BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Chapter 1: Organizational Behavior and Your Personal Effectiveness KO 1.

1 Success Through People Management Manage WHAT? 1) Making the business case for ppl management skills 2) Using OB (organizational behavior) evidence instead of just intuition 3) Making a personal improvement 4) Describing yourself & your style: expanding your self-awareness Observations 1) Managing ppl is a distinct & critically important skill set 2) Evidence for the importance of management may be less accessible to you, but is nonetheless abundant & clear 3) Most OB & management textbooks do not focus on developing the most critical management skills The importance of people skills for achieving business success 1) The financial performance of organizations is positively associated w/ management practices like selective hiring, succession planning, reward systems, performance management, & training & development 2) Reduce high employee-related costs, such as turnover & counterproductive behaviors (i.e. theft), increase employee & team performance, cooperative behaviors, commitment, & employee satisfaction 3) Personal career outcomes, such as speed of progression & leadership effectiveness, stem from competent & supportive management 4) Management skills are the key elements in what makes for healthy & desirable workplaces The most important element of every great workplace is the trust b/w employees & management 5) 50% of ppl moved into management roles essentially fail 6) The best places to work are also the best-performing companies The Central Role of Management in Organization: Managerial Reality 1) Management is the process of getting things done through others 2) Managers get rewarded for what their employees do, not for what managers do 3) Ppl join organizations but they leave managers 4) Ppl generally mange the way they themselves have been managed 5) Ppl problems are far more complex than any other organizational problem Competencies required for managing ppl 1) Conceptual competencies: collect & analyze info to diagnose problems, formulate plans integrate ideas, & examine effectiveness of current practices 2) Technical/administrative competencies: understand the functions of business such as accounting, operations, & marketing, & use technical/administrative expertise to coordinate activities 3) Interpersonal competencies: interact w/, influence, & lead others. Negotiate conflict, communicate, motivate, & develop other ppl Six key general work activities 1) Managing human capital: staffing, motivating, leading, performance management 2) Managing tools & technology: production, operations 3) Managing decision-making processes: gathering info, analyzing data 4) Managing administrative activities: budgeting, financial management 1

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 5) Managing strategy/innovation: future planning, product development 6) Managing the task environment: public relations, marketing Why some failed to the top echelon of their organization? 1) Failure to meet their business objectives over time 2) Inability to build & lead a team as they progressed in the organization 3) Inability to develop, change, & adopt w/ the changing times 4) Retained a narrow functional/technical orientation 5) Problems w/ interpersonal relationships Great technical skills get you noticed in organizations & great management skills get you promoted KO 1.2 Becoming a Great People-Manager Learning about mgt first requires a critical understanding about what constitutes strong evidence for a given managerial practice; but, we often make mistakes when applying mgt concepts, like the doctor example 1) We are drawn to solutions to problems that we have heard others say do work Half-truthspractices/concepts that may be true some of the time in some instances 2) We tend to apply solutions broadly, regardless of whether it will specifically address the underlying problem 3) In the absence of credible info or evidence, we make the assumption that the doctor knows best, even if the recommendations dont stand up to simple logic Evidence-Based Management (EBM)translate principles based on the best available scientific evidence into organizational practices & making decisions through the conscientious, explicit, & judicious use of such evidence; includes 5 key practices 1) Learning about cause & effect connections i.e. employee job satisfaction & employee turnover 2) Isolating variations that affect desired outcomes Understand the specific conditions under which such a relationship might be strengthened or weakened. i.e. while job dissatisfaction may be associated w/ increased employee turnover in economically depressed times, such as relationship may be considerably weakened 3) Reducing the overuse, underuse, & misuse of specific practices If the best available evidence suggests one is not a good predictor of who will make a good manager, EBM suggests that it is our obligation to discontinue the use of such a practice in selecting our management talent EMB holds that effective managers use practices only as solutions to the problems for which they were developed 4) Building decision supports to promote practices that evidence validates Once it is known that certain practices work more often, managers institutionalize such practices through the use of tools to help keep managerial behavior consistent with the evidence 5) Creating a culture of EB decision making & research participation KO 1.3 Organizational behavior: The foundation of effective management practice Organizational behavior (OB) a social science that attempts to describe, explain, & predict human behavior in an organizational context 2

