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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


Subjective Short Answer

1. Discuss supervisory rating of subordinates.


ANSWER: The most widely used means of rating employees is based on the assumption that the immediate supervisor is
the person most qualified to evaluate an employee’s performance realistically and fairly. To help provide
accurate evaluations, some supervisors keep records of employees' performance so that they can reference
these notes when rating performance. For instance, a sales manager might periodically observe a salesperson’s
interactions with clients and make notes so that constructive performance feedback can be provided at a later
date.

2. Describe the features required in an effective performance management system.


ANSWER: To be effective, a performance management system, including the performance appraisal processes, should be:
• beneficial as a development tool;
• useful as an administrative tool;
• legal and job related;
• viewed as generally fair by employees;
• effective in documenting employee performance; and
• clear about who are high, average, and low performers.

3. Define performance management. What should a performance management system do?


ANSWER: Performance management is a series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance
it needs from its employees. At a minimum a performance management system should do the following:
• Make clear what the organization expects.
• Document performance for personnel records.
• Identify areas of success and needed development.
• Provide performance information to employees.

4. What is multisource rating?


ANSWER: Multisource rating, or 360-degree feedback, has grown in popularity in organizations. Multisource feedback
recognizes that for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and crosses departmental,
organizational, and even national boundaries. Therefore, information needs to be collected from many sources
to adequately and fairly evaluate an incumbent’s performance in one of these jobs.

5. What are the common employee performance measures?


ANSWER: Performance criteria vary from job to job, but common employee performance measures include the
following:
• Quantity of output
• Quality of output
• Timeliness of output
• Presence/attendance on the job
• Efficiency of work completed
• Effectiveness of work completed

6. Discuss the administrative and developmental uses of performance appraisals.


ANSWER: Organizations generally use performance appraisals in two potentially conflicting ways. One use is to provide
a measure of performance for consideration in making pay or other administrative decisions about employees.
This administrative role often creates stress for managers doing the appraisals and the employees being
evaluated, because the rater is placed in the role of judge. The other use focuses on the development of
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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


individuals. In this role, the manager acts more as a counselor and coach than as a judge. The developmental
performance appraisal emphasizes current training and development needs, as well as planning employees’
future opportunities and career directions.

7. Describe the entitlement approach and the performance-driven approach.


ANSWER: Some corporate cultures are based on an entitlement approach, meaning that adequate performance and
stability dominate the organization. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not much
based on individual performance differences. As a result, performance appraisal activities are seen as having
few ties to performance and being primarily a “bureaucratic exercise.”

At the other end of the spectrum is a performance-driven organizational culture focused on results and
contributions. In this context, performance evaluations link results to employee compensation and
development.

8. Describe subjective and objective measures of performance appraisals.


ANSWER: Performance measures can be viewed as objective or subjective. The objective measures can be observed. For
example, the number of dinner specials sold or the number of tables serviced can be counted, which make
them objective performance metrics. Subjective measures require judgment on the part of the evaluator and
are more difficult to determine.

9. Define performance standards.


ANSWER: Performance standards define the expected levels of employee performance. Sometimes they are labeled
benchmarks, goals, or targets—depending on the approach taken. Realistic, measurable, clearly understood
performance standards benefit both organizations and employees.

10. Define behaviorally anchored rating scales.


ANSWER: Behaviorally anchored rating scales describe specific examples of job behavior which are then measured
against a performance scale.

True / False

11. One concern of multisource rating is that those peers who rate poor-performing coworkers tend to inflate the ratings so
that the peers themselves can get higher overall evaluation results in return.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

12. With the ranking method, the ratings of employees’ performance are distributed along a bell-shaped curve.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

13. Employee attitude is classified as trait-based information.


a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

14. Menu up-selling by a waiter is classified as behavior-based information.


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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

15. The leniency error occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

16. The performance management process starts by identifying the strategic goals an organization needs to accomplish to
remain competitive and profitable.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

17. A major concern for managers in performance management is how to emphasize the positive aspects of the
employee’s performance while still discussing ways to make needed improvements.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

18. In the critical incident method, the manager keeps a written record of both highly favorable and unfavorable actions
performed by an employee during the entire rating period.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

19. The developmental function of performance appraisals can identify areas in which the employee might wish to grow.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

20. Development of performance standards is typically the first stage of management by objectives.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

21. The entitlement approach of organizational culture links performance evaluations to employee compensation and
development.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

22. A disadvantage of the outsider rating approach is that outsiders may not know the important demands within the work
group or organization.

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a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

23. Both numerical and nonnumerical performance standards can be established.


a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

24. The contrast error occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of performance in one area.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

25. The category scaling method allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum indicating low to
high levels of a particular characteristic.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

26. Companies must only use multisource feedback primarily as an administrative tool.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

27. The recency effect occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an
individual’s performance.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

28. The administrative role of performance appraisals often creates stress for managers doing the appraisals and the
employees being evaluated, because the rater is placed in the role of judge.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

29. A supervisor’s rating of an employee’s attitude is classified as an objective measure of performance.


a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

30. An informal appraisal is used when a system is in place to report managerial impressions and observations on
employee performance and feature a regular time interval.
a. True
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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


b. False
ANSWER: False

31. Performance appraisal is the entire series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance it
needs from its employees.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

32. Peer and team ratings are especially useful only when supervisors have the opportunity to observe each employee’s
performance.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

33. Firms with maintenance-orientation cultures have more positive performance than those with performance-focused
cultures.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

34. The halo effect is the tendency to rate people relative to one another rather than against performance standards.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

35. When creating a BARS system, identifying important job dimensions, which are the most important performance
factors in a job description, is done first.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

36. The major purpose of 360-degree feedback is to increase uniformity by soliciting like-minded views.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

37. The forced distribution method lists the individuals being rated from highest to lowest based on their performance
levels and relative contributions.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

38. When a key part of performance management, the performance appraisal, is used to punish employees, performance
management is less effective.

