The dreaded annual performance review time

[aprdilemma]

New username for this thread.

Before the weekend I have my annual performance review meeting with my line manager. He is pretty good, but...

This f* box on "development and progression"!

I'm not a career minded person.
My role is highly specialised (I have a degree, a masters and two PhDs ) and I enjoy as it is with its continuous learning opportunities, but have zero desire to move into management.

I have a work/life balance, a 3 yo DS, other interests, I don't look at emails after dinner or on weekends or A/L, I have done it in the past and pulled nights but again zero desire to restart. My LM has a DD same age and an older one, he puts them to bed and then works until 1 am every single day, I don't want anything vaguely resembling this!

I could do with the money I earn, could be more but it's fine. I am happy and productive this way, just want to do my job and make that box disappear from my form!

Help...what do I say/write?

Development - Updated Diversity Training? GDPR Training? Any sort of IT package you have that you could say you needed some development on?

Oh yeah, always add something. What were you going to do anyway? I T and presentation skills are always good ones.

Have you/could you/ would you want to present at a conference? Is there an area that is developing that you could extend/lead / train in? Is there an option to go sideways rather than up?

And having a vague long term ambition if pressed - I'd normally tell someone to think about doing a phd but if you've got some already .., I guess you could do another one, ancient runes or something?

Building on my knowledge and experience to be the best I can be. Perhaps you could mentor someone?

Diversity and GDPR - done last year
Technical training - done this year, will add about expanding it, I always have new things to learn and that can be added
Presentation skills- I present from time to time, but not the best public speaker as English is my second language, will add about improving

These are all good things for the development bit (thanks!) but I'm mostly worried about pressures on the career progression bit. I'm "only" 39 and don't think it would be acceptable for me to stay in my current band for many more years, but I would happily do!

Why is this option not contemplated?

That’s a shame. Our company have recently changed the ‘banding’ for roles to recognise people like you who are experts in their field but don’t want to go into management/leadership roles. Mentoring could be good for career progression though?

Mentoring, yes, that's not a bad idea. How would it appear if I say I'm willing to mentor/supervise people on a 1:1 basis, without having to be actually leading projects?

There are other people like me in the organisation, not keen to management who have repeatedly suggested other progression paths and higher management have always agreed on paper to then keep the same expectations at APR time.

Surely this year of all years, it’s okay just to say that your development goal is to safely decompress from the stress of the last year, while maintaining good productivity and being mindful of the uneven mental health amongst your colleagues?

That's exactly the point. With the COVID stress, there is even more need to take care of my mental health and the one of my colleagues - I qualified as a mental health first aider two years ago, but the pandemic has provided me with my own struggles as well. I feel even less able than before to pretend to be what I'm not!

As a manager I don't expect everybody to have the same career aspirations as me, I've managed lots of people who have no desire to be promoted, but that doesn't need to mean stagnation. Obviously it's hard for us to say without knowing your role, but there is ALWAYS something to learn, understanding something better about your organisation? Could you work shadow another department you work closely with to improve ties? Do you use something like M365 you can do some online training for as that's changing on a weekly basis!

But just to add in terms of progression I don't think there is anything wrong in saying you do not wish to go up a level, you still feel challenged and content in your role and will work on your development to improve your skills within it.

I just feel like putting a big fat NOPE in that box. I'm 60 years old for God's sake, I don't need the nightmare of being in management.

Mentoring is good as you can sell it as helping other people with their progression - still good for the employer.

Thanks. There is A LOT of scope for skills development within my current role and this is what I've been working on since my latest promotion five years ago and I would like to keep working on, and will be definitely push on that front!

Unfortunately, mine is the last band not strictly requiring management responsibilities.
My LM is two bands above mine and his role availability is obviously limited, someone recently left when close to retirement as was told he had no chance to get there.
But the band in between is what they expect everyone to aim to after some years (this is my 9th) and has a shit load of more requirements which I am not suited for.
People personalities vary. I am hard working, organised and never miss a deadline, got a couple of "exceptional" marks in the last five years, but anxious and with a low tolerance to external stresses. I am aware this is seen as a serious weakness, but good organisations should make use of the different strengths of a diverse workforce, isn't it?

My background sounds similar to yours. I absolutely won’t be promoted again because the only promotion left would involve taking over performance reviews and budgeting. I have no interest in such tasks. I would hate every minute. For professional development I ask for things like an online class and for growth things like I should be given more responsibilities over certain areas where I possess strong subject matter or institutional knowledge.