What happens is, even when you have been producing top quality work, you may end up still with a poor appraisal grade. Few who asked their bosses about their appraisals often hear lame excuses. The more common ones are that you have just joined and your first appraisal cannot be too good; he cannot give too many top grades in a team simply because he had given it to his obedient lackey; you are still new; comforting you that the difference in bonus is very little, etc etc.

In many ways, your appraisal is judged prematurely because they give you your appraisal grade not based on your final work done but their subjective impression of you, which you have to form in them by licking their balls first.

Sad but true.