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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

39. The number of cars sold by a car salesman is classified as a subjective measure of performance.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

40. In the performance-driven organizational culture, employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not
much based on individual performance differences.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

Multiple Choice

41. When a key part of performance management, the performance appraisal, is used to punish employees, _____.
a. performance appraisal is less effective
b. performance management is more effective
c. performance management is less effective
d. performance appraisal is more effective
ANSWER: c

42. Which of the following is typically the first stage in implementing a guided self-appraisal system using MBO?
a. Job review and agreement
b. Continuing performance discussions
c. Setting of objectives
d. Development of performance standards
ANSWER: a

43. Which of the following statements is true of objective and subjective measures of performance appraisals?
a. Objective measures can be observed and subjective measures require judgment on the part of the evaluator.
b. Subjective measures can be observed and objective measures require judgment on the part of the evaluator.
c. Both subjective and objective measures require judgment on the part of the evaluator and cannot be observed.
d. Both subjective and objective measures can be observed and do not require judgment on the part of an
evaluator.
ANSWER: a

44. Which of the following is a narrative method of performance appraisals?


a. Forced distribution
b. Critical incident
c. Behavioral rating scales
d. Ranking

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ANSWER: b

45. _____ can help make a manager more responsive toward employees.
a. Peer rating
b. Rating of supervisors by subordinates
c. Rating of subordinates by supervisors
d. Self-rating
ANSWER: b

46. Which of the following is true of performance standards?


a. Only nonnumerical performance standards can be established.
b. Performance standards should be established before the work is performed.
c. Performance standards should be established while the work is being performed.
d. Only numerical performance standards can be established.
ANSWER: b

47. The _____ occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale.
a. primacy effect
b. recency effect
c. leniency error
d. central tendency
ANSWER: c

48. Zara, an HR manager at Fluxin LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system using
management by objectives in her organization. She has developed specific standards for performance. Which of the
following is typically the next step for Zara?
a. Job review and agreement
b. Continuing performance discussions
c. Setting of objectives
d. Implementation of the performance standards
ANSWER: c

49. _____ is a technique for distributing ratings that are generated with any of the other appraisal methods and comparing
the ratings of people in a work group.
a. Forced distribution
b. Critical incident
c. Behavioral rating scales
d. Essay method
ANSWER: a

50. Josh, an HR manager at RoxCom LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system using
management by objectives in his organization. He has reviewed the job description and the key activities that constitute
the employee’s job. Which of the following is typically the next step for Josh?
a. Implementation of the standards
b. Continuing performance discussions
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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


c. Setting of objectives
d. Development of performance standards
ANSWER: d

51. Which of the following belongs to the behavioral dimensions in graphic rating scales?
a. Dependability
b. Attendance
c. Quantity of work
d. Communication effectiveness
ANSWER: d

52. The _____ occurs when a low rating on one characteristic leads to an overall low rating.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. similar-to-me error
d. contrast error
ANSWER: b

53. The _____ is the tendency to rate people relative to one another rather than against performance standards.
a. horns effect
b. contrast error
c. similar-to-me error
d. halo effect
ANSWER: b

54. _____ is the most widely used means of rating employees.


a. Supervisory rating of subordinates
b. Peer rating
c. Outsider rating of employees
d. Self-rating
ANSWER: a

55. Luke, an HR manager at Rexi LLC, is responsible for implementing a guided self-appraisal system using management
by objectives in his organization. He has established objectives that are realistically attainable. Which of the following is
typically the next step for Luke?
a. Determining a satisfactory level of performance
b. Job review and agreement
c. Continuing performance discussions
d. Development of performance standards
ANSWER: c

56. If employers do not require a(n) _____, performance appraisal ratings often do not match the normal distribution of a
bell-shaped curve.
a. critical incident

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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


b. forced distribution
c. essay method
d. ranking method
ANSWER: b

57. The _____ method requires a manager to write a short write-up describing each employee’s performance during the
rating period.
a. forced distribution
b. ranking
c. essay
d. critical incident
ANSWER: c

58. The _____ occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of performance in one area.
a. halo effect
b. horns effect
c. contrast error
d. similar-to-me error
ANSWER: a

59. Which of the following is an objective measure of performance?


a. A supervisor’s rating of an employee’s integrity
b. An organization’s perceptions of an employee’s values
c. An employee’s attitude toward the customer
d. The total number of washing machines sold by an employee
ANSWER: d

60. The _____ occurs when a manager uses only the lower part of the scale to rate employees.
a. strictness error
b. primacy effect
c. leniency error
d. recency effect
ANSWER: a

61. If the rater has seen only a small specimen of the person’s work, an appraisal may be subject to _____.
a. contrast error
b. horns effect
c. halo effect
d. sampling error
ANSWER: d

62. Employees working in isolation or possessing unique skills may be particularly suited to _____.
a. multisource rating
b. self-rating
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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


c. peer rating
d. outsider rating
ANSWER: b

63. Which of the following is true of organizations that practice a performance-driven approach?
a. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not based on individual performance.
b. Performance appraisal activities are seen as being primarily a “bureaucratic exercise.”
c. Employee rewards vary significantly from person to person and are not based on individual performance.
d. Performance evaluations link results to employee compensation and development.
ANSWER: d

64. The use of _____ can cause rater error because the form might not accurately reflect the relative importance of certain
job characteristics, and some factors might need to be added to the ratings for one employee, while others might need to
be dropped.
a. graphic rating scales
b. comparative methods
c. narrative methods
d. category scaling methods
ANSWER: a

65. Which of the following is a comparative method of performance appraisals?


a. Critical incident
b. Behavioral rating scales
c. Essay
d. Forced distribution
ANSWER: d

66. _____ is a series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance it needs from its
employees.
a. Performance appraisal
b. Performance improvement
c. Performance planning
d. Performance management
ANSWER: d

67. The _____ occurs when a rater gives all employees an average rating.
a. central tendency
b. leniency error
c. primacy effect
d. recency effect
ANSWER: a

68. Which of the following is results-based information?


a. Sales volume

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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


b. Customer satisfaction
c. Initiative
d. Teamwork
ANSWER: a

69. Which of the following is behavior-based information?


a. Cost reduction
b. Effective communication
c. Improved quality
d. Timeliness of response
ANSWER: d

70. Which of the following is typically the last stage in implementing a guided self-appraisal system using MBO?
a. Continuing performance discussions
b. Setting of objectives
c. Development of performance standards
d. Job review and agreement
ANSWER: a

71. Which of the following statements is true of developing a performance-focused culture throughout the organization?
a. Firms with performance-focused cultures have more positive performance than those with a maintenance-
orientation culture.
b. In firms with a performance-focused culture, performance appraisal activities are seen as having few ties to
performance and are primarily regarded as a “bureaucratic exercise.”
c. Firms with performance-focused cultures do not usually provide training to managers and employees.
d. In firms with a performance-focused culture, adequate performance and stability dominate the firm.
ANSWER: a

