In the 1960s Robert Rosenthal, a researcher at Harvard University, conducted a revolutionary study in the classroom. At the beginning of the year, he administered a non-verbal IQ test to students in 18 classrooms at the elementary level. Based on the results from the test, he then informed teachers who the “intellectual bloomers” were, indicating that they would improve markedly in comparison to the other students. Then he tested the same group of children eight months later and found that these students had managed to increase their IQ considerably more than the control group. What he didn’t tell the teachers was these “intellectual bloomers” had actually been chosen at random. In other words, these children did not have any exceptional abilities; rather it was the belief on behalf of the teachers that was the only difference in how they performed.
Since that famous study, this experiment has been replicated several times in the classroom and is referred to as the Pygmalion effect, named after the mythical sculptor who carves his ideal woman who eventually comes to life as a “self-fulfilling” prophecy. We have also observed this in healthcare as it is well known that the efficacy of a new drug or a new treatment can be greatly influenced by the physician’s expectations – often known as the “placebo effect.” If the expectations of teachers and doctors can have these profound effects then wouldn’t raising manager expectations also improve employee productivity? According to the research, the answer is yes.
Over the years, studies of the Pygmalion effect have been replicated in the workplace and it has been shown that manager expectations do have an impact on improving employee performance. One meta-analysis of a number of studies performed in the workplace actually indicates that 79% of the people in the high expectancy group outperformed the average person in the control group. In his research, Rosenthal was able to pinpoint several factors that led to this increased student performance which could translate directly to managers in the workplace:
- Teachers who had high expectations interacted more with their students and created warmer social climates for their high-expectancy pupils.
- There was a tendency for teachers to teach more material to their high-expectancy students and give them greater opportunities for performing.
- Teachers had a tendency to give more focused and detailed feedback to high expectancy students.
When a manager has high expectations of an employee this raises the employee’s self-expectations, resulting in an increase in their own performance. Thus, the manager’s expectation becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Pygmalion effect was found to be stronger when working with a group that had a lower initial level of performance indicating that the Pygmalion leadership style would be most effective with new employees or junior employees who are just learning a new skill. This study has obvious ramifications for how we manage people. Trusting in employees’ abilities and having high expectations gives managers the freedom to let employees work autonomously, a key factor for job satisfaction.
These effects were found to be true even when the opposite management behavior was observed. When managers had low expectations of their employees, performance was negatively impacted. Apparently these effects were found even when managers did not explicitly communicate their negative expectations to employees. Research shows that managers subconsciously communicate their lack of confidence in their low expectation employees through subtle body language without even being aware of it. Conversely, managers who had low expectations of themselves also had lower performing employees. Given this information, what does a manager do if they do not honestly believe in the abilities of a certain employee?
One strategy is to reframe the expectations of the employee by focusing on their strengths. We can always find weaknesses in everyone. By asking ourselves, “what is the person doing right?” we can shift our way of thinking to a more appreciative view. An appreciative 360 review might also help managers reframe their thinking around certain employees. Ask a number of peers and co-workers to tell you the absolute strengths this person contributes to the team. A third-party perspective may reveal strengths about this employee you did not see yourself.
If you are an employee and your manager has low expectations of you, keep in mind the effect this may be having on your performance. Hiring a coach outside of the organization can have a dramatic effect on improving your performance. In the absence of a good supportive manager at work, a coach with high expectations may be the key that allows you to flourish at work. When someone trusts in our abilities and believes in us, especially at times when we are doubtful of our own abilities, it compels us to reciprocate by fulfilling those expectations. Indeed sometimes it is the trust others have in us that propel us to new heights and motivate us to outperform.
Louisa Jewell is a co-founder of Why Did You Go, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in employee engagement and retention. Their vision is to improve happiness at work, one workplace at a time. For more information about how they can help you fully engage your workforce, contact Louisa at Louisa@whydidyougo.com.
