I’m happy to reveal the cover of my forthcoming business book:
Performance Appraisal – A Scorecard Model for Staff Evaluation
Managements insist on performance appraisals because of the obvious benefits. However, everyone hates it – appraiser and appraised.
In any organization, teamwork determines results but current staff evaluation models review performance at an individual level. How do we resolve this dichotomy?
Besides line functions, how do we evaluate staff functions? For example, how do we know the HR department is doing a great job?
The Scorecard Model shows how – simple, ready-to-use methodology.
************ Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2014 ************
What else can I say? You’re the man blessed with the insight. Congrats, sir, on the publication.
Thank you, my friend – and I appreciate your well wishers 🙂
Fly my special buddy…. Xx
Thank you – thank you – thank you 🙂
Eric,
It looks like a really interesting and, I’m sure, well-written book. I initially would not be interested in reading a business book, but once I started to read, I became interested, as I have been on both sides of the desk. My time on the boss’ side of the desk was difficult for me – a more complex situation. The cover is dramatic, but the ball looks precarious/about to fall. To me that’s overly tense. But many readers might be attracted by that tension. Congrats Eric. Looks like you’ve written a good book.
Regards,
Steve
Hello Steve,
Thank you for this well considered comment.
Business books usually attract people with a need – to fill a gap, enhance what they already know and/or to keep abreast of developments. Therefore, and admittedly, it’s not for everyone. Like you, I’ve been on both sides of the table – my most recent job as managing director of a MNC that gave me an oversight of 22 countries in APAC.
Yes, the cover is meant to draw and hold. As you know, moderate tension (or, moderate pressure) is good and brings out the best in people. The cliches, dropping the ball or, on the ball, come to mind. It takes a winner not to drop it or drop off it. Enlarge that globe and you’ll see that it encompasses many disciplines found in a typical medium/large business – hints of seeing the big picture beyond departmental distractions.
I’m passionate about people and trained/mentored dozens of people/teams. This and my other business books condense lessons learnt in the the corporate world.
Cheers,
Eric
I agree with the choice then. You can proceed with the publishing! I’ve been using Lightning Source and hope to get that Phantom Speaks sequel out pretty soon via LSI. They’ve been OK.
Well, thank you kind sir 🙂 For a moment there I thought of shouting out – Hold the press! 🙂
I use CreateSpace and plan to stick with them, for now. I’ve heard of Lighting Source and Lulu – but have yet to check these out.
Thanks for the pointers,
Eric
Sorry so tardy. Speaking of tardy I just received 3 copies of my new book – the little sequel to the second novel – from Lightning Source. It took over two weeks. But the printing came out great including all the drawings.
Here I am again. I love reading your commentaries which always add to the enjoyment of the original post. In this case I now see that I was completely off base on the color selection. I confused this new book with an earlier one in the same series – you ARE prolific. Selecting a different color is a nice differentiator. Vermillion is probably the right term.
Cheerio, Jane
Jane dear,
If the post is the main course, the comments are the deserts to round off the experience 🙂 Always a pleasure to have you visit.
Yes, I decided to try a new book cover theme. The earlier three (designed by a professional) look good but after 2 years, somewhat dated. These two covers I put together using CreateSpace’s template.
All good wishes for the week ahead,
Eric
You are definitely one very dedicated and hardworking person with multi talents. You dished out several books within a short period and I believe more in the pipeline. Congrats to more success. Agree with all above, super cover !
Hello Jasey dearest,
Yes, there are more in the pipeline that I’m hoping to get out in 2015.
Moreover, I’m working with a lovely group of yet-to-be-published writers in my Meetup Group. If plans work out, in late 2015, I’ll have the pleasure of introducing 12 new authors to the literary world.
Glad you loved that cover – I thought it came out better than the earlier deep blue used for the Human Capital Growth Model.
Have a great week ahead,
Eric
Echoing Valentine’s sentiments!! I am amazed at your capabilities Eric! The book cover is truly lovely. Congratulations! And all good wishes 🙂
Thank you, Madhu dear 🙂
You are all so supportive and encouraging,
Eric
I like the line up of colorful covers you have, be it fiction on non-fiction. They are eye-catching. For this one, good combination of colors, simple and bold, yet outstanding. Love it !.
Like IT, HR is regarded as cost center while Sales are “god of wealth.” How the former affect the function of the organization is usually not given much consideration. Sales get both the benefits and pressures. It is only right that the father loves the son who brings in most food on the table. This applies when it comes to appraisal. All are important to the organization, but how to evaluate equally will be difficult.