72. Which of the following is a subjective measure of performance?


a. A supervisor’s rating of an employee’s integrity
b. The revenue an employee has bought into the organization
c. The number of hours that an employee has worked
d. The total number of cars sold by an employee
ANSWER: a

73. The simplest methods for appraising performance are _____, which require a manager to mark an employee’s level of
performance on a specific form divided into categories of performance.
a. narrative methods
b. category scaling methods
c. graphic rating scales
d. comparative methods
ANSWER: b

74. Which of the following is trait-based information?


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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


a. Dispositions
b. Verbal persuasion
c. Units produced
d. Customer satisfaction
ANSWER: a

75. A panel of division managers evaluating a supervisor’s potential for advancement in the organization is known as
_____.
a. peer rating
b. multisource rating
c. outsider rating
d. self-rating
ANSWER: c

76. In the _____ method, the manager keeps a written record of both highly favorable and unfavorable actions performed
by an employee during the entire rating period.
a. ranking
b. forced distribution
c. essay
d. critical incident
ANSWER: d

77. The _____ occurs when a rater gives greater weight to the latest events when appraising an individual’s performance.
a. primacy effect
b. leniency error
c. recency effect
d. central tendency
ANSWER: c

78. _____ is especially useful when supervisors do not have the opportunity to observe each employee’s performance but
other work group members do.
a. Self-rating
b. Employees rating managers
c. Peer rating
d. Outsider rating
ANSWER: c

79. Which of the following belongs to the descriptive category in graphic rating scales?
a. Employee development
b. Decision making
c. Communication effectiveness
d. Quantity of work
ANSWER: d

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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


80. _____ recognizes that for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and crosses departmental,
organizational, and even national boundaries.
a. Outsider rating
b. Peer rating
c. Self-rating
d. 360-degree rating
ANSWER: d

81. Which of the following is typically a responsibility of the HR department in performance appraisals?
a. Tracking timely receipt of appraisals
b. Preparing formal appraisal documents
c. Reviewing appraisals with employees
d. Identifying development areas
ANSWER: a

82. Which of the following is typically a responsibility of managers in performance appraisals?


a. Reviewing completed appraisals for consistency
b. Identifying development areas
c. Tracking timely receipt of appraisals
d. Designing and maintain appraisal systems
ANSWER: b

83. The _____ method lists the individuals being rated from highest to lowest based on their performance levels and
relative contributions.
a. ranking
b. critical incident
c. essay
d. forced distribution
ANSWER: a

84. The _____ allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum indicating low to high levels of a
particular characteristic.
a. graphic rating scale
b. comparative method
c. narrative method
d. category scaling method
ANSWER: a

85. Which of the following is true of appraisal interviews?


a. Managers must not communicate praise or constructive criticism.
b. Managers must communicate only praise and not constructive criticism.
c. Managers must communicate both praise and constructive criticism.
d. Managers must communicate only constructive criticism and not praise.
ANSWER: c
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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal

86. Which of the following statements is true of organizations that practice the entitlement approach?
a. Employee rewards vary significantly from person to person and are based on individual performance
differences.
b. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are not much based on individual performance
differences.
c. Employee rewards vary significantly from person to person and are not much based on individual performance
differences.
d. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and are based on individual performance differences.
ANSWER: b

87. Which of the following is true of the administrative and developmental roles of performance appraisals?
a. The rater plays the role of a judge in both—the administrative role and the developmental role of performance
appraisals.
b. The rater plays the role of a coach in both—the administrative role and the developmental role of performance
appraisals.
c. The rater plays the role of a coach in an administrative role and plays the role of a judge in a developmental
role.
d. The rater plays the role of a judge in an administrative role and plays the role of a coach in a developmental
role.
ANSWER: d

88. The _____ occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an individual’s
performance.
a. central tendency
b. recency effect
c. leniency error
d. primacy effect
ANSWER: d

89. _____ require that managers directly evaluate the performance levels of their employees against one another, and
these evaluations can provide useful information for performance management.
a. Comparative methods
b. Category scaling methods
c. Narrative methods
d. Graphic rating scales
ANSWER: a

90. Which of the following is true of performance appraisal?


a. Performance management is a part of performance appraisal.
b. Performance appraisal is the process of determining how well employees do their jobs relative to a standard
and communicating that information to them.
c. Performance appraisal is the same as performance management.
d. Performance appraisal refers to the entire series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the
performance it needs from its employees.

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Chapter 10—Performance Management and Appraisal


ANSWER: b

Essay

91. Describe the different types of performance information.


ANSWER: Managers can use three different types of information about employee performance.
Trait-based information identifies a character trait of the employee, such as attitude, initiative, or creativity,
and may or may not be job related. For example, conscientiousness is often found to be a trait that is an
important determinant of job performance. Allophilia is an important leadership trait that involves the degree
to which employees are positive toward another group when they are not members of that group. Other traits
that are associated with star performers include modesty, commitment to self-development, a willingness to
express ideas, a fixation on customers, and the use of clear language (instead of jargon). Yet, many of these
traits tend to be ambiguous, and biases of raters can affect how traits are viewed, so court decisions generally
have held that trait-based performance appraisals are too vague to use when making HR decisions such as
promotions or terminations. Also, focusing too much on trait characteristics such as “potential” can lead
managers to ignore important behaviors and outcomes.
Behavior-based information focuses on specific behaviors that lead to job success. For a bartender, the
behavior “drink up-selling” can be observed and used as performance information because a customer is
encouraged to purchase a higher-quality beverage. In addition, an Operations Director who visits all the key
work areas in a manufacturing plant during a morning walk-through behaves in a manner that increases
visibility and communication with employees. Behavioral information can specify the behaviors management
expects employees to exhibit. A potential problem arises when any of several behaviors can lead to successful
performance, and employees rely on different behaviors to complete work. For example, one salesperson
might successfully use one selling strategy with customers, while another might successfully use a different
approach because there is likely not one approach will make all salespersons effective at their jobs.
Results-based information considers employee accomplishments. For jobs in which measurement is easy and
obvious, a results-based approach works well. For instance, a professor might receive extra compensation for
securing grants or publishing papers in certain academic journals, or a salesperson in a retail outlet might
receive extra commission pay based on how many products are sold. However, employers should recognize
that the results that are measured are the ones that employees tend to emphasize, sometimes neglecting other
important job activities. For example, a selling professional who works for an auto dealership and gets paid
only for sales may be uninterested and/or unwilling to do paperwork and other activities not directly related to
selling cars. Further, ethical or legal issues may arise when results are always emphasized rather than how
results are achieved, so care should be taken to balance the different types of information.
Performance measures can be viewed as objective or subjective. The objective measures can be observed. For
example, the number of dinner specials sold or the number of tables serviced can be counted, which make
them objective performance metrics. Subjective measures require judgment on the part of the evaluator and
are more difficult to determine. One example of a subjective measure is a supervisor’s ratings of an
employee’s “attitude,” which can be difficult to evaluate based on varying ideas and preferences.
Consequently, subjective measures should be used carefully and only when adequate support and/or
documentation can be presented to support such evaluations.

