Insights for 22 February 2007

Random thought that I wrote down during class: People can be reliant upon positive feedback without being achievement focused. As long as they receive positive feedback they will not feel the need to achieve. However, these people will not genuinely feel about themselves, in spite of receiving positive feedback. This is because they are living a double life; they are not achieving while still receiving praise for their minimal achievements. They will feel guilty about this. The better thing to do is to be more achievement focused.

I think it is important to let people set their own deadlines and standards. When they do this, they will be more committed to doing the work. The best way to do this, I believe, is through expectation interviews. An expectation interview is where a manager/leader outlines the needs, resources, and expectations that he or she has of a person. Then, they discuss how something will be completed. Then together they set goals and standards, with the interviewee actually verbalizing the goals and standards. This way, they actually set the rules for themselves and feel like it is something they are doing rather than an imposed mandate.

I cannot overemphasize the need for councils. Working in groups to make decisions is by far the best way to go.