Amity Center for e-Learning

Organizational Behavior
Session : 3

Ms. Snigdha Malhotra

 Amity Center for e-Learning

Personality Assessment
• How does one measure another’s personality?
Methods include:
– interviews and observation
– projective personality tests
– objective personality tests
• We will now discuss each of these in some
depth
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Interviews and Observation

• Interviews consist of dialogue with the person in an effort to
detect their ideas, beliefs, and values
– when you first meet someone you have likely engaged in
this method of personality assessment

• Observation consists of watching the person in various

situations over time in an effort to discern their ideas, beliefs,
values, and behavior patterns
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Projective Personality Tests

• These are based on the belief that the unconscious mind contains the roots
of personality

• They are based on a psychoanalytic view of personality

• Types of projective tests include:

– Rorshach Inkblot test
– Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
– Word- and free-association tests
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Objective Personality Tests

• Objective tests attempt to overcome

the subjectivity of interviews and
projective tests by using paper-pencil
multiple choice tests
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GROUP
DYNAMICS
 What is a group? Amity Center for e-Learning

• Two or more individuals interacting

who have come together to achieve
a particular goal.
• Two or more interacting individuals
with a stable pattern of relationship
between them who perceive
themselves as a group.
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• If a group exists the members:

Motivate to join.
Perceive the group as a unified unit
of interacting people.
Contribute in various degrees.
Have agreements and
disagreements, but finally a
common outcome.
 What is group dynamics? Amity Center for e-Learning

• It is a perspective of:
• Internal nature of a group/ composition.
• How it is formed.
• Its structure and processes.
• How does it function.
• How does it affect individual members.
• How does it affect organisation.
 Reasons for joining
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groups
1. SECURITY: group reduces
insecurity and standing alone
syndrome.

2. Status : recognition and status

same as that of group.
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3. Self-Esteem: Self importance

4.Affiliation: Fulfills need of affection

5. Power: There is power in number

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6. Goal achievement: pool of talent,

skills and knowledge
9 Stages of Group
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Development

8–13
 STAGES OF GROUP Amity Center for e-Learning

FORMATION :
STAGE -I
• FORMING: CONFUSION- not certain
about purpose, task and leadership.
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STAGE II
• STORMING: conflict and
confrontation(disagreements).

STAGE III
• NORMING: settling down, coop, collaboration
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STAGE IV
• PERFORMING: group fully functional,
devoted to task at hand.

STAGE V
• ADJOURNING: end of group/ new modified
group
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TYPES OF GROUPS :
• Formal & informal groups
• Command & Task groups
• Interest & Friendship groups
• Coalitions
 FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP
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PERFORMANCE

• Composition
• Size
• norms
• cohesiveness
 COMPOSITION
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• Heterogeneous group with diverse

abilities and information more effective.
• Effective outcome with heterogeneous
group in terms of gender, personality,
opinions, skills and perspective.
• Cultural diversity useful when diversity
of view points are required.
• However, culturally diverse group have
difficulty in learning.
 Contd.. Amity Center for e-Learning

• Common demographic attributes like

age, sex, race, education level
strength of service in organisation
result in better outcome.
• Composition of a group acts as a
predictor of turn over.
• Groups which have cohorts( persons
with common attributes) are likely to
perform better.
 SIZE Amity Center for e-Learning

• Does the size of a group affect the

group’s overall behavior? YES
• For completion of a particular
task( something productive)- smaller
group but for problem solving a larger
group more effective.
• Individual becomes a free rider.
 NORMS Amity Center for e-Learning

What do they mean?

• All groups have norms.
• These are acceptable standards of behavior that
are shared by group members.
• These define what ought/ought not to be done
by members.
• When accepted and agreed upon by members
these act as behavior influencing parameters for
conduct without outside control.
• Norms differ group to group.
• These could be formally or informally laid down.
 Common classes
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for e-Learning

norms
• Performance norms: laid down parameters
as to how hard a person is required to work,
what production level to achieve and so on.
• Appearance norms: dress, seeming to look
for a new job etc.
• Arrangement norms: basically applicable to
informal groups. These laid down degree of
social interaction. In essence participative
social activities.
• Allocation of resources norms: these could
include pay, bonus, tools equipment,
assignment of difficult jobs etc.
HOW’S & WHY’S OF NORMS
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HOW
Norms normally develop in one or more
ways:
• Explicit statement by manager: no personal
calls during working hours.
• Critical events in group’s history: monitoring
each other, eg: accident.
• Primacy: the first behaviour pattern that
emerges sets the norms. My seat, my friend etc.
• Carry over behaviour: what one followed.
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WHY
• It facilitate group survival- as group they don’t
want to fail and forbid interference from other
groups.
• It increases the predictability of group members
predictability of behavior.
• It reduces embarrassing inter personal
problems of group members.
• It allows group members to express the central
values of the group and clarify.
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Understanding
Work Teams
Why Have Teams Become So Amity Center for e-Learning