92. Describe supervisory rating of subordinates, employee rating of managers, team/peer rating, self-rating, and outsider
rating.
ANSWER: Supervisory Rating of Subordinates
The most widely used means of rating employees is based on the assumption that the immediate supervisor is
the person most qualified to evaluate an employee’s performance realistically and fairly. To help provide
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accurate evaluations, some supervisors keep records of employees’ performance so that they can reference
these notes when rating performance. For instance, a sales manager might periodically observe a salesperson’s
interactions with clients and make notes so that constructive performance feedback can be provided at a later
date.
Employee Rating of Managers
A number of organizations ask employees to rate the performance of their immediate managers. A variation of
this type of rating takes place in colleges and universities, where students evaluate the teaching effectiveness
of professors in the classroom. Another example is an Indian firm, which requires employees to rate their
bosses as part of a multisource review process. All evaluations are then posted on the company’s intranet.
These performance appraisal ratings are generally used for management development purposes.
Team/Peer Rating
Having employees and team members rate each other is another type of appraisal. Peer and team ratings are
especially useful when supervisors don’t have the opportunity to observe each employee working, but work
group members do. For instance, many training programs in the U.S. military use peer ratings to provide
candidates extensive feedback about their leadership qualities and accomplishments.
Self-Rating
Self-appraisals can be effective in certain situations. As a self-development tool, it requires employees to think
about their strengths and weaknesses and set goals for improvement. Employees working in isolation or
possessing unique skills may be particularly suited for self-ratings because they are the only ones qualified to
rate themselves.
Outsider Rating
People outside the immediate work group may be asked to participate in performance reviews. This “field
review” approach can include someone from the HR department as a reviewer, or completely independent
reviewers from outside the organization. Examples include a review team evaluating a college president or a
panel of division managers evaluating a supervisor’s potential for advancement in the company. A
disadvantage of this approach is that outsiders may not know the important demands within the work group or
organization.

93. Describe the administrative uses of performance appraisals.


ANSWER: Three administrative uses of appraisal impact managers and employees the most: (1) determining pay
adjustments; (2) making job placement decisions on promotions, transfers, and demotions; and (3) choosing
employee disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment.
A performance appraisal system is often the link between employee job performance and the additional pay
and rewards that they can receive. Performance-based compensation affirms the idea that pay raises are given
for performance accomplishments rather than for length of service (seniority), or granted automatically to all
employees at the same percentage levels. In pay-for-performance compensation systems, managers have
evaluated the performance of individuals and have made compensation recommendations. If any part of the
appraisal process fails, better-performing employees may not receive larger pay increases, and the result is
perceived inequity in compensation.

94. Describe Multisource/360-degree rating.


ANSWER: Multisource rating, or 360-degree feedback, has grown in popularity. Multi-source feedback recognizes that
for many jobs, employee performance is multidimensional and crosses departmental, organizational, and even
national boundaries. Therefore, information needs to be collected from many sources to adequately and fairly
evaluate an incumbent’s performance in one of these jobs.
The major purpose of 360-degree feedback is not to increase uniformity by soliciting like-minded views.
Instead, it is designed to capture evaluations of the employee’s different roles to provide richer feedback
during an evaluation.
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Significant administrative time and paperwork are required to request, obtain, and summarize feedback from
multiple raters. Using electronic systems for the information can greatly reduce the administrative demands of
multisource ratings and increase the effectiveness (i.e., privacy and expediency) of the process.

95. Describe the different types of rater errors.


ANSWER: There are many possible sources of error in the performance appraisal process. One of the major sources is the
rater. Although completely eliminating errors is impossible, making raters aware of potential errors and biases
helps.
Recency and Primacy Effects
The recency effect occurs when a rater gives greater weight to recent events when appraising an individual’s
performance. Examples include giving a student a course grade on the basis of only the student’s performance
in the last week of class or giving a drill press operator a high rating even though the operator made the
assigned quota only in the last two weeks of the rating period. Another time related issue is the primacy effect,
which occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an individual’s
performance.
Central Tendency, Leniency, and Strictness Errors
Ask students and they will tell you about the professors who tend to grade easier or harder. A manager may
develop a similar rating pattern. Appraisers who rate all employees within a narrow range in the middle of the
scale (i.e., rate everyone as “average”) commit a central tendency error, giving even outstanding and poor
performers an “average” rating.
Rating patterns also may exhibit leniency or strictness. The leniency error occurs when ratings of all
employees fall at the high end of the scale. To avoid conflict, managers often rate employees higher than they
should. This “ratings boost” is especially likely when no manager or HR representative reviews the completed
appraisals. The strictness error occurs when a manager uses only the lower part of the scale to rate employees.
Rater Bias
When a rater’s values or prejudices distort the rating, rater bias occurs. Such bias may be unconscious or quite
intentional. For example, a manager’s dislike of certain ethnic groups may cause distortion in appraisal
information for some people. Use of age, religion, seniority, sex, appearance, or other “classifications” may
also skew appraisal ratings if the appraisal process is not properly designed. A review of appraisal ratings by
higher-level managers may help correct this problem.
Halo and Horns Effects
The halo effect occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of performance in one
area of the assigned work responsibilities. For example, if a worker has few absences, the supervisor might
give the worker a high rating in all other areas of work, including quantity and quality of output, without really
thinking about the employee’s other characteristics separately. The opposite is the horns effect, which occurs
when a low rating on one characteristic leads to an overall low rating.
Contrast Error
Rating should be done using established standards. One problem is the contrast error, which is the tendency to
rate people relative to one another rather than against performance standards. For example, if everyone else
performs at a mediocre level, then a person performing only slightly better may be rated as “excellent”
because of the contrast effect. But in a group where many employees are performing well, the same person
might receive a lower rating. Although it may be appropriate to compare people at times, the performance
rating usually should reflect comparison against performance standards, not against other people.
Similar-to-Me/Different-from-Me Errors
Sometimes, raters are influenced by whether people demonstrate characteristics that are the same as or
different from their own qualities. For example, a manager with an MBA degree might give subordinates with
MBAs higher appraisals than those who have only earned bachelor’s degrees. The error comes in measuring
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an individual against another person rather than measuring how well the individual fulfills the expectations of
the job.
Sampling Error
If the rater has seen only a small sample of the person’s work, an appraisal may be subject to sampling error.
For example, assume that 95% of the reports prepared by an employee have been satisfactory, but a manager
has seen only the 5% that had errors. If the supervisor rates the person’s performance as “poor,” then a
sampling error has occurred. Ideally, the work being rated should be a broad and representative sample of all
the work completed by the employee.

