Individual

Behavior
Basis of the paper is to
figure out why individuals
behave a certain way in a
workplace environment.

04-26-2009
 Table of Content

1. Background on Scenario

2. Organizational and Management Process

3. Planning

4. Organizing

5. Leading and Controlling

6. Managing Effectiveness

7. Individual Behaviors
Background on Scenario

Sandra Buckley, hardworking, dependable what you would call a model employee until l six

months ago when I started noticing changes in her work ethics. Ms. Buckley in the past has

never had any issues when it came to work or her fellow co-workers, but the past months she has

complained about the work load, employees and having to work over time. Working in a diverse

environment at times can be very different but in today’s society diversity is very common and

one has to be able to adapt to their environment even when changes come into play. This is

where it is believed that Ms. Buckley change in behavior has arisen. Recently a promotion

opportunity was presented to employees and Ms. Buckley was one of the people that were being

considered for the promotion, sadly to say the promotion went to someone that were more

qualified for the job than Sandra, although she has seniority.

Organizational Behavior and the Management Process

As one of the managers that work in the department in which Sandra currently resides in,

it’s up to me to stay on top of all employees and if a problem comes into play make sure that

problem is handled before disciplinary procedures are taken. So when I started noticing the

changed in behavior between Sandra and her co-workers I began to put my managerial skills into

Planning

Planning is a major part of my process; it is not easy to get information out of my

employees about their co-workers. So instead of just asking around I started to gradually bring

up the changes in different conversation with different employees. Gradually I started to find out

that Sandra felt a certain way when another employee was given the promotion over her. Being
that she was been with the company for years and has the experience it’s up to the other

managers and myself to do what is best for the company as a whole. The promotion was given

to a newer employee that has more education and experience in the field. Mr. Smith has worked

for other companies and his resume was flawless which is why he was hired, he choose to start at

the bottom since at the time he was hired there were no managerial positions available. When

the position came about my colleagues and I discussed both Sandra and Michael and he was

chosen after voting. The decision was one that was better for the company and our department

for future references.

Organizing

Once I obtained this formation a meeting was called between all the managers in our

department to discuss my finding and decide on what actions should be taken. Should Sandra

have been given the promotion, should she be suspended or terminated, all of these ideas were

brought to the table at the meeting and discussed in detail. The company has basis on why she

should be let go since her job is now lacking but she is still a good worker and her work hasn’t

started to suffer at this point. Her behavior and complaining these needs to be corrected before

us as a department can go forward. A vote was taken to see who would be the one to have a

meeting with Sandra to explain to her why she was passed over for the promotion and to see if

there are any other issues she maybe having that need to be addressed. Since I have worked so

close with Sandra over the past couple of years I was chosen to bring this information to her

attention.

Leading and Controlling

 A week after the managerial meeting I sent an email to Sandra letting her that she and I

needed to meet to discuss business related issues. On the day of our meeting I met Sandra in

conference room and began to ask her if she was happy with her job and if there are any issues

that she needed to address with me or any of the other managers. Once we started talking she

opened up about certain employees and the promotion she was passed over. She also expressed

that her job was getting boring and that she felt like she need more responsibilities. Once all of

the issues were brought to my attention we collaborated about each one and what should be

done. We first discussed the promotion, as a her manager I let her know that Michaels

experience and education is the reason he was given the job over her and it wasn’t that we hadn’t

noticed how hard she works its just that we have to think about what was best for the department

and the company in the long run. I also told her that if only she had expressed this months ago

this meeting wouldn’t be taking place and that in the future if there is a problem I am here and

we as a team can solve it before it gets out of hand. We also discussed other opportunities that

are coming and that if she wants to be considered she is going to have to first correct her

behavior and second understand that when a decision is made its not that her efforts are going

unnoticed its that we have to think about every possible situation can happen in the future and

who we think is going to be able to handle the situation. Since the meeting Sandra’s behavior

has changed drastically, she has gone back to being the dependable and hardworking person she

once was.

Managing for Effectiveness

In today’s society manager’s work to optimize a variety of individual-level, group-level and

organizational-level outcomes, it is sometimes necessary to make tradeoffs among the different

types and levels f outcomes (Griffin/ Gregory, PG 20).

Individual Behaviors

In the scenario above with Sandra her individual behavior was effecting a particular department

and if the situation wasn’t correct it would have in the end corrupted the organization. In any

organization one person can put a stop to the success of that organization with their behavior.

Whether they are upper management or a lower employee, our behavior speaks not only of us

but also of the company that we are representing. Take for example: if Maxwell Coffee is

having a meeting with a French coffee maker why send someone that first off can’t speak French

and who has had behavior problems in the past regardless if they do a good job presenting. As a

company you have to think ahead before a situation takes place and you just always put your best

employee on the job.

In the case of Sandra and her feeling about the promotion being given to

another employee, individual behavior is the easiest and yet the hardest to change.

Talking to an individual to find out what problems are causing them to act out and

discussing the issue to see if there is anything that can be done to correct the issue

is the best way. In life and in the workplace a person’s personal life and work life

always lap over into one another. Whether its finances or family people always mix

the two, this is a problems arise. Though it is hard to not think about a problem that

you maybe having at home when you are at work it is something that has to be

done. Personal problems can affect someone’s work ethics and hurt a company. For

instance, working in retail is a demanding job that one must have a clear head each

day since you are dealing with the public and different personalities each day. If you

go to work and have been fighting with your boyfriend or girlfriend whether you are
crying or just angry, you are more likely to take out your frustrations on the

customers and this can lead to disciplinary actions. This type of behavior reflects

badly on both the company and the individual. The only thing about an individual

would be is that person willing to change their behavior, it maybe easy with some

but with others it can be just as hard. Some have established an idea that people

are out to get them and don’t want to see them succeed in life when that isn’t the

case. For instance the situation with Sandra could have gone completely different if

she wasn’t willing to change. If she already had it made up in her mind that she was

the best for the job and that she was going to act out regardless of the

consequences. Individuals that have this type of mentality are the worst kind of

people to have working for you, these types of people think that the world owes

them something and they everyone is out to get them. Individual behavior is up to

that individual and their mind state, those that are willing to change make a

managers job easier and the workplace better for all those in that environment.
 Reference Page

Organizational Behavior. Ricky W. Griffin/Gregory Moorhead