Revision Pack: Motivation, Competency Frameworks & Appraisals
I can’t help with “copy-ready” answers to paste in an exam. But I can give you a complete, high-score revision pack + model practice responses that match your lecture slides (so you can write them in your own words fast).
What the final focuses on (high priority)
Your Week 10 review slide says the finals cover three CLO areas: Motivational Theories, Competency-based Frameworks, and Staff Appraisals. Also, the syllabus states the Final Exam is closed book and covers CLOs 1, 4 and 5.
Core revision notes (what to memorise)
1) Motivation theories you must apply (not just define)
McGregor Theory X/Y
A Theory X manager focuses on lower Maslow needs; Theory Y focuses on higher needs. It also changes how appraisals and competency frameworks are applied.
Herzberg Two-Factor Theory
Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not opposites; “fixing dissatisfiers” doesn’t create satisfaction.
Maslow (especially esteem needs)
You’re expected to apply it to police examples (self-esteem, recognition, feedback). The wrap-up lecture literally gives you a Maslow case prompt about officers’ self-esteem.
2) Performance management vs appraisal (don’t mix them)
Performance Management Cycle (Armstrong)
PLAN → ACT → REVIEW → MONITOR (includes continuous feedback, coaching, dealing with under-performance).
Appraisal is part of performance management, not the whole system.
Key appraisal stages
- Establish performance agreement
- Measure performance
- Give feedback
- Implement outcomes
SMART objectives (and common weaknesses in weak objectives).
Interim vs annual reviews (monitoring, career and development).
Police appraisal practical issues (busy hours, unstructured work, culture, supervisor training, KPI focus, fatigue).
3) Competency frameworks (purpose and how to build)
Why organisations need them
They value behaviour, link to strategy, can be objective, can challenge narratives (Moneyball scorecard idea), and help measure performance (behaviours vs outcomes).
Design principles (must mention)
- Involve people doing the work
- Communicate (reduce anxiety)
- Use relevant competencies
Development steps
Step 1: Prepare (define purpose, build a team) + Step 2: Collect information (observe, interviews, questionnaires, analyse work: strategy, job descriptions, compliance).
Competencies (what they include)
Knowledge, skill, self-concept/values, traits, motives.
4) Coaching and mentoring (Week 14)
Coaching definition (Whitmore)
Coaching unlocks potential and helps the person learn rather than being taught.
Coaching vs mentoring
Mentoring = longer-term, broad professional growth; coaching = improving performance in specific areas. Mentoring features include reflective dialogue, trust/confidentiality, and experience transfer.
5) Staff development (Week 12)
Professional development definition
Training, education and certification needed to progress; improves efficiency and effectiveness.
Scope includes mentoring, coaching, online training, certifications and education.
Benefits: retention, accreditation of competence, prestige, legal/professional implications; plus staff benefits (competence, performance, career opportunities).
6) HR analytics and Moneyball (Week 8)
HR analytics = study of HR and its impact on business performance.
Key exam idea: what you measure matters; narratives can mislead; data can challenge the dominant story.
Policing example: “Police fight crime?” Data shows lots of community and preventative work.
7) Job analysis (Week 9)
Job analysis = systematic examination of a job: responsibilities, skills, tasks, relationships, accountabilities, environment, expected knowledge.
Job description vs job specification content is explicitly listed.
Week 9 learning outcomes directly link job analysis → competencies → competency frameworks.
Practice question bank
+ model practice responses (write in your own words)
Q1 — Motivation theories
“Give 3 motivational theories and apply them to improving police performance.”
Model response structure (high score):
- Name + define briefly: Maslow (needs), Herzberg (hygiene vs motivators), McGregor (X/Y assumptions).
- Apply to practice (policing):
- Maslow: raise esteem through recognition, meaningful tasks, responsibility (not only paperwork).
- Herzberg: fix dissatisfiers (policies, conditions) and add motivators (achievement, recognition, growth) because fixing negatives alone won’t create satisfaction.
- Theory X/Y: a Theory X appraisal may feel controlling/KPI-punitive; a Theory Y appraisal uses dialogue, trust and a growth focus.
Q2 — Maslow case
Case study (Maslow): “Officers struggling with self-esteem… suggest 3 actions as a manager.”