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 The primary field of study that contributes to the foundation of evidence from which to formulate EBM practices o OB represents the study of ppl in an organizational context; it is concerned w/ how to achieve important organizational outcomes such as profitability, productivity, & performance, as well as individual outcomes like employee turnover, commitment, satisfaction, & safety o Does not describe all research on organizations, some come from other core social sciences Learning about OB is hard o Why EBM of OB is not widely practices? 1) Learning about OB is not straightforward; 3 challenges: KO 1.4 (Explain the role of organizational behavior & evidence-based management in effective management) Evaluating & Using Evidence to Make Decisions o Our own experience may get in the way of us becoming a great ppl-manager b/c heavily influenced by our belief system o Understand the usefulness of evidence is to distinguish b/w Big E evidence & Little e evidence Big Egeneralizable knowledge regarding cause & effect connections derived from scientific methods Represents a form of research which is systematic, meaning that it is planned & methodical & avoids drawing conclusions simply on the basis of opinion or anecdote Best source for informing practices since it is drawn from years of study across large population under varying circumstances Little elocal or organizational specific data collection efforts to inform a specific decision Important info that helps the organization but may not generalize or translate into other arenas or other organizations; be careful not to apply it broadly i.e. Six Sigma 2) Learning & Using EB Frameworks When the problem cant be solved w/ big e or little e, seek EB frameworks that rely on logic & well-developed theory; nothing is as practical as a good theory. Experts internalize their own theories in use/framework Enormous amounts of misinformation, i.e. business magazine articles 3) Overcoming the Knowing-Doing Gap Know that & know how Management skills are a) linked to a more complex knowledge base than other types of skills & b) are inherently connected to interaction w/ other ppl Any serious attempt to develop management skills must involve a dose of both conceptual learning & behavioral practice. It requires intentional study & a skilloriented & problem-based approach KO 1.5 Learning & Personal Improvement Personal Effectiveness: The Foundation of Great Management (expertly pursuing a course of action!) o Effective management starts from the inside 3 o

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 1) Those who can manage themselves are much more likely to be effective managers of others 2) The most fundamental aspect of personal competence is to know yourself & to have a clear understanding of how you learn new skills & motivate yourself to improve capability; 5 myths Mgt learning comes w/ age & experience We know ourselves Growth opportunities lie solely in our weaknesses Personal development is all just about positive thinking Its not me, its them: best way is to change yourself o Learning How to Learn 1) Social learning theorythe learning of any new behavior is the result of three main factorsthe person (internal mental processes), the environment (physical & social environment surrounding an individual), & the behavior (response or action)and they all influence each other. The mutual influence is referred as reciprocal determinism & is at the root of social learning theory. Why Important? It refutes widely held notions of learning from own experience. Actually, most learning is done through observation & modeling of the behaviors of others Appropriate for management skills b/c theres such a big disconnect b/w knowing & doing 2) Deliberate practice involves setting specific goals, obtaining immediate feedback, & concentrating as much on technique as on outcome 3) 4 keys to learn through observation, also building blocks of the most successful mgt training methods Attention o find the right models & devote undivided attention to them o isolate as specifically as possible the behaviors you hope to learn o i.e. Max needs to address at least 2 issues to be consistent w/ effective social learning & understand more specifically what he is doing or not doing in his interviews Retentionunderstand & remember what you have observed o i.e. Max needs to build an understanding of what makes for an impressive interview performance Reproduction o Translate the images or descriptions into actual behavior o Practice w/ feedback makes perfect o i.e. Max needs practice accompanied by feedback Motivationpunishment does not work as well as reinforcement o i.e. Max needs to decide how important improving his interview skills is to him A Model of Self-Management o Self-managementa process of modifying our own behavior by systematically altering how we arrange different cues in our world, how we think about what we hope to change, & how we attach behavioral consequences to our activities; 5 behavior-focused strategies to improve: 1) Self-Observation/Explorationobserve & collect info about the specific behaviors you have targeted for change 4

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Self-observationinvolves determining when, why, & under what conditions you currently use certain behaviors; it provides building blocks for managing self 2) Self-Set Improvement Goalsdetermine what more effective behavior is & set specific goals for your own behaviors Determine what your desired outcome or effective behaviors look like The best goals are characterized by SMARTspecific, measurable, attainable, relevant, & time-bound 3) Management of Cuesorganize your work environment to assist you in performing the behaviors u want to change 4) Positive Self-Talk & Rehearsalgo over the behavior in your head & imagine its successful application. Actually practice the new behavior at available opportunities & seek feedback; use of positive self-talk 5) Self-Reward & Punishmentprovide yourself w/ personally valued rewards that are linked to performing desirable behaviors or w/ punishments linked to undesirable behavior Steps to improve: 1) Understand your current behavior & desired future behavior 2) Set SMART goals for your change 3) Arrange your world so it focuses your attention & reminds you of your improvement plan & goals 4) Stay positive & rehearse the desired behaviors at every opportunity 5) Create your own rewards for accomplishing your targets

