Organizational Behavior and Situational Leadership - Essay Example

Organizational Behavior Q Describe the communication process. Compare and contrast one way and two way communication. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two forms of communication? A simple communication process follows the basic flow wherein the sender sends out message by encoding the message to either a formal or informal channel wherein the receiver will receive and decodes the message. Upon analyzing the message received, the receiver will send a feedback back to the sender (Ch. 11, pp. 343 – 344). In line with this, external barriers like noise can negatively affect the communication process between two persons. The two types of communication includes the one way (downward) and two way (upward) communication process. Although both types of communication process can be used in a profit and non-profit organization in terms of sending important messages to the receiver, there are limitations with regards to the use of downward communication. Even though the top management or the sender is able to send messages directly to its subordinates, the use of this type of communication process limits the receiver from providing feedback back to the sender (Ch. 11, p. 345). For this reason, there is a strong possibility for miscommunication between the top management and employees to arise. As a result, it will be difficult to achieve the goals and objectives set by either a profit or non-profit organization. On the contrary, the use of upward communication has more advantages since the receiver of the messages are able to send their personal opinion regarding the message they receive from the sender (Ch. 11, pp. 345 – 346). Since the top management is able to learn about the personal concerns of the team members, there is a stronger chance wherein the top management can win the support of its team members in terms of achieving the organizational goal and objectives. Q.2 Compare and contrast leadership and management. How are they similar and how do they differ? Although commonly mistaken as one, corporate leadership and management skills are different in so many ways. Leaders are individuals who are capable of inspiring other people and often times have important characteristics such as: (1) the drive to achieve their goals; (2) desire to lead; (3) self-confidence; (4) competitive cognitive ability; (5) honesty and integrity; and (6) sufficient knowledge in doing business (Dessler, pp. 296 – 297). On top of these personality traits, leaders are expected to be influential among his followers without having the need to use violence or coercion. With regards to the differences between a manager and a leader, it is important to know that leaders are individuals who do not only influence, select, equip, and train the followers with different abilities and skills but also persuades them to willingly participate with the leader in terms of achieving a common goal. Although leaders are more effective in terms of handling organizational change, managers are known to be individuals who are trained to conduct business affairs, establishing organizational structure, and formal planning by having proper management skills (Ch. 12, p. 376). On the contrary, a corporate leadership is a special skill that each manager should possess in order to make them become a competitive leader. In almost all circumstances, it is unacceptable for a leader to make a quick judgment towards people and/or a business situation without having a concrete evidence to back him up in the end. Therefore, a good leader must have sufficient management skills to enable leaders to have a clear vision of the business trends. Q.3 Research the managerial grid and situational leadership. Describe the two models and note which of the two is better. Why? Developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, managerial grid model is a type of behavioral leadership model used in examining the different leadership styles based on the specific need of the managers and employees in relation to production. Since then, this model if often used as a framework in examining the effectiveness of each leadership style which includes country club leadership, produce or perish leadership, impoverished leadership, and the middle-of-the-road leadership (Mind Tools). Situational leadership theory focuses on the interests of the followers. Examples of situational leadership theories include the path-goal theory and the leader-participation model. Specifically the path-goal theory considers the responsibility of the leaders to provide sufficient information, support, and other necessary resources to enable their followers to achieve the organizational goal whereas the leader-participation model considers the leaders’ decisions to be an important part of a leader-participation theory (Ch. 12, pp. 384 – 385). Between the path-goal theory and the leader-participation model, it is best to use the path-goal theory as compared to the leader-participation model because the path-goal theory acknowledges the need for the leaders to function well in terms of enabling its followers to meet the organizational objectives and goals. Basically, teaching the followers and extending necessary support that will enable them to meet the organizational goal. These are not made available with the use of the leader-participation model. Q.4 Describe those power tactics that work best when influencing subordinates, peers, and superiors. Why do your choices work best – when compared