Pygmalion effect comes from Greek mythology, a king of Cyprus carved and then fell in love with a statue of a woman, which Aphrodite brought to life as Galatea.Pygmalion Effect refers to how people´s perceptions and thoughts can affect what they or others really do or how they behave.It is as simple as this: If you think positively, positive things will happen to you, if you expect great things from others and you believe they are capable to achieve their goals, they will do and viceversa.
This phenomenon is always happenning and is always sorrounding us in our daily life: at school(teachers and students), in our jobs (bosses and employees) and in our family relationships (Parents and sons).
In this case, I am interested in analyze how this effect works in the performance of employees within an organization. This effect explains how the performance can be improved by employers and supervisors expecting more from employees and being sure they have the potential to do everything they have to.This is also important because generates a better work environment,everybody will have good thoughts, they can interact easily and help eachother, they will also trust eachother and as a result the performance improves.
Here I present an example of this effect applied to work environment: (2)
•Every supervisor has expectations of the people who report to him.
•Supervisors communicate these expectations consciously or unconsciously.
•People pick up on, or consciously or unconsciously read, these expectations from their supervisor.
•People perform in ways that are consistent with the expectations they have picked up on from the supervisor In this way, Pygmalion effect can determine subordinates´behavior as a response to the supervisors´expectations.
The Pygmalion effect was described by J. Sterling Livingston in the September/October, 1988 Harvard Business Review. "The way managers treat their subordinates is subtly influenced by what they expect of them," Livingston said in his article, Pygmalion in Management.(Heathfield, Susan M)
So, the Pygmalion Effect means "you get what you expect." It must be applied daily in every aspect of our lives.
REFERENCES:
(1)Machaalani, Mark. "The Pygmalion Effect." AccomplishLife - Self Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2010. <http://www.accomplishlife.com/blogs/8/The-Pygmalion-Effect.html>.
(2)Heathfield, Susan M.. "The Two Most Important Management Secrets: The Pygmalion and Galatea Effects." Human Resources - Business Management Development Jobs Consulting Training Policy Human Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2010. <http://humanresources.about.com/>
Picture was taken from: http://mi2genius.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/pygmalion-effect/
I agree with what you posted. This effect is seen in so many different situations daily, and people don't even know that there is such theory behind it. I guess managers should apply this, to all cases, inside the company. It is necessary to estimulate people and workers in order for them to be fully committed with the company and reach higher standarts of results.
ResponderEliminarDaniela fist of all, I liked that you started by giving the brief story behind the Pygmalion effect, from all the blogs I have read including mine none have done this, I think its a creative idea to start the task. I also liked the examples because they were clear and I agree with you when you say, that if the supervisors encourages the employees and viceversa, they will create a better working environment. For last but not least I like your blogs desing ( simple but pretty) and the picture in the begining of the entry.
ResponderEliminarDaniela, this blog is really clear and has a great explanation of what´s the pygmalion effect. i totally agree with you in the fact that this effect could be used in a wide variety of areas, since the relationship with childs to organizational and managerial jobs.
ResponderEliminarit´s really important as well to take into account that we´re now studing with the purpose of have some leadership skills which can made difference in some point of your life and understanding this effect is an useful tool to develop this skills.