Toolkit 3.1, 4.1, 5.1

Toolkit Activity 3.1 Generations at work

I belong in the Gen X category
40 years

1. What is the preferred length of a workday and the number of days worked per week?

I prefer to work 8 hours a day, Monday thru Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. 

2. Are you interested in flexible working hours? Working from home? Why or why not?

Flexible hours do not work well for me because of having two small children in daycare and school. Being on a regular schedule helps with managing my professional and family life. Working from home would be difficult. There would be so many distractions that may take you away from work. I would have to possess excellent time management skills.

3. Do you multitask  (do more than one thing at once) ?

I multitask and have no problems multitasking while in the workplace. It helps to be flexible and understand that multiple distractions occur.

4. What frequency and form of team meetings do you prefer?

I prefer small team meetings on a weekly basis.

5. What leadership style do you prefer? Why?

I like the transformation leadership style.   It inspires motivation while treating everyone as an individual.

6. What organizational rewards are meaningful to you? Why?

Organizational respect is the most meaningful to me. Of course, more pay is a close second.

7. How important is a balance between work and personal life to you? Explain.

Maintaining a balance is tricky between the two. I find it best not to overcompensate in either. Too much in either leads to the other one getting neglected.



Toolkit Activity 4.1 What Do Workers Want From Their Jobs

Promotion in the company - 4
Tactful discipline - 9
Job security - 3
Help with personal problems - 10
Personal loyalty of supervisor - 7
High wages - 5
Full appreciation of work being done - 6
Good working conditions - 2
Feeling of being in on things - 8
Interesting work - 1

1. In comparing the different ratings, what might account for the different opinions between you and your group?

Ratings are subjective and reflect each individual's mind set within the group. Some factors are age, what stage they are in their career, etc.

2. What might be the cause of the supervisor's rankings being so different from the employees?

The supervisor's ranking would differ from the employee's because of their mindset within the company. The supervisor may be well seasoned and has been with the company for a number of years already, thus, potentially ranking job security lower than an employee who is new and out to prove their worth to the company.

3. Do you think the results of this survey would change over time?

Absolutely. Rankings are dynamic and will change with an employee's experience and growth within the company.



Toolkit Activity 5.1 Understanding the Pygmalion Effect

Scenario 1

1. Is the manager communicating high or low expectations to the employee by his or her behavior?

The manager is presenting a daily status report outlining each employee's productivity. This does not communicate the manager's expectations.

2. How do you think the employee(s) will react to the manager's behavior? Choose several adjectives that you believe describe this reaction (e.g. , angry, motivated).

defeated, hostile, complacent, and jubilant

3. If low expectations are being communicated by the manager in the scenario, answer this question: If you were the manager in this scenario and wanted your employee(s) to respond in a positive manner, what would you have done differently?

I would set benchmarks for goals and have an award system in place for those who exceed them first.

4. If high expectations are being communicated by the manager in the scenario, discuss what benefits might result. For the sake of contrast, pretend the manager in the scenario held low expectations for the employee(s). What might that low expectation manager have done in these scenarios, and what would the result be?

The low expectation manager should get on the floor and observe the work habits of his employees. The observations could determine the causes of low productivity and error rates within the production line.

Case Study 5.1 Lombardi's Packers: From Last in the League to the Best Legs in the League

1. How did Lombardi’s actions help change the players’ perceptions of themselves and their abilities?   Coach Lombardi set a clear guideline outlining his expectations for the players and the team. He held everyone accountable for their actions, even the superstars and veterans.  

          

2. The Packers culture was tolerant of losing before Lombardi took over. How might this culture have created a Golem effect?  The coach prior held low expectations for the team which enabled the team to accept and tolerate loss.

3. How did Lombardi’s changes to the team's’ professionalism and physical ability help change the identity the Packers had created for themselves and their team? Coach Lombardi was teaching them how a professional football player should act and feel like. He empowered his players and made them accountable for their actions off and on the field.

4. Lombardi instituted a rule that players could not drink standing at a bar.  While not all players would drink alcohol or visit bars, the actions of those who did would be attributed to the entire team.  What kind of effect is this?  Why is it important to manage perceptions held not only by oneself but also by others?  The primacy effect. Perception is everything within any organization. This is important as your peers will hold you accountable as well, creating strength and unity throughout.

Team Toolkit and Case Study 5.1

Team Toolkit and Case Study 5.1

Team Toolkit 5.1: Understanding the Pygmalion Effect

As a group, we chose to review Scenario 1.
1. We felt that the manager is not communicating his expectations clearly and effectively. It does appear the manager has high expectations but he is not setting them in an appropriate manor.

2. Some employees may use the chart as a competitive tool and will improve in order to be ranked higher against their peers. Other employees will be embarrassed by their results which will lead to negativity and a decrease in both results and employee loyalty.

