Implications for the Boss

& You

The Self-fulfilling Prophecy

" I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins because he always treats me as a flower girl and always will; but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady and always will.“ Eliza Doolittle, in Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

The Self-fulfilling Prophecy 4 key principles

i. We form certain expectations of people or events

ii. We communicate these expectations with various cues

iii. People tend to adjust their behaviour to match the cues

iv. Result: original expectation becomes true

Formed expectations

communicate expectations

People adjust their behaviour

2 powerful researches • 1971 Rat Research • Rats randomly passed to

students were told they were super brilliant maze rats

• The other half were told they were dull rats

• Results? Those rats which were told that they were brilliant performed well

2nd powerful research • 1976 Research on human

students • Worked with elementary

students from 18 California classrooms

• Out of these 18 classes, 20% were randomly selected

• Teachers were told that this 20% were very bright

Result? • Experimental group

showed an average IQ increase of 2% in verbal ability

• 7% increase in reasoning

• 4% increase in overall IQ gain

Other Important Findings

• The students who were given high expectations about the rats liked the rats more

• This led to better treatment of the rats

• Every manager has expectations of their staff, and they communicate these either consciously or unconsciously.

• Employees pick up on these, either consciously or unconsciously and perform in ways that are consistent with these expectations.

Implications for HR

• If the manager’s expectations are positive expectations, then success is expected.

• Positive cues lead to positive response

Implications for HR (2)

• if the manager fails to praise a particular member of staff as much as he praises others or spends more time talking to other members of staff than a particular employee, the particular staff may become demoralised

Implications for HR (3)

There is a stronger effect than the Self-fulfilling prophecy - Galatea Effect

Who was Galatea?

• A name popularly applied to the statue carved of ivory by Pygmalion of Cyprus in Greek mythology.

The Galatea effect is a phenomenon where people's own opinions about their ability and self-worth influence their performance.

Galatea Effect – In Action • The Galatea effect

means if employees think they can succeed, they will likely succeed.

• Any actions the manager can take that increase the employee's feelings of positive self-worth - will help to improve staff performance.

• Create a positive work culture

• Facilitate delivery of consistent messages by all supervisory staff

• Provide opportunities for challenging work and personal development

Galatea Effect - Recommendations for HR

• Project positive feedback to employee’s success

• Assign new staff members a mentor/buddy (often a more senior member of staff)

• Learn the importance of active listening

Galatea Effect - Recommendations for HR (2)

Galatea Effect Vs. Pygmalion Effect

• Pygmalion effect is based on the expectations of others

• Galatea effect is rooted in self-expectation

• Both effects play an important role in increasing the productivity and personal development of each individual.

Advanced recommendations for HR

1. A sound talent management system should be place in place that includes identification, training, trailing and feedback

2. A multiple-channel feedback system is holistic and should be put in place (prevents biasness)

3. In everyday activities - Give your staff the benefit of the doubt

4. A sound and systematic performance review system

"If he is unskilled, he leaves scars on the careers of the young men (and women), cuts deeply into their self-esteem and distorts their image of themselves as human beings. But if he is skillful and has high expectations of his subordinates, their self-confidence will grow, their capabilities will develop and their productivity will be high. More often than he realizes, the manager is Pygmalion."

J. Sterling Livingston in the September/October, 1988 Harvard Business Review.

Conclusion

References 1. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/difference-between-galatea-

effect-and-pygmalion-effect.html 2. http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementtips/a/m

gmtsecret.htm 3. http://www.accel-team.com/pygmalion/prophecy_05.html 4. http://www.accel-team.com/pygmalion/prophecy_01.html 5. http://www.realhrconsult.com/nl_5.php 6. http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementtips/a/m

gmtsecret_2.htm 7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCyz1v1dYQg

Profile of the Writer

• Founder of

• A training company which specializes in using clay for facilitations

Profile of the Writer

• Also Principal Trainer of • Provides Clay workshops for

children and adults • Provides clay training for people

with disabilities • Clay artist • Educator • Parent

Clients we have facilitated

All the clay pieces in this presentation are original. For more information on developing your staff, please contact Leonard

• Email - tcclayco@gmail.com

• FB - https://www.facebook.com/TheCreativeClayCo

• Blog: http://thecreativeclayco.blogspot.sg/

Contact Us!