-analysis is that it leads nowhere—it is
an art form in itself.
~ ANITA BROOKNER

Whether you are employed or self-employed, take a moment out to assess
yourself. Be realistic and honestly rate how well you’re doing. Now, like so
many people I set up my own business mainly because I loved the idea of
being my own boss. But, also like so many others, I suspect that if I were
honest with myself, I would admit to being a lousy boss with a notable
inability to clamp down on day-long lunch breaks. Hmm—see what I mean?

Time to get stuck in. Be as objective as you can. Now, as with any annual
review, this shouldn’t just be about putting a person (OK, you) on the spot
and asking them what they think they could do better. Instead it should be
part of a process aimed at encouraging you to think more about what
you’ve achieved and what you could go on to achieve. As such, it should
be accompanied by an annual audit of exactly what you have done, and a
brain-dump of goals to be set for the next year. At the risk of developing
schizophrenia, this is quite a good moment to stand on both sides of the
divide and see your goals and achievements both as your employer and as
your employee.

As your employer, do you feel that the last year’s workload, targets and
ambition were completely satisfactory? As the employee, do you feel that
your employer is perhaps being over-optimistic, given the undoubted
demands on your time?