Comments on: Everything You Think about Pay for Performance Could Be Wrong

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Extrinsic Incentives Kill Creativity

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:46:15 +0000

[...] via: Everything You Think about Pay for Performance Could Be Wrong [...]

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:08:02 +0000

Really good article Frank, I was doing a search around Youtube today and found this movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzCQ219bxl8

Thought it might generate some discussion around the new world of HR.

By: Doug Smith

Doug Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:45:54 +0000

It’s important to remember that there is still a LOT of work out there that is NOT centered on creativity, but on delivering a service that meets immediate expectations (food service, medical care, house painting, on and on) where Results Only Work Environment and Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose may not work so well. While I’d like to believe that everyone would thrive with a focus on Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose it just doesn’t feel that way.

That doesn’t mean that the conclusion is in on rewards — just that it is an interesting dialogue worth continuing.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:48:41 +0000

I certainly don’t dispute the main message. When I reflect on jobs I’ve had in the past, the ones that felt most rewarding had nothing to do with incentives that were offered. That said, the company I used to work for was sold for a LARGE pile of cash. If my reward for a decade of hard work had been fond memories of autonomy I’d have felt like a sucker.

By: Paul Hebert

Paul Hebert — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:46:42 +0000

I think we need to look at this no differently than we look at any approach to business – it’s a melange not a single bullet. To say – incentives don’t work is as bad as saying incentives are the only way to get performance. Unfortunately for most companies and “old school HR” it comes down to what is easiest and what can I blame when it doesn’t work.

I don’t know why but it seems most managers want to simply implement an idea versus think about how it applies in their world.

By: Frank Roche

Frank Roche — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:38:26 +0000

@Paul I make my living on the pay for performance tightrope. I believe in it…but I’m going to process this idea more about the narrowing of creativity. It makes sense…it’s funny, managers are so willing to be amateur psychologists and then ignore other management science. It’s Management a la Carte.

By: Darcy

Darcy — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:53:20 +0000

Frank – Thanks for posting this thought provoking video. We put a post up at the Compensation Cafe to generate more discussion about the presentation.

http://compforce.typepad.com/compensation_cafe/2009/08/food-for-thought.html

By: Sarah Chambers

Sarah Chambers — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:24:19 +0000

Super provocative. I actually took notes! I completely agree that adults want autonomy. Autonomy and responsibility are what separate the adults from the kids. He challenges us to do more than talk to people like adults, and to actually treat them like adults.

Many years ago, a very clever colleague said that she never wants people to tell her both what to do AND how to do it. One or the other. To me, that’s an easy explanation of results-oriented direction.

I think a lot of feelings people have are well articulated in this 18-minute-that-feels-like-5-minute video. I’ve had this feeling that values and culture are the thing – not cascading task-oriented goals. I thought it was my idea. I guess a few smarter people thought of this before I did

AMP is cool too – autonomy, mastery, purpose.

By: Doug Sayed

Doug Sayed — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:01:17 +0000

Paul. I couldn’t of said it better myself, so I won’t try. Well done.

And Laurie, Whoa to you too. I thought it was fascinating as well(especially as a psych major as an undergrad).

By: Frank Roche

Frank Roche — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:40:55 +0000

@Laurie It’s a really great line, non? Really something to think about.