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Positive Reinforcement

Scientific research on positive reinforcement has shown us that simply by using positive reinforcement one can teach a chicken to play a piano, rats to run quickly through a maze, and dolphins to literally jump through hoops. We have all been taught that these same techniques can be used with humans, both children and adults.

It follows logically that if positive reinforcement is so effective, punishment must be unnecessary, therefore anyone who insists on threatening to fire an uncooperative employee is either uninformed or just plain mean.

.80 Of Free Feeding Weight?

Most of what you learned about positive reinforcement probably came from books on the subject or articles in various magazines. You might want to drop by your local university library to take a look at some of the Psychology journals before you decide that you know enough about positive reinforcement.

Look at the "Journal Of Experimental Psychology" or any of the similar sounding journals nearby on the shelf. Scan the index for several articles that mention S-R (stimulus - response) or positive reinforcement. As you read the articles, pay particular attention to the "Research Method" paragraphs.

You will no doubt notice a phrase that reads something like this: "Prior to initiating experimental conditions, subject animals were allowed to free feed for a period of fourteen days and then were weighed. Prior to initiating experimental conditions, subject animals were brought to .80 of their free feeding weight."

Let's say I normally weigh 165 pounds, .80 of 165 pounds is 132 pounds. If I had gone from 165 pounds to 132 pounds in a couple of weeks you wouldn't even want to think about standing between me and a Twinky!

Hungry Makes A Difference!

Did any of the material you read about positive reinforcement ever mention the hungry animals? Probably not. This is why the research method is so important.

Most people have been taught that positive reinforcement should work in companies like yours. Give people some praise and an occasional bonus, and everything will be great. After all, you can teach your family dog to roll over just by reinforcing the desired behavior with a few snacks and a few pats on the head, it should certainly work at the office too.

The problem is that positive reinforcement experiments work on hungry (or otherwise deprived) animals, but there is a pretty substantial body of research confirming the idea that animals who have enough of everything do not continue to work for positive reinforcement. Since most employees are not very deprived of the most common reinforcers, you lose much of your ability to motivate them.

Not Very Deprived...

Does this mean that positive reinforcement is totally ineffective in the workplace? Not at all. It just means that it is not generally as effective as you have been told.

It is pretty safe to say that none of us ever have enough of anything we like. It is also safe to say that we all like different things, in different amounts. Finally, it is safe to say that very few people in our companies are seriously deprived of anything they truly value. Let's take a quick look at what each of these points mean.

I (Almost) Always Want More Of The Things I Like

Generally speaking, as long as you can offer me something I like, I will be motivated to cooperate. The more deprived I am of that thing, the more motivated I am to cooperate. This is an important point, because it confirms that positive reinforcement will almost always work, at least a little.

The problem is that we can get enough of almost anything - and then that thing will no longer motivate us.  The positive reinforcement works to the extent that I am deprived of the reinforcer.

Different Things, Different Amounts

In an era that seems committed to treating everyone the same, this can be pretty bad news. I remember a company that rewarded its high performers each year with an all expense paid three day deer hunting trip with the company's president. Everyone looked forward to the trip, and since only a limited number of hunters were permitted to attend, competition was fierce and motivation was high.

Then they hired a brilliant young lady to head up their sales and marketing. She posted remarkable increases in sales and was a corporate hero. She was also an active animal rights supporter and a vegetarian. She did not find an opportunity to shoot Bambi to be much of a reward.

What should the company do? Different things motivate different people differently, so do you develop different motivation programs for everyone, or do you discriminate against folks who aren't motivated by the same things that excite the president of the company?

Not Seriously Deprived

Most of the time positive reinforcement will not have nearly the dramatic results the experiments imply.  Why?  Because while your employees always want more of the things they like, they are seldom deprived. We have all heard stories of how various people did desperate things when seriously deprived of things they or their families needed.

The experimental results are based on animals who were seriously motivated because they were really hungry. While positive reinforcement will work in your business, your employees are not as deprived, and will not be as motivated.

