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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
IV. Discussion Questions:
The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 9-1 to
9-10 on the instructor’s side of the text’s Website.
Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and the
conflict process.
1. What sources of conflict were present in this scenario? Refer to PPT 9-3 to
construct your answer.
Many sources of conflict come into to play here. Ambiguous rules may have
been a source of conflict because Patrick didn’t seem to think that going over
budget a little was going to be a big problem. He found out that that would be
2. On PPT 9-4, The Conflict Process, overt behaviors are depicted as indicators of
manifest conflict. What overt behaviors did you identify during this scenario?
Lucinda repeatedly rolled her eyes and displayed negative affect towards Patrick.
1. Patrick’s strategy should be to:
A. Emphasize progress
B. Defend himself
C. Impress superiors
Patrick should emphasize his progress in terms that the rest of the group will
2. What does Sam Adelson insinuate about Patrick [when he calls him a
hot- shot]?
A. He’s arrogant
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
3. How was this [first] meeting?
Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles.
1. Various conflict management styles are depicted on PPT 9-7. For each of the
participants in the scenario, describe which style(s) they used and cite examples to
support your answer.
Lucinda – Competing – she doesn’t seem to want to listen to Patrick’s position or
Sam – Compromises – he tries to give Patrick more support which is initially rejected
Patrick – attempts Competing in that he rejects any suggestions for changing the
Morgan – Avoidance – he really stays out of any substantive discussion on this
project.
4. How should Patrick respond [when Lucinda says “Frank says you will need
an additional 3 weeks’]?
A. Defame Frank
B. Provide facts
C. Admit fault
Learning Objective #3: To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional,
conflict occurs.
1. Review the Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9). Several
approaches to minimizing dysfunctional conflict are provided. Identify at least two
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
specific actions taken by members of the group to minimize dysfunctional conflict.
Clarify rules and procedures – Patrick suggests a daily email to keep the group
2. Choose two approaches (on PPT 9-9) and provide specific examples of what could
have been done in this scenario to reduce dysfunctional conflict.
The superordinate goals that all members share should have been discussed up front.
Improve communication and understanding – group members should have tried to
5. Confidence is low. Patrick should:
6. How should Patrick respond?
1.1
1.2
1.3 Additional Activities
1.4 Teaching Suggestions
The topic of performance management is an excellent one for additional activities. Several
cases are given that can be used as small group activities or that can be assigned to individual
students or discussed in class. There are also some role-plays, a library assignment, a reading
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
assignment, and an outside assignment.
1. Assign the following article: "Team Appraisals-Team Approach" by Norman and
Zawacki, Personnel Journal, September 1991, pp. 101104. Ask students to discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of the team approach to performance management.
2. The following short cases can be used as written assignments, in-class group cases, or
role-plays.
1.5 Case 1: Don Leslie
(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)
Don Leslie, age 50, closed his eyes, propped his feet up on his desk, and contemplated
his future with Wexler Foods. He could hardly believe that he had just completed his
This morning, Don learned that one of his colleagues, Carol Marshall, was promoted
to marketing vice-president. Don and several other brand managers were candidates
1.6 Question
1. You are Don's manager. What do you propose to do with Don so that he will
not become a motivation and performance problem?
1.7 Case 2: Martina Jones
(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)
Martina Jones works for 3M. She is 58 years old, but feels like she might as well be
68. She has had extensive management experience, including overseas experience. A
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
Question
1. You are Martina's manager. What will you do to avoid having Martina become
a motivation and performance problem?
1.8 Case 3: The Problem Employee
(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)
One of the employees you manage has been working with the company for three
years. The employee's performance has been average to below average. You have
1.9 Question
1. You are preparing once again to conduct a performance review with this
employee. What will you do during the meeting to try to improve the
employee's performance?
3. Outside assignment: Have students interview a human resources manager about the
performance-appraisal system that he or she uses. Have the students give a short report
to the class on their findings.
4. Library assignment: Have students write a research paper on MBO or BARS. There
are numerous sources on both subjects.
5. An interesting article to assign to students on the subject of discrimination in
performance appraisals is "Some Neglected Variables in Research on Discrimination
in Appraisals" by Robert L. Dipboye, Academy of Management Review (1985) pp.
116-127.
6. The following are role plays dealing with defining the job expectations, giving
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McGraw-Hill Education.
Chapter 08 - Performance Management
positive feedback, improving poor performance, and taking disciplinary action. It is
often useful to perform these role-plays in front of the class and get students to make
comments or set up triads where one person is the observer and provides feedback to
the players. Role-plays can also be videotaped and played back for feedback to the
players. (The source for these role-plays is Patrick Wright, Cornell University.)
Encourage students to change the names to be gender correct for the players.
1.10 Defining the Job
Role for James Haas
Craig Teft is a new recruit who just joined your force today. He is coming in to meet
with you before you assign him to his partner during his probationary period.
You need to discuss with him exactly what your expectations are for his performance.
This includes the fact that he will work with an experienced partner for six months,
during which time you expect him to demonstrate his ability as a law enforcement
officer. Also during this time, he will be working for substantially lower pay, which
will be raised as soon as he is off probation. If he has not demonstrated this ability at
the end of the six months, he can either be put on another three-month probation or he
can be terminated immediately.
