Politics of Self-Evaluation

As part of a performance review process, Pinon Management (my former company), always included a self-evaluation. Its purpose was to allow the employee the right to comfortably share their own successes, note areas of improvement, and establish goals to enhance their professionalism. This opportunity hopefully fostered introspection, while offering a pause to step back and see the whole of their impact in serving others and becoming true to the mission of the organization.

Mostly, people tended to score less than their peer review scoring. I do recall however an individual nursing home administrator whom would always score himself a perfect score in each of the various categories (around 30). I was pleased that this was an aberration and not prevalent, otherwise, there would be a strong indication that an unhealthy ethos dominated the organization.

As I review the legacy of failed or partially failed presidencies I recall Lyndon Johnson. He arguably could have gone down as one of the greatest for his ability to confront segregation and secure voting rights. He had an open door to Martin Luther King. However, the Vietnam debacle justifiably tarnished him. He lived in the insular world of his misinformed advisors and could not see the futility and tragedy that lasted way too long.  I submit that he lacked self-awareness and the ability to step back and see the whole.

Richard Nixon had his Watergate. Jimmy Carter his “malaise” speech when our economy was sliding and interest rates soaring. I could go on, but politicians seem to believe they are perceived as weak if they should exude any introspection and critical self-examination. This culture of political leadership is endemic to both major parties and partially explains the alienation and low approval scores through the legislative and executive branches.

So, it came as no real surprise when Trump unequivocally scored himself a perfect 10 out of 10 in his administration’s handling of the Puerto Rico hurricane disaster. A perfect 10 when a month after the storm there was non-drinkable water, no power, and tremendous suffering prevalent throughout the island. Besides the obvious that the relief efforts are at its beginning stage, it reflects an appalling lack of introspection and leadership. It’s like a nursing home administrator proclaiming after the first day of an annual Health Dept. Compliance Survey that the outcome will be perfect in spite of the inundation of resident and family complaints. That NHA wouldn’t last long.