Thank you Windy, for your presence and comment.
Sales and Production are usually the easiest to measure and hence always measured. However, every functional department too can be measured. But when you get a finance or HR person calling the shots – this might not happen.
All good wishes,
Eric
If I didn’t know you lived in Singapore, I’d think you were from Texas, I reckon. 🙂 Heh. Congratulations, Eric. I know nothing about managing or HR. Office politics and catty women caused me to leave office work years ago. I’ll have to tell my husband about your book though. He is a manager (when he’s not recovering from this accident). I know you’ll keep up the good work, I reckon.
Hello Lori,
Office politics and catty women – oh dear – over there too 🙂
Yes, I read from your blog posts that hubby is recovering well. Strange contraption on his foot and all.
Thank you for your well wishes and have a great weekend,
Eric
Great cover, nice and simple, – is it to be red or dark cyan? I think that I prefer the cyan as it picks up on the colors in the globe.
I’m with Val in the awe camp, perhaps two stops in Texas are called for!
Seems to me that staff evaluations are always hard for most people are more motivated by success than by criticism and yet sometimes shortfalls need to be realigned.
As for loosing battles but winning the war – that’s what my husband always says. If I take issue he just responds “yes dear”.
Cheerio, Jane
Hello Jane dear,
It will not be red but closer to dark vermilion (I can’t recall the actual term).
Two stops, Texas, it’ll be and with great pleasure too 🙂
During the early 1980s, When I first entered the executive suits and had to conduct staff reviews – I puked at the methodology practised by people who thumped their chests and said – people are our key asset. Yeah, right – then, why do we treat our people like mushrooms – keeping them in the dark and feeding them shit!
Suffice to say that I borrowed industry norms, heavily modified these with great doses of management science and now have, what I think is probably the most equitable appraisal methodology ever. Of course, I don’t have a string of letters to my name – otherwise it would be that much easier to get people to buy into my Scorecard Model.
It has worked and I have world-beating teams in place, right now in industry.
“Yes dear” – Hmmm, never tried that.
Been the Asian I am, I go quiet and after a few days/weeks she does what I suggested. The big difference is – it’s now her idea and therefore, all is well. Whereas, I’m quick to accept my mistakes and change tack in mid river – some prefer to get washed downstream and (when no one is looking) – they change tack. LOL – all in good fun.
Have a great weekend,
Eric
Congrats, Eric. Having handled HR before as my schedule, I understand what you mean. 🙂
Hello Celestine,
HR is both an art and a science, I reckon.
Thank you and all good wishes,
Eric
Congrats and good luck on the new book.
Thank you, Connie,
Plan to release this title by end July. That’ll make 3 for 2014 – two business books and one novel (Mechanic Leigh).
I’ve started working on books to be released in 2015 – what great fun – really 🙂
I continue to be in absolute awe of you.
My temptation to jump on the plane and come to S’pore to meet you and talk to you, meet your paragon wife and talk to her, is growing by leaps and bounds. We can go sit on somewhere over dinner, maybe Fish Head Curry and Baby Kai Lan (my favorite), Drunken Prawns too and talk all night.
Congrats on this one. Love the cover.
LOL, Val dear,
Paragon wife(?) – We’ve had royal battles too. I lost every one of them but won the war – she’s still with me 🙂
Yes, do come to Singapore and we’ll have a ball. Fish Head Curry, Baby Kai Lan and Drunken Prawns all sound great 🙂 If we are ever States’ side, definitely we’ll detour to Texas to meet you.
Thank you re the cover.
Have a great weekend with that man friend of yours (wink!)
Congrats Eric! Who’s the guy with the glass puzzle ball? 😉
Diana xo
Thank you, Diana
That guy can be anyone, I reckon 🙂
Cheers,
Eric
Have you heard about the use of gamification in performance appraisals and re-training?
‘Gamification’ might be a fairly new term but the concept has been in use since the 1970’s in many areas of human endeavour. The MNC I used to work for employed the methodology in the early 1980s.
Congratulations
Thank you 🙂
That will be a useful book for anyone in a position of management. Congratulations!
Thank you, Ian – yes, it is a useful book and the methodology is one that was perfected over several decades of application, review and adaptation.
All good wishes,
Eric
Great cover! Will you self publish this book?
Thank you Krystol – and yes, I’m self publishing it.
All good wishes,
Eric