Towards a Better Measurement of Uncertainty and Risk

11/02/2024:

A Guide to Shaping Productive Workplace Behavior

Effective management is not just about delegating tasks or ensuring deadlines are met; it is about cultivating a positive and productive environment where employees are motivated, clear about expectations, and driven to improve. Creating such an environment requires a deep understanding of human behavior, communication skills, and leadership tactics. Several foundational principles guide managers in fostering this kind of environment, such as rewarding behavior to reinforce it, setting clear boundaries about what is tolerated, addressing performance issues appropriately, focusing on critical areas for improvement, and establishing clear criteria for success. These intertwined principles provide a comprehensive framework for guiding managerial practices and shaping workplace culture.

Behavior that Gets Praised, Gets Repeated

Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools in a manager's toolkit. Praising behavior boosts morale and signals to subordinates that they are on the right track. People are naturally inclined to repeat actions that are rewarded, whether the reward is verbal recognition, a bonus, or a simple gesture of appreciation. Managers who regularly praise desirable behavior, such as teamwork, initiative, or problem-solving, will see these behaviors increase. This principle underscores the importance of recognizing employees for functioning within their roles and responsibilities and continuing their journey toward excellence.

Research supports this notion. For example, a meta-analysis by Deci, Koestner, and Ryan (1999) examined the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. They found that rewards can enhance motivation when seen as positive reinforcement rather than controlling mechanisms. Employees who receive praise or tangible rewards for valued behaviors are more likely to repeat them. Thus, managers who use praise effectively can reinforce a culture of success and accountability in their teams.

However, praise must be both timely and sincere. Empty praise or generic acknowledgments can have the opposite effect, leading employees to question the value of their contributions or, worse, perceive favoritism. Instead, managers should offer specific praise that highlights the particular behavior or result being rewarded. For example, telling an employee, "I noticed how well you handled that difficult client call and how you stayed calm under pressure, well done," reinforces a concrete behavior. This specificity strengthens the connection between the action and the reward, ensuring employees understand what behaviors are valued and should be repeated.

Moreover, public praise benefits the individual and can have a ripple effect throughout the team. When employees witness their peers being recognized for their contributions, it sets a standard of excellence and motivates others to aspire to similar achievements. Public acknowledgment can also foster healthy competition within the team, encouraging higher performance across the board.

You Get the Behavior You Tolerate

While rewarding good behavior is essential, allowing negative behavior to persist unchecked can be just as influential in shaping the workplace culture but in a negative direction. Managers who tolerate poor performance, unprofessional conduct, or missed deadlines communicate that these actions are acceptable. Over time, this tolerance can erode team morale and lead to a culture where underperformance becomes the norm. The longer negative behaviors are tolerated, the harder it becomes to correct them without significant disruption.

Porath and Pearson (2013) explored this phenomenon in their study on workplace incivility. Their research highlights how a lack of respect can damage individual employee morale and the organization's bottom line when addressed. Employees take cues from their environment; if disruptive or harmful behaviors are ignored or tolerated, they will likely assume they are acceptable. This contributes to a toxic work culture that can be difficult to reverse.

Effective managers set clear expectations and enforce them consistently. When employees understand the consequences of failing to meet these standards, they are more likely to align their behavior with the organization's goals. This principle requires managers to confront issues head-on, even when uncomfortable because ignoring them only escalates the problems. The fear of confrontation should never prevent a manager from addressing problematic behavior; otherwise, it signals to the rest of the team that standards are malleable.

Addressing poor behavior does not have to be punitive. Managers should approach these situations with a mindset focused on correction and improvement rather than punishment. Employees should be allowed to correct their behavior only after clear boundaries have been set and communicated. The key is consistency; what is tolerated once will likely be repeated.

Praise in Public, Correct in Private

One of the cardinal rules of effective feedback in the workplace is to praise in public but correct in private. Public praise can build confidence and motivate not just the individual but the entire team. As mentioned, recognizing one employee's achievements in front of their peers creates a positive atmosphere where excellence is acknowledged and rewarded.

In contrast, correction or criticism should always be done in private. Public criticism embarrasses the individual and can undermine their confidence, morale, and trust in the manager, leading to resentment or disengagement. Public humiliation is one of the quickest ways to destroy an employee's motivation, and it can also have a lasting negative impact on team dynamics. When an employee is corrected privately, the discussion can be more candid and focused without fear of embarrassment or peer judgment.

