Transcript Document
Chapter 6
Learning &
Performance Management
Nelson & Quick
Definition of Learning
Learning - a change in behavior acquired
through experience
Conditioning
Classical Conditioning - Modifying behavior
so that a conditioned stimulus is paired with
an unconditioned stimulus and elicits an
unconditioned response
Operant Conditioning - Modifying behavior
through the use of positive or negative
consequences following specific behaviors
Positive & Negative
Consequences
Positive Consequences
Results of a behavior that a person finds
attractive or pleasurable
Negative Consequences
Results of a behavior that a person finds
unattractive or aversive
Reinforcement, Punishment
& Extinction
Reinforcement - the attempt to develop or
strengthen desirable behavior by either
bestowing positive consequences or
withholding negative consequences
Punishment - the attempt to eliminate or
weaken undesirable behavior by either
bestowing negative consequences or
withholding positive consequences
Extinction - the attempt to weaken a behavior
by attaching no consequences to it
Reinforcement &
Punishment Strategies
Reinforcement Punishment
(desireable (undesireable
behavior)
behavior)
Positive
Consequences
Apply
Withhold
Negative
Consequences
Withhold
Apply
4 Sources of Self-Efficacy
Prior Experiences
Behavior Models
Self-Efficacy an individual’s beliefs and
expectancies about his
or her ability to perform
a specific task effectively
Persuasion
from Others
Assessment of
Current Physical &
Emotional Capabilities
Personality Functions & Learning
Personality Preference
Implications for Learning
Information Gathering
Intuitors
Theoretical, look for meaning in
material, holistic understanding, look
for possibilities & interrelationships
Sensors
Prefer specific, empirical data, practical
applications, master details, look for
the realistic & doable
Decision Making
Thinkers
Prefer data & information analysis, fair
minded, evenhanded, seek logical &
just conclusions, objective
Feelers
Prefer interpersonal involvement,
tenderhearted, harmonious, seek
subjective, merciful results
Source: O. Kroeger and J. M. Thuesen, Type Talk: The 16 Personality that Determine How We Live, Love, and Work (New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1988.)
Goal Setting at Work
Goal Setting the process of
establishing
desired results
that guide and
direct behavior
Goals help
crystallize the
sense of purpose
and mission
essential to
success at work.
Characteristics of Effective Goals
Effective
Goals
Specific
S
Measurable
M
Attainable
A
Realistic
R
Time-bound
T
Goal Setting: Increase Work
Motivation & Task Performance
• Employee
participation
• Supervisory
commitment
• Useful
performance
feedback
High
Difficult goals
Task
Performance
Easy goals
Low
Low
Goal Level
High
Goal Setting: Reduce Role Stress
Reduce role stress associated
with conflicting and confusing
expectations
– Clarify task-role expectations
communicated to employees
– Improve communication
between managers and
employees
Goal Setting: Improve
Performance Evaluation
• Management by Objectives (MBO) - a
goal-setting program based on interaction
& negotiation between employees and
managers
– Articulates what to do
– Determines how to do it
How is Performance Measured?
Performance appraisal - the evaluation of a
person’s performance
– Provides feedback to employees
– Identifies employees’ developmental needs
for promotion, reward, demotion, termination
– Develops information about the
organization’s selection and placement
decisions
Actual & Measured Performance
Actual
Performance
True
Assessment
Measured
Performance
Actual & Measured Performance
Evaluator’s
situational
factors
Performance
overlooked
by evaluator
True
Assessment
Deficiency
Actual
Performance
Unreliability
Invalidity
Poorly defined
task performance
Disagreement
Employee’s
temporary
personal
factors
Measured
Performance
Communicating
Performance Feedback
• Refer to employee’s verbatim statements &
observable behavior
• Focus on changeable behaviors
• Both employer & employee should plan &
organize before the session
• Begin with something positive
• Self-evaluations
– more satisfying and can improve job performance
– less defensiveness
– but low level agreement with supervisor evaluation
Effective Appraisal Systems
• Functions
– Develop people & enhance careers
– Emphasize individual growth needs & future
performance
• Key Characteristics
–
–
–
–
–
Validity
Reliability
Responsiveness
Flexibility
Equitability
Individual or Team Rewards?
• Individual rewards
– fosters independent behavior
– may lead to creative thinking and novel solutions
– encourages competitive striving within a work team
• Team rewards
– emphasize cooperation & joint efforts
– emphasize information sharing
• Both have same purpose:
shape productive behavior
Correcting Poor Performance
Identify primary cause or responsibility
If personal, determine problem’s source
Develop corrective plan of action
Attribution in Organizations
Attribution Theory - explains how individuals
pinpoint the causes of their own and others’
behavior
Consensus - the extent to which peers in the
same situation behave the same way
Distinctiveness - degree to which the person
behaves the same way in other situations
Consistency - the frequency of a particular
behavior over time
Information Cues & Attributions
Customer hascomplained
about John
Therearenocomplaints
about other employees
(lowconsensus)
Johnhasreceivedsimilar
complaintsinthepast
(lowdistinctiveness)
Internal attribution
(John'sbehavior stems
mainlyfrominternal causes)
Complaintsabout John
havebeencominginsteady
(highconsistency)
Information Cues & Attributions
Mary has performed
poorly on collections
Other employees are
performing poorly
on collections
(high consensus)
Mary only performs
poorly on this task
(high distinctiveness)
External attribution
(Mary's behavior stems
mainly fromexternal causes)
Most of the time
Mary handles collections well
(lowconsistency)
Attribution Model
Information cues
• Consensus
• Consistency
• Distinctiveness
Observation
of poor
performance
Perceived
source of
responsibility
Attribution of poor
performance
• Internal causes
• External causes
Behavior in
response
to attribution
Mentoring
Mentoring - a work relationship that encourages
development and career enhancement for
people moving through the career cycle
Four phases
–
–
–
–
initiation
cultivation
separation
redefinition