KO 1.6 Building Self-Awareness: The Key to Successful Learning & Growth Individual Differences & Their Importance o Ability & personality Abilitywhat a person is capable of doing Personalitythe pattern of relatively enduring ways in which a person thinks, acts, & behaves o Assessments are most useful when an individual has a defined need to know o Know how your abilities & personality may impact your behavior & performance Important Self-Awareness Issues o Assessment results are simply feedback o Many are questionable legitimacy o Preferences are choices we make about how we perceive the world & function best in it Involve others: Seek regular feedback o Put aside that natural fear & push beyond our comfort zone in learning things about ourselves o Focus on strengths, not just weaknesses Chapter 2: Managing Stress & Time Manage WHAT? 1) Getting a priority done under stress Strainsoutcomes of stress; more long-term consequences of chronic stress that have not been alleviated by some means 2) Overcoming the two biggest time management traps Failure to prioritize 5

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Do not devote our peak productivity times to our most important task 3) Minimizing your chances of choking in a pressure situation 4) Making changes in a workplace to lower stress & enhance productivity Myths of stress & time mgt 1) Stress is a personal, non-work issue & should not be a concern in a work organization 2) All stress is bad 3) A stressor is a stressor 4) Only novices choke 5) Good time mgt means being an efficient workaholic KO 2.1 Personal & Organizational Consequences of Stress Some Stress is Good o Eustressa controlled or productive stress o The challenge is not to eliminate stress, but to understand how it arises & to manage it in a way that doesnt derail our life & work Stress is personal: individual differences & their relationship to stress o Events by themselves do not cause stress; its how we experience events, & how resilient we are, that determines how stress affects us o Transactional theorythe negative effects of stress on a person are a function of the interaction b/w the person & their environment; major components: When ppl encounter something potentially stressful in the environment, they go through primary appraisal where they evaluate the potential stressor w/ respect to its potential impact on them If the stimulus is perceived as a threat during primary appraisal, the person will engage in secondary appraisal, which is the individuals assessment of what he or she can do in response to the threat o Type A behavior patternindividuals who are engaged in a relatively chronic struggle to obtain an unlimited number of poorly defined things from their environment in the shortest period of time and, if necessary, against the opposing effects of other things or persons in this same environment. They are likely to do everything quickly from talking to walking to eating to driving b/c achievement is typically very important to them Control over their environment Dislike working in teams o Locus of controlextent to which we believe we control our own environments & lives Internal locus of control: you believe you have control over your environment External locus of control: you think sources outside yourself (luck or fate) o Self-efficacypersonal assessment of how well one can execute courses of action required to deal w/ prospective situations. Ppl who believe they can accomplish something have higher motivation & are more likely to persist in the face of obstacles KO 2.2 Common Sources & Causes of stress Traumatic events vs. daily hassles o Ppl tend to overestimate how much large events in their lives contribute to their stress level & grossly underestimate the effects of daily hassles 6

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Daily hassles are typically discounted & more likely associated w/ reported stress than more major life events Role Conflict & Ambiguity o Role theorya perspective to understanding stress that focuses on the roles we play in our lives Role ambiguitywhen we dont know how to fill a role or what we are supposed to do in it i.e. occur at work if employees are not given clear job descriptions Role conflictoccurs when our multiple roles conflict w/ each other i.e. occur at work for employees answering to two managers who have different expectations Work-family conflicta form of inter-role conflict in which the role pressures from the work & family domains are incompatible in some respect Work interferences w/ family (WIF)occur when in fulfilling their work roles, ppl are unable to fulfill their family roles in the way that they want Family interferences w/ work (FIW)occur when in fulfilling a family role, a work role is neglected Exhaustion of Resources & Burnout o Conservation of resources (COR)stress results from 3 possible threats to our resources: Threat of losing a personal resource Actual net loss of a personal resource Lack of resource gain following the investment of our personal energy & resources o Burnouta syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, & reduced personal accomplishment that employees may experience after prolonged stress that has exceeded their resources to address Emotional exhaustionstate of feeling psychologically drained or used up by the job Depersonalizationfeeling cynical, psychologically detached, & indifferent to ones work Reduced personal accomplishmentfeeling that ones work doesnt really matter i.e. a manager may feel that she cant get positive results out of her employees no matter how hard she tries younger employees experiencing significantly greater burnout; men experience more cynicism (depersonalization), while women experience slightly more emotional exhaustion Emotional Laborthe process of regulating both feelings & expressions for the benefit of organizational goals o Surface actingmanaging observable expressions, i.e. maintain a pleasant facial expression o Deep actingactual management of feelings o Emotional labor is stressful & can lead to burnout, job dissatisfaction, & increased intentions to quit ones job Managers want to focus their recruitment & selection techniques on identifying ppl who are good at managing their emotions & have a natural disposition that suits the job Train employee on how to deal w/ & manage their emotions Social support & positive group cohesion High Demands & Low Control o Demandsinclude the physical, intellectual, & emotional requirements of a job i.e. nurses, food service employees, & customer service representativesgreat demands, but they dont typically have much say in how they do their job, instead being required to follow strict guidelines or procedures 7 o

