Bianca Tikal

Master Educator, Apple Teacher, Google Educator and avid cook of all things, especially if it's Gluten Free.

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@FunkyRedDevil 8

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@farman4x 3

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@farman4x 4

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

What a week at @alief_middle. It's been a great week and looking forward to the next!

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@UHCougars @FreddyLA7 Go Coogs! Yes, we'd love to have you guys back!

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@FreddyLA7 Love that you had a wonderful experience! May you have the chance to pay it forward one day. Hugs from Houston!

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@DougDribbl88 I've done the same with the few I've seen in public. I just wanted to give them the space to be regular people, even if they're been followed by a "gaggle of geese."

[AuntLizR @r_aunt2512]

@FreddyLA7 Did you see this?
This is our Sec of Transportation!

[Midwest Momma @toebeans_l]

@FreddyLA7 @TexasMom1776 Please help get the word out about the Waffle House tracker, Waffle House’s are designed to function during emergencies, so if a Waffle House is down, it’s really bad:

https://t.co/NuLBZ7I62X

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

Group challenge day! Teamwork and conversation plus a little bit of a time challenge! #endofyear #onwardsandupwards #6thgradeto7th @AliefISD

[FOX College Hoops @CBBonFOX]

Can’t blame Kingston Flemings for asking 😂 @UHCougarMBK

[Simons @Simon_Ingari]

"Why does our top performer get the worst reviews?" the boss asked.

I was reviewing their annual performance data.

"Show me," I said.

She pulled up the ratings.
Diana: 2.8 out of 5.
Below average on "collaboration."
Low marks for "team player."

"What's her actual performance?" I asked.

"Exceeded every target.
Landed our biggest client.
Trained three new hires."

"So why the low scores?"

"Her peer reviews are dragging her down."

I scanned the comments.
"Too direct."
"Challenges ideas too much."
"Not supportive enough."

"Let me talk to Diana," I said.

"I used to give honest feedback," Diana told me.
"Said our pricing model was broken.
Got dinged for 'negativity.'"

"What happened with the pricing?"

"They finally fixed it six months later.
After we lost two major accounts."

"What else?"

"I questioned why we needed
eleven approvals for a simple contract change.
Manager said I wasn't being collaborative."

"Are you still giving feedback?"

"No. I learned my lesson.
Now I smile. Nod. Say everything's great.
My reviews are improving."

"But nothing's actually improving?"

"We're making the same mistakes.
Just with better vibes." She chuckled.

I went back to the boss.

"Your review system doesn't measure performance," I said.
"It measures compliance."

"That's not true."

"When was the last time someone
got promoted for challenging bad ideas?"

Silence.

"When did someone get rewarded for preventing a mistake?"

More silence.

"You've trained your best people to stay quiet.
And your mediocre people to stay nice."

A few months later, they redesigned the system.

Added a category: "Constructive Challenge."
Points for identifying problems early.
Rewards for preventing costly mistakes.

Diana got promoted.

"What changed?" I asked the boss.

"We stopped confusing agreement with alignment.
Stopped mistaking silence for harmony."

"And?"

"Turns out our 'difficult' people
were our most valuable.
They actually cared enough to speak up."

Here's the truth about performance reviews:

Most companies don't reward performance.
They reward performance theater.

The person who says the meeting was great
beats the person who says it wasted an hour.

The person who agrees with bad ideas
beats the person who prevents disasters.

You think you're measuring contribution.
You're measuring conformity.

And your best people?
They've already figured out the game.

They're just deciding whether to play it
or find somewhere that values truth over comfort.

[Tomeka Robinson @TomekaFamilyC]

Today I had the opportunity to read to some very bright minds! Engagement beyond the family center. #ICanDay @Alief_Fame @AliefISD @Jefferson_ELC

[Alief FACE @Alief_Fame]

Meet Noe Galindo, principal of Liestman Elementary and an inspiration on Alief "I Can" Day! With a BA in bilingual education and a master's in school administration, he proves: If he can, you can!
#AliefICanday

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

@astrosbatgirl #builtforthis

[julia morales stan account 👑 @astrosbatgirl]

Someone told me y’all needed another Astros ticket giveaway?

TWO FREE ones to see the Mariners and Friday Night Fireworks 🎇🎆

RT & reply to enter 🍀
#BuiltForThis

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

#LuckHappens for me!

[Houston Astros @astros]

The battle for the Silver Boot returns!

Thanks to the @texaslottery, you and three friends have a chance to win an Astros MVP experience on Saturday, July 12! RT to win! #LUCKHAPPENS

[University of Houston @UHouston]

Before becoming the first African American to walk in space, Dr. Bernard Harris had just one choice for college — and he called it his launching pad. https://t.co/CVp6ePJcuy

[Bianca Tikal @TheTikalFiles]

#LuckHappens to me!

[Houston Astros @astros]

The battle for the Silver Boot returns!

Thanks to the @TexasLottery, you and three friends have a chance to win an Astros MVP experience on Saturday, July 12! RT to win! #LUCKHAPPENS

[National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) @ncte]

We honor the extraordinary contributions of Dr. @KyleneBeers to NCTE and the literacy field.

Kylene spurred our leadership forward. Many recognize her as a giant, and that she was, including serving as NCTE President (2008-2009) and a proud member of the Middle Level section.