Q: If my boss asks me to comment on a colleague’s work, should I tell the truth, when I know stuff that may not paint a good picture, which may create bias in his mind? Should I suggest reasons why the colleague made work decisions which may seem bad at first?
A: Tough as it might be, I think you should say it as it is – the good and bad points – without prejudice or favourtism. (To feign ignorance is a form of lying. When your boss asks you, it means he trusts that you will deliver the truth… unless he has another agenda.) But of course, if you are the superior (e.g. manager), you should have been encouraging the person to improve all along. If you are not the superior and/or are not sure of the person’s work, you can just say you are not sure. If you know someone else can give a fairer picture, and who is willing to do so, you can refer your boss to that person. I think there is no need to imagine reasons to help someone rationalise why he or she decided so and so – because when the reasons are not real, it is a form of lying or speculation. You can just ask your boss to ask that person in person?
Q: Isn’t it so that nothing is permanent and definite; that only impermance is definite? Perhaps the so-called truth as I see it now will no longer be true in the future?
A: There are two kinds of truths – conventional truth and absolute truth. The first kind changes (i.e. is impermanent). E.g. One has a bigger car than another person. But the second person can have a bigger car later. Absolute truth does not change (i.e. is permanent). E.g. No cars last forever, as they change and wear out in time. Likewise, our judgements of people are really only conventional truths. Even if they are accurate in one moment, they are not necessarily valid in the next moment – as people change – sometimes for better and sometimes for worse, and often in cycles. However, for matters such as staff appraisals, we have to judge a person’s performance based on the past and the present, and not based on a speculated future (e.g. perhaps the person promises to improve). If one is unsure about someone, one should refrain from judging, and investigate further in person if needed, instead of making unsound judgements.
Q: If my boss asks me to comment on a colleague’s work, should I tell the truth….
In my humble opinion, both PARTIES needs to know the feedback is only one-aspect of fellow colleagus that is working with the subject.
As a manager, he/she needs to categorize whether the feedback comes from the subject’s superior, peers or direct-report. And all these plays an important part of how the manager concludes or size-up that subject overall.
And in giving feedback; very importantly as a respondent (as well as the manager collecting this feedback) needs to eliminate ALL emotional components. Focus on facts and state examples.
Common pitfalls that most people falls into are making feedback that is based on individual’s perspective of right/wrong and good/bad.
Now there is certainly no right/wrong OR good/bad but appropriate behaviour (of course competency as well). Certain behaviour are successfully in certain role but may not in others. And this is why it is often crucial in selecting the right person on the right job. AND crucial for the leader to know the strengthen and weakness of an individual; coach them and help them to be successful.
As one chinese saying goes “Placing it in the right place is resource; but placing it in the wrong place is rubbish”.
Good idea – to tell the boss that what you have to offer is but a side of the story, as you perceive it. This is useful cos some bosses take to ‘hearsay’ easily. Amituofo
🙁