with other techniques that work less well? Power tactics such as legitimacy, rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation, exchange, personal appeals, and ingratiation can be used to influence subordinates, peers, and superiors to oblige with what the leader is planning to achieve (Ch. 13, p. 425). Even though different kinds of power tactics are applicable when influencing other people, I find the combination of legitimacy, rational persuasion and inspirational appeals better than the use of other power tactics. Legitimacy is the use of authoritative position when requesting other people to follow a set of policy or rules. Although legitimacy is effective in terms of persuading other people to follow certain rules and regulations, legitimacy could work better when combined with rational persuasion and inspirational appeals. Basically, rational persuasion uses logical arguments and factual evidences to convince other people the need to push through a plan whereas inspirational appeal uses “emotional commitment by appealing to other people’s values, needs, hopes, and aspirations” (Ch. 13, p. 425). By carefully explaining to other people the rationale and advantages they will receive out of implementing certain rules and policies, it will be easier for leaders to convince other people to give their support to the leaders. Other than allowing other people to have the opportunity to fully understand the need to follow their leaders, it is equally important for leaders to listen to the personal concerns and sentiments of other people. Q.5 What is conflict? Describe with examples, the advantages and disadvantages of the following conflict management techniques: Competing Collaborating Compromising Avoiding, and Accommodating Regardless of whether or not conflict could result to something good or bad, traditional view of conflict suggests that a conflict could arise as a “dysfunctional outcome which results from poor communication, lack of openness and trust between people, and the failure of managers to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of their employees” (Ch. 14, p. 455). On the contrary, an interactionist view conflicts as something that is functional or dysfunctional. It means that a functional conflict is a type of conflict which could improve a team’s performance whereas a dysfunctional conflict is a type of conflict that could hinder the progress of a group’s performance (ibid). Avoiding technique does not create advantage or disadvantages to both parties since avoiding technique neutralizes the negative consequences of conflict by withdrawing from the situation. Competing arises when a person gives more importance to his own personal interest regardless of its outcome to the entire group. In most cases, the use of competing technique could lead to negative organizational outcome particularly on the part of the other party. As compared to the use of competing technique, it is more advantageous to use collaborating, accommodating, and compromising techniques. Collaborating pays more attention to the concerns of both parties involved whereas accommodating give way to other party’s interests (Ch. 14, p. 457). Compromising means there is willingness to accept solution to conflicts (ibid). Through the use of collaborating, accommodating, or compromising, there is a possibility that both parties involved could end up with a win-win agreement. Q.6 What is stress? Is stress good or bad? Why? Describe two techniques from the following list of categories that would be helpful to most people in their stress management efforts: Psychological Physical Environmental Stressors at work can either be external or internal. External stressors include extreme physical condition such as hot or cold room temperatures whereas internal stressors can be due to physical abnormalities caused by joints and muscle inflammation, infection, physical and mental illnesses, or psychological factors such as excessive worrying could increase stress at work. Stress can also be perceived either good or bad. A negative stressor occurs when employees could end up suffering from short- or long-term physical, mental or psychological imbalances whereas a positive stressor occurs when the situation encourages employees to increase their work performance (Ch. 18, p. 607). There is a significant relationship between organizational climate and musculoskeletal disorders. Poor working environment such as insufficient lighting or the presence of noise pollution could also lead to stressful working condition related to the straining of the workers’ eye sight. Therefore, it is important to control the temperature, lighting, and noise level within the work environment. Specifically work-related ‘social demands’ such as the personal interaction of call centre agents with the clients and ‘organizational demands’ such as excessive work load and responsibility could contribute to neck and lower back pains. Poor body posture at work increases the workers’ risk of having a chronic neck pain. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and control the work load of each employee aside from teaching them the importance of practicing good body posture at work. *** End *** Bibliography Robbins, Stephen P. and Timothy A. Judge. Organizational Behavior. 14th Edition. Prentice Hall, 2008. References Dessler, G. (2001). Management: Leading people into the 21st Century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Publishers. "Mind Tools." 2010. Blake Mouton Managerial Grid. 12 July 2010 . Read More