The Pygmalion effect and favoritism in workplace promotion cycles

Cycle that leads to the Pygmalion effect begins with the fact that employees are given ratings by leaders. These ratings are supposed to be performance based, but because the individual leaders may be swayed by more than just performance -- in other words, by flattery -- it is possible that employees who show certain affable qualities towards their leaders (qualities such as commitment, trust, loyalty, etc.) will be given higher ratings than those who demonstrate no such affability. Thus, in effect, employees who get on the good side of the leader may be rewarded more than employees who are just as efficient performance-wise (or even more efficient) but who display no such outward signs of commitment or loyalty to the leader.

So that is how the cycle begins -- with the employee receiving a high rating that might (but also might not) be related to his or her actual ability to perform at a high level. Nonetheless, this rating stays with the employee (the follower of the leader), and in effect serves as positive support for his reputation, even going into the employee's official record, where it is noted that he or she is a worker with a high approval rating from team leaders. Thus, the employee is shown favor from the leader because the employee originally showed favor to the leader, and in return for this favored relationship, the company looks favorably on the employee without actually ever having any real sense or measure of the employee's actual value.

The cycle continues as the ratings of the employee are then used as the basis of promotion, development or selections in the future by the company heads. These decisions may be formal or informal -- the fact remains that the ratings make an impact on both the individual's career as well as the company itself (promotion of undeserving employees can negatively impact morale as well as organizational efficiency, and vice versa). As a result the cycle is complete when employees who cultivate relationships with leaders and thereby gain high ratings by displaying trust, loyalty and commitment receive promotions up the corporate ladder more frequently than those employees who do not display the same affable qualities and those do not receive as high of an employee rating. Those employees may be perceived negatively by the company as a result and never be given an advancement in terms of position. In fact, they may even be demoted as a result. Thus, the Pygmalion effect is demonstrated, in short, by the idea that those who curry favor are rewarded, whereas those who do not are not rewarded. The fact that performance does not necessarily play a part in promotion and reward is the negative impact of the Pygmalion effect.