Motivated By The Difference

One reason negative consequences (properly used) can be an important motivational tool is the fact that when positive reinforcement is used alone, the employee chooses between the extra effort required to receive the positive reinforcement, or continue to receive the status quo. Choice A gets your standard paycheck plus a reward (overtime pay), choice B gets your standard paycheck.

When negative consequences are added to the equation the motivation value of the reward can be increased. Choice A gets your standard paycheck plus a reward (overtime pay), choice B gets your standard pay per hour, but you will receive fewer hours of work per week. Now choice A is considerably more attractive than the alternative, so the combination of negative and positive consequences is far more motivating than either alone.

Conclusion

This is not meant to be an endorsement of the old "salt mine" approach to managing people. It is simply an attempt to tell the whole story of positive reinforcement so that companies can make informed decisions regarding their motivational program choices.

In the real world, the "carrot and stick" approach is totally realistic - and far more consistent with reinforcement research, than reinforcement alone when folks are not deprived

Best Picks...

....If you are in a hurry and can only read a few articles, the following five are the ones we hear the most about...

They are a bit longer than most of the others, but they will give you something to think about....

Could You Run A Winning Football Team Like You Run Your Company?

Teamwork - Coaches and players speak to business professionals, encouraging them to build teams that can win.  Let's compare your company to a professional football team....

Eating The Heart Of The Watermelon

The heart of the watermelon is the sweetest and lowest hassle part - so why bother with the rest?  You may not want to follow this thinking at your next picnic, but it sure works when making customer and product decisions!

Quit Your Company - An Exercise

This exercise will force you to see your company and the competitive landscape differently than ever before.  It will help you decide what needs to be done in order to stop the competition you don't even have yet...

Dealers And Distributors (Short Version)

You may need dealers and distributors- or not.  The real issue is whether your end users feel that they need your dealers and distributors!  Companies win when they offer end users what they want....

Dealers And Distributors - And "Going Direct"

If you have a dealer and distributor network, should you consider "going direct"?  Let me ask you this - if a major competitor did, what would happen to you?  That's your answer - this will help you see how to do it....

Management Theories

Not all management theories work - and this section discusses some theories that have problems

Reality Instead Of Theory

You can't believe everything you have been taught about business.  Most of it is true, good information - the trick lies in knowing which parts to believe, and which parts to reject.

Positive Reinforcement Myths

Positive reinforcement can result in training and motivational miracles - but there is one little catch...everyone in the "real world" seems too well fed for it to work!

Truth About Advertising - What Advertising Awards Mean To You

Advertising awards are something ad agencies love to display - perhaps it gives them a feeling of credibility.  It's a shame those awards don't reduce their client's advertising costs or increase their client's sales...

"One Size Fits All" Management Fads

Management fads do a lot of damage - they send companies off in wrong directions, and they erode the confidence of managers.  How?  Managers try the latest fad, and when it doesn't work, they assume it is because they were not good enough - it's a shame, because their instincts are almost always more effective than the fads...

TQM - The Quality Myth

TQM has been a major force for a number of years.  Although it has lost some of its luster in many circles, its proponents (consultants getting wealthy, perhaps) continue to re-invent it under a constant flow of new names....

Your Departments

The last group of articles in this section apply to sales and marketing.  The reason this area is receiving so much attention here is that there seems to be more confusion in that area.  Let's just take a quick look at some of your key departments...

Accounting Excitement

If business was a sport, the accounting department would be keeping score.  Unfortunately, the accounting department seldom provides the kind of information managers need in order to make good decisions....

Purchasing

Purchasing is more than "buying what you said you wanted", it is a proactive role that investigates better products and anticipates demand.

Engineering And R & D

Engineering creates your "new and improved" products - you need to make sure they know what your company and your customers want from them.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing - Manufacturing efficiencies largely determine your costs - and costs largely determine your competitive position!  Efficiency requires great management, management willing to do what it takes to attract and retain the very best people.