96. Describe the developmental uses of performance appraisals.


ANSWER: For employees, appraisals can be a primary source of information and feedback that can help them improve
their performance. By identifying employees’ strengths, weaknesses, needs, and potential, supervisors can
provide employees feedback about their progress at work, discuss areas in which additional training may be
beneficial, and outline future developmental plans. Performance appraisal feedback is therefore well-
positioned to be a developmental tool.
Employees don’t always know where and how to perform better, and managers can’t expect significant
improvements if they do not provide enough developmental feedback. The purpose of performance feedback
is to reinforce satisfactory contributions and to address work deficiencies. The developmental function of
performance appraisal can also identify areas in which the employee might wish to grow. For example, in a
performance appraisal interview targeted exclusively to development, an employee found out that the only
factor keeping her from being considered for a management job in her firm was the lack of a working
knowledge of cost accounting. Her supervisor suggested that she consider taking some night courses at the
local college to help her develop these skills.
The use of teams provides a different set of circumstances for developmental appraisals. The manager may not
see all of an employee’s work, but the employee’s team members do, therefore enabling them to provide
important feedback. However, whether teams can handle administrative appraisals is still subject to debate,
and clearly some cannot manage the additional responsibility. When teams are allowed to design appraisal
systems, they tend to avoid making judgments and shy away from differential rewards. Thus, group appraisals
may be best suited for developmental purposes rather than administrative functions.

97. Describe performance-focused organizational cultures.


ANSWER: Organizational cultures can vary on many dimensions, one of which involves the degree to which performance
is emphasized. Some cultures are based on an entitlement approach, meaning that adequate performance and
stability dominate the organization. Employee rewards vary little from person to person and have little to do
with differences in individual performance. As a result, performance appraisal activities have few ties to
performance and are primarily a “bureaucratic exercise.”
At the other end of the spectrum is a performance-driven organizational culture, which focuses on the results
and contributions made by employees. In this context, performance evaluations link results to employee
compensation and development. There are benefits to developing a performance-focused culture throughout
the organization. This approach can be particularly useful when assessing top leaders because they are
required to improve the financial and operational performance of their organizations. By focusing on
performance improvements through development activities, it can also help a company avoid interventions by
activist investors who want to take over strategic planning and management through their ownership of shares.
However, a pay-for-performance approach can present several challenges to organizations. For example, pay-
for-performance plans used in organizations that usually have an entitlement philosophy are sometimes
perceived to create inequity, particularly if some employees get bonuses and others receive no extra
compensation. Tying bonuses to criteria such as employee performance may also been met with harsh
criticism because some claim that the process prevents teamwork in the workplace.
Despite these issues, it appears that a performance-based-pay culture is desirable. It is sometimes argued that
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companies are not doing enough about poor performers, and that failure to deal with poor performance is
unfair to those who work hard. Employees who are not taking care of their work responsibilities can become
combative over their poor performance. Managers need to address performance issues with a communication
trail that documents problems and holds individuals accountable.

98. Describe graphic rating scale.


ANSWER: The graphic rating scale allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum indicating low to
high levels of a particular characteristic. Because of the straightforwardness of the process, graphic rating
scales are common in performance evaluations. Three aspects of performance can be appraised using graphic
rating scales: descriptive categories (such as quantity of work, attendance, and dependability), job duties
(taken from the job description), and behavioral dimensions (such as decision making, employee development,
and communication effectiveness).
Each of these types can be used for different jobs. How well employees meet established standards is often
expressed either numerically (e.g., 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) or verbally (e.g., “outstanding,” “meets standards,” “below
standards”). If two or more people are involved in the rating, they may find it difficult to agree on the exact
level of performance achieved relative to the standard in evaluating employee performance. Notice that each
level specifies performance standards or expectations to reduce variation in interpretations of the standards by
different supervisors and employees.

99. Discuss management by objectives.


ANSWER: Management by objectives (MBO) is a specific performance appraisal method that highlights the performance
goals that an individual and manager identify together. Each manager sets objectives derived from the overall
goals and objectives of the organization; however, MBO should not be a disguised means for a superior to
dictate the objectives of individual managers or employees. Other names for MBO include appraisal by
results, target coaching, work planning and review, performance objective setting, and mutual goal setting.
The goal setting that occurs as part of this process can be helpful in a variety of managerial functions.
MBO Process
Implementing a guided self-appraisal system using MBO is a four-stage process. The stages are as follows:

1. Job review and agreement: The employee and the superior review the job description and the key
activities that constitute the employee’s job. The idea is to agree on the exact makeup of the job.
2. Development of performance standards: Together, the employee and his or her superior develop
specific standards of performance and determine a satisfactory level of performance that is
specific and measurable. For example, a quota of selling five cars a month may be an appropriate
performance standard for a salesperson.
3. Setting of objectives: Together, the employee and the superior establish objectives that are
realistically attainable.
4. Continuing performance discussions: The employee and the superior use the objectives as a basis
for continuing discussions about the employee’s performance. Although a formal review session
may be scheduled, the employee and the supervisor do not necessarily wait until the appointed
time to discuss performance. Objectives can be mutually modified as warranted.

The MBO process seems to be most useful with managerial personnel and employees who have a fairly wide
range of flexibility and control over their jobs. When imposed on a rigid and autocratic management system,
MBO will often fail. Emphasizing penalties for not meeting objectives defeats the development and
participative nature of MBO. Based on the results of one study, a strong MBO system can also help
organizations generate a positive climate for goal setting.