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 o Controlthe amount of personal discretion & autonomy the person has in doing the job i.e. managers, journalists, & engineers may have great demands, but are often granted significantly more control research findings: high demands & low control: higher risk of illness, lower job satisfaction social support can buffer the negative effects

KO 2.3 Stress Management Strategies: Describe supporting evidence for effective stress management interventions The Importance of Matching Strategies with Causes o Managing stress is all about taking charge; can either change the situation (prevention) or change reaction (coping) Prevention (first line defense)remove or alter the stressors in your environment; aim at stopping stress before it starts i.e. role ambiguity: reduced by giving employees clear job descriptions, goals, & feedback Coping (band-aid)help ppl cope & minimize the negative impact once stress has been experienced Prevention Strategies o Enhancing Control & Predictability The most important variable among types of stress is an individuals sense of control in a given situation; the least harmful stress scenarios is one in which one has a sufficient degree of control or some idea of predictability o Social Connectedness Instrumental supportsupport that is tangible & practical in nature & is a direct means of helping someone i.e. co-worker offers to stay late & finish the work for you so you can attend the family function Emotional supportsympathy, listening, & caring for others Informational supportinfo that helps you solve the problem Appraisal supportfeedback that builds self-esteem i.e. if you just botched a big presentation at work, & a co-worker listens to you & reassures u that it wasnt so bad & that normally u give fantastic presentation Avoiding Chokingperformance decrements under pressure circumstances o 2 antidotes: 1) Pressure practice 2) Focused automated behavior When you are at a high level, your skills become somewhat automated and that is a good thing w/ regard to choking Cognitive narrowingthe tendency of ppl under stress to focus on the threat to the exclusion of all else Do things automatically to avoid the critical element of choking (which is thinking too much) Coping Strategies

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Psychological Hardinessthe ability to remain psychologically stable and healthy in the face of significant stress; 4 recurring factors that distinguish those w/ psychological hardiness 1) Physical fitness 2) Commitmentpersevere or stick it out through a hard time 3) Control: seek small wins 4) Challenge Outlets for Relief/Dealing w/ Stress in the Moment o Muscle relaxation o Deep breathing o Mood repair KO 2.4 Time Management Fundamentals-cope with stress First Be Effective, Then Be Efficient o Start w/ Written Goals o Follow the 80/20 Ruleonly 20% of the work produces 80% of the value, 80% of sales come from 20% of customers, 80% of tile usage is in 20% of the files o Use the Time Management Matrixactivities can be categorized in terms of relative importance (tied to your goals and produce a desired result) and urgency (demand immediate attention) Just DONT Do It: Learn to Say NO o 3 effective ways to say no are: 1) Im sorry. Thats not a priority for me right now. 2) I have made so many commitments to others; it would be unfair to them and you if I took on anything more at this point. 3) No Plan the Work, Then Work the Plan o Make Good Lists for Effective Prioritization: keep all to-do items on a master list 1) Investigate the many electronic options for list makers 2) Categorize to-dos 3) Prioritize the items 4) Break it down 5) Use specific action verbs and include as many details as youll need o ABC methodassign an A to a high-priority item, a B to an item of medium priority incorporate both short and long term items, & always start w/ A o Ask Whats the Next Action?: set meeting is not the next action b/c it doesnt describe a physical behavior, rather, making a phone call is one Know Yourself and Your Time Use o Internal prime timetime of the day when we typically work best; time when you concentrate best o External prime timebest time to attend to other pplthose you have to deal w/ in classes, at work, or at home Fight Procrastination o Swiss Cheese Methodpoke small holes (instant tasks) in the A project; can be started quickly & easily & are in some way connected to your overwhelming A project; it requires 5 mins or less 1) Make a list of possible instant tasks 2) Set priorities 9 o

