Organizational Behaviour Leadership, Conflict, Change, and Development - Report Example

Organizational Behaviour Leadership, conflict, change and development Table of Contents Contents Contents 2 1. Introduction Leadership, conflict, change and development are inter-related organizational behaviour that can influence the level of performance and quality of working life in one organization. As a member of an educational institution, experiences suggest that our organization suddenly change whenever there is a transformation in one or more of these behaviours. Some of the positive outcome contributed by these mutually beneficial organizational behaviours in our organization include democratic and better working condition, improved quality of service, conflict avoidance, and resistance-free change and development. The following sections discuss the positive impact of these organizational behaviours to our organization’s ability to improve performance and enhance the quality of working life. Moreover, it also explains, illustrate, and justify how these inter-related concepts shape the nature of our organization. 2. Improving Performance and Quality of Working Life 2.1 The Impact of Leadership Style As a medium-sized educational institution, the organization which I am a member for several years mostly derived its strength from strong leadership and how smoothly changes and development occurs. About a year ago for instance, our less experienced school administrator went on indefinite leave and was replaced by a seasoned well- experienced male administrator who in his first week of work expressed his dismay over our traditional ways of working. In particular, he articulated his disappointment over the insufficiency of teaching materials and laboratory equipment, lack of specialized training programmes, and absence of clear teaching strategy for included children. In his memo, the new school administrator asked the cooperation and dedication of everyone working in the institution towards improvement and quality of service. He also asked everyone to express their sentiments and experiences in the workplace so that his administration can take the necessary action. Just a little over a month, the new administrator changed the way we work. We no longer have to wait or barrow overhead projectors from other class or schedule our students later in the day in order use laboratory computers as there is now sufficient numbers to accommodate all classes. The Human Resources Department already hired a few additional teachers and interviewing some more to complete the requirements. More importantly, we are now guided by a well-designed teaching booklet for inclusive education purposes including support materials organization members can use to simplify their work. What had occurred in our organization seems not only a change of leadership but transformation in leadership style. Although well-educated, the previous administrator have a different leadership style which is more like laissez-faire or lenient style of leadership that let people act on their own (Kunstler & Daly, 2010, p.278) rather than situational or adapting to the demands of different situations in the organization (Williams 2008, p.353). This laissez-faire leadership style is probably the reason why previous administration seems to neglect the needs of the organization such sufficient teaching materials and laboratory equipment, and training required for inclusive teachers. Since nobody has the courage to ask or express their sentiment, our previous leader is unaware and cannot make any decision or provide direction to improve the situation. In contrast, the new administration, that seems having a mix of democratic and situational leadership style created an opportunity for everyone to share and improve their working life. For instance, the new administration’s move toward improvement and quality eliminated one of the most critical and continuing problem in the institution and provide an opportunity for all to improve their working condition as well as students learning experiences. Changes in leadership style have a considerable impact on the design, structure, and management of a company (Robbins, 2009, p.38). Similarly, confidence, commitment, and motivation change a person’s willingness to work (Stevens 2008, p.36). The new administration’s leadership style has a significant impact on the way organization members work and perceived the mission of the organization as the opportunity to express and contribute in improvement initiatives is probably more than enough to motivate anyone. Moreover, allowing members to freely or democratically express their opinion and participate in such important undertakings can help build individual self-confidence and obtain commitment from members of the institution. According to Reddy (2004), some of the best approaches to leadership are those that take into account the human aspect in the organization (p.52) thus management of our educational institution is on the right track and may be able to improve its performance and quality of working life in the soonest possible time. Moreover, since there will more employee participation particularly in the creation of opportunities for all, unrealized expectations such as better reward and recognition may be achieved. 