Which is important? Quality OR Quantity?

Hello! I am back with another not-so-sweet-preachy-words-filled-blog. Can't help it. Will change the mode of this blog in near future with some other kind of blogs. Till then here is one more for you and me.

In this blog, I would be sharing what I feel regarding the quality and quantity of work we do and its implications on subsequent appraisal(s). The work in this case can be tasks performed at office OR in personal life. I will try and limit the scope to the tasks performed at workplace....Though I don't see many reasons why it cannot be applied to personal tasks as well. Enough! Let's begin.

Somehow we love appreciation. We love being awarded/rewarded for the tasks that we do. One similar exercise is the appraisal- not a new word for corporate employees.
Dictionary says something like -The process of determining the value and thus the disposition of records based upon their current administrative, legal, and fiscal use; their evidential and informational (historical) value; their arrangement and condition; their intrinsic value; and their relationship to other records. (SAA)

The corporate has chosen this as the baseline for the annual/half yearly appraisals. It goes like
an appraisal is a formal meeting between your superior, in which your performance evaluation is done with comments,opinions and feedback of both.


The pre-requisite of this activity is:
1) Number of tasks performed during the cycle - the term Quantity in the title of this blog.

2) Rating of the above mentioned tasks - the term Quality in the title of this blog.

The best rated employees are the ones who strike the correct balance between the above two. This is because it is very difficult (although possible - depends on type of tasks and your experience and efficiency) to have both the quantity as well as quality of work. So far so good...But for ourselves, we are the best. Isn't it??

Repeated appraisal practice makes us experts in:
1) Adding a long list of tasks accomplished to our achievements
2) Rating most of these to the best(or a grade lower) grades possible.

But do we ponder for a second that we tasks we add, have we done them with good quality? I work in software industry and I have seen quite a few people who would take enough responsibilities(READ: tasks) in the name of initiatives, which are definitely worth for exceeding the employer's expectation- so expected to get better grades. But I have found a lot of such people, who would unnecessarily burden themselves with these tasks -and ultimately messing up the assigned work PLUS not following up with additional responsibilities. This sometimes goes against us during appraisals.
However, we are adamant on high grades for additional tasks for the sole reason that we did them apart from our regular work. What I feel is this:
No one would appreciate the additional tasks IF the assigned tasks are not performed well enough.
It's straightforward. I would pose an example from IT industry...What's important for a project delivery? I would say the time and quality of the delivery. The client need not know what did you do extra and to what extent, that took toll on the quality of the delivery. One cannot shield his failure in assigned job by success in extra tasks, unless phenomenal for the employer- which is not so easy.

It can be summarised as follows: First one should learn to perform the assigned tasks with GREAT quality and then think of some extra activities. This would raise even the ordinary/average extra task's grades and will be seen in positive light. But the reverse will not work in most of the cases - I feel so.

The above description might contain a lot of loopholes. So I would be waiting for comments from all my worthy readers.
And one more thing that I didn't touch throughout the blog about appraisals...can be found here. Great Reuse (That's for me)!!

Be happy with work and workplace !

I find people too much unhappy at work, at home , or both.
It's human! Even I have similar feeling sometimes.

You too might have heard such thigs like "I don't feel like going to office today...They don't give quality work"
"I am being overloaded with so much work"
"The work doesn't interest me!"
"My boss is unsporting..doesn't realise my work"
Why does it happen to me only?
"I am not able to devote time to me/family"
.So on and so forth...The list is endless.

There are a lot of reasons they quote for their unhappiness. But, on closely observing these citations, I can infer few points. People are unhappy because of either or all of these points (and may be a few more):

1) Quality of Work
2) Quantity of Work
3) Lack of Interest
4) Poor Appreciation
5) Other miscellaneous points like Work-Life balance etc.
6) Favouritism AND being unlucky :)

If you had some time to go through the traits mentioned here, the last lines say
Lord of himself, though not of lands;

And having nothing, yet hath all.


