Hi Evan,

Welcome.

A simple way to look at P+G- is:

• Person directed (P+) = wanting to keep the other person comfortable, happy, or unchallenged

• Goal directed (G-) = not staying firmly focused on achieving the required operational or training standard

So, if an instructor allows a deviation from the approach to continue when it should have been corrected or discontinued, the instructor may be acting person directed because he or she is prioritising the student’s feelings over the task. For example:

• not wanting to upset or embarrass the student

• not wanting to sound too critical

• not wanting to create tension in the cockpit

• trying to “be nice” instead of being firm

That makes it P+.

It is G- because the actual goal is not “keep the student happy” — the goal is to maintain a safe, stable approach and teach the correct standard. If the instructor allows the deviation instead of correcting it, then the training goal and safety goal are being compromised.

So in plain language:

The instructor is being too concerned with the person, and not concerned enough with the goal.

That is exactly what the book means by a P+G- type: someone who is prepared to compromise the goal in order to preserve harmony or avoid upsetting others. The text explains that some people are so concerned with keeping everybody happy that they are prepared to compromise their goals.

In aviation, that is not ideal. The book says the best type is G+P+ — someone who keeps good standards and manages people well.

So the short exam-style answer is:

Allowing a deviation from approach is P+G- because the instructor is prioritising the student’s feelings or cockpit harmony over the goal of maintaining the correct approach standard.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much. That has explained it perfectly. I appreciate your time spent answering this for me.