2.2 Conflict as Stimulant to Leadership Change and development currently occurring in this education institution was not only influenced by the present leadership style but previous conflict in the organization. Since conflict is not always negative and can be a stimulant and a challenge to a leader (Duncan & DePew, 2010, p.177), the conflict found by the new administrator in terms of quality education and insufficiencies in teaching materials and inclusive teaching became a stimulant and used positively for the betterment of the institution. According to Duncan & DePew (2010), leadership is a learning process and there are instances where leaders learned from work setting and the need to fulfil his responsibilities (p.177). The conflict between quality education and inadequacies compelled the new administrator to meet the demands of his responsibilities and confront the conflict the best way possible. Note that this conflict is not just a matter of procedure and requirements but a conflict between previous management and employees where the latter are working without guidance and direction. There seems a communication gap between management and employees for a long time which is probably due to the type of leadership being employed by past administration. According to Desai (1989), the success of an organization depends on several factors and this includes communication gap, leadership style, decision-making process, and motivational strategies by managers (p.3). Communication and decision-making is considered two of the most important aspect of management and they are central to organizational processes like leadership and conflict resolution. Unfortunately, communication and decision-making is vulnerable to individual differences and social perception that can affect its usefulness (Martin & Fellenz, 2010, p.294). Research conducted by Borkowski (2010) suggests that the failure of management and employees to understand each other’s values and beliefs is due to ineffective communication (p.83). The absence of effective communication between previous leadership and employees in our organization evidently contributed to management’s misunderstanding of our needs, neglect, and deteriorating quality of working life. Similar to the changes and development brought by the new leadership style, conflict plays a very important role in changing the direction of the organization. Conflict made the organization realized the relationship between complete educational provisions, good working condition, and quality education. According to Rahim (2010), identification and diagnosis of the cause and affects of conflicts in an organization often entails intervention designed to manage or eradicate the conflict (p.58). More importantly, the leadership style will affect the conflict management process or the decisions that will be made to resolve the conflict (Palmer 1991, p.88). Apparently, the occurrence of change and development in education institution was due to two particular organizational behaviours such as changes in leadership style and identification of conflict. 2.3 Achieving Change and Development The new leadership style, conflict management, changes and development in the educational institution can bring a more positive outcome considering the impact of employee participation and mixed democratic and situational leadership style. By analysis, the new administrator’s leadership style cannot only resolve conflict within the organization but minimize its occurrence. For instance, since all members of the organization are free to express their sentiments and opinion, any procedural or organizational processes will be equitable and beneficial to all. Similarly, there will be less resistance whenever management implemented an organizational change as employees are participating and often have a part in management’s decisions or conception of new processes. Changes and development based on effective leadership style and conflict management can result to improve performance and quality of working life of all members. The educational institution which I belong will have the capacity to provide employees with what they need to perform their work effectively resulting to efficiency and better working condition. Complete provisions and clear working guidelines can also result to well-motivated, confident, and committed employees which in general are more beneficial to the organization. 3. Inter-relatedness of these concepts and its impact in shaping the nature of the organization 3.1 Examining and Identifying the Relationship The inter-relatedness of these organizational behaviours can be drawn by examining their influence on each other. For instance, conflict is inherent to any organization and they are often resolved by effective leadership. By analysis, conflict hinders change and development while effective leadership resolve conflict resulting to change and development. In other words, leadership influences the way conflicts are resolved and the absence of conflict provides an opportunity for change and development. For instance, opportunity for quality teaching, equitable and better working condition in our organization is only possible when there is no conflict. In the same way, conflict can only be resolved by an effective leader whose leadership style is appropriate to our organization. According to Tosi et al. (2000), conflict is easier to resolve when there is a leader who is capable of negotiating and making critical decisions (p.289). Similarly, clarity, openness, and letting everyone in the organization know what is going on reduced conflict. This is because according to Martin & Fellenz (2010), messages manager’s sends out to employees can significantly reduce the level of potential conflict. In the same way, managers who are not responding to threats and argument increased the likelihood of conflict (p.327). Since organizations often have distinct culture along with its unique value system, employees are often at odds with management and typically the only option they have is either to join the system, leave the system, or fight the system (Singh 2009, p.130). Resolving conflict in the organization is thus essential to the success of both employee and the organization as for as long as there is conflict, change and development is difficult to achieve. Similarly, the absence of effective leadership increases and intensifies conflict as well as the impossibility of change and development. As the new leadership in our educational institution continues to challenge the conflict beneath the system, change and development is steadily occurring. Employees are now more active and interested in delivering quality education. They are now more confident and often times contributing their knowledge and ideas to improve the system as well as the quality of their working life. The impact of new leadership in relation to conflict resolution is undoubtedly significant and compared to level of performance during the previous administration, the present is more appealing and improved. For instance, the fact that there are no longer barriers to change, working in this educational