What phenomenon occurs when a manager generalizes one positive performance feature to all aspects of an employee's performance?

The phenomenon described in the question is known as the Halo Effect. This effect occurs when a manager or observer allows one positive aspect of an employee's performance to influence their overall perception of that employee. For instance, if an employee is particularly strong in communication skills, the manager might assume that the employee is also highly effective in other areas, such as teamwork or technical skills, even without evidence supporting this.

The Halo Effect highlights how cognitive biases can shape evaluations and decisions, often leading to inaccurate assessments of performance. It emphasizes the importance of evaluating employees based on a range of performance-related criteria rather than allowing a single positive characteristic to overshadow other aspects of their work. This can help ensure a more balanced and fair appraisal process, promoting a complete understanding of an individual's abilities and areas for improvement.

In contrast, other effects like the Horns Effect refer to negative biases, where one negative trait unduly influences perceptions of overall performance, while Attribution Bias relates to the reasons assigned to performance outcomes, and Recency Bias focuses on the tendency to give undue weight to recent events instead of considering the entire evaluation period. Each of these concepts highlights different biases, but the Halo Effect specifically pertains to the influence of a single positive trait on overall judgments.