Are You As Good an Employee as You Think You Are?

By Marty Nemko

Do you know a bad employee? We all do. Yet nearly no one thinks he is one--studies show that 75% of employees think they're in the top 25%. That's unfortunate because knowing you're failing can give you time to fix things before it's too late. If you have the courage, ask co-workers and your boss how you're doing. Of course, you may not get a straight answer, so also ask yourself, "Am I kept outside the information loop?" Am I getting bad vibes from co-workers?" "When I suggest something, is it usually dismissed?" I know it's scary to get feedback but probably less so than a pink slip.

What can you do today?
Approach a trusted coworker who knows your work and say something like, "I'm trying to get a sense of how I'm doing here, so I figured I'd ask a few people I respect. Do you have a sense of how good a job I'm doing?" Follow up with, "How about a strength and a weakness?"