Chapter7Slides.pptx

Chapter 7:
Organizational Relationships

Introduction
Human beings are inherently social
Tasks are accomplished through division of labor, individual specialization of skills and tasks, and interaction with others through relationships
Many factors influence these relationships, particularly in the workplace

Case Study: The Flight Attendant
August 9, 2010 – Steven Slater was working for JetBlue
While taxiing after landing, Slater instructed a passenger to remain seated
While ignoring Slater, the passenger continued in her efforts and in the process hit Slater in the head with her bag
Slater promptly announced his unhappiness on the plane’s intercom, pulled the emergency evacuation chute, slid down, drove off and was arrested later that day

Emotion in the Workplace
Employees bring their emotions to work with them every day
Emotions are an inseparable part of everyday life
Emotions are intense feelings directed at someone or something, they are reactions to a person or an event
How many different emotions can you think of?

Emotional Labor
Work that requires the employee to display certain emotions as part of the job
Explained by Hochschild as “labor requiring one to induce or suppress feeling in order to sustain the outward countenance that produces the proper state of mind in other . . . .”
Professions with high emotional labor:
Doctors
Nurses
Restaurant wait staff
Flight attendants

Regulating Your Emotions
Accept the fact that as human beings we are going to be emotional, positive/negative impacts on our communication
Be aware of our own emotions and the psychological and physical impact they are having on us at any given time
Decide on what action is necessary in light of our emotions and the emotions of our colleague
Emotions are tied to stress, which is linked to burnout
Practicing empathy, or the identification and understanding of the way others feel, will help us better know how to balance the emotional and rational aspects of our communication

Critical Thinking Questions – Emotions
Are there jobs where it is completely inappropriate to show emotion?
Are certain personality types better suited for jobs with high levels of emotional labor?

Listening and Relationships
Active listening is listening and responding in a manner that supports mutual understanding of a message

Active listening requires concentration and feedback of the message so the sender can determine the accuracy of the listener’s interpretation

What are some reasons that we don’t listen?

Perception in the Workplace
Perception is the process by which we become aware of our surroundings and interpret meaning
Perception checking is important for effective interactions, and we do so by asking questions and seeking out alternative viewpoints
Our perception, which is based on our experiences, what we think, and our emotional state, inherently become our reality – meaning that our perception, or our interpretation of a situation, affects how we approach organizational relationships

Perception Model

Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace
Nonverbal interactions, including body movements, facial expressions, intonations and other subtle factors, can easily impact the delivery of a message.
Nonverbal channels include:
Physical appearance
Kinesics
Touch
Facial Expression
Space
Voice (tone and emphasis)
Our use of time

Personality and Organizational Relationships
Personality (sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others) is an important consideration for organizational relationships
Analyzing a person’s different personality can better help to understand a situation
Myers-Briggs type indicator
Big 5 model
Emotional intelligence
Attribution theory
Fundamental attribution theory

Case Study: CBS Hit The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon, a character on the show The Big Bang Theory is a scientist with an IQ of 187
Though academically intelligent, he has a very low level of emotional intelligence
The television show features characters with various levels of emotional intelligence, and Sheldon’s EI grows over time
Can you rank the EI of the characters?

Decision-Making and Relationships
Decision-making occurs as a reaction to a problem, or an awareness that a discrepancy exists between the current and desired state of affairs

Decisions can be made in a variety of ways, including leader mandates, powerful minorities, majority rule, and consensus

Processes to assist with decision-making include: brainstorming, the Delphi technique, nominal group technique

Critical Thinking Questions – Decision-Making
Consider the organizations of which you have been a part: for example, family, church, school, a job. What type of decision-making process was typically used?
How did these decision-making processes influence the relationships of those involved?

Power, Politics, and Ethics: Effects on Relationships
Ethical standards adopted by an organization can constrain the abuse of power, and can provide appropriate guidance to help direct employee relational behavior in positive ways
Ethical abuses can occur, so communicating in a positive manner and developing solid relationships is useful

Context Matters
For-Profit Organizations
Many different personality types typical in large organizations
Small es
Fewer employees, both challenging and positive personalities
Nonprofit Organizations
Mission or affiliation can draw like-minded people
Government Sector
Political understandings can constrain relationships