Managers need to distinguish between criticism and correction. Correction is focused on behaviors that need improvement and offers guidance on how to achieve that improvement. Criticism, when delivered in public, often feels like an attack on the person rather than their behavior. According to Belschak and Den Hartog (2009), feedback that is perceived as negative or punitive can lead to emotional distress and disengagement from work. Their study found that how feedback is significantly delivered influences employees' emotional responses and subsequent behaviors. By handling correction privately and framing it in terms of improvement, managers can maintain the employee's dignity and foster a willingness to change.

When delivering corrective feedback, it is essential to be specific about the behavior that needs to change and provide actionable improvement steps. Vague or generalized feedback can guide the employee in moving forward. Constructive feedback should focus on behaviors and results, not personal attributes. For example, rather than saying, "You're not good at managing your time," a more practical approach would be, "I noticed your project timelines were delayed; let's work together to develop a strategy for managing your time more effectively."

Criticize vs. Correct: The Art of Delivering Feedback

The distinction between criticism and correction is subtle yet profound. Criticism tends to focus on the person, which can be judgmental and unproductive. When employees feel attacked or unfairly judged, they are less likely to be receptive to feedback and more likely to become defensive. This hampers the individual's potential for improvement and damages the relationship between the manager and the employee.

Correction, on the other hand, is solution-oriented. It focuses on the specific behavior that needs to change and offers constructive improvement guidance. Correction is about providing a clear path forward, helping employees develop new skills, and improving performance. For instance, instead of criticizing an employee with a comment like "You never meet deadlines," a corrective approach would be to say, "I noticed that you've been struggling to meet recent deadlines. Let's discuss what might be causing this and find ways to manage your time more effectively."

The goal of correction is not penalizing but encouraging growth and learning. Managers who master the art of correction empower their employees to become better versions of themselves. By addressing performance issues constructively, they create an environment where employees feel supported in their professional development rather than punished for their mistakes.

If It's Not on Your Report Card, It Doesn't Matter

In business, clear communication of priorities is essential for effective management. Employees perform best when they understand precisely what is expected of them and how their performance will be evaluated. The principle "If it's not on your report card, it doesn't matter" highlights the importance of establishing clear, measurable goals and ensuring that employees are aligned with the organization's priorities.

Employees can feel confused and demotivated when managers are inconsistent in what they deem essential or shift expectations without communicating them. This lack of clarity can lead to wasted effort as employees focus on tasks that may not align with the organization's key objectives. By clearly defining the criteria for success, managers help direct their team's energy and focus towards what truly matters.

Effective performance management requires ongoing communication. Managers should regularly check in with their employees to ensure they understand their goals and how their performance will be assessed. When employees clearly understand what is on their "report card," they can prioritize their efforts accordingly. This approach increases productivity and helps employees feel more secure in their roles, as they know exactly how their success will be measured.

Improvement: Focus on the Two Things You Care About Most

Continuous improvement is a central theme in management, but trying to improve everything at once can be overwhelming and inefficient. Instead, managers should focus on the two most critical areas to success. These areas could differ for each team or individual, but by honing in on the key drivers of performance, a manager can channel their energy and resources more effectively.

For instance, if a manager identifies communication and time management as the two areas that will significantly impact the team's productivity, these should become the focus. This targeted approach provides clear direction and ensures that improvements are sustainable. By refining a manageable number of competencies, managers can achieve meaningful progress without spreading their efforts too thin.

This principle of targeted improvement also applies to personal development. Managers should regularly assess their performance and identify two areas for improvement. By continually refining their skills, managers set a positive example for their team and ensure they remain influential leaders.

Conclusion

These management principles form a blueprint for creating a healthy and productive workplace culture. By praising behavior to reinforce it, setting limits on what is tolerated, correcting rather than criticizing, and focusing on critical priorities, managers can foster an environment where employees are motivated to excel. Clear communication of expectations and a thoughtful approach to feedback ensure that individuals feel valued and guided in their professional development. In this way, the organization benefits from a workforce that is engaged, skilled, and aligned with its goals.

* Note: A pdf copy of this article can be found at:
https://www.mcl-associates.com/downloads/a_guide_to_shaping_productive_workplace_behavior.pdf

References

Belschak, F. D., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2009). "Consequences of positive and negative feedback: The impact on emotions and extra‐role behaviors." Applied Psychology, 58(2), 274-303.

Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). "A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation." Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627-668.

Porath, C., & Pearson, C. (2013). "The price of incivility: Lack of respect hurts morale-and the bottom line." Harvard Business Review, 91(1), 114-121.