4. To better portray the manager's expectations, they first need to find the root cause of the decrease in results. The manager should meet with the employees and ask for their opinion in order to find the root cause and what motivates them to improve. More manager and employee interaction and collaboration will increase productivity and moral. 

Case Study 5.1: Lombardi’s Packers: From Last in the League to the Best Legs in the League

1. How did Lombardi’s actions help change the players’ perceptions of themselves and their abilities?

        

         Lombardi was able to set high expectations and hold all players accountable. He did not

         pick any favorites. Holding the players to a higher standard gained the buy-in, 

         which evolved into them holding one another accountable for their actions on and off the

         field.

2. The Packers culture was tolerant of losing before Lombardi took over. How might this culture have created a Golem effect?

The prior coach did not set any penalty for any players who behave against the rules or if the team losses. Not holding anyone accountable for their behaviors and actions lead to the Golem effect. The coach prior to Lombardi did not set any expectation, which, in turn lead to a team culture that was use to losing.

3. How did Lombardi’s changes to the team's’ professionalism and physical ability help change the identity the Packers had created for themselves and their team?

The high expectations off the field let to the players feeling more confident in themselves. The professionalism that was required taught the players self-worth. This lead to the high expectations on the field which lead to higher performance and more games won.

4. Lombardi instituted a rule that players could not drink standing at a bar.  While not all players would drink alcohol or visit bars, the actions of those who did would be attributed to the entire team.  What kind of effect is this?  Why is it important to manage perceptions held not only by oneself but also by others?  

The main effect was the primacy effect- if one person was caught drinking at a bar, the whole team was. This leads to a higher level of holding yourself and others accountable. When all of the players are effected by one individual, it leads to that person behaving at a higher professional standard.

Team Toolkit 4.1: What do workers want from their jobs?

Team Toolkit 4.1: What do workers want from their jobs?

Factor	Ray	Mike	Kim	Sarah	Group
Promotion in the company	4	3	6	4	5
Tactful discipline	8	9	8	8	8
Job Security	5	4	1	5	4
Help with personal problems	9	10	10	10	10
Personal loyalty of supervisor	7	6	9	7	7
High wages	3	1	4	3	2
Full appreciation of work being done	2	6	2	2	3
Good working conditions	6	5	5	6	6
Feeling of being in on things	10	8	7	9	9
Interesting work	1	2	3	1	1

1. In comparing the different ratings, what might account for the different opinions between you and your group?

There were actually several factors in which the group was close in their answers, just one or two rankings apart.  For areas where there were larger differences, some reasons for this may be from our age ranges, where we are in our careers (fairly new or mid-career and stable), as well as the things that are important in our lives now such as growth and building a family versus more stability in our personal and professional positions.

2. What might be the cause of the supervisor's rankings being so different from the employees?

Some of the times of difference between the supervisors and employees could relate to position in the company, their current level of involvement in decisions or the perception of decision making.  Additionally, differences could be from differences in drive or ambition and experience in the workplace.

3. Do you think the results of this survey would change over time?

These results may likely change over time, as individual priorities shift depending on life and career choices and events. They could also shift if current factors change at work and someone's personal values are infringed on, they would change what their priorities are overall.  

Team Toolkit 3.1: Generations At Work

Team Toolkit 3.1: Generations At Work

Generations of our group:

Ray - Millennial

Mike - Gen X

Kim - Millennial -but on the cusp & ID with Gen X

Sarah -Millennial

Ages in our group:

Ages ranged from 25-37

1. What is your preferred length of workday and the number of days worked per week?

As a group we were divided fairly evenly on preferences.  Half liked a regular 5 days, 8-hour work week while the other half preferred a flexible schedule of some sort.

2. Are you interested in working flexible working hours?  Working from home? Why or why not?

The group was pretty well agreed to wanting a flexible work week, if we can choose the flexible days/times, as well as the option to work from home.  Most reasons for the flexibility was better work-life balance and ability to work without distractions.

3. Do you multitask?

All were in agreement that we multi-task, and often!

4. What frequency and form of team meetings to you prefer?

The group had a consensus that weekly small meetings were good for casual conversations.

5. What style of leadership do you prefer?  Why?

The majority of us prefer a transformational style of leadership in which there is an element of a personal relationship with our boss in terms of career and motivational support.  We also preferred this style of leadership as it assumes competence and assists with development and growth in our careers.

6. What organizational rewards are meaningful to you? Why?

There were some differences among the group in what was most meaningful to us for rewards, but there was a common theme of increased pay/promotion. Increased responsibilities and respect were also mentioned.

7. How important is a balance between work and personal life to you? Explain.

Work-life balance is extremely important to all of us, and all for various reasons, but a common theme of spending time with family and friends was present as well as just enjoying life.

Self Reflection weeks 1-3

So far, after just a few short weeks, I have learned much in organizational behavior. As a class we have discussed personal stories and developments that have lead to self reflections. I have been taking notes on the differences in types of climates in different types of employment, including the private and public sectors.