Entering New Markets - Then Closing The Door Behind You

Entering new markets - you couldn't do it if the companies already in those markets were staying in touch with their customers!  Remember that after you enter a market - or you may become someone else's "new market"!

Innovate, Renovate, But Satisfy Your Customers

Things have changed faster than most companies have changed - the web, overnight delivery, long distance charges, longer lasting products, direct (to consumer) sales - there are many ways to combine these things to satisfy your customers - and gain market share.

A Winning Marketing Campaign - Lousy Sales

Heartbeat Of America.  The ad campaign won awards, but market share slipped.  Winning companies match great marketing with great products - then the competition loses while consumers win.

Strong Companies Win In Efficient Markets

Marketing is not the art of lying without getting caught.  When your product is the best choice, there is no need to lie.

Applied Market Research - Satisfied Customers

Market research can come from a consultant, but it should also come from your own employees.  Having market research means nothing, however, if you don't use it to make customer driven decisions.

Selling To People - Not Markets

Sometimes we can forget that markets don't buy anything, people do.  Market research is valuable, but make sure it tells you about real people.  Nobody wants your product - they want a way to solve a problem or meet a need - perhaps your product can help them accomplish that.

Advertising For Sales, Not Awards

Advertising - why are you doing it?  If it is for sales, you may need to make sure your agency understands your priorities - instead of pursuing "awareness" and "impressions" - if you want sales, hold them accountable for sales!

The Rest Of It...

Not everything fits into a file, box, or compartment - this is the rest of it....

StrategiesThatWork.com Homepage

Marketing should not be a lie - build a company with productive labor, efficient purchasing, great design, accurate accounting, rational distribution - and the result is a truth you are proud to tell.  Marketing becomes a simple matter of telling the truth to people who are interested!

Eating The Heart Of The Watermelon

The heart of the watermelon is the sweetest and lowest hassle part - so why bother with the rest?  You may not want to follow this thinking at your next picnic, but it sure works when making customer and product decisions!

Dealers And Distributors - And "Going Direct"

If you have a dealer and distributor network, should you consider "going direct"?  Let me ask you this - if a major competitor did, what would happen to you?  That's your answer - this will help you see how to do it....

Dealers And Distributors (Short Version)

You may need dealers and distributors- or not.  The real issue is whether your end users feel that they need your dealers and distributors!  Companies win when they offer end users what they want....

Quit Your Company - An Exercise

This exercise will force you to see your company and the competitive landscape differently than ever before.  It will help you decide what needs to be done in order to stop the competition you don't even have yet...

Three Kinds Of Employees

The right employees are one of the most important resources a company has. Most employers are quite aware of how valuable a great employee can be, but have a difficult time figuring out who the great ones are.  It helps to divide the work force into three groups.... 

Your Mission Statement - What It Means

A mission statement is not something you can carve in a plaque next to your door, because it needs to change.  Mission statements establish priorities, and if customer satisfaction is not at the top of those priorities, you may have a problem.

Could You Run A Winning Football Team Like You Run Your Company?

Teamwork - Coaches and players speak to business professionals, encouraging them to build teams that can win.  Let's compare your company to a professional football team....

Performance Reviews

Performance reviews.  Yawn.  While performance reviews are not exciting, few things can do more to shape your company.  Done right, they can make a big difference...

"Honey, We Need To Talk"

"Honey, we need to talk" are terrifying words when they come from your spouse.  You may feel that you have an "open door policy", but walking in that door feels a lot like "Honey, we..." to most employees.  You need an easy way to stay in touch - like lunch!

Partnering And Sole Sourcing

Partnering - we hear a lot about it, but if you aren't willing to be a partner in your purchasing, you are not ready to ask your customers to trust you in that role....walk in their shoes for a moment.

Customer Focus

"Customer Focus" is something we hear a lot, but seldom results in much action.  Funny, isn't it, that customers are the only people who leave money in your company - everyone else is there to take some out....

Science Of Yourco

You don't have to look further than the nearest business magazine to find a few easy steps to management success - so why bother to develop a "Science Of Yourco"?