Comment by keeran

I had my highest appraisals and biggest bonuses when I didn't do the job I was hired to do.

I was assigned to help team members on the lowest rungs of "performance" metrics. My stats went to shit.

Some teammates smashed it, others didn't. My influence and pay increased and nothing felt right.

Ended up leaving the best org of the company because I couldn't (at the time) understand what was happening.

IMO, looking back, as amazing and 'right' as this scenario feels (OP and myself), it needs the full support of the entire company to make it work.