What is Behavior?

1
What is Behavior?

• Any observable, measurable activity of a person

2
What determines the value of a behavior to a
given organization?

• Its relationship to the organizations output

How do we typically miss the point regarding the
value of behavior?

• Preoccupation with changing behaviors that do not
  affect the accomplishments of the organization
  are an expensive waste of time.

3
What behaviors does PM focus on?

• It pinpoints the critical few behaviors in a
  skill set

4
What unbreakable behavioral law makes behavior
predictable?

• The best predictor of what people will do today
  is what they did yesterday.

5
What is Performance?

• A unit that consists of situation, behaviors,
  tasks, results, which are combined to produce a
  specific accomplishment

A summary term for behaviors and their effect on
the environment
6
What Behavior is Not

• Generalities
• Attitudes
• States
• Values

What Behavior is

• Observable action
• Can be counted
• Value calculated

7
The Problem with Generalities How do They Relate
to Behavior?

• What is the problem with these commonly used
  performance appraisal terms?
• Professionalism, creativity, teamwork,
  enthusiasm, quality of communication, commitment
  to xyz
• Selling, monitoring, checking, delegating,
  supervising, managing, taking ownership, being
  proactive

• They do not describe what you can observe someone
  doing

8
What are Attitudes and How do They Relate to
Behavior?

• Vast collection of tasks and behaviors --gt state
  of mind

How do Attitudes pop up in Performance
Discussions?

• Buzz words safety awareness, quality
  consciousness, cost consciousness

What is the problem with these buzz words?

• Differing meanings

9
If you heard this statementSuzy has a bad
attitude what behaviors would you expect to
find?
Observe-able, Count-able, Value-able
10
If you heard this statementSuzy has a positive
attitude what behaviors would you expect to
find?
Observe-able, Count-able, Value-able
11
What are States and How do They Relate to
Behavior?

• A static condition that exists as a RESULT of
  behavior
• No action required
• Wearing vs. putting on safety glasses

12
What are Values and How do They Relate to
Behavior?

• A value is a group of behaviors defined by their
  impact on the observer

What is teamwork? A value or a behavior?
13
If you heard this statementJim is not a good
team player what behaviors would you expect to
find?
Observe-able, Count-able, Value-able
14
If you heard this statementJim is an excellent
team player what behaviors would you expect to
find?
Observe-able, Count-able, Value-able
15
What are Mind Games How do They Interfere with
Performance Management?

• What is going on in employees heads
• Private thoughts and feelings
• Assumed based on overt behavior

When do Managers Address Thoughts Feelings?

• Only when overtly expressed in negative way

16
How Should You Deal with Negative Behaviors?

• Investigate behavior-consequence relationships
  that produce the reaction
• Make changes if possible

17
The Bottom Line

• As a manager, what can you actually manage to
  improve performance?
• What does it look like?
• What tools can you use?