Personal and Working relationships - Final exam review.docx

Personal and Working relationships - Final exam review Week 7-14 Developing teamwork skills, week 7: What is a team: A small number of people with complementary skills Committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach. Hold themselves mutually accountable. Face-to-face ve...

Personal and Working relationships - Final exam review Week 7-14 Developing teamwork skills, week 7: What is a team: A small number of people with complementary skills Committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach. Hold themselves mutually accountable. Face-to-face versus virtual teams: The broad purpose of a team is to contribute to a collaborative workplace People helping each other to achieve constructive goals Face-to-face (Traditional) Team: A Best-known workplace team is a group of workers who take some of the responsibility for managing their own work. Typically, they work together on an ongoing, day-by-day basis. Mutual trust with accountability contributes to team effectiveness (seen by customers & increases trust) Virtual Team: A small group of people that conducts almost all of its collaborative work electronically. Email common medium Videoconferencing (Zoom, Webex, Teams) Efficient and cost-effective Times when face-to-face is necessary Advantages of team and teamwork: Synergy: the group’s total output exceeds the sum of individual contributions. Work accomplishment & high productivity Acceptance & commitment Avoidance of major errors Increased job satisfaction Disadvantages of teams and teamwork: Time wasting (talk too much-act too little) Pressures to conform to group standards of performance and conduct. Pressures towards conformity social loafing – shirking individual responsibility in a group setting. Fostering of conflict (bickering about fair share of responsibilities) Groupthink – an extreme form of consensus Team member roles: A major challenge in learning to become an effective team member is to choose the right roles Creative problem solver – Imaginative; solves difficult problems Resource Investigator – Extroverted; communicates well; explores opportunities; may be too optimistic Coordinator – Clarifies goals; delegates; good decision maker Shaper – Helps to overcome obstacles Motivator-evaluator – Thinks about the big picture; sees all of the options and judges accurately Team worker – Cooperative; sensitive & diplomatic Implementer – Disciplined; reliable & efficient Completer-finisher Specialist – Single minded self-starter Team member roles and weaknesses: Weaknesses in the team roles point to problems that the team leader can expect to emerge Potential problems are also known as allowable weaknesses – Allowance can be made for these – For example if a team member is indecisive in a crisis then the team should not have high expectations for the team member when faced with a crisis Team members will sometimes engage in self-oriented roles – Members focusing on their own needs rather than those of the group – Focusing on their needs (such as needing a bigger budget, dominating the meeting, blocking others from contributing) can all lead to issues Guidelines for the Interpersonal Aspects of Team Play: To increase your effectiveness as a team player you need to improve your behaviours (skills, actions and attitudes for team play) Trust team members – the cornerstone attitude of an outstanding team player. – Believe others’ ideas are technically sound until proven otherwise. – May involve taking risks with other team members Display a high level of cooperation and collaboration – Cooperation & collaboration are synonymous with teamwork – Take the initiative to launch a cooperative spirit in your group – you will be seen as a true team player – Minimize confrontation Recognize the interests and achievements of others – Let others know that you care about their interests. – Be prepared to compliment any tangible achievement Give and receive helpful criticism – The outstanding team player offers constructive criticism when needed, but does so diplomatically. – Attempt to criticize the person’s work, not the person. “You completed the fluid balance record wrong” “This fluid balance record appears to be completed incorrectly” Share the glory – an effective team member shares praise and other rewards for accomplishments Take care not to rain on another person’s parade – do not belittle others for their achievements or accomplishments. “Well you were obviously in the right place at the right time” Suppress feelings of jealousy. Guidelines for the task aspects of team play: Provide technical expertise (or knowledge of the task) – most people are selected for a work team primarily because of their technical expertise. – Technical experts must communicate effectively with team members in other disciplines. – You must share your expertise with others – avoid using your knowledge as a source of power Assume responsibility for problems – The outstanding team player assumes responsibility for problems. – Responsibility must be combined with dependability. The person who takes responsibility for a particular task must produce (each time when needed to complete the task) See the big picture – Effective team players need to think conceptually. – Team might lose sight of the end result if they focus too much on the details – Helps the group focus on its broader purpose so the team does not lose sight of what it is trying to accomplish Believe in consensus – The general acceptance of a decision by the group. – To believe in consensus is to believe that the democratic process has relevance for organizations Focus on deadlines – Different group members might attach different levels of importance on group deadlines. – Difference in perception on deadlines will impact on group’s ability to meet deadlines Some will see deadline as mandatory - others as a suggestion Keeping a group focused on the deadline is a valuable task because meeting deadlines is vital