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100. Describe the appraisal interview.
ANSWER: The appraisal interview presents both an opportunity and a challenge. It can be an emotional experience for
the manager and the employee because the manager must communicate both praise and constructive criticism.
A major concern for managers is how to emphasize the positive aspects of the employee’s performance while
still discussing ways to make needed improvements. If the interview is handled poorly, the employee may feel
resentment, which could lead to future performance problems. Consequently, a manager should clearly
communicate how an employee’s positive contributions have helped the organization perform well. When
poor performance must be discussed, managers could use a series of questions and discussion points that
enable employees to identify their own performance deficiencies and come up with useful plans for
performance improvement.
Employees often approach an appraisal interview with some concern. They may feel that discussions about
performance are both personal and important to their continued job success. At the same time, they want to
know how their managers view their performance.

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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
20 HRS. 40 MIN.
CHAPTER I
TORONTO DAYS

THERE are two kinds of stones, as everyone knows, one of which


rolls. Because I selected a father who was a railroad man it has been
my fortune to roll.
Of course rolling has left its mark on me. What happened to my
education is typical. Until the eighth grade I stayed the school year
with my grandmother in Atchison, Kansas, and attended a college
preparatory school. With the exception of two grades skipped, one
spent trying a public school and one conducted at home under a
governess-friend, my course was fairly regular—not including time
out for travelling. However, it took six high-schools to see me through
the customary four year course. Would it be surprising, considering
this record, if I should come out with a right round “ain’t” or “he done
it” now and then?
Despite such risks there are advantages in a changing
environment. Meeting new people and new situations becomes an
interesting adventure, and one learns to value fresh experiences as
much as old associations.
When the war broke out for the United States I was at Ogontz
School, near Philadelphia. My sister was at St. Margaret’s College in
Toronto and I went to visit her there for the Christmas holidays.
In every life there are places at which the individual, looking back,
can see he was forced to choose one of several paths. These
turning points may be marked by a trivial circumstance or by one of
great joy or sorrow.
In 1918 Canada had been in the war four weary years—years the
United States will never appreciate. Four men on crutches, walking
together on King Street in Toronto that winter, was a sight which
changed the course of existence for me. The realization that war
wasn’t knitting sweaters and selling Liberty Bonds, nor dancing with
handsome uniforms was suddenly evident. Returning to school was
impossible, if there was war work that I could do.
I started training under the Canadian Red Cross and as soon as
possible completed the first-aid work necessary to qualify as a V.A.D.
or nurse’s aide. Those four men on crutches!
My first assignment was to Spadina Military Hospital, a rather
small institution occupying an old college building converted for war
use. Day began at seven and ended at seven, with two hours off in
the afternoon. There were many beds to be made and trays and
“nurishment” to be carried, and backs to be rubbed—some lovely
ones!
Most of the men had been through a physical and emotional
crisis. Many were not sick enough to be in bed and not well enough
to find real occupation. Even when jobs were offered many lacked
the mental stamina to take them—or make good at them, if taken.
Spiritually they were tired out. Generally speaking they were a far
harder group to care for than the really sick. For with the latter the
improvements noted by the patient from day to day are cheerful mile
posts, while these poor lads had lost even that means of happiness.
The first day I was in the hospital there was a fire. It was not
serious enough for attendants to do anything but slam windows shut
and stand by to carry out patients. Nearly everyone enjoyed the
excitement except a few of the autumnal nurses and the poor fellows
in the shell-shock ward. They suffered greatly for a few days from
the effects of the unexpected disturbance which was to most of the
other men a welcome break in their colorless existence.
Of course one of the jobs of a V.A.D. was to be a merry sunshine,
not difficult for me whose I.Q. is low enough to insure natural
cheerfulness. Despite our best efforts time often dragged. I wonder if
we might not have accomplished more if we had all been good-
looking and especially, perhaps, if we’d all worn brilliant colors
instead of our grey and white uniforms. It’s a pet theory of mine that
color in a drab world can go a long way in stimulating morale.
There’s a suggestion, here, perhaps, for the management of the next
war.
The monotony of the hospital prevailed with its food also. Even
after ten years I am unable to look a jelly-roll in the eye. They were
the diurnal diet in the officers’ mess, just as rice puddings prevailed
in the wards. I have a depressing memory of passing out little rice
puddings in endless procession from the diet kitchen to the patients.
Sometimes they came back untouched but bearing crosses and the
inscription R.I.P. However, those who rated rice pudding were
entitled to ice cream—if they could get it. We K.P.’s often did the
getting for the patients most in need of cheer. Our funds were
immorally collected, the winnings of matching pennies in the kitchen.
The war was the greatest shock that some lives have had to
survive. It so completely changed the direction of my own footsteps
that the details of those days remain indelible in my memory, trivial
as they appear when recorded.
Days of routine slipped by quickly enough into months of nursing.
I hope what we did was helpful. Somebody had to do it. There is so
much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war.
‡[Amelia M. Earhart]
‡[UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD STUDIOS N.Y.]
© International Newsreel
WILMER STULTZ

War followed one everywhere. Even entertainments weren’t


always merely fun. Often they meant having tea with a group of
women who were carrying their war work into their homes. I
remember, for instance, hours spent with a power sewing machine
making pajamas.
The aviation I touched, too, while approached as an
entertainment was of course steeped with war. Sometimes I was
invited to a flying field, Armour Heights, on the edge of the city. I
think there were many planes there; I know there were many young
pilots being trained—some very young. (As a matter of fact I wasn’t
exactly grey with age—twenty, then.)
But the planes were mature. They were full-sized birds that slid on
the hard-packed snow and rose into the air with an extra roar that
echoed from the evergreens that banked the edge of the field. They
were a part of war, just as much as the drives, the bandages and the
soldiers. I remember well that when the snow blown back by the
propellers stung my face I felt a first urge to fly. I tried to get
permission to go up, but the rules forbade; not even a general’s wife
could do so—apparently the only thing she couldn’t do. I did the next
best thing and came to know some of the men fortunate enough to
fly. Among them were Canadians, Scotch, Irish and even Americans
who could not pass our rigorous tests but were accepted in Canada
at that time.
They were terribly young, those air men—young and eager.
Aviation was the romantic branch of the service and inevitably
attracted the romanticists. The dark side did not impress the enlisted
men or me. To us there was humor in the big padded helmets,
despite their purpose, which was to prevent scalp wounds in the
crashes that were frequent in those days. The boys smeared their
faces with grease, to prevent freezing, and that seemed funny, too.
The training planes were often under-powered, but no matter how
well that was understood, the pilots joked about possible
unpleasantness.
I have even forgotten the names of the men I knew then. But the
memory of the planes remains clearly, and the sense of the
inevitability of flying. It always seemed to me one of the few worth-
while things that emerged from the misery of war.
I lived through the Armistice. Toronto was forty riots rolled into one
that memorable day. Whistles awakened us. They blew continuously.
Electric cars were stalled in the streets which were deep with trash.
Insane old ladies crawled on top and hooked men’s hats with their
umbrellas. Fresh lads grabbed girls and powdered their faces with
flour. Bands marched without knowing where they were going. There
were speeches that were not heard and food that went untasted.
Flags appeared everywhere, with confetti and streamers.
Those months in Toronto roused my interest in flying, although I
did not realize it at the time. Perhaps it was the glamour of the
environment, the times, or my youth. Aviation had come close to me.

