Sunday Setup
A weekly newsletter to help get your mind set up for a positive workweek.
02.09.2025 — Chicken-fried Drake
Bars of Gold
Have you ever had a heated argument with someone in public, lost that argument, then watched everyone who witnessed the argument celebrate the other person as the winner? Yeah, me neither. But that's essentially what just happened to the Canadian rapper Drake.
Last Sunday, rapper Kendrick Lamar won five Grammy's for "Not Like Us," his latest diss track in a long-standing beef between the two. Apparently the feud started when Lamar slighted Drake on a track way back in 2013. As most rappers do when they feel they've been dissed, Drake recorded some disrespectful bars of his own. But hindsight being 20/20, it probably wasn't a good idea to poke the bear.
Now, twelve years after initially letting his id impulsively defend his ego, Drake's superego is super bruised.
Express Yourself
Everyone has the right to verbally defend themselves, whether it be in an argument with a spouse, a misunderstanding at work, or a very public, international rap beef that's as old as a middle school student. But it's important to be mindful about how you show up when you need to speak up.
It's typical for companies to conduct annual employee reviews and compensation conversations around this time of year, and the very thought of this conversation with your manager can sometimes elicit extreme anxiety. As you begin reflecting on the work you completed in the past year, the incessant rumination enters stage right, like:
What were my goals again last year? Did I achieve even just one of them? I mean, I know I did a lot of stuff, but will "they" think that stuff was impactful enough to give me a better rating — and bonus — than last year? Am I even getting a bonus? I hope I do! I could use some extra money to cover that holiday spending binge. Why didn't I do a better job of tracking my achievements last year like I said I would? Now I gotta wrack my brain — again — trying to remember everything I did. But does it even matter? "They" already know what "they're" gonna do. The money and ratings have already been put into the system, so this whole conversation is a waste of time. And Taylor, my manager, probably doesn't really care about my goals. This is just a formality to “check the box.” I'd rather do ANYTHING other than have a superfluous 30-minute conversation about my 2025 goals. I'd even battle Drake. I might win!
If you're not careful, anxiety-riddled self talk like this can put you into an unnecessarily defensive mood, causing you to misconstrue constructive criticism as character assassination. When you come to this annual "battle" with guns blazing ready to aggressively defend your work history, you miss the opportunity to objectively receive feedback that can help you grow.
As you prepare for this year's annual performance review, try not to assume "they" are solely focused on finding a chink in your armor to justify a lower-than-deserved rating and bonus. Try to approach this conversation with an open mind and actively listen for opportunities to improve as not only an employee, but also a person. Doing so could put you on the path to a very positive, productive year.