Role for Craig Teft
You are about to meet with James Haas, the sergeant that you will work under for the
next two years. You just graduated second in your class from the law enforcement
academy. Because you demonstrated far-above-average ability as a police officer, you
simply do not feel that you will need to serve out the full six months of your
probationary period. You feel that the lower pay you receive during this time is not
exactly fair, since you will be paid the same as those who graduated far below you;
thus, you would like to serve only three months on probation, rather than the required
six.
1.11 Giving Positive Feedback
Role for James Haas
You are about to meet with Mary Hill, an officer who has been with your department
for just over a year. Over the weekend, she was at the local shopping mall with her
husband and apprehended a purse-snatcher in the act while she was off duty. The
elderly victim called you this morning to thank the department for having such a fine
officer who would risk her safety when she was not on the job. She mentioned that she
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
felt it was great to have female role models for some of the little girls that observed the
arrest. This obviously will give the department a lot of positive public image.
Role for Mary Hill
You are about to meet with James Haas, your sergeant. You think that he's going to
talk to you about what happened this weekend while you were shopping with your
husband at the mall. You just happened to be walking towards an elderly woman about
the time a juvenile snatched her purse. Before you even knew what happened, you had
taken the juvenile down and were able to apprehend him. You really didn't think much
of it because it all took place so fast
Improving Poor Performance
Role for James Haas
You are about to meet with John McMahon, an officer who has been on the job for
two years. In the last few months, there have been some reports that he was spending a
large number of on-duty hours in very nonproductive ways. His car is often seen in
front of his home while on duty, and he's on a first-name basis with the employees of
every fast food joint in the town. In many ways, he has done an outstanding job (in
terms of arrests, tickets, and meticulous paperwork), but you think that he can do a lot
better if he spends a little more time working and a little less time in other somewhat
nonwork activities.
Role for John McMahon
You have been working for the New Homestead Police Department for the last two
years. You are going to meet with James Haas, your sergeant, in just a few minutes.
You assume that he is probably going to commend you on the fine arrest you made last
week. Your arrest record is much better than those of most of the other officers you
work with, not to mention your excellent record for giving tickets. The arrests you
have made and the tickets you have written all stand up in court, and that's more than
can be said of a lot of your coworkers. Because you've performed so well, you feel
entitled to spend a little extra rest time on the job. You have a good rapport with a lot
of the employees at the local fast food restaurants (it's good public relations), and
occasionally you are able to slip home to see your family. Although you may do this
more than some of the other officers, as long as you are more productive than they are,
you don't really see the problem with this.
Taking Disciplinary Action
Role for James Haas
You are preparing to meet with Peter Wemberly, an officer who has worked on your
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
shift for three years. During this time, he has made quite a few very tough arrests, and
there are few other officers that his peers would like to have back them up in violent
situations. However, yesterday he pulled over a driver who he suspected was driving
under the influence of alcohol. The driver refused a Breathalyzer test and became quite
belligerent. It was not perfectly clear who actually threw the first punch (although
most of the witnesses claim it was the officer). It is quite clear from the witnesses that
he used more force than was apparently necessary to subdue the driver. The driver has
filed a complaint with your department, claiming that he was physically assaulted by
the officer. This is not the first time that a complaint has been filed against this officer,
although the other two were dismissed. Your policy is that if there seems to be enough
evidence to warrant an investigation, you can (but are not required to) suspend the
officer without pay until the investigation is complete. After reviewing the matter, you
think that it is in the best interest of the department to suspend him until the
investigation has ended.
Role for Peter Wemberly
You are about to meet with James Haas regarding a complaint that was filed against
you by some drunk driver. You had pulled the driver over yesterday, and he became
quite belligerent. When he began to take a swing at you, you quickly reacted and
subdued him quite forcefully. While it may have been more than was enough, you just
never really know how much force is necessary with drunk drivers. You have had a
few similar complaints against you in the past, but these have always been dismissed.
You think you get more of these complaints than other officers because they always
seem to send you out on the tough/violent calls. You know that although the policy is
that you can be suspended without pay until the investigation is complete, this is not
required. You don't think that you will be suspended this time because you feel that
you were justified in your actions.
1. The article, "Six Strategies for Success in Measuring Performance" by R.
Campbell and L. M. Garfinkel, HRMagazine, June 1996, pp. 98-104, makes the point
that no one formula leads to the best performance-management system. Companies
with successful systems look at their business, how work gets done, and the important
capabilities required of employees.
1.12 Question
1. What are the costs and possible disadvantages of the six top-rated approaches to
performance management? Why wouldn't a company use these approaches?
HRM Failures
Top
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Chapter 08 - Performance Management
2 Case 8: Using a Performance Review to Punish an Employee
Deborah Lewis had been the bookkeeper for a school district for seven years when, in
Although the superintendent granted permission, he later complained to the school board
The following year, Lewis received a less-than-positive review and was told her
Lewis sued the school district under the FMLA. When the court ruled in favor of the school
The FMLA gives employees certain rights. Employers cannot use a performance review as
Question
Suppose you were the superintendent: What other options were available to you?
Possible answers
When Ms. Lewis requested 6exible work conditions, the superintendent and HR
Either the superintendent or a representative from HR should have
While Ms. Lewis worked a reduced schedule, the superintendent could have
Case: Lewis v. School District #70, 7th Cir., No. 06-4435 (4/17/08).
Source: James E. Hall, Mark T. Kobata and Marty Denis, “Retaliation for Job-Protected
Absences,” Workforce Management, June 23, 2008, http://www.workforce.com.
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