Invitation to the Lunatic Ball

In the fast-paced world of business, employers often rely on indirect sources of information—such as performance reviews, resumes, and feedback from direct managers—when evaluating current employees or potential new hires. While these sources provide valuable insights, they can also lead to biased conclusions that do not fully capture an individual’s capabilities or fit within a company. This approach is akin to forming an opinion about someone based solely on second-hand stories without ever having a conversation with them.

The Pitfalls of Indirect Evaluation

Relying exclusively on reviews, resumes, and manager feedback can be problematic for several reasons:

1. Bias and Subjectivity: Performance reviews and manager feedback are inherently subjective. They reflect the perspectives and biases of the reviewers, which may not always be fair or accurate.
2. Incomplete Picture: Resumes highlight achievements and skills but often lack context. They do not provide a complete picture of an individual’s work ethic, problem-solving abilities, or interpersonal skills.
3. Missed Potential: By not engaging directly with the employee or candidate, employers may overlook potential talents and qualities that are not evident on paper.

The Value of Direct Interaction

Direct communication with employees or candidates offers invaluable insights that cannot be captured through indirect means. It allows employers to:

• Understand Thought Processes: Conversations reveal how individuals think, approach problems, and make decisions.
• Assess Interpersonal Skills: Direct interaction helps gauge an individual’s communication skills, empathy, and ability to work in a team.
• Form Unbiased Opinions: Engaging with employees or candidates firsthand allows employers to form their own opinions, free from the biases of others.

A Symptom of Being Human: An Analogy

This scenario can be compared to the line “Invitation to the lunatic ball” from Shinedown’s song “A Symptom Of Being Human.” Just as attending a ‘lunatic ball’ suggests entering into chaos without understanding what one will encounter, making judgments without firsthand interaction is an invitation to misunderstandings and misjudgments—a dance with assumption rather than fact.

 When evaluating an employee or potential critical new hire, the importance of direct experience and personal insight cannot be overstated. Without it, one risks succumbing to preconceived notions and missing out on genuine understanding.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while reviews, resumes, and manager feedback are valuable tools in the evaluation process, they should not be the sole basis for making critical decisions about employees or potential hires. Direct interaction provides a more comprehensive and accurate assessment, ensuring that employers make informed decisions based on first-hand insights rather than second-hand biases. Just as Shinedown’s lyrics remind us of the chaos of assumptions, employers must strive to engage directly with individuals to truly understand their potential, the value they create, and the fit within the organization.

I encourage all managers, hiring teams, executives, and boards to obtain first-hand and direct knowledge in your evaluation process and not rely on just reviews, resumes, and secondhand information. Your other option is to kindly accept your “Invitation to the Lunatic Ball.”