Pay for Performance LO3157

wcox@inet.guthrie.org
Fri, 13 Oct 1995 10:42:10 -0400

Ref. LO3140

Tom Burke's writings compell me to repsond. As a Human Resource
professional, the concept of performance-based pay is met with universal
nods of appreciation within the field. When Tom wrote of reading Alfie
Kohn's "Punished by Rewards", I was shocked (thankfully so) to know of
another person who had read this work and found it thought provoking.

For myself, the notion of performance-based pay makes sense, but I have
embraced a more fundamental approach towards pay in a LO environment -
that pay and recognition embrace learning and development itself. While
this may not be seen as direct ROI, the approach communicates in a
meaningful and pragmatic way the organization's interest in employees
continuing to develop themselves and their skills. I honestly believe
that a fundamental component of competitiveness is the collective ability
of employees to sense change and respond to it. When compensation
combines with and promotes organizational philosophy, communication of
what an organization wants from its employees (based on what it is willing
to pay for) becomes clear and consistent. I am impressed that there are
some people out there who are reading Deming ("Out of the Crisis") and
others and actually working with Human Resource programs that remain
faithful to the philosophy of the Learning Organization. Please realize
that when one works in an industry dominated by the WEED aproach (What
Everyone Else is Doing), contrary opinion is easily ignored and/or
discounted - as I had initially done with the work of Alfie Kohn. While
an industry with this mind-set provides fertile ground for LO development,
proper discussion requires the requisite amount of preparation and
knowledge.

Can someone help guide me towards the proper reading materials regarding
pay for performance consistent with a LO/System Thinking approach?

I would appreciate feedback regarding my perceptions regarding
compensation as well as direction regarding the works of people such as
Alfie Kohn.

Has anyone seen a compensation model such as the one I am visualizing?

--
Wayne K. Cox, Jr., MBA
wcox@inet.guthrie.org