Teams are an integral part of modern workplaces, but they often have hidden expectations that can create challenges for managers trying to evaluate their performance objectively. When team members develop close personal relationships, it is natural for them to start forming interpersonal expectations based on those bonds. These expectations can distort professional evaluations and make it difficult to assess each member's contribution fairly. This article will explore why this happens and how managers can navigate these dynamics to ensure fairness in the workplace.
Interpersonal Expectations Formation
Interpersonal expectations form when team members start expecting certain behaviors from one another due to a close bond or relationship.
If two colleagues become friends outside of work, they may begin expecting each other to help out more than other team members because of their friendship. This creates an uneven playing field where some team members feel more valued than others. As a result, team cohesion can be negatively impacted as some members may resent the favoritism and others may feel taken advantage of.
Distorted Professional Evaluations
When intimate bonds exist within a team, managers must be extra careful about evaluating individual contributions. Because of the interpersonal expectations created by these bonds, managers may be biased towards certain individuals and miss opportunities to give credit where it is due.
They may not recognize when someone is underperforming compared to their peers because of the bias created by the intimacy between them.
Navigating Interpersonal Expectations
To avoid distortions in professional evaluations caused by interpersonal expectations, managers should focus on objectively measuring performance rather than relying on personal relationships. They can set clear goals and expectations for all team members, create objective criteria for evaluation, and provide feedback based on those metrics. Managers should also seek input from multiple sources to get a well-rounded view of each team member's contribution.
Interpersonal expectations that develop in teams with intimate bonds can lead to unfair assessments of professional performance. By focusing on objective measures and seeking multiple perspectives, managers can ensure that everyone is evaluated fairly and rewarded appropriately for their work.
What hidden interpersonal expectations form in teams where intimate bonds exist, and how do these expectations distort professional evaluation and fairness?
The development of close relationships between team members can lead to the formation of unspoken expectations that may influence the professional evaluation process. These expectations are formed based on assumptions about each other's behaviors and attitudes, which may be difficult to verbalize but shape interactions in subtle ways.