Human behavior and interactions are a product of his reaction to his

environment, social setting, motivation, inspiration and personal need.

Decisions, no matter how basic, are made with consideration of a number of
random and pertinent factors, to ensure that the outcome is valid, just for
most part and right. This defines the person going forth and alters them to a
shade different from what they were before. This is what happened after
graduation from college.
Graduating college, I was excited to get a job with a major airline. I was
going to be a part of a great team, I was going to be in charge of the engine
fleet on a major ariframe, I was going to work for a reputable company and I
was going to be making a lot of money. My motivation was at an all-time
high. My continuance commitment to the organization was strong. I looked at
life through rose tinted glasses and I leaned very much towards Theory Y.
Once I started work, thats when I realized that what I was sold was different
from what I was experiencing.
The team was mismanaged and it was evident with the frustration of the
team members. The team consisted of a great bunch of highly skilled and
highly talented individuals who mightve had a sense of accomplishment and
vigor at one point of time in their careers but were now complacent to the
issues that plagued the team. The immediate management was not in tune
with the needs of the employees. Every department had a manager and it
seemed like the attitude was very Machiavellian. Issues, instead of being
resolved in a concerted group effort, were more likely to be swept under the

rug while being resolved in secret. We were unofficially made to involve

other departments as less as possible because otherwise we would seem
incompetent. This attitude led to an escalation of commitment where we
were made to hold our ground, no matter what the outcome because we
were team players. Job satisfaction seemed to have tanked within the team.
However, the members stayed put because the financial incentive for
working for the company apparently was enough to trump the inherent
negativities there. The physiological need was overly satisfied through
salaries and bonuses and therefore people were willing to make sacrifices on
their group social need and esteem. I felt that in the misery, the social need
was gratified through a feeling of were all in the same sinking boat
mentality. We all knew that the conditions we were in were bad and that is
what brought us closer, made us belong and established deep friendships.
However, for me, fresh out of college, I knew I had my career in front of me
and I had to do something about it.
I decided to step up and start taking initiative. I started involving myself in
projects and I would attend meetings and discussions where my presence
was welcome but not needed. I would try to instill positivity and motivation
to the other employees through my actions and to some extent it worked.
The other team members would see my vigor and would help promote it in
me. It seemed like I was directly motivated by a combination of goal setting
and self-efficacy theories. I started to get recognized by my peers and on

some occasions, by my manager. However, my manager wouldnt appreciate

it for too long.
During my first annual review, my manager did praise a lot of the work I did.
However, I was told that I was too eager and inquisitive and it was seen as a
negative because I was bringing on many projects to the team and that was
not a good thing. I was also told that having a lot of enthusiasm was
detrimental to my growth in the company because I seemed more of a Yes
person rather than someone who would pause and think before reacting. I
was very surprised by the review. I wasnt sure if it was a joke or I was really
being reprimanded for being a positive person making the best of the
situation I was in. Thats when I realized the flawed management style in the
company and the reason why the other team members were complacent in
their ways and why they would not strive to break the norm. My manager,
probably a product of strong core self-evaluation but in a negative aspect,
was bringing the team down. I understood that I was in a toxic environment
and I had to get out.
I mentioned my review to some of the team members who, to my surprise,
were not surprised. Apparently they had seen the path I was taking with my
outlook on my job and knew that it was a matter of time where I would be
told to fall in line. Apparently, this was the norm in the engineering aspect of
the company. They explained that this was the reason why there is a large
turnover among college graduates who start their careers there. I felt like I
had to get out. I started looking for other jobs.

Since I started looking for jobs, my motivation took a beating. My vision for
myself and the company was shattered. I took it personally and resented
waking up in the morning because I had to go to work. I started drinking
more after work and I started to gain some weight. Looking back, I am
surprised that I let it affect me that much. I started doing the bare minimum
work to meet deadlines and get the work done. My passion was lost. As
weeks went by, I actually had the audacity to look for jobs at work during my
lunch break. Thats when an opportunity arose in the form of an interview
with another airline. I started feeling old me come back. I prepped for the
interview harder than other interviews Ive been in. My interview was a
success and I was offered a position in the new airlines. It may seem
insignificant but seeing the offer letter actually was the most gratifying event
since I graduated college. I felt I was alive again.
This series of events was a particular trying time of my life. Analyzing it
based on the theories and principles Ive learnt from this class has actually
explained to me how I reacted right and wrong in the many situations I
faced. I see the narcissistic tendency of the manager, the complacent
attitude of my team members and the lack of productivity of the entity as a
result of poorly managed organization with no effort being done to
understand and improve the organizational behavior as a whole. Im glad to
have escaped it.