Please comply with all the reading materials that will be attached to this request, citation need to be from reading materials. Part of being a learning leader is the ability to learn from and with others, to be able to take on new responsibilities and rise to new occasions. Think about a time when you were asked to take on a new project or to complete a new task that you had never done before. How was the project or task presented to you? Did you have a sense that your manager believed you could do it or just hoped you could do it? There is a big difference!
In fact, there is an established correlation between a manager's expectation and an employee's performance, as discussed in Livingston's (2003) article on the Pygmalion effect. Difficulties can arise when personality, culture or other differences between the manager and employee cause the manager to communicate expectations or give feedback in ways that can sabotage performance.
To prepare for this Shared Activity, review the media presentation and observe the following:
• Evidence of expectations set by the supervisor
• Evidence of reactions to expectations by the employee
• Any correlation between the expectations and behaviors exhibited by the individuals
To complete this Shared Activity:
• Post an example of the Pygmalion effect you have observed in the past. Describe what effect the leader's or manager's expectations had on the employees' performance in the workplace.
• Throughout Unit 2, read your colleagues' postings and discuss similarities and differences in your experiences. Share ideas about how you could use effective communication strategies and feedback to create a positive set of expectations to a subordinate or peer.
• Toward the end of Unit 2, share with your colleagues lessons you learned that will help you develop your own leadership qualities.
In each unit, you will receive feedback from your Faculty Member on your participation in the Shared Activities Forum, focusing on your contributions to the learning community.