I've always found the year end performance appraisal process interesting. There is the ever changing "process" that always supposed to be better than the prior. You have to compare the goals you set in the beginning of the year (that you probably won't remember) with what you've actually accomplished.

When you go through the defined process, there is no place to represent your passion. Maybe you can try to fit it in but it won't quite fit. You can't detail how much you didn't complain, how focused you were to make sure a presentation was perfect, the pushing for excellence you did in meetings where your boss didn't attend.

In my company we had a dialogue in understanding  the Purpose our organization existed. Personally I feel it was great dialogue and a refreshing way to get a depleted workforce grounded in what we really show up everyday to do. Of course after the discussions, there's no way to demonstrate in a year review how you've contributed to the organizations purpose or even your own.,

This enty is not intended to complain about what's wrong with the performance appraisals but to encourage everyone to think about how can we incorporate the intagibles to the discussion.