institution is no longer for money alone but for quality and improvement. The relationship between leadership and conflict as explained in previous paragraphs is also related to the occurrence of change and development for the very simple reason that conflict free leadership can easily promote change and development. However, the relationship can also occur both ways since leadership can also benefit from change and development in the same way that change and development can reduce conflict. According to Vallabaneni (2009), conflict can be triggered by several factors and in the case of our organization; these are competition for scarce resources, communication breakdown, unreasonable policies and procedures, and unrealized expectations. Conflict triggered by scarce resources in the sense that there is a tendency to outsmart one another resulting individual or departmental conflict. Since previous leadership style was laissez-faire, communication between management and employees is less resulting to the creation of unreasonable policies and procedures and eventually unrealized expectations of employees. One conflict resolution technique recommended is for leaders to focus their attention on root causes, factual information, and promising alternatives rather than on scapegoating and personalities (p.2). However, resolving conflict more often is a tiring task and probably not a good idea particularly in large organization. Although it may true that focusing on root causes is an effective conflict resolution technique, prevention seems better than cure. Organization development is by itself a problem-solving process (Kondalkar, 2009, p.51). For instance, when change and development are often intended for long-term use, employees tend to operate under a particular process while developing social relationship along the way. Once it occurred, decision making and problem solving will be at all levels and conflict will be resolved almost immediately once it emerged. This is the reason why most organizational development programmes is focusing on culture and process and interactions regardless of ranks, empowerment of employees social side, participation in problem-solving an decision making at various levels, and achieving organizational growth through total human inputs (Kondalkar 2009, p.52). In other words, once change and development occurs through effective and conflict free leadership, the outcome of that organization development effort will in return facilitate conflict resolution at all levels minimizing leadership responsibility. Moreover, since the leader will be free from unnecessary activities, he will be more focus and able to use his valuable time doing more productive work. Eventually, with continuous guidance from their leader, employees will be more motivated and productive. 3.2 Beyond conflict resolution and organizational change and development The impact of effective leadership goes beyond conflict resolution and organizational change and development because according to Pasmore & Woodman (2007), a leader’s expectations for a positive change are being transmitted to his employees that in turn create mutual expectations concerning performance and productivity. In other words, increasing leader expectation stimulates positive expectation among employees resulting to effective change. This is because individual employees usually based their attitudes, behaviour, and beliefs to their social context and therefore socially constructed and not merely a product of an objective reality. Moreover, since social information is the basis of most employees’ behaviour, how they view the importance and meaningfulness of their job is also dependent on social information (p.85). For instance, socialization such as induction programmes can change a new employee’s perception from being an outsider to full member of the organization committed and motivated to succeed. Similarly, the way training is delivered and allocated to employees can change their perception of the organization because they will realize the behaviour and attitude required within the organization (Martin & Fellenz 2010, p.454). The new leadership in our educational institution therefore is expected to result in mutual expectations and positive perceptions that would eventually shape the organization’s culture in the near future. Since the success of leadership is linked to conflict management and positive change and development and vice versa, the two-way expectations can lead to continuous improvement that is beneficial to both employees and the organization. It seems clear that organizational behaviours discussed here are all responsible to the increasing level of performance in our organization and contributing to employees’ improving quality of working life. 4. Conclusion Leadership, conflict, change and development are inter-related and play an important role in shaping the nature of an organization. In our education institution, these organizational behaviours are responsible for increasing the level of employee performance and improving the quality of working life. The change in leadership style created a wave of positive organizational change such as employee participation, improvement in the quality of teaching, and better working condition. The new leadership was challenged by the existing conflict and confront it to fulfil his responsibility to the organization and its employees. Conflict hinders change and development while leadership resolve conflicts to realized change and development. Similarly, change and development can contribute to conflict resolution at all levels thus benefitting leadership and entire organization. The relationships between these organizational behaviours are mutual because even conflict can be positive and helpful in stimulating leadership. Changes in our educational institution is expected to bring more positive outcomes since mutual expectations and positive perceptions can change the organization’s culture toward cooperation and beneficial way of working. More importantly, the two-way expectations created by the leadership style can lead to continuous improvement that would benefit all stakeholders. 5. 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