Discussion Questions for Drive

Discussion Questions from Drive/Blog

Due: Oct 10, 2012

Comment on your blog regarding the two questions listed below. Feel free to comment on others responses as you see fit.

Discuss a time when you’ve seen one of the seven deadly flaws of carrots and sticks in action. What lessons might you or others learn from the experience? Have you seen instances when carrots and sticks have been effective.

As you think about your own best work, what aspect of autonomy has been most important to you? Autonomy over what you do (task), when you do it (time), how you do it (technique), or with whom you do it (team)? Why? How much autonomy do you have at work right now? Is it enough?

Accelerated Reader (AR) is an example where the carrot and stick do not work.  For short-term gains, AR may show students progressing through the on-line curriculum with the promise of ice cream parties and ‘points’ for each student.  This math program rewards students for completing different levels and numbers of books by assessing their knowledge with a series of low level questions.  The students read just to get the rewards, and do not develop a love of learning because they do not get to choose the books, and they relate reading with rewards.  If there are no rewards, then why read?

Whether at school with middle school students, or at home with my 8-year-old and 7-year-old boys, I don’t see too many instances where the carrot and sticks philosophy work for long term gains.  For short term (an hour, maybe a day) carrots and sticks will help keep my two boys in line.  Usually the time duration of effectiveness is the length of the show they get to watch for completing a task.

Autonomy in my job is best with task-oriented assignments.  My principal hired me to do a job, and for most of my duties as an assistant principal, I can get those done without checking in with him after each one.  Using my Inbox as a checklist allows me to complete multiple tasks in the most efficient way.  When my principal is there to assist and offer suggestions when I get stuck, he allows me autonomy to get the jobs done, and I appreciate the lack of micromanaging.  I have enough autonomy in my job right now, and honestly, if I was micromanaged with 1660 students and three administrators, we would be on campus until 8:00 pm every night as we step all over each other.  There is too much to get accomplished every day to have to check in and debrief after every decision, and I would look for other work if that were the case.  I have been very fortunate to work for leaders who do not micromanage in my career, and shutter when I hear horror stories about leaders who can't seem to get out of their own way for the benefit of their organization.