Julia Stewart Penchant

The coaching component of the Performance Improvement Cycle is nothing new to Julia Stewart (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Public praise of work well done in the midst of the entire restaurant team is illustrated in the case study (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Accordingly, for the employee, positive reinforcement instills pride in the quality of her work and encourages her to repeat rewarded behaviors. Ordinarily, the desire for public recognition is so strong for most people they begin to model all behaviors which are likely to be rewarded in this way. The most effective coaches understand the “self-directed learning principle” and how it involves “encouraging staff to think and take responsibility for their own decisions and actions” (Wilson, 2008, p. 26).

Stewart’s penchant for inviting feedback from her employees highlights her understanding and utilization of the Performance Improvement Cycle (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). An organization’s culture often dictates if employees have a voice in matters pertaining to their jobs. Employees who have a voice feel empowered. Perceived powerlessness reduces effort and creativity and increases job dissatisfaction. Working in an environment where employees do not fear being fired for making a mistake, but know that they have the space and the resources to learn from those mistakes to improve themselves is a recipe for a committed and productive workforce (Wilson, 2008). Ms. Stewart effectively utilizes feedback, coaching and positive reinforcement in the case