External Expectations and
Standards vs. External Control
With Dr. Glasser’s emphasis on
External Control Psychology vs. Choice
Theory®, it seems necessary to
distinguish between reasonable external
expectations (standards) and external
control.
Consider the following:
·
Do you want a
pilot who self-evaluated that he is able
to fly a passenger jet?
·
Do you want a
farmer to self-evaluate that his meat is
acceptable for consumers?
·
Do you want a
manager who NEVER gives you feedback or
direction?
·
Do you want
an auto company do decide on its own
that the problem with the brakes “isn’t
that bad”?
·
Do you want a
doctor that “thinks” she’s learned
enough to do your surgery?
·
Do you want a
dentist that has “decided” he’s ready to
do your root canal?
The flaw of self-evaluation is…
If all you do is self-evaluate, how do you know what you don’t know?
Given the above questions and expected
answers, it would seem that there is a
place for external standards and
evaluations.
For example,
·
Teachers
provide needed instruction and feedback
to their students.
Without this, students may not
learn properly or may practice incorrect
methods.
·
Coaches
correct actions to improve skills the
players have not yet mastered.
·
Parents
provide instruction and limits to teach
their children the values and behaviors
that they expect.
Many professions require external
certifications in order to ensure
standards of safety are met.
However, unless an individual finds
some worth in the external expectations
and evaluations, there is little
likelihood that he will produce quality
work.
The key to external evaluation is
involving the individual in finding
value in expectations and evaluations.
Additionally, it is important for the
workers to be taught exactly what is
expected of them, prior to any self or
external evaluation.
Dr. Deming said, “It is not
enough to do your best.
You must first know what to do
and then do your best.”
When there are set processes,
procedures or policies, rubrics,
checklists and other quality tools are
helpful to the teaching/learning process
and to enhance the quality or self and
external evaluations.
When
external evaluations are required, there
are three factors that increase the
likelihood that external evaluation will
produce the desired result.
External evaluation and information is
crucial to our learning and growth. The
external evaluation doesn’t “make” us
do, think or feel anything. We take the
external information and use the
“self-evaluation” process to determine
if we will use the information we are
getting.
The term “learner” is used from this
point forward to represent anyone
receiving feedback or evaluation
information because successful external
evaluation results in learning.
There are three factors that determine
the effectiveness of external
evaluation?
1.
Does it benefit the learner?
a.
How will the evaluation be used?
b.
Does the learner have a chance to
improve the rating/grade or score?
2.
Is it wanted / asked for?
a.
Does the learner "respect" the source of
the evaluation?
b.
Does the rating / grade / score mean
anything to the learner?
3.
Does the evaluation give the learner the
information needed to make the necessary
improvements?
Does the evaluation give the learner
the information needed to make the
necessary improvements is the crux of
the Glasser Quality School Model.
Reteach and retest.
Dr. Glasser’s emphasis on
self-evaluation and co-verification can
coexist with the expectations of
external evaluation that are expected in
many workplaces and schools.
This coexistence can become
positive by involving others in the
evaluation process.
A suggestion for increasing meaningful
methods of external evaluation is to
survey the individual(s) who will be
evaluated.
Questions, such as the following,
provide a base from which to build
useful, meaningful evaluations.
1.
What does your ideal performance review
look or sound like?
a.
What would you like it to say?
b.
What knowledge and skills would be
recognized?
c.
What accomplishments would be included?
2.
What type of environment do you work
best in?
a.
How do you get along with others?
b.
How do you treat others?
c.
How do others get along with you?
d.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how autonomous
would you prefer you job to be?
i.
How often do
you think you should report your
progress?
ii.
How would you
like to report your progress?
3.
What expectations do you have of
yourself?
a.
What expectations do you think that the
company has of you?
b.
What expectations seem reasonable to
you?
c.
What expectations don’t seem reasonable
to you?
d.
How do you reconcile any differences
between the two?
4.
What type of evaluation is most helpful
for you?
a.
When do you want to receive it?
b.
How do you want to receive it?
In conclusion, The Three E’s (Hoglund,
2000) provide the framework for optimal
benefit.
Environment:
The expectations and evaluations
occur within a positive, supportive,
trusting learning and working
environment.
Expectations:
The expectations, even when
external, have benefits for the learner
or worker.
Evaluation:
The evaluation is helpful because
it meets the above criteria.
©
2011 Bob Hoglund (September,
2011)
Archived Thoughts