© Paramount News
SLIM GORDON
© International Newsreel
MRS. GUEST RETURNING TO NEW YORK IS
MET BY COMMANDER BYRD FROM WHOM
SHE PURCHASED THE “FRIENDSHIP”
CHAPTER II
EARLY AVIATION

AT the end of my brief hospital career I became a patient myself. It


was a case of too much nursing, perhaps with too long hours, in the
pneumonia ward. I picked up an infection and there followed several
minor operations and a rather long period of convalescence.
At Toronto I had been put into the dispensary because I knew a
little chemistry and because it appeared I was one of the few people
who wouldn’t drink the medical supply of whiskey. My brief
experiences aroused my interest in medicine, and after the armistice
I went to New York with the idea that I might become a physician. At
Columbia I took up a very heavy course which included pre-medical
work. Scholastically I think I could have qualified, but after a year of
study I convinced myself that some of my abilities did not measure
up to the requirements which I felt a physician should have.
My mother and father wanted me to come to Los Angeles.
Regretfully I left New York and moved west.
Southern California is a country of out-door sports. I was fond of
automobiles, tennis, horseback riding, and almost anything else that
is active and carried on in the open. It was a short step from such
interests to aviation and just then, as now, Southern California was
particularly active in air matters.
I remember the first air meet I attended. It was near Long Beach,
at Daugherty Field, the ocean side of the broad Los Angeles valley.
The sky was blue and flying conditions were perfect, as I remember.
As this was the summer of 1920 commercial flying was in its infancy.
Even to go to see planes then was considered really sporting by the
populace. There were mechanical imperfections of many kinds, but
progress is made always through experimentation.
Certainly a great many of the people gathered that day had never
before seen an aeroplane. The planes mostly were old war material,
Jennys and Canucks. The Army and Navy were represented with the
planes available at that time—Standards, D. H.’s, Douglasses,
Martins, etc. None of the ships stand out distinctly in my mind as
types. I imagine there were some bombing planes and pursuit jobs,
but they all seemed to my untrained eye more or less routine two-
seaters. Of course at that time I knew somewhat less than I do now.
However, one thing I did know that day. I wanted to fly. I was there
with my father, who, I fear, wasn’t having a very good time. As the
dust blew in his eyes, and his collar wilted, I think his enthusiasm for
aviation, such as it was, waned. He was slightly non-plussed,
therefore, when I said:
“Dad, you know, I think I’d like to fly.”
Heretofore we had been milling about behind the ropes which
lined the field. At my suggestion we invited ourselves into the arena
and looked about. I saw a man tagged “official” and asked my father
to talk with him about instruction. I felt suddenly shy about making
inquiries myself, lest the idea of a woman’s being interested in trying
to fly be too hilarious a thought for the official.
My father was game; he even went so far as to make an
appointment for me to have a trial hop at what was then Rogers
Airport. I am sure he thought one ride would be enough for me, and
he might as well act to cure me promptly.
Next day was characteristically fair and we arrived early on the
field. There was no crowd, but several planes stood ready to go.
A pilot came forward and shook hands.
“A good day to go up,” he said, pleasantly.
My father raised an inexperienced eye to the sky and agreed.
Agreeing verbally is as far as he went, or has ever gone, for he has
not yet found a day good enough for a first flight.
The pilot nodded to another flyer. “He’ll go up with us.”
“Why?” I asked.
The pair exchanged grins. Then I understood. I was a girl—a
“nervous lady.” I might jump out. There had to be somebody on hand
to grab my ankle as I went over. It was no use to explain I had seen
aeroplanes before and wasn’t excitable. I was not to be permitted to
go alone in the front cockpit.
The familiar “contact” was spoken and the motor came to life. I
suppose there must be emotion with all new experiences, but I can’t
remember any but a feeling of interest on this occasion. The noise of
the motor seemed very loud—I think it seems so to most people on
their first flight.
The plane rose quickly over some nearby oil derricks which are
part of the flora in Southern California. I was surprised to be able to
see the sea after a few moments of climbing. At 2,000 feet the pilot
idled the motor and called out the altitude for me. The sensation of
speed is of course absent, and I had no idea of the duration of the
hop. When descent was made I know the field looked totally
unfamiliar. I could not have picked it out from among the hundreds of
little squares into which populated areas are divided. One of the
senses which must be developed in flying is an acuteness in
recognizing characteristics of the terrain, a sense seldom possessed
by a novice.
Lessons in flying cost twice as much in 1920 as they do now. Five
hundred dollars was the price for ten or twelve hours instruction, and
that was just half what had been charged a few years before.
When I came down I was ready to sign up at any price to have a
try at the air myself. Two things deterred me at that moment. One
was the tuition fee to be wrung from my father, and the other the
determination to look up a woman flyer who, I had heard, had just
come to another field. I felt I should be less self-conscious taking
lessons with her, than with the men who overwhelmed me with their
capabilities. Neta Snook, the first woman to be graduated from the
Curtiss School of Aviation, had a Canuck—an easier plane to fly
than a Jenny, whose Canadian sister it was. Neta was good enough
to take payments for time in the air, when I could make them, so in a
few days I began hopping about on credit with her. I had failed to
convince my father of the necessity of my flying, so my economic
status itself remained a bit in the air.
I had opportunity to get a fair amount of information about details
of flying despite my erratic finances. In Northampton, where I had
stayed a while after the war, I had taken a course in automobile
repair with a group of girls from Smith College. To me the motor was
as interesting as flying itself, and I welcomed a chance to help in the
frequent pulling down and putting together which it required.