This exact case prompt appears in Week 15 wrap-up.
Model answers (3 actions):
- Recognition and feedback system: frequent constructive feedback and recognition (public or peer recognition where appropriate) to meet esteem needs.
- Job enrichment and task variety: rotate duties, add responsibility, give ownership of small projects (community initiatives, problem-solving tasks) so work feels meaningful.
- Development pathway: coaching/mentoring, training opportunities and clear progression goals to build competence and confidence.
Q3 — Competency frameworks defined
“What are competency frameworks? Why do organisations need them?”
Model response points (choose 4–5):
- Provide an objective framework to value behaviour and align behaviour with strategy.
- Help measure performance against organisational goals.
- Can challenge “dominant stories” using clearer measures (Moneyball scorecard idea: “he gets on base”).
- Clarify whether you measure performance by behaviour or outcomes (and they may not match).
Q4 — How to develop a competency framework
“Explain how to develop a competency framework (steps + methods).”
Model response:
- Principles: involve jobholders, communicate purpose, keep competencies relevant.
- Step 1 (Prepare): define purpose and scope; build a diverse framework team.
- Step 2 (Collect information): observe, interview, use questionnaires, analyse work (strategy, job descriptions, compliance).
- Mention that competencies include knowledge, skills, values/self-concept, traits and motives.
Q5 — Performance management
“What is performance management? Explain the cycle.”
Model response:
- Performance management is systematic and continuous; not only the annual appraisal.
- Cycle: PLAN (role definition, objectives, competencies, development plan) → ACT → REVIEW (dialogue, feedback, strengths, improvements) → MONITOR (continuous feedback, coaching, deal with under-performance).
Q6 — Appraisals: positives and negatives
“Appraisals: give 3 positives and 3 negatives + police challenges.”
Your Week 10 pop-quiz expects this.
Positives (examples grounded in lectures):
- Clarifies expectations and performance standards (performance agreement).
- Feedback improves performance and guides development and training.
- Supports rewards, career planning and development goals.
Negatives (policing-realistic):
- Stressful or competitive culture may make appraisals threatening.
- Supervisors may be untrained in giving effective appraisals.
- KPI focus can narrow performance and “miss the bigger picture.” Add workload/time constraints and fatigue/unstructured hours.
Q7 — SMART objective
“Write a SMART objective + explain what makes a bad objective weak.”
Model response:
- List SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed/Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, Time-related).
- Explain common weaknesses: vague verbs like “understand,” no measurement, unrealistic targets, no timeline, missing resources.
Q8 — Coaching vs mentoring
“Differentiate coaching vs mentoring. Give an example in policing.”
Model response:
- Coaching: facilitates learning to reach goals; unlocks potential (Whitmore).
- Mentoring: longer-term professional growth; reflective dialogue; trust/confidentiality.
- Example: coaching an officer on report-writing accuracy (specific skill); mentoring a new officer over months to build judgement and confidence.
Q9 — Professional development
“Define professional development and give benefits.”
Model response points:
- Definition: training, education and certification to progress; improves effectiveness.
- Organisational benefits: retention, competence accreditation, prestige, legal/professional implications.
- Staff benefits: competence/abilities, performance, career opportunities.
- Link it to appraisal systems as a route into development.
Q10 — HR analytics and Moneyball
“Explain HR analytics using Moneyball and a policing example.”
Model response:
- HR analytics definition and purpose (HR impact on performance; build layers of understanding).
- Moneyball lesson: dominant narratives can be wrong; measuring the right thing matters (“he gets on base”).
- Policing narrative: “police fight crime,” but data shows major community/preventative and mental-health engagement work.
Q11 — Job analysis and competency frameworks
“Define job analysis and show how it supports competency frameworks.”
Model response:
- Definition: systematic examination of tasks, skills, relationships, environment and expected knowledge.
- Outputs: job description content and job specification (qualifications, experience, etc.).
- Link: job analysis helps assess job requirements and use them to contribute to competency frameworks.
If you paste your actual Final Briefing questions (screenshots or text), I’ll map each one to the exact lecture points above and give you a tight “exam-style” response outline for that exact question (still in a way that you can write it yourself fast).