Attitudes and values
Nursing managers’ PRs are shaped more by
the manager’s belief system than by the subordinate’s actual work performance[7]. The
research uses a “laddering” technique to
explore nursing managers’ concepts of effectiveness. This means continuing to ask managers the question “why is that important”
until one eventually elicits answers like “selffulfilment” or “pride in being a good manager”, which the researchers argue represent the
managers’ fundamental values. The managers
saidthat staff work behaviour shaped their
PRs, but “policy capturing” analysis showed
that the managers’ own values were the best
predictor of their PRs. Subordinates who
helped managers to feel proud of being a good
manager, or helped to make them feel fulfilled, received better PRs.