MY FIRST TRAINING SHIP, 1920


A. E., 1928

New students were instructed in planes with dual controls; the


rudder and stick in the front cockpit are connected with those in the
rear so that any false move the student makes can be corrected by
the instructor. Every move is duplicated and can be felt by both
flyers. One lands, takes off, turns, all with an experienced companion
in command. When passengers are carried these controls are
removed for safety’s sake with little trouble. If there is telephone
connection, communication and explanation are much easier than by
any methods of signs or shouting. This telephone equipment, by the
way, seems to be more usual in England than here.
I am glad I didn’t start flying in the days of the “grass cutters,”
which exemplified an earlier method of flying instruction. One of the
amusing sights of the war training period was that of the novices
hopping about the countryside in these penguin planes. They could
fly only a few feet from the ground and had to be forced off to do
that. The theory had been that such activity offered maximum
practice in taking off and landing. In addition it was a sort of Roman
holiday for the instructors—they had nothing much to do but, so to
speak, wind up their play-things and start them off. And nothing very
serious could happen one way or the other.
It was really necessary for a woman to wear breeks and leather
coats in these old days of aviation. The fields were dirty and planes
hard to enter. People dressed the part in a semi-military khaki outfit,
and in order to be as inconspicuous as possible I fell into the same
styles. A leather coat I had then, I wore across the Atlantic, eight
years later.
Neta sold her plane and I bought one and changed instructors
after a few hours’ work. John Montijo, an ex-army instructor, took
charge of me and soloed me after some strenuous times together. I
refused to fly alone until I knew some stunting. It seemed foolhardy
to try to go up alone without the ability to recognize and recover
quickly from any position the plane might assume, a reaction only
possible with practice. In short, to become thoroughly at home in the
air, stunting is as necessary as, and comparable to, the ability to
drive an automobile in traffic. I was then introduced to aerobatics and
felt not a bit afraid when sent “upstairs” alone for the first time.
Usually a student takes off nonchalantly enough but doesn’t dare
land until his gas supply fails. Any field is familiar with the sight of
beginners circling about overhead, staying up solely because they
can’t bear to come down. The thought of landing without their
instructors to help them, if need be, becomes torture, which is only
terminated by the force of gravity.
In soloing—as in other activities—it is far easier to start something
than it is to finish it. Almost every beginner hops off with a whoop of
joy, though he is likely to end his flight with something akin to D. T.’s.
I reversed the process. In taking off for the first time alone, one of
the shock absorbers broke, causing the left wing to sag just as I was
leaving the ground. I didn’t know just what had happened, but I did
know something was wrong and wondered what I had done. The
mental agony of starting the plane had just been gone through and I
was suddenly faced with the agony of stopping it. It was all in a
matter of seconds, of course, and somehow I contrived to do the
proper thing. My brief “penguin” flight came to a prompt conclusion
without further mishap.
When the damage had been repaired, I took courage to try again,
this time climbing about 5,000 feet, playing around a little, and
returning to make a thoroughly rotten landing. At once I had my
picture taken by a gentleman from Iowa who happened to be touring
California and wanted a few rare sights for the album back home.
© Keystone Views
SOUTHAMPTON—MRS. GUEST, GORDON, A. E., STULTZ, MRS.
FOSTER WELCH
AFTER MY FIRST “SOLO,” 1921
CHAPTER III
MY OWN PLANE

IN the war some students were soloed with as little as four hours’
training. That meant they were considered competent to go up in
their planes alone after this amount of instruction. Obviously these
were exceptional students. In civilian flying, ten or twelve hours, I
imagine, would be about the minimum training. But these hours
usually mean simply routine instruction in straight flying, comparable
to the novice driving his automobile along the level uncrowded
country highway. For the automobilist beginner the problem comes
when he first meets traffic, and a big truck, say, suddenly cuts in
ahead of him. Can he handle the emergency, or will he crash? And
what will the beginner do when his car, or the other fellow’s, skids on
the wet pavement for the first time? The answer is that good driving
results from experience and the requisite of having met many varied
situations.
And so with planes. Straight flying is, of course, the necessary
basis; but it is the ability to meet crises, large and small, which
counts. And the only way to train for that is, as I have said, to have
actual instruction in stunting and in meeting emergencies. To gain
experience after the beginner has soloed, and while he is at home in
a plane he knows intimately and upon a field familiar to him, he
should play around in the air for four or five hours alone, practising
landings, take-offs, turns and all the rest of it where he is perfectly
safe and can come down easily any time.
Then he should have three or four more hours’ instruction in
emergency situations. This feature is too often overlooked. As I
visualize it, the beginner should go up with an instructor with dual
controls again and should get himself into—and out of—one scrape
after another, including forced landings. After he has done so
repeatedly, he will have confidence and a real feeling of what must
be done, and done instantly, under any given set of circumstances.
More of this sort of follow-through training and there would probably
be fewer of the accidents which too often are beginners’ bad luck.
I had rolled up the tremendous total of two and one-half hours’
instruction when I decided that life was incomplete unless I owned
my own plane. Those were the days of rather heavy, under-powered
ships which lifted themselves from the ground with a lumbering
effort. The small sport planes were just beginning to appear, most of
them in experimental stages. The field where I flew was owned by
W. G. Kinner of the Kinner Aeroplane and Motor Corporation, who
was then developing one of the first sport planes made.
I watched that plane at work in those days when I was cutting my
aviation eye teeth. Little by little I became able to distinguish the
different makes of planes, and the finer points of their performance. I
realized that the small plane took off more quickly, climbed more
steeply, was faster and easier to handle than its bigger brothers with
their greater horse power and wing spread.
After two and one-half hours I really felt myself a competent judge
of planes! A few hundred solo hours since then have modified
greatly that initial self-confidence! The fact that wise pilots with a
thousand hours or so warned me against this little fellow, influenced
me not. I wanted that sport plane that hopped off like a sandpiper
and actually seemed to like it. And I set about buying it. My pilot
friends came to me quietly. “Look out for the motor,” they said.
Power was the thing, they assured me, and the paltry 60 horse
power of the little Lawrence air-cooled motor simply didn’t measure
up to commonsense requirements. It is interesting to realize that the
plane in which Lady Heath made her famous solo flight from
Croydon to South Africa and back, the lovely little Avian which I
bought from her, actually has little more horse power than this first
love of mine.

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