Timms, M. (2024, OCT 18). Leadership Now. Retrieved fro: FastCompany:https://www.fastcompany.com/ 91210905/2-essential-principles-to-manage-peoples-behavior

© Mark Lefcowitz 2001 - 2024
All Rights Reserved

While listening to an audiobook on the Medici by Paul Strathern, I was presented with a historical citation that I knew to be incredibly inaccurate. In a chapter entitled, "Godfathers of the Scientific Renaissance". discussing the apocryphal tale of Galileo's experiment conducted from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the author cites Neil Armstrong in the Apollo 11 flight to the Moon with its memorable modern recreation, using a hammer and a feather.

Attributing this famous experiment to Armstrong on Apollo 11 is incorrect. It occurred on August 2, 1971, at the end of the last EVA of Apollo 15, presented by Astronaut Dave Scott. To press the point further, Scott used a feather from a very specific species: a falcon's feather. This small piece of trivia is memorable since Scott accompanied by crew member Al Worden arrived on the Lunar surface using the Lunar Module christened, "Falcon".

In an instant, the author's faux pas - for me -- undercut the book's entire validity. In an instant, it soured my listening enjoyment.

Mr. Strathern is approximately a decade my senior. As a well-published writer and historian, it is presumed that he subscribes to the professional standards of careful research and accuracy. Given this well-documented piece of historical modern trivia, I cannot fathom how he got it so wrong. Moreover, I cannot figure out how such an egregious error managed to go unscathed through what I assumed was a standard professional proofreading and editing process.

If the author and the publisher’s many editorial staff had got this single incontrovertible event from recent history wrong, what other counterfactual information did the book contain?

What is interesting to me, is my own reaction or -- judging from this narrative - some might say, my over-reaction to a fairly common occurrence. Why was I so angry? Why could I not just shake it off with a philosophical, ironic shake of the head?

And that is the point: accidental misinformation, spin and out-and-out propaganda -- and the never-ending stream of lies, damned lies, and unconfirmed statistics whose actual methodology is either shrouded or not even attempted -- are our daily fare. At some point, it is just too much to suffer in silence.

I have had enough of it.

God knows I do not claim to be a paragon of virtue. I told lies as a child, to gloss over personal embarrassments, though I quickly learned that I am not particularly good at deception. I do not like it when others try to deceive me. I take personal and professional pride in being honest about myself and my actions.

Do I make mistakes and misjudgments personally and professionally? Of course, I do. We all do. Have I done things for which I am ashamed? Absolutely. Where I have made missteps in my life, I have taken responsibility for my actions, and have apologized for my actions, or tried to explain them if I have the opportunity to do so.

For all of these thoughtless self-centered acts, I can only move forward. There is nothing I can do about now except to try to do grow and be a better human being in all aspects of my life. That's all any of us can do. I try to treat others as I wish to be treated: with honesty and openness about my personal and private needs, and when I am able to accommodate the wants and needs of those who have entered the orbit of my life.

We all have a point of view. Given the realities of human psychology and peer pressures to conform, it is not surprising that I or anyone else would surrender something heartfelt without some sort of struggle. However, we have a responsibility to others -- and to ourselves -- to not fabricate a narrative designed to misinform, or manipulate others.

Lying is a crime of greed, only occasionally punished when uncovered in a court of law
I am sick to death with liars, “alternative facts” in all their varied plumages and their all too convenient camouflage of excuses and rationales. While I am nowhere close to removing this class of humans from impacting my life, I think it is well past the time to start speaking out loud about our out-of-control culture of pathological untruthfulness openly.

Lying about things that matter -- in all its many forms, both overt and covert -- is unacceptable. When does lying matter? When you are choosing to put your self-interest above someone else’s through deceit.

Some might call me a "sucker" or "hopelessly naive". I believe that I am neither. Our species - as with all living things -- is caught in a cycle of both competition and cooperation
We both compete and cooperate to survive.

There is a sardonic observation, “It’s all about mind over matter. If I no longer mind, it no longer matters”. This precisely captures the issue that we all must face: the people who disdainfully lie to us - and there are many - no longer mind. We - the collective society of humanity no longer matter, if for them we ever did.

We are long past the time when we all must demand a new birth of social norms. We all have the responsibility to maintain them and enforce them in our own day-to-day lives. Without maintaining the basic social norms of honesty and treating others as you wish to be treated in return, how can any form of human trust take place?