Stepping stones

With a bittersweet tongue, the mouth should stay closed. This is the time for intuitive listening.

Performance feedback and evaluations are only a small part of the continuing on-the-job training, a chance to hear input from collective sources through survey and awareness. By survey, I mean the way co-workers can anonymously comment on how you do as far as job performance that is reported to you by a representative. By awareness, I mean how you can read between their comments and find the truth of your "presence" in the workplace and within the community.

These are not final judgments. Instead, they are intended to help you improve yourself and "elevate your game" to an even more professional level. Japanese society tends to hold the Spartan approach of strict coaching with high standards and easy flow of criticism, even if muffed criticism. As an American, I sometimes need reminding of this and that my once cherished self-confidence may sometimes be viewed here as slight arrogance. "No one likes the nail sticking out" here, the person who stands out above the rest. But, I am and will always be a non-Japanese person, so I can't help but stand out for that mere fact.

Yet, I stand out also because of my determination to be my best and shine beyond all expectations. I am an ever-evolving persona of enigmatic consequence, the positively fed, positively reinforced and, thereby, positively re-invented human being who is willing to reach for higher goals. All of my hard work thus far has payed off in dividends. A grade is just an indication of greater things to come.

OMATEOTL ("All my relations")