to team success. Help team members do their jobs better – involves taking the initiative to help team members make needed work improvements. Involves making suggestions in a constructive spirit, rather than displaying an air of superiority. Be a good organizational citizen This person goes beyond the expectations of his or her job description in working for the good of the organization even without the promise of a specific reward. Helping a co-worker with a job task Tidying up – pitching in Developing team leaderships skills: Use of teams in an organzation leads to some opportunities to practice team leadership Leadership = ability to inspire support and confidence among workers A team leader practices participative leadership or sharing authority with the group Techniques for Developing Team Leadership Skills: Engage in shared leadership Build a mission statement Show team members that they are trusted Establish a sense of urgency and high-performance standards Hold Question-and-Answer Sessions with team Encourage team members to recognize each other’s accomplishments Encourage honest criticism Use peer evaluations Help team members see the big picture Minimize formation of In-Groups and Out-Groups – Leader exchange model - a theory that group leaders establish unique relationships with group members – creating in-groups and out-groups – Team leader should guard against formation of out-groups Group problem-solving and decision-making, Week 8: Rational versus political decision-making in groups: Group decision making The process of reaching a judgment based on feedback from more than one individual People involved in the decision-making may have different agendas and use different methods Rational decision-making model The traditional, logical approach to decision-making, based on the scientific method Assumes that each alternative is evaluated in terms of how well it contributes to reaching the goals involved in making the decision Political decision-making model Assumes that people bring preconceived notions and biases into the decision-making situation Decision-makers are focused on satisfying their own needs, they often do not make the most rational choice Guidelines for using general problem-solving groups: Group problem-solving steps Identify the problem Clairty the problem Analyze the cause Search for alternative solutions Select alternatives Plan for implementation Clarify the contract Develop an action plan Provide for evaluation and accountability Managing disagreement about group decision-making: Disagreement is not necessarily harmful to the final outcome and it may prevent groupthink The idea is to manage disagreement so the decision-making process does not break down Inquiry: looking for the best alternative Advocacy: fighting for one position Brainstorming: a group problem-solving technique that promotes creativity by encouraging idea generation through non-critical discussion Group size should be about 5-7 people Everybody is given the chance to suggest alternative solutions No criticism is allowed Freewheeling is encouraged Quantity and variety are very important Notes must be taken during the session by a person who serves as the recording secretary Invite outsiders to the brainstorming session Do not become overly structured by following any of these guidelines too rigidly NGT: group problem-solving technique that brings people together in a structured meeting with limited interaction Nominal: in name only; people first present their ideas without interacting with each other Nominal group technique: A small group is assembled The leader presents a question or problem Members write down ideas independently Each participant presents one idea to the group The group clarifies and evaluates suggestions Alternatives are rated and the best-rated one is chosen Being an effective meeting participant: Be prepared for the meeting Arrive on time and stay until the meeting is over Participate Use constructive nonverbal communication No side conversations Compromise Cross-cultural relations, week 9: Diversity: To be diverse is to be different in some measurable way Examples Race sex/gender Religion Age Ethnicity Education Abilities (physical/mental) Cultural sensitivity and political correctness: Cultural sensitivity is an awareness of,and willingness to investigate the reasons why people of another culture act as they do Political correctness: being careful not to offend or slight anyone, and being civial and respectful Cultural intelligence: an outsiders ability to interpret someones unfamiliar and ambiguous behaviour the same that persons compatriots would Three sources Cognitive emotional/motivational Physical Respect for all workers and cultures: Respect all others in the workplace, including their cultures Company policies that encourage respect for the rights of others will create a positive influence throughout the organization Culture fluency: The ability to conduct business in a diverse, international environment Achieving cultural fluency includes a variety of skills (ex, learning a second language) Dimensions of differences in cultural values: Performance orientation Assertiveness Time orientation In-group collectivism/individualism Acceptance of power and authority Work orientation Avoidance of cultural bloopers: Most likely to take place when you are visiting another country or dealing with people from a different culture within your own country Dealing with people within your own organization Overcoming cross-cultural barriers: Be sensitive to cross-cultural barriers and be ready to deal with them Show respect for all workers Straightforward language and speak slowly and clearly Observe cultural differences in etiquette Be sensitive to differences in nonverbal communication Do not be diverted by style, accent, grammar, or personal appearance Attentive to individual differences in appearance Be aware that prejudice and discrimination still exist Resolving conflict with others, week 10: Conflict: A