I love this poem, for its simple rules to lead a Happy Life. Most of us would agree with this poem only if we could resist our rational practicality coming in between. Some of us might say this is theory....In fast moving world, governed by laws and lawmakers, it is not possible to lead the life with such principles. How many us would want to lead a life with 'Having Nothing'?

Let me tell you, it is not that difficult to lead a happy life. I am flooding with ideas at this point..not sure how many of these will I be able to put in here.

First thing first. We see what we want to see. This is because of our perception. Sometimes we perceive with our senses (Common sense included, for namesake), sometimes with past experiences, sometimes with advices and sometimes with pre-conceived notions. To see the ,world in general and workplace/work in particular, in better light, we need to change our outlook.
As they say Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder
same is the case with our perception. I do agree that one man's food MIGHT be another man's poison...but yet we need to be pretty sure about the two. It shouldn't be the case as if we may just feel/think that a thing is food OR poison. We should be sure about it. And if we are not, then its time we improved our skills. And the first point is to master the art of being flexible and more open. See things in positive light.

Second thing learn to ignore. Did I write correctly? Indeed, haven't we heard Ignorance is a bliss!!. Yes, it is. Again it depends on perception and how well we judge the situation. But yes, whenever you feel irritated or unhappy about something, just think for a second...or take your time and try to find answer to one simple question : Is the issue over which you are not-so-happy is worthy of spending your precious resources (Time, Energy, Sometimes money etc)? If the answer is yes, you have a right to be unhappy!! But if no, then leave worries aside or in other words, ignore them. Walk past the worries and go to first step.

I cannot touch all the points mentioned 1-6 above. Just a quick wrap-around work for all of these. Quantity of the work is again a perceived thing. For some it is always endless...some manage it carefully so as not to get overloaded. The logic behind this is in the approaches followed. One might do smart working - e.g. using tools to complement his work, may use better time management and work prioritization skills. Learn from the smart workers the art of working smartly. Not only you will perceive the work as lesser in amount, you will also note that you can get time for yourself/family.
Favouritism can only be tackled by good work...The quality speaks for itself. If you change your perception to somehow create interest in the 'Uninteresting things', you might prove your flexibility by tackling the otherwise dull work related issues and get appreciation for the same. It is not necessary that appreciation means good work but good work begets appreciation...now or later. Be patient! You are not unlucky. Everyone is special in some or the other way. Improve quality of work from your side.

So the major points are:
1)Improve Perception
2)Learn to ignore
3)Work hard to learn how to work smart
4)Create interest in work
5)Appreciation will come by...Don't wait for it. Do your work with efficiency,quality and positivity.
6)Any other which you could make out because I am exhausted at this hour.

See you later!! Thanks for reading.
Till then Don't worry, Be happy.

Clarification!!! Disclaimer!!!

If you find blogs too much preachy......I can't help but agree.
This is because being not an expert in blogging PLUS I couldn't find much time to review the ideas I am putting forth.

I just begin ..write the blog..finish it...Do a quick proof read....and publish.

So I will try and improve over it. It should then be a reader's delight.

Just a request! You can blend your own creativity and practicality with the ideas to achieve what you desire.

Character of a Happy Life

This is not a blog. This is a poetry by Sir Henry Wotton.
Great philosophy...an I am a fan of this one since I read this first in school.
Mark each and every word!

Character of a Happy Life

HOW happy is he born and taught
That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought
And simple truth his utmost skill;

Whose passions not his masters are;
Whose soul is still prepared for death,
Not tied unto the world with care
Of public fame, or private breath;

Who envies none that chance doth raise,
Or vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are given by praise,
Nor rules of state, but rules of good;

Who hath his life from rumours freed,
Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make accusers great;

Who God doth late and early pray
More of His grace than gifts to lend;
And entertains the harmless day
With a well-chosen book or friend;

—This man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands;
And having nothing, yet hath all.