Appendix
Peak Managerial Assessment
Peak Managerial Assessment
Behind every managerial decision or action are assumptions about human nature and human behavior.
- Douglas McGregor, The Human Side of Enterprise
What level of the pyramid do you pay attention to as a manager? Answer the following questions to indicate how frequently or infrequently you engage in each behavior.
| _____ | I understand and can communicate how my organization's compensation package ranks vis-à-vis our competitors'. |
| _____ | I encourage socialization and host unique events to help employees feel more connected to each other and their workplace. |
| _____ | I initiate conversations with my employees about their role and responsibilities and how they might wish to modify them in order to feel more fulfilled by their jobs. |
| _____ | I educate and coach managers on the importance and value of informal recognition. |
| _____ | I initiate discussions with senior management regarding employee compensation packages, including nonmonetary incentives. |
| _____ | I know each of my employees' life aspirations or what their sense of calling might be. |
| _____ | I have introduced a way that employees (on my team or in my department) can express appreciation and recognition for one another. |
| _____ | I am aware of employees' current states of mind regarding their compensation packages and ask them what types of nonmonetary benefits they most value. |
| _____ | I encourage employees to pursue activities outside of their immediate job tasks (e.g., organization committees, philanthropic efforts) that are meaningful to them and beneficial to the department and/or organization. |
| _____ | I understand and can communicate the ways in which our organization internally monitors compensation equity. |
| _____ | I give employees personalized, 1:1 feedback and appreciation about their contributions. |
| _____ | I educate or inform employees about their entire compensation package, including nonmonetary perks. |
| _____ | I am aware of the type of recognition that is most meaningful for each of my employees and employee groups. |
| _____ | I create opportunities for my employees to hear directly from our customers about the impact they are having. |
| _____ | I deliberately make space for employees to share their highlights or meaningful moments with the team and/or department. |
Scoring:
Look at the three following categories, which correspond to each of the 15 statements. Tally your scores by category to determine what level of awareness you have for each level of the employee pyramid.
| MONEY | RECOGNITION | MEANING |
| 1, 5, 8, 10, 12 | 2, 4, 7, 11, 13 | 3, 6, 9, 14, 15 |
| Total: ___ | Total: ___ | Total: ___ |
| HIGH: 16–20 | MED: 11–15 | LOW: 5–10 |
Often your tendency as a manager mirrors your own personal needs or desires. It is helpful to remember that although people have the same needs, not everyone is at the same place on the pyramid. For example, if you score high on recognition and meaning but low on money, you will want to ensure that you are not underestimating the compensation needs of your employees. Or, if you score high on money and recognition and low on meaning, you'll want to pay attention to how you can help your employees discover their meaning in and at work.
When looking at your results, how evenly distributed are the points? Is there a dominant or low-scoring category?
Based on this assessment, which level of the pyramid do you operate from most as a manager? What needs do you tend to emphasize and why do you suppose that is?
Which level of the pyramid (and corresponding actions) do you tend to not pay as much attention to as a manager? Why do you think that is?
What, if any, shift would you like to make? Which area or areas do you wish to focus on in the future? (List them on the following lines.)