situation in which two or more goals/values/events are incompatible or mutually exclusive Strife, quarrels, and battles are also considered conflict Competition for limited resources: These resources could include money, material, and human resources Role conflict: When you have to choose between competing demands or expectations Competing work and family demands: Occurs when an individual role of worker and active participant in social and family life compete with one another Personality clashes: Antagonistic relationships between two people based on differences in personal attributes, preferences, interests, values, and styles Bullies in the workplace: People who frequently, verbally, and sometimes physically attack others Incivility and rudeness: Milder then bullying Centers around one's lack of regard for another worker. (ex, condescending behavior, and put-downs) Cross-Generational Conflict: Differences in values across generations can lead to differences in behaviors Workplace Violence: A cause and effect of conflict Often predictable (the worker who may erupt into violence often shows early signals) Management styles: Competitive styles The desire to advance one’s own concerns at the expense of the other party, or to dominate Referred to as win-lose Accommodative Style Favors appeasement, or satisfying the other’s concerns without taking care of one’s own concerns. The suppressed feelings can create inner conflict and stress. Sharing Style Lies halfway between domination and appeasement. Generally results in a compromise. Collaborative Style Reflects a desire to make both people happy. Referred to as Win-Win. Mutual gain avoidant Style The avoider is a combination of uncooperative and unassertive. He or she is indifferent to the concerns of either party. May withdraw from the conflict to ‘leave it to fate.’ – “Pick your battles” Resolving conflict: Confrontation and problem-solving Taking a direct problem-solving approach to differences and identifying the underlying facts, logic, and emotions that account for them. When conflicts are resolved through confronting their causes, people feel responsible for finding the soundest answer Constructive handling of criticism Learning to profit from criticism is an effective way of benefiting from conflict. See yourself at a distance, ask for clarification, decide on a response, look for a pattern in terms of other criticism, and disarm the opposition. Reframing Re-examine (reframe) the conflict situation by looking at it in a different light. Cognitive restructuring – mentally converting negative aspects into positive ones By asking questions Negotiating and Bargaining Conferring with another person to resolve a problem A major theme is that cooperating with the other side is usually preferable to competing Negotiating Tactics Understand the other party’s perspective Focus on interests, not positions Compromise Begin with a plausible demand or offer, yet allow room for negotiation Sexual harassment: a special type of conflict Sexual harassment can include something as violent as rape or as subtle as making a sexually oriented comment about another person’s body or appearance. Characteristics of sexual harassment The encounters must be unsolicited and unwelcome to the complainant. The conduct continues despite the complainant’s protests. Any perceived cooperation by the complainant must be due to employment-related threats or promises The adverse effects of sexual harassment According to one survey, stress was the most common effect. Other effects included feeling hindered in one’s job, unable to do one’s job, preoccupation, stress at home, and diminished trust Guidelines for preventing and dealing with sexual harassment Avoid the following behaviors: Inappropriate remarks and sexual implications Terms of endearment Suggestive compliments Physical touching Work-related kissing Becoming an effective leader, week 11: Leadership: The ability to inspire support and confidence among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals Leadership traits: Self-confidence and Leadership Efficacy A leader who is self-assured without being overbearing instills confidence in group members Positive Core Self-Evaluation Captures a person’s self-assessment Self-esteem Locus of control Self-efficacy Emotional stability Assertiveness Being forthright in expressing demands, opinions, feelings, and attitudes Trustworthiness and morality Being honest with group members helps to build trust, which in turn leads to good cooperation and team spirit Sense of Humour Because humor helps the leader deal with tension and conflict in the workplace, it helps him or her exert power over the group Self-Awareness and Self-Objectivity Effective leaders are aware of their strengths and limitations. You can enhance this trait by asking for feedback from others. Cognitive Skills including Critical Assessments To inspire people, bring about constructive changes, and solve problems creatively, leaders need to be mentally sharp. Knowledge of the business Critical assessments Independent decision making Emotional Intelligence Being able to work effectively with the emotions of others to resolve problems, through listening and empathizing. Passion and Enthusiasm Effective leaders have passion and enthusiasm for their work, much like the same quality in creative people Self-Sacrificing Personality A tendency to be more concerned about the welfare and interests of others than those of oneself. Sometimes referred to as a servant leader because his/her primary focus is to serve the group Developing charisma: Charisma: Special quality of leaders whos purposes, powers, and extraordinary determination differ from others Communicate a vision. Make frequent use of metaphors and analogies. Inspire trust and confidence. Be highly energetic and goal-oriented. Be emotionally expressive and warm. Make ample use of true stories Be candid and direct Coaching skills and techniques: deal Characteristics of Peer Coaching Equal