This document defines key concepts related to learning and performance management. It discusses classical and operant conditioning, reinforcement and punishment strategies, goal setting, performance measurement, feedback, and mentoring. The main points covered are how behavior is modified through experience using consequences, the characteristics of effective goals, measuring actual versus perceived performance, developing employees through feedback and coaching, and attributing causes of behavior.

1. Learning and Performance
Management

2. Definition of Learning
Learning – a change in
behavior acquired through
experience

3. 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

4. Positive and 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

5. Reinforcement, Punishment,
and 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

6. Reinforcement and
Punishment Strategies
Reinforcement Punishment
(desirable (undesirable
behavior) behavior)
Positive
Consequences Apply Withhold
Negative
Consequences Withhold Apply
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by South-Western,
a division of
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7. Bandura’s Social Learning
Theory
Prior Experiences Behavior Models
Task-Specific Self-Efficacy –
an individual’s beliefs and
expectancies about his or her
ability to perform a specific
task effectively
Persuasion from Assessment of
Others Current Physical &
Emotional Capabilities

8. Learning and Personality
Differences
Personality Preference Implications for Learning
Information Gathering
Intuitors Theoretical, look for meaning in
material, holistic understanding, look
for possibilities and interrelationships
Sensors Prefer specific, empirical data,
practical applications, master details,
look for the realistic and doable
Decision Making
Thinkers Prefer data and information analysis,
fair minded, evenhanded, seek logical
and 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., 1989).

9. Goal Setting at Work
Goal Setting –
the process of Goa ls help e
llize th ose
establishing crysta f purp
o
desired results sense sion
is
that guide and and m l to
a
e ssenti at work.
direct behavior succes
s

10. Characteristics of
Effective Goals
Specifi S
c
Measurable M
Effective
Attainable A
Goals
Realistic R
Time-Bound T

11. Goal Level and
Task Performance
High Difficult goals
Task
Performance
Easy goals
Low
Low High
Goal Level

12. Goal-Setting Functions
Increase work motivation and
task performance
Reduce role stress associated
with conflicting or confusing situations
Improve accuracy and validity
of performance evaluation

13. Increase Work Motivation and
Task Performance
• Employee participation
• Supervisory commitment
• Useful performance
feedback

14. 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

15. Improve
Performance Evaluation
Management by Objectives (MBO) – a
goal-setting program based on
interaction and negotiation between
employees and managers
– Articulates what to do
– Determines how to do it

16. Performance Management
Performance Management – a
process of defining, measuring,
appraising, providing feedback on,
and improving performance

17. Performance Management
Process
Define performance in behavioral terms
Measure and assess performance
Feedback for goal setting and planning
Improved Performance

18. How is Performance
Measured?
Performance appraisal – the evaluation of
a person’s performance
– Provides feedback to employees
– Identifies employees’ developmental needs
– Decides promotions and rewards
– Decides demotions and terminations
– Develops information about the organization’s
selection and placement decisions

19. Actual and Measured
Performance
Mea
tual e
Ac anc Per sured
m form
Perfor True
anc
e
Assessment

20. Actual and Measured
Performance
Performance
overlooked Evaluator’s
by evaluator situational
factors
True Unreliability Disagreement
Deficiency Assessment Employee’s
temporary
Invalidity personal
factors
Actual Measured
Performance Poorly defined Performance
task performance

21. Communicating
Performance Feedback
• Refer to specific verbatim statements
and observable behaviors
• Focus on changeable behaviors
• Both supervisor and employee should
plan and organize before the session
• Begin with something positive

22. 3600 Feedback
360-Degree Self
Evaluation
Feedback –
A process of self-
evaluation and Manager Customer
Evaluation Evaluation
evaluations by a Feedback
manager, peers,
direct reports, and
possibly customers Peer Reports
Evaluation

23. Develop People and
Enhance Careers
Supervisor should:
• Coach and develop employees
• Be vulnerable and open to challenge
• Maintain a position of responsibility
• Listen empathetically
• Encourage employee to talk about hope
and aspirations
Employee should:
• Take responsibility for growth and
development
• Challenge supervisor about future
development
• Express individual preferences and goals

24. Effective Appraisal Systems
Key Characteristics
Validity
Reliability
Responsiveness
Flexibility
Equitableness

25. Individual or
Team Rewards?
Individual rewards Team rewards
• foster independent • emphasize
behavior cooperation and
• may lead to joint efforts
creative thinking • emphasize sharing
and novel solutions information,
• encourage knowledge, and
competitive striving expertise
within a work team

26. Organizations get
Organizations get
the performance
the performance
they reward,
they reward,
not
not
the performance
the performance
they say they want
they say they want

27. Correcting Poor Performance
Identify primary cause or responsibility
If organizational,
determine problem’s
source
Develop corrective plan of action

28. Correcting Poor Performance
Identify primary cause or responsibility
If personal,
determine problem’s
source
Develop corrective plan of action

29. 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 – the degree to which the
person behaves the same way in other
situations
Consistency – the frequency of a
particular behavior over time

30. Information Cues and Attributions
Customer has complained
about John
There are no complaints John has received similar Complaints about John
about other employees complaints in the past have been coming in steady
(low consensus) (low distinctiveness) (high consistency)
Internal attribution
(John's behavior stems
mainly from internal causes)

31. Information Cues and Attributions
Mary has performed
poorly on collections
Other employees are
Mary only performs Most of the time
performing poorly
poorly on this task Mary handles collections well
on collections
(high distinctiveness) (low consistency)
(high consensus)
External attribution
(Mary's behavior stems
mainly from external causes)

32. Attribution Model
Information cues Perceived
• Consensus
source of
• Consistency
responsibility
• Distinctiveness
Attribution of poor
Observation Behavior in
performance
of poor response
• Internal causes
performance to attribution
• External causes

33. Mentoring
Mentoring – a work relationship that
encourages development and career
enhancement for people moving
through the career cycle
Four phases
– initiation
– cultivation
– separation
– redefinition