Lloyd Baird

Self And Superior Ratings Of Performance: As Related To Self-Esteem And Satisfaction With Supervision

The relationship between self and superior ratings of performance was investigated. The difference between the two ratings was found to be related to the subordinates self-esteem and his satisfact...

Career Dynamics: Managing the superior/subordinate relationship

Building on research and writing in the fields of career management and mentor relationships, Baird and Kram analyze the superior-subordinate relationship as an exchange to which each party brings different needs and resources. They point out that this relationship can be productive and satisfying--both for the parties concerned and for the organization--when the needs of one party match the resources of the other. The article includes a checklist for analyzing how the superior-subordinate relationship operates as an exchange and how the resources of the parties mesh or fail to mesh. They do on to show how the superior-subordinate relationship and the needs of the parties change as each moves through individual career and life cycles. What was once a productive relationship may, in time, become unproductive, or vice versa. In any event, its dynamic nature requires that it be managed. Baird and Kram suggest five steps for managing the relationship as it moves through these changes: (1) Recognizing that the relationship is an exchange; (2) identifying clearly ones own as well as the other partys needs; (3) understanding how the subordinates and bosss needs fit together and recognizing that the relationship is likely to change; (4) understanding the constraints under which the boss operates; (5) establishing a feedback and evaluation process for continuously assessing the relationship.

Learning from action: An analysis of the center for army lessons learned (CALL)

In this fast-paced world, skills and competencies must be developed quickly; people must learn from their experience and what they learn must be gathered from throughout the organization, then synthesized, analyzed, and made available where and when it is needed to improve performance. This article analyzes an organization successfully meeting these requirements, the United States Armys Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL). Implications for human resource management are discussed.

Individual Versus Systems Rewards: Who's Dissatisfied, Why, and What is Their Likely Response?

This study involved 108 subjects who were randomly assigned to individual (contingent on role performance) and systems (contingent on participation) reward conditions. Analysis of variance found th...

From Action Learning to Learning from Action: Implementing the After Action Review

Change is a forgone conclusion. Technology innovation, the speed of information flow, shifts in demographics, globalization. etc. are all combining to make a crazy world. In fact, to start a discussion or article referring to the extensiveness and pace of change is becoming a cliche. The question is not whether change is happening, but how we respond. Can we learn fast enough to keep up? Can we adapt and respond in new ways rather than rely on old habits? Will our skills shift quickly enough to allow us to perform? Much of what we do in human resource management, leadership development and change management is designed to help people adapt to the new reality and it is good work, but often not fast enough. By the time skills are developed, culture modified, programs implemented or structure redesigned, the world has changed again. We have skills, culture and organizations perfectly designed to meet the needs of the past, but we never catch up with the future. Gordon Sullivan, recently retired Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army refers to this as making the past perfect. We are always behind and always responding to yesterdays problems. The critical issue is how we can learn and adapt fast enough to keep up with and stay ahead of the pace of change.