status of peers Personal and professional development of both peers Integration of reflection and practice Importance of attention to process Accelerating career learning Suggestions for Coaching Build relationships Provide specific feedback Make criticism pain-free and positive Encourage the person to talk Ask powerful questions Skills for motivating and helping others, week 12: Motivation: Motivation has 2 meanings: An internal state that leads to effort expended toward objectives An activity performed by one person to get another to accomplish work Motivation based on the principle of “what’s in it for me” (WIIFM): Most fundamental principle of human motivation is that people are omtivated by self-interest (WIIFM) To use WIIFM principle in motivating others, you must find out what needs, desires or motivates a person is attempting to satisfy Work extra hours = boss is impressed Complete an extra assignment = receive extra marks Positive reinforcement: Behaviour modification: An attempt to change behaviour by manipulating rewards and punishments Based on fundamental principle of human behavior, the “law of effect” Law of effect: Behaviour that leads to reward tends to be repeated, behaviour that leads to punishment tends not to be Positive reinforcement: Increasing the probability that a behaviour will be repeated by rewarding people for the desired response Negative reinforcement: Avoidance motivation Rewarding people by taking away an uncomfortable consequence of their behaviour Expectancy theory: Based on the premise that how much effort people expend depends on the reward they expect to receive in turn Assumes that people are rational and logical and in any situation, they want to maximze gain and minimize loss People choose alternatives by selecting the one that appears to have the biggest payoff Basic components of expectancy theory: Effort-to-performance expectancy: Probability assigned by the individual that effort will lead to performing the task correctly Expectancies will influence whether a worker will strive to earn a reward Self-confident people have higher expectancies Performance-to-Outcome Expectancy Probability assigned by the individual that performance will lead to certain outcomes or rewards People engaging in a particular behaviour do so with the intention of achieving a desired outcome or reward Range from 0 – 1.0 (0 – no chance of receiving award to 1.0 – certain to receive the reward Valence – the value, worth, or attractiveness of an outcome How intensely an individual wants something The value, worth, or attractiveness of an outcome Signifies how intensely an individual wants something In each work situation there are multiple outcomes – each with their own valence Valences ranges from -100 to +100 -100 = strongly motivated to avoid an outcome +100 = strong desire to achieve an outcome 0 = indifference Nurturing and mentoring: Some key helping roles include being Nurturing Mentoring Coaching Training and helping difficult people become more cooperative Nurturing person: promotes growth of others Toxic person: dwells on failings of others and whose pessimistic behaviors undermine the group Mentor: individual wit advanced experience and knowledge Specific mentoring behaviours: Role modelling Giving support and encouragement Counselling Providing friendship Encouraging problem solving Explaining the ropes Teaching the right skills Encouraging continuous learning A major role is to encourage proetege to keep learning Emphaszie both formal education, workships, course, self-study Helping difficult people: A challenge faced from time to time dealing constructively with workers who create problems for others Typically have the skill and mental ability to be more productive Types of difficult people: Know-it-alls Blamers Gossips Bullies Repulsive Yes-people No-people Jekyll-and-hydes Whiners Backstabbers High-maintenance types Clods Minimalists Office cheats Tactics for dealing with difficult people: Stay calm Provide sample feedback Criticize constructively Help the difficult person feel more confident Use tact and diplomacy Use non-hostile humour Work out a deal Customer satisfaction, week 13: Types of customers: External customers: Traditional definition of customers, which includes clients, guests, and patients Internal customers: The people that you serve within your organziation, those who use the output from your job, or anyone on whom you depends Components of customer experience: Functional - technical performance (preparing a medication) Mechanical - Sensory presentation (the sights, smells, sounds, etc) Human interaction - behaviour and appearance of service providers (choice of words, tone of voice, body language and dress) Receiving emotional support from co-workers to give better customer service The support of co-workers is more important than the support of supervisors Principles of customer satisfaction: Be ready to accept empowerment Empowerment refers to managers transferring, or sharing power with lower-ranking employees Enhance customer service through information technology (IT) Avoid rudeness and hostility towards customers Creating a bond with your customer: Create a welcoming attitude, including a Smile. Provide exceptional service. Show care and concern Make the buyer (customer) feel good. Build a personal relationship. Invite the customer back Enhancing ethical behaviour, week 14: Ethics: refersto what is good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust, and what people should do Ethical issues are complex People do not recognize the moral issues involved in a decision People have different levels or moral development Developing virtuousness: Rationality Honesty Independence Productivity Forgiveness Following a guide to ethical decision-making: Gather the facts Define the ethical issues Identify the affected parties Identify the consequences Identify the obligations Consider your character and integrity Think creatively about potential actions Check your intuition