Chapter 10 of Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn deals with workplace motivation. The first part of this chapter is about how compensations systems can act as barriers to quality, productivity and motivation. Daniel Pink has said the best use of money is to "pay people enough to get the issue of money off the table ... so they are not thinking about the money, they are thinking about the work." and that what really motivates people is autonomy, mastery and purpose. Alfie Kohn also writes the same thing: "Pay people generously and equitably. Do your best to make sure they don't feel exploited. Then do everything in your power to help them put money out of their minds." Kohn writes that the big problem with money is the way it is used to control people.
Further on in the chapter Kohn writes about evaluation and how this too can be a demotivator. At one school I remember we changed the term "teacher evaluation" (which implied making a value judgement about someone's performance) to "teacher appraisal" which apparently was a more positive term to use because it contained the word "praise" instead of the word "value". In this school we were appraised on our goals, most of which we set ourselves. I've never worked in a place where evaluation or appraisal has been linked to pay, but I have worked in places where it has been suggested that such a compensation scheme might be introduced. However what I have noticed is that any evaluation or appraisal scheme, regardless of what it is called, seems to generate a climate of anxiety and fear among teachers being appraised, which could indicate that it is being used for the wrong purpose.
Alfie Kohn addresses some of the reasons why schools and companies have such systems: some are used to determine pay, awards etc. Some may be introduced to try to make employees perform better (fear or negative evaluation, hope of positive evaluation), some may be to decide who is doing a good job so that they can be promoted to something better, some may be to provide feedback, discuss problems and help employees to do a better job. Of those, it seems only the last reason is likely to be useful. In the case of promotion, Kohn argues that employees are made to feel like failures if they are not upwardly mobile - or perhaps if they choose not to be. Kohn also points out that appraisals of someone's performance in their current job are no real indicator of how they will perform in a different position and he also writes that performance is best judged by the evaluation of one's peers and not one's superiors.
Evaluations and appraisals can be useful ways of helping someone to do better work, however, especially when this involves a dialogue and not a judgment. They are also useful when they are ongoing, rather than just a once or twice a year observation. However the most interesting part of the chapter that I've read so far relates to the relationship between the two people involved - Kohn writes that it is foolish to have someone "serving in the self-conflicting role as a counselor (helping someone improve performance) when at the same time, he or she is presiding as a judge."
The crux of this part of the book is that it is changing the way that employees are treated (as opposed to paid) that boosts productivity and motivation and in my experience this is certainly true.
Further on in the chapter Kohn writes about evaluation and how this too can be a demotivator. At one school I remember we changed the term "teacher evaluation" (which implied making a value judgement about someone's performance) to "teacher appraisal" which apparently was a more positive term to use because it contained the word "praise" instead of the word "value". In this school we were appraised on our goals, most of which we set ourselves. I've never worked in a place where evaluation or appraisal has been linked to pay, but I have worked in places where it has been suggested that such a compensation scheme might be introduced. However what I have noticed is that any evaluation or appraisal scheme, regardless of what it is called, seems to generate a climate of anxiety and fear among teachers being appraised, which could indicate that it is being used for the wrong purpose.
Alfie Kohn addresses some of the reasons why schools and companies have such systems: some are used to determine pay, awards etc. Some may be introduced to try to make employees perform better (fear or negative evaluation, hope of positive evaluation), some may be to decide who is doing a good job so that they can be promoted to something better, some may be to provide feedback, discuss problems and help employees to do a better job. Of those, it seems only the last reason is likely to be useful. In the case of promotion, Kohn argues that employees are made to feel like failures if they are not upwardly mobile - or perhaps if they choose not to be. Kohn also points out that appraisals of someone's performance in their current job are no real indicator of how they will perform in a different position and he also writes that performance is best judged by the evaluation of one's peers and not one's superiors.
Evaluations and appraisals can be useful ways of helping someone to do better work, however, especially when this involves a dialogue and not a judgment. They are also useful when they are ongoing, rather than just a once or twice a year observation. However the most interesting part of the chapter that I've read so far relates to the relationship between the two people involved - Kohn writes that it is foolish to have someone "serving in the self-conflicting role as a counselor (helping someone improve performance) when at the same time, he or she is presiding as a judge."
The crux of this part of the book is that it is changing the way that employees are treated (as opposed to paid) that boosts productivity and motivation and in my experience this is certainly true.
The Age (a Melbourne-based newspaper) recently published an article regarding a teacher bonus pay scheme that is said to be introduced in Australia in 2014. The idea is that the scheme will reward top performing teachers - the key to a great education, according to Julia Gillard (Aust. PM). It also sends a message that higher certification does not necessarily lead to higher pay. One of the ways the bonus pay will be rewarded to teachers is through an appraisal process. This relates to what Kohn discusses in chapter 10.
ReplyDeleteA Productivity Commission has recommended that the scheme be shelved, with many teachers claiming that it would be divisive and undermine collegiality. I found it interesting to read that the Australian Education Union federal president echoed the sentiments of Dan Pink, as you quoted, Maggie. He says that 'what is needed is a competitive, professional salary for all teachers.'
If you'd like to read the article then you can find it here: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/teacher-bonus-takes-blow-20120503-1y1vj.html