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 o The Two-Minute Ruleany time demand that will take less than 2 mins should be done now; it will take more time to categorize & return to it than it will to simply do it immediately

KO 2.5 Workplace Cultures That Foster High Performance w/ Lower Stress Frequent and Open Communication o Shared info w/ employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and futures o Clearly define employees roles and responsibilities o Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty Employee Participation o Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs o Consult employees about scheduling and work rules o Be sure the workload is suitable to employees abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines o Show that individual workers are valued Incentives for Work-Life Balance o Praise good work performance verbally and institutionally o Provide opportunities for career dev o Promote an entrepreneurial work climate that gives employees more control over their work Cultivate a Friendly Social Climate o Provide opportunities for social interaction among employees o Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment o Make mgt actions consistent w/ organizational values Chapter 5: Communication Manage WHAT? 1) Selling an idea to your boss 2) The elevator pitch: making your case in a very short time 3) Fixing a typically bad powerpoint presentation 4) Actively listen to understand a problem

Intro 1) To be an effective manager, you must be an effective communicator 2) Effective communication is hardly elementary or common, there are specific and concrete principles and techniques that can be learned and refined 3) Effective communication depends on 1) persuasive & sticky message; 2) a clear & powerful delivery of that message 4) The most defining feature of communication is sharing info w/ other ppl 10

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Communication Myths 1) If you have a strong case, everyone will be convinced 2) If communicated enough times, your communications are effective 3) Words mean what they mean 4) PowerPoint presentations are always the best way to persuade 5) Being assertive means being a jerk 6) Listening is a passive activity KO 5.1-5.3 Creating Persuasive and Sticky Messages Overcoming the Curse of Knowledge o 1st step to becoming a better communicator is to be acutely aware of where communication so often fails & to try to avoid such failure in your own contexts o The curse of knowledge is the tendency for an informed knowledgeable person to not be able to communicate that knowledge to others When we know something well it is easy to forget how it feels to not know it We generally overestimate the overlap b/w our own knowledge base & that of others o 2 proven strategies for beating the curse: 1) Analyze & know your audience 2) Transform message so they embody the critical elements of persuasion & stickiness Audience Analysis o The key to persuasion is to develop an argument that speaks to your listeners o Your audience will always be more persuaded by issues that directly affect them o The Fundamental Elements of Persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logosthe goal of communication is to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid & to act in ways u desire Ethos: Building Personal Credibility An appeal to the authority & personal credibility of the speaker Requires affirmative answers from your audience to questions o i.e. Does this person really know what he is talking about? Why should I trust what he says? Derives largely from your ability to establish a bond or relationship w/ your audience and how well you establish your credentials Can be enhanced by 1) uncovering things you share w/ your audience and signaling that you are in many ways similar to them or that you at least intimately understand their interests, values, and context; 2) establish your authority or expertise Pathos: Arousing Others Emotions An appeal to the audiences emotions Often stimulated via a demonstration that something is unfair or unjust Direct appeals to the reader to feel an emotion (i.e. you should be crying now) are rarely effective. Instead, creating an emotion w/ words usually requires recreating a scene or event that arouses the emotion Is accentuated when speakers use stories and examples that are highly relevant to their audience, appealing to identity and self-interest Logos: Appealing to Logic Comes from logical arguments, facts, figures, and evidence 11

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Is what makes listeners feel like they are making an informed rational choice 2 avenues to enhance logos: o Construct logically sound arguments in support of your position o Find evidence in support of those claims Logical Arguments o 2 types: Inductivemove from the specific to the general Arguments based on experience or observation Used most often and is the more powerful form of persuasion Deductivebegin w/ the general and ends w/ the specific Arguments based on laws, rules, or widely accepted principles o Use of Evidence Logos is also enhanced via your effective use of facts and evidence What an audience is looking for in a speaker is prudencethe practical wisdom to make the right choice at the right time Show prudence by demonstrating your mastery over the subject matter; not by proving yourself to be the smartest or best-informed person in the room Making Messages Sticky: The SUCCES Model o SimpleFind the Core of the Idea o UnexpectedGrab Attention w/ Surprise; be unpredictable & break a thinking pattern o ConcreteIllustrate Your Ideas in Ways That Arte Tangible and Easy to Grasp Memorable; so look for common, simple,& well-known images & i.e. to make your points o CredibleEnsure That People Believe You (emphasis on ethos) Vivid Details Anti-authorities Testable Credentials (i.e. eBays rating system) o EmotionsMake Them Care (emphasis on pathos) o StoriesBring Ideas to Life by Showing Not Telling; characteristics of a good story: make the details count aimed at a particular audience have structure express wishes and fears establish common ground b/w teller and listener show rather than tell Include trouble or its possibility as well as successes KO 5.4 Delivering Powerful Messages The Basics of Effective Presentations: the most important key to persuasive communication is good planning 1) Five Ss 1) Strategycore ideas; i.e. Chronological Problem-solution Causal 12