The discussions have lead to self reflection the past few weeks. Through group discussion and Scandura self-assessments, I view that my personal leadership styles reflect how am I as an individual. One of my strengths have always been the ability to read people's behaviors and change myself to best suit them. Whether that is for coaching at work or being an active listener to friends and family at home. I also view myself as honest and hardworking. Being honest, in my opinion, is one of the largest factors of success. Dishonesty leads to disloyalty by your peers, bosses, and employees.

I have also noticed some areas of opportunities to further develop my personalities. I often have been known to not 'smile' or seem happy or positive. I have been focusing on my posture and facial features recently but it has been difficult to constantly notice and change my personality.

The initial classes have lead to much self-reflection and I am enthusiastic about my continued reflection and class discussion.

Case Study 2.1: Which boss would you rather work for?

1. Compare the experiences of the two employees (Ting and Lisa). Which boss would you rather work for? Why?

We all agreed that we would rather work for Ting’s boss. Ting’s boss is more supportive, empathetic and helped to set her up for personal and professional success. Ting’s is viewed as more than just an employee, but is appreciated as a contributing member and an asset to the company. As a whole, people will be more receptive and willing to work for bosses who are willing to take time to make sure you are acknowledged, heard and appreciated and are willing to help you with both professional and personal problems.

2. Think about the leadership theories that were covered in this chapter, and determine which leadership styles are exemplified in the two scenarios.  Which ones should have been used?

These two scenarios demonstrate individualized consideration and nonleadership/laissez-faire leadership. Ting was treated as an individual and with respect and concern for her as an individual and a contributing member of the organization. Lisa’s boss did not provide Lisa with interaction, feedback or concern for her as a person or an individual. As a result, Lisa became dissatisfied with the organization and eventually left her job. Individualized consideration is the ideal leadership theory, but in Lisa’s situation, a managerial or situational leadership style would have been more beneficial and provided the feedback and recognition she so vehemently wanted.

3. What steps could Lisa have taken to develop a higher-quality LMX relationship or “manager her boss” more effectively?  Do you think this would work in this case?
Our group discussed and agreed that Lisa should have been more open with her boss. She should have met with her boss at the start employment in order to set role standards, what to expect from her boss, and what her boss can expect from her. The initial meeting should have been followed up with pre-scheduled consistent meetings in order to receive constant feedback and any support that Lisa may need. Being open and honest with Lisa’s expectations to her boss will gain her a more effective working relationship.
 

4. What were the outcomes for each of the employees and companies in these two scenarios? Thinking about these outcomes, why is it important for organizations to have effective leaders?
Ting became an active employee and a strong advocate of the company. Ting was forward with her situation and the owner followed individualized consideration through the 4 Is as  a transformational leader to produce an everlasting productive employee. Lisa’s manager used a laissez-faire approach which was not individualized to Lisa’s learning style. This cause Lisa to become negatively influenced, which later produced turnover. Having effective leaders are a vital component to company success. Having a leader that will not individualize styles to their employees leads to a negative outlook and future for the company. It leads to higher turnover of quality employees. This directly affects company profit and long term sustainability.

Case Study 1.1: Organizational Science in the Real World

1. How could research help this small organization? What would you hope to gain as the manager?

Research may help to identify the cause of the turnover, disconnect and dissatisfaction. I would hope this research would lead to ways in which to improve customer satisfaction and firm performance performance. Finding the root causes will allow the manager to make appropriate and succinct alterations to current processes. Research may also lead to suggestions for ways to improve current processes such as new technology, increased job training or pre-validation of customers.

2. What dependent variables should you, as the manager, consider researching? Why?

Dependent variables we would consider researching:

• Areas of concern - employee and customer concerns would help to determine areas of concern.
• Technology limitations - is technology limiting performance? If so, this can be easily fixed.
• Productivity - Is operational flow diminshing productivity? If so, what can be done to decrease bottlenecks?
• Satisfaction - How satisfied are my employees? What are ways that this can be improved?
• Organizational structure - Are employees being properly supervised, is the employee to supervisor ratio out of whack?
• Workflow - How much time does it take to complete a transaction and what paperwork is required for each transaction? Are there ways to improve the workflow to reduce down time
• Attrition Rate - What is causing employees to become dissatisfied with their jobs and eventually leaving the company.
• Standard Operating Procedures - What are the internal processes to carry out routine operations? Do these need to be revised to improve operational effectiveness?

3. Think about the research designs discussed in the Appendix on Research Designs used in the OB at the end of the book. Which one(s) do you think would be appropriate for the manager to use? Would there be any benefit to using multiple methods, and if so, in what order would you conduct the research studies?

As a whole, we all agreed that the mixed methods would be the most beneficial method as there is a need to gather qualitative and quantitative data as well as test solutions backed by research. This method allows the combination of multiple strategies in order to best resolve the issues. Additionally, the Action research method would also be useful because the problem is affecting the entire organization and needs to be intercepted and handled swiftly.