GOAL SETTING!!!TOWER OF ACHIEVEMENT!!!PYGMALION EFFECT

"Our dreams have to be bigger. Our ambitions higher. Our commitment deeper. And our efforts greater.”

LECTURE 3: TOWER BUILDING

PART 1:

The tower building exercise challenges one to build a tower by putting one square block over another and achieving the maximum height possible till the tower falls down. The students were asked to set a goal of the maximum height of the tower they can achieve.

The responses were ranging from 10 blocks to 20 square blocks. The student performed the exercise and the achieved a height of 16 blocks. 

Considering 16 blocks as the historical data of the height of the tower, students are asked to re assess their goals.

 

PART 2:

At a later part of the exercise, one of the students is blind folded and is asked to build the tower while one open-eyed student act as his manager and guide him in building the tower.

 

LEARNING AND OBSERVATIONS

 

1) Target setting: During target setting for goal achievement, the major questions which should be asked to us are:

      -What is the potential of our team?

     - What realistic target should be set?

     - What the actual performance can be?

     - What can be achieved? 

      -What are our past experiences with the exercise?

 

Organization is made of tiny blocks called teams which can be further broken down in team members,which are essential for its day to day functioning .Quality of Foundation laid is a deciding factor in the success of the Organization.

As managers, we must thrive to reach the potential. The target to be achieved should always be higher than our achieved goals. Achieved goals will give us the confidence to raise our expectations and challenge our potential.

“Tata Nano is the best example of a potential that a team can deliver by the giving excellence to its customers.”

The learning can be summarized as:

History <Achievable goals< Goals Set<Potential

Goal Setting and Achievement can be better understood with the help of the following diagram—

A : Potential

B : Goal SET

C : Performance (actual)

D : Performance (history)

So here I should also talk about a new concept I learned which is 

‘Pygmalion Effect’ or ‘Rosenthal Effect’-

This concept explains higher expectations leads to higher results and low expectations lead to a decrease in performance. 

It was derived from Pygmalion.

So what does Pygmalion effect say?

Pygmalion Effect : How we perceive others, optimistically or pessimistically can have a big impact on their performance level.It can be understood below by-

 2) Blindfold Exercise Learning: In this exercise we can assume the blindfolded person as a worker and the one giving directions as the manager. This situation explains the case where the blind folded is aware only to meet targets, by following a certain set of rules. He is unaware of business objectives, customer importance etc. Thus we have seen due to lack of clarity in target direction, he is  able to make only 8 block tower. In this scenario the quality of direction, Cooperation and Motivation given by the manager and the efficiency of the manager will determine how much aligned the worker is to the real business. As an work-experienced, I have realized that apart from technical knowledge, functional and Business Knowledge provides us a better clarity in our roles and responsibility.

These learning taught the mangers to deliver their best potential in order to achieve their organizational objectives…

I compile my learning by famous quote-

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." -Michael Jordan

Turn Staff into Team!!!

“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”…

 Continuing from the previous lecture, the second lecture of Dr. Mandi focused on the kind of perception managers hold on their employees, way they generally behave, Which depend on  their” attitude” not on their “attributes”. In this class he taught us about how the authoritative management is diffetrent from participative style of management, with the help of “Theory X and Theory Y “.

Theory X and Theory Y are theories of human motivation created and developed by Douglas McGregor in the 1960s that have been used in human resource management, organizational behavior, organizational communication and organizational development.

The lecture was based on the implications that each theory have on the output and mind set of the employee. He describes the class contrasting models of workforce motivation.

The theory goes this way:

 According theory of X and Y that there are two types of managers:

In X theory describes Authoritative Management and Y theory describes Participative Management.

 The effect of the above management on the staff can be deduced by the following figure:

From the above theory the following four interesting cases can be deduced:

1) Theory X Manager assume LAZY workers as LAZY and make them work
2) Theory X Manager assume NOT LAZY workers as NOT LAZY and make them work
3) Theory Y Manager assume LAZY workers as LAZY and make them work
4) Theory Y Manager assume NOT LAZY workers as NOT LAZY and make them work

Employee type Manager type	Good	Lazy
X	Thinks employee is lazy	Thinks employee is Lazy
Y	Thinks employee is good	Thinks employee is good

 Understanding the cases one by one:

1) Case 1:  Theory X Manager assume LAZY  workers as LAZY  and make them work :

IMPLICATIONS:

      Management assumes employees are intrinsically lazy and will avoid work. They always find fault in whatever their team’s work as they believe that the team members are lazy and not putting in their sincere efforts.  This is the situation where both worker and manager dislike their respective work. This would not to decrease in efficiency of the employer and also a negative impact on the output of the organization.