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Familiarity-acceptance Inquiry order Question-answer Elimination Structurehow do you start? Sequence your ideas? Common mistake: take too long to get to the main point or recommendations Support Examples Statistics Testimony Stories Style Show enthusiasm/passion Speak clearly and firmly and w/ good pacing Making eye contact, smile, and gesture Avoid self-defeating statements Supplement

2) 3)

4)

5)

Presenting Plans That Bosses can Approve Of 1) What is the plan? Begin w/ a positive, specific, and future-tense statement of strategy, followed by a list of concrete actions to support the strategy 2) Why is the plan recommended? 3) What important goals will the plan help us achieve? 4) How much will the plan cost and what are the risks? A successful proposal will include carefully researched, creatively and intelligently presented, and tailored to the audience you need to persuade Effective Use of PowerPoint and Visual Aids 1) Know your goal Informational presentationthe goal is to package and present info 13

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Cognitive guidancethe goal is to guide the audience in their processing of presented info 2) Be learner-centered Technology-centered approachthe focus is on the capabilities of cutting-edge tech; so use many features of PPT Learner-centered approachthe focus is on the way ppl learn and process info; 3 features of the human info processing system that are relevant for PPT users: 1) Dual channels: ppl have separate info processing channels for visual & verbal material 2) Limited capacity: ppl can pay attention to only a few pieces of info in each channel at a time 3) Active processing: ppl understand presented material best when they attend to the relevant material, organize it into a coherent mental structure, & integrate it w/ their prior knowledge Choosing Your Communication Medium: should consider 1) the info richness of the available communication channels, and 2) the topics complexity o Information richnesspotential info-carrying capacity of a communication channel, and the extent to which it facilitates developing a common understanding b/w ppl Media high in info richness can translate more info Define info in 3 ways: 1) Feedbackimmediate vs. low 2) Audio/visual 3) Personal/impersonal i.e. face-to-face commhighest in info richness; telephoneless info richness; written communicationphone call/emailfeedback time is long, eliminate nonverbal comm o Complexity Low situations are routine matters where each party has its own ready access to info; need for low info richness High issues dont happen every day and usually involve several ppl to adequately address the problem; need for high info richness o Other considerations: 1) how comfortable your intended recipient is w/ the channel youre planning to use; 2) relationship w/ the receiver When ppl have a chance to get to know one another, they are able to sue less rich comm channels more effectively

KO 5.5 & 5.6 Active Listening 14

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 The Paradox and Importance of Active Listening o Active listeninginvolves interaction and good questioning o Listeninginvolves caring, hearing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding to oral messages to gain a shared understanding Traps and Barriers to Active Listening o The Tendency to Evaluate: the impulse to use our own perspective to evaluate others statements effectively blocks good listening o Misreading Nonverbal Cues o Personal focus o Thinking is faster than speaking o Selective perception/filtering: basketball and gorilla example o Tendency to Advise Principles of Effective Listening o Know your objective o Actively interact o Stay focused Chapter 10: KO 10.1 When Do Teams Make Sense? Teams make the most sense for particular objectives & under certain circumstances; the first team skill, then, is the ability to assess whether or not a team is even appropriate 1) Teams are better when no individual expert exists 2) Teams are often superior in stimulating innovation and creativity 3) Teams can help create a context where ppl feel connected and valued Myths of Teamwork 1) Teams are always the answer 2) The key to team performance is cohesiveness 3) The team leader is the primary determinant of team performance 4) The more the merrier 5) The best individual performers will create the highest-performing team Different TeamsDifferent Challenges; 3 types 1) Teams that Recommend Things Include task forces & project groups asked to study and solve particular problems Always have predetermined completion dates Necessity of getting off to a fast and constructive start and execution; dealing w/ the handoff required to get the recommendations actually implemented To be most effective, the team must have a 1) clear charter and 2) include members w/ the skills and 3) influence necessary for crafting practical recommendations that will carry weight throughout an organization The more it is assumed that recommendations will just happen, the less likely it is that they will The more involvement task force members have in implementing their recommendations, the better 2) Teams that Make or Do Things 15

