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The Pygmalion Effect (November 2011) |
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The Pygmalion Effect is a well-researched phenomenon in management, as well as in sociology, education and other disciplines concerned with human behavior. It was popularized through the Broadway show “My Fair Lady” which was based on George Bernard Shaw’s original play entitled Pygmalion. In this show, Eliza Doolittle is transformed from a Cockney flower girl in a poor section of London to a true lady. One of the most famous lines is her comment that: “the difference between a flower girl and lady is not in the way she acts, but in the way she is treated.” Read More |
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Performance Management and Pay-For-Performance (May 2009) |
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Competitive forces and the challenge of our economy put pressure on all organizations to continually increase their productivity and performance. Some performance gains are achieved through strategic positioning of products, services, marketplace focus, etc. Other performance gains are achieved through the use of technology, and continuous improvement. Read More |
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Raising the Performance Bar (February 2009) |
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All organizations want to raise the performance bar of their employees, particularly during difficult times when work forces may be trimmed. Unfortunately, most such attempts are little more than exhortations to “work smarter, not harder.” But there are some specific techniques that can have a dramatic impact on employee performance. Read More |
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Accountability (October 2008) |
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At this moment of global financial crisis we are all searching for the accountable parties. Unfortunately, this is a non-productive blame game. Who’s fault is it? People love to ask that question as if the act of assigning fault will somehow solve the problem. The reality, however, is that Monday morning quarterbacking does nothing to prevent the problem and very little to fix it. Read More |
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How to Ensure Mediocre Performance (May 2006) |
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The following story is true. It shows how organizations - often with the best of intentions - crush the spirit that creates excellence... Read more |
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Raise Expectations to Increase Performance (December 2005) |
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Picture the following scenario. A manager runs a department in a large organization and two employees have just been transferred to him. Their education, qualifications, experience and work performance is very similar. But here's the key difference. One of them comes with glowing recommendations. The other had a conflict with his supervisor and this transfer is the company's attempt to resolve the situation... Read more |
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Creating Success in the First 90 Days (September 2005) |
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Selecting a new employee is difficult. Education, experience and interviews are the combined basis for our decision. But the big unknown is what that employee will be like after we hire them. Will they fit our company's culture, values and style? Chemistry, attitude, work ethic, and interpersonal style will impact their success at least as much as their ability... Read more |
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Accountability Generates Performance (June 2005) |
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The difference between a championship sports team and the second place team is rarely based on talent. On any given day either team can beat the other... Read more |
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Creativity Solves Compensation Puzzles (April 2005) |
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Compensation systems seldom work exactly as intended. Even the best compensation system is often an exercise in damage control... Read more |
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Cultivate Leaders from Existing Talent (March 2005) |
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Larger companies often go through a complex succession planning exercise. Managers at multiple levels identify their potential successors by writing names on a chart with such indications as "promotable now" or "promotable within a year." Then the company files the data and declares the succession plan completed... Read more |
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Know Why Employees Leave (June 2004) |
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Every company has turnover. And sometimes it's a good thing. New employees bring fresh ideas. They shake things up. Sometimes a resignation causes you to examine whether you want to refill that position and what skills you will need for the future... Read more |
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Stretching Performance Goals (October 2003) |
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Setting goals is part of organizational life and a powerful way to keep employees aligned and clear about expectations. But how tough should the goals be? How high should you set the bar?... Read more |
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How to Build a Motivated Workforce (September 2003) |
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Everyone wants a motivated work force. But what is it that really creates motivation? The answer that immediately comes to mind is money. We believe that if we pay people more they will be more motivated. If we add an incentive or bonus people will work harder to get it... Read more |
