Assignment 1 (4%)
Assignment 1 (4%)
Exercise 1-1: A Person Whose Performance Could Be Improved
Step 1: Select a Person
Think of a co-worker or subordinate whose work performance (by your standards) could be improved. Overall, he or she may be an average, a below average, or even an above average performer.
The person you select should:
· be an immediate subordinate, a co-worker, or a person one level in the organization beneath your own.
· not be close to retirement, a part-time employee, a temporary employee, or a person whose performance is at or near the “bottom of the barrel.”
· hold a job with which you are familiar, e.g., you may have held the job yourself or you may have supervised the job for a long enough period that you have a good understanding of its day-to-day requirements.
Step 2: Provide Reasons for Performance
In the space provided on the next few pages, present your analysis of the situation by listing in point form up to six reasons explaining why the person performs as he or she does.
There is no set of right or wrong reasons. This is to be your personal assessment of the situation. You may wish to list one, several, or many reasons.
Step 3: Weight the Reasons
Beneath each of the spaces allocated for a reason, there are three scales:
· The first asks you to what degree you feel this particular reason contributes to the person’s level of motivation.
· The second asks you whether you feel the reason you have listed suggests the jobholder is to some degree at fault or personally responsible for the below-par performance.
· The third asks you to assess the degree to which the organization’s management system (e.g., the nature of the job, supervision, the reward system) is responsible.
For any given reason, it is possible that the reason implies that either the person or the management system or both are responsible for the below par performance.
Step 4: Provide Examples
Provide examples that support the weighting you gave your reason by describing a few specific things that the person actually does or does not do that lead you to see him or her as not performing as well as he or she might. Be as specific as possible and try to describe three or more things. For example, you might write things like “he arrives late for work” or “she complains about her job.”
Step 5: Identify Solutions with No Limitations
Assume that you are in a position of authority and have unlimited resources in the organization. Recommend a solution by describing precisely what you would do to improve the situation. Do not limit yourself in any way to what is possible in the particular situation or the organization. Assume that you and the organization have whatever resources and rights that you need to do anything that you feel is warranted. Of course, in reality this is not likely to be the case.
Step 6: Identify Solutions with Practical Limitations
Now let’s be practical. You probably don’t have total power and you may not be the person’s supervisor. However, assume that you are the supervisor. Given the practical realities of your organization, what solutions, if any, would you recommend to correct the problem? If you feel that your hands are completely tied and that you could do nothing useful, say so. You do not have to recommend a change.
Reason 1: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the below par performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 2: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the below par performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 3: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 4: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
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