Progress Principle:

1. The Progress Principle
Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.
www.bretlsimmons.com
Presentation for
Leadership Douglas County
November 15, 2011

2. Evidence-Based
Management

3. Person
+
Environment (system)
=
Behavior

4. Behavior at Work
Person System Behavior
Personality Policies Helping
Attitudes Procedures Civility
Values Equipment Tardiness
Perceptions Hiring Absenteeism
Emotions Training Turnover
Motivation Staffing Participation
Rewards Preparation
Performance Performance
Evaluation
Supervision
Daily Events

5. Inner Work Life Effect:
“People do better work when they are happy, have
positive views of the organization and its people, and
are motivated primarily by the work itself.” (p, 47)

6. Inner Work Life System
Perceptions/thoughts Emotions/feelings
(Sensemaking about (Reactions to
workday events) workday events)
• The organization • Positive emotions
• Managers, self, team • Negative emotions
• The work • Overall mood
• Sense of
Workday accomplishment Individual
Events Performance
Motivation/drive
(Desire to do the work)
• What do to
• How to do it
• When to do it
• Whether to do it
Amiable, T & Kramer, S. (2011). The Progress Principle

7. Key Points
• Even seemingly mundane events –
such as small wins and minor
setbacks – can exert potent
influence on inner work life
• Negative events are more
powerful than positive events, all
else being equal

8. Daily progress doing
meaningful work

9. Catalysts/Inhibitors:
Events supporting the work

10. Nourishment/Toxins: Events
supporting the person

11. Team Leaders /
Immediate Supervisors

12. Whatever your level in the organization … you bear
some responsibility for the inner work lives of the
people around you (p. 181)

13. Focus on daily progress in
meaningful work

14. How do we change how people
behave at work?

15. Your Questions

16. The Progress
Principle
Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.
www.bretlsimmons.com
simmonsb@unr.edu
(775) 336-9576