EXAMPLE:

In my graduation college, I have seen people being indolent to work. Infact, I could find people both at lower and upper level of management equally reluctant to work. The the manager himself was lazy because of this gave the people under him an easy way not to do work.

2)Case 2:  Theory X Manager assume NOT LAZY workers as NOT LAZY and make them work

IMPLICATIONS:

This is a situation is dangerous where  where hard working workers are treated as lazy workers, who are performing well are not given any motivation to continue doing so. The work culture in this situation deteriorates, which leads to large exodus and decrease in productivity of the organization..  

EXAMPLE:

This is a typical senior-junior situation where the manager has no belief on the employee. It happened with one of my friend during college. A junior was late to attend an urgent team meeting. This created prejudice in  my friend’s mind that he is not sincere in his work, but later my friend got to know from his peers that he’s actually one the best we have on our team.

3.) Case 3:Theory Y Manager assume LAZY workers as LAZY and make them work :

IMPLICATIONS:

This is the situations where the employees are lethargic but the management thinks they are hard working. There is not much control exercised over employees which results in decrease in productivity.  In this case the managers should motivate the employee to better their performance by giving them various incentives. This would not only motive him to do efficient but also effective work.

EXAMPLE:

As a starter, I was not very good at playing volleyball. In my initial matches due to my poor performance, we lost some good strokes in the game .But my team captain not only motivated me but also suggested me ways of improving my game. And in the next game I did, she congratulated me as I played well. This was possible because she displayed Manager Y characteristics which motivated me to do better next time and stand upto team expectations.

4.) Case 4:Theory Y Manager assume NOT LAZY workers as NOT LAZY and make them work

IMPLICATIONS:

This particular situation is the best for any company to be in. Its employees are not lazy and they are also getting due reward of their hard work and diligence. The mangers feel that their employees are doing good work which lead leads to an overall great working culture in the organization.

EXAMPLE:

 It refers to a fair situation when your manager appraises you based on your performance. 

  MY LEARNING’S:

Thus the class has provided me a great insight that how as a manger my perception and attitude towards my employees can help me to make my work place more effectual, efficient and effective. Most of us are convinced that a good manger with a encouraging attitude will continuously grow and lead .

With positive note I end here:

“Miracles happen everyday, change your perception of what a miracle is and you'll see them all around you”-.Jon Bon Jovi 

A NEW BLOSSOM IN SPRING!!!

“Life is a marathon, in which your consistent pace towards goal will decide your success”

Like other MBA aspirants, with dreams in eyes and desires in heart….I began my MBA journey at NITIE with mixed feelings. It was my FIRST class, when we were introduced to Professor T.Prasad , popularly known as DR MANDI.

With poise he entered the room and kept his belongings on the table.

He gently introduced himself to the class and started distributing some toys among students. On the first day of class, he created friendly environment, which surprised us all. Most of us never expected that the first day of college will be full of fun and enjoyment.

He asked the students to observe the toys and said that these toys may look like a simple piece of art, but all carry a scientific utility and a hidden value in them. And then he introduced us to the first lesson of management “the importance of earning while learning”.

He explained the “OPPORTUNITY - COST “of joining NITIE, which was more than 2500Rs per day. He then outlined the importance of time in our lives, He told us to focus on the concept of

"AAJ KI ROTI, AAJ HI KAMANI HAI !!!." 

Though the value of time can’t be quantified by money, his intention was to make us realize and recognize the value of time. He also mentioned how students participate and sell their toys in local markets at an event called “MANDI”. He made the class to chant the following slogan in unison:

Soccho… Becho !  Becho... Seekho ! !   Seekho .. Soocho ! ! !

                He moved further and told the purpose of education is to set free the thought process so that we can become productive and responsible. More than books, knowledge is responsible to bring the ignorant to light.

And then we all sang pink Floyd’s –“Another brick in the Wall”

The song lyrics go this way-

“We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! teachers! leave the kids alone!
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.”

                                         or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAIKNvv_b3I

Knowledge is contagious; this class triggered me to share my learning’s among untouched.  

I end my blog with the great idea that Steve Job floated-

“Stay Hungry, stay foolish”

There is a lot to learn and teach …this is just another beginning…