Question

Which of the following behaviors would help managers to harness the Pygmalion effect?

A. Reinforce positive performance expectations throughout the organization

B. Recognize the few select individuals who have the potential to increase their performance

C. Set moderate performance goals

D. Help only the best employees to advance through the organization

E. Highlight the names of the lowest performers

Answer 1

To harness the Pygmalion effect, managers should reinforce positive performance expectations across the organization, as this would create an environment where each employee's potential is recognized and they are encouraged to meet high expectations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the behaviors that would help managers harness the Pygmalion effect, the most effective would be to reinforce positive performance expectations throughout the organization. The Pygmalion effect suggests that higher expectations from managers lead to higher performance from employees.

To harness this effect, managers need to cultivate an environment where each employee feels recognized for their potential and encouraged to meet high expectations.

Other actions such as recognizing only a few individuals or helping only the best employees would not fully utilize the Pygmalion effect, as these behaviors could limit the effect to a small group rather than uplifting the entire workforce. Furthermore, focusing on low performers by highlighting their names is contrary to the principles of the Pygmalion effect, as it establishes negative expectations which can lead to decreased performance.