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Include ppl on or near the frontlines who are responsible for doing the basic manufacturing, development, operations, marketing, sales, service, and other valueadding activities of a business Tend to have no set completion dates b/c their activities are ongoing To be most effective, the team deals w/ critical delivery points, places in the organization where the cost and value of the companys products and services are most directly determined; a relentless focus on performance is required If performance at critical delivery points depends on combining multiple skills, perspectives, and judgments in real time, then the team option is the smartest one 3) Teams that Run Things Teams that oversee some business, ongoing program, or significant functional activity The main issue is determining whether a real team approach is the right one KO 10.2 & 10.3 High-Performing Teams Team o

A group of ppl who are collectively accountable for definable outcomes and have a high degree of interdependence and interaction o A group that shares responsibility for producing something together o Simply working closely w/ others does not make a team The High-Performance Team Scorecard; 3 dimensions o Production Outputthe products or outcomes of the team meet or exceed the standards set in that context i.e. a manufacturing team that exceeds its quota would get high ratings o Member Satisfactionbeing part of the team provides ppl w/ satisfaction o Capacity for Continued Cooperationthe team accomplishes its tasks in a way that will maintain or enhance its ability to work together in the future o A high-performance team produces high-quality work but also has members who derive value from being part of the team and who are able to learn from each project in ways that make them able to cooperate even better in the future The Five Disciplines of High-Performing Teams; achieve through the repeated and disciplined application; the high-performing team challenge can be boiled down to a) keep the group small, b) focus on complementary skill sets, c) set clear outcome-based goal, d) enforce productive norms and conflict management, and e) match rewards to contributions, making at least some portion cooperatively based 1) Small size Ppl in smaller groups work harder, engage in a wider variety of tasks, assume more responsibility for the teams performance, and feel more involved w/ the team 2) Capable and complementary members A typical team selection trap: neglect consideration of specific skills and instead opt for ppl who either are readily available or seem to have the right functional background 3) Shared purpose and performance objectives High-performing teams know explicitly what they are expected to accomplish and how they will be measured and evaluated as a team Outcome-based goalsdescribe the specific outcomes by which success will be determined; high-performance should focus on this. Activity-based goalsdescribe just the activities 4) Productive norms and working approach 16

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 Team Development: occurs in 4 phases, and the key is the establishment of shared and productive norms and a working approach whereby the team can effectively manage conflict Improve the internal operations of teams and facilitate team effectiveness is to recognize different stages of team development How well members and leaders deal w/ the problems of each stage of development influence team effectiveness; 5 stages: o Formingprimary concern is the initial entry of members into a group; ppl are interested in discovering what acceptable behavior is, determining the real task of the group, and defining group roles o Storminga period of high emotion and tension among the members Membership expectations tend to be clarified and further elaborated Attention tends to shift toward obstacles standing in the way of group goals Outside demands, including performance pressure, may create conflict in the group o Normingthe group begins to come together as a coordinated unit The group as a whole will try to regulate behavior toward a harmonious balance Minority viewpoints and tendencies to deviate from or question the group direction will be discouraged o Performingthe emergence of a mature, organized, and well-functioning team The team is able to deal w/ complex tasks and to handle membership disagreements in creative ways Structure is stable, and members are motivated by group goals The primary challenges relate largely to continued work on task performance but w/ a strong commitment to continuing improvement and self-renewal o Adjourninginvolves completing the task and breaking up the team A planned conclusion includes recognition for participation and achievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes Productive Normsunwritten rules or standards of behavior that apply to team members and can be either prescriptive (dictating what should be done) or proscriptive (dictating behaviors that should be avoided) o Norms allow members to predict what others will do, help members gain a common sense of direction, and reinforce a team culture; most critical are related to effort, meetings, and trust o The difference b/w teams that achieve high performance and teams that dont is very often the productive norms that are established and enforced 5) Mutual accountability Effective teams find a way to reward those who contribute, and accountability is determined in part by the team reward structure; 2 types of team rewards, select depends on the degree of task interdependence o Cooperative team rewardsdistributed equally among team members; the group is rewarded as a group for its successful performance, and each member receives 17

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 exactly the same reward; does not recognize individual differences in effort of performance o Competitive team rewardsmembers are rewarded for successful performance as individuals on the team, but may undermine the teams cohesiveness o Pairing cooperative rewards w/ low interdependence will encourage unnecessary cooperation or pairing competitive rewards w/ high interdependence o How rewards are allocated should be based on how demonstrable the individuals contributions are Managing Threats to Team Performance and Decision Making 1) Team can improve its performance through 1) building synergies or 2) reducing threats 2) Most common threats Info Processing Biases o Ppl are remarkably poor at seeing others perspectives o Left unmanaged, in any team a handful of ppl will do the majority of talking, lead to uneven communication o A persistent threat: unique info doesnt always emerge in team interactions b/c members are more likely to discuss info that everyone already knows o High-performing teams direct discussion toward unique info, minimize status differences, and frame tasks as problems to be solve Social loafing and Self-Limiting Behaviors o Social loafingfree-riding o Ringelmann Effectdescribe the situation in which some ppl do not work as hard in groups as they do individually o Addressing social loafing is identifiabilityfind ways to get each members contribution to a task somehow communicated or displayed where others can see it; i.e. peer eval/contract o Self-limiting behaviora related team dysfunction, occurs whenever team members choose to limit their involvement in the teams work o Social loafers try to make sure that no one detects that they are withholding their efforts and the payoff is that they get away with it o Self-limiters overtly reduce their involvement in team activities b/c they just do not see any payoff to participating i.e. The last time we did this it was just a waste of timeno one listened to our suggestionsso why bother? Social Conformityinvolves social pressures to conform to the perceived wishes of the group o Groupthinkthe tendency of members in highly cohesive teams to lose their critical evaluative capabilities; i.e. The Challenger Space Shuttle Case! o Abilene paradoxa form of social conformity related to groupthink How teams can have a Good Fight o Work w/ more o Develop multiple alternatives to enrich debate o Make an effort to inject humor into the team discussions o Establish and keep coming back to common goals o Maintain a balanced corporate power structure o Resolve issues w/o forcing a consensus 18

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 3) 4 illustrations of the effects on ppl of being in a team 1) Risky Shiftwhen ppl are in groups, they make decisions about risk differently than when they are alone, often make more extreme decisions 2) Innocent Bystander o Diffusion of responsibilitymembers feel their personal responsibility is limited b/c others will step up and act o Innocent bystander effectan extreme state of diffusion of responsibility among ppl 3) Chokingstimulated when others are watching o Social facilitationindividual motivation and performance are enhanced by the presence of others 4) Escalation of Commitmenta situation where team members will persist w/ a losing course of action, even in the face of clear evidence of their error 5) Conformity & Obediencea team member who has neither the ability nor expertise to make decisions will leave decision making to the group and its hierarchy KO 10.4 Effective Team Interventions Holding Effective Meetings: goal and duration Understanding Member Profiles Building Team Cohesion 1) Members of highly cohesive groups tend to be concerned about their groups activities and achievements 2) When the performance norms encourage performance and the group is cohesivehigh perf 3) In highly cohesive groups, where norms exist that discourage perflow perf Conducting After-Action Reviews and Process Checks Dealing w/ a Free-Rider: address the issue before it happens, by creating spoken norms w/in the team; i.e. before a goal sets set, a task is assigned, or work divided (social contracting) 1) Correctly state the issue in terms of the demonstrated behaviors, not labels like unmotivated 2) Ask yourself whether it is legitimate for you to give feedback about the perceived problem; does the behavior affect the teams or other members ability to get results 3) Consider whether you have collected a balanced set of facts about the situation? Creativity in Teams; 2 factors that promote more creativity 1) A Climate of Trust and Risk Taking Create a safe environments marked by openness, mutual trust, and a willingness to challenge each others ideas 2) The Disciplined Use of Creative Problem-Solving Tools and Processes Creative Problem-Solving Techniques 1) Divergent Thinkinginvolves producing multiple or alternative answers from available info Requires making unexpected combinations, recognizing links among remotely associated issues, and transforming info into unexpected forms Convergent thinkingstarting w/ a defined problem and then generating alternatives to solve it o Is oriented toward deriving the single best answer to a clearly defined question o Emphasizes speed, accuracy, and logic and focuses on accumulating info, recognizing the familiar, reapplying set techniques, and preserving the already known 19

BUS-Z302 EXAM 1 2) Subdivisionthe process of breaking things into their smallest component parts or attributes to stimulate divergent thinking 3) Analogieshelp make the strange familiar or the familiar strange; put something they dont know in terms of something they do, or expand thinking by taking a familiar issue and relating it in a new or distinctive context 4) Problem Reversalforce seemingly unrelated attributes together

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