Popular?
Teams typically outperform individuals.
•
• Teams use employee talents better.
• Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes
in the environment.

• Teams facilitate employee involvement.

• Teams are an effective way to democratize an
organization and increase motivation.
 Team Versus Group: What’s the
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Difference?
Work Group
A group that interacts primarily to
share information and to make
decisions to help each group
member perform within his or her
area of responsibility

Work Team
A group whose individual efforts
result in a performance that is
greater than the sum of the
individual inputs
Comparing Work Groups and
AmityWork
Center forTeams
e-Learning
 Types of Teams Amity Center for e-Learning

Problem-solving Teams
Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the
same department who meet for a few
hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the work
environment

Self-Managed Work Teams

Groups of 10 to 15 people who take on
the responsibilities of their former
supervisors
 Types of Teams (cont’d) Amity Center for e-Learning

Cross-Functional Teams
Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but
from different work areas, who come together to
accomplish a task

• Task forces

• Committees
 Types of Teams (cont’d) Amity Center for e-Learning

Virtual Teams
Teams that use computer
technology to tie together
physically dispersed members
in order to achieve a common
goal

Characteristics
CharacteristicsofofVirtual
VirtualTeams
Teams
1.1. The
Theabsence
absenceofofparaverbal
paraverbaland
andnonverbal
nonverbalcues
cues
2.2. AAlimited
limitedsocial
socialcontext
context
3.3. The
Theability
abilitytotoovercome
overcometime
timeand
andspace
spaceconstraints
constraints
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A Team-Effectiveness
Model
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Creating Effective Teams

Creating Effective Teams
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(cont’d)
Key Roles of Amity Center for e-Learning
Teams
 Amity Center for e-Learning
Creating Effective Teams
(cont’d)
Creating Effective
AmityTeams
Center for e-Learning

(cont’d)
Effects of Group Processes Amity Center for e-Learning

= +

MINUS

Goal: Maximize Process Gains While

Minimizing Process Losses!
Creating Effective Teams: Amity Center for e-Learning

Diversity
Group Demography
The degree to which members of a group share a
common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race,
educational level, or length of service in the organization,
and the impact of this attribute on turnover

Cohorts
Individuals who, as part of
a group, hold a common
attribute
 Turning Individuals into Team Amity Center for e-Learning

• The Challenges
Players
– Overcoming individual resistance to team
membership
– Countering the influence of individualistic cultures
– Introducing teams in an organization that has
historically valued individual achievement
• Shaping Team Players
– Selecting employees who can fulfill their team roles
– Training employees to become team players
– Reworking the reward system to encourage
cooperative efforts while continuing to recognize
individual contributions
 Teams and Quality
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Management
• Team Effectiveness and Quality Management
Requires that Teams:
1. Are small enough to be efficient and effective.
2. Are properly trained in required skills.
3. Are allocated enough time to work on problems.
4. Are given authority to resolve problems and take
corrective action.
5. Have a designated “champion” to call on when
needed.
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LEADERSHIP STYLES and

THEORIES
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DEFINITION
• “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the
aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common
task

• "Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to

contribute” to making something extraordinary happen.
 Types of Leadership Style
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• Autocratic
• Democratic
• Laissez Faire
• Paternalistic
 Types of Leadership Style Amity Center for e-Learning

• Autocratic:
– Leader makes decisions without reference to
anyone else
– High degree of dependency on the leader
– Can create de-motivation and alienation
of staff
– May be valuable in some types of business
where decisions need to be made quickly and
decisively
 Types of Leadership Style Amity Center for e-Learning

• Democratic:
• Encourages decision making from different
perspectives – leadership may be
emphasised throughout the organisation
– Consultative: process of consultation before
decisions are taken
– Persuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to
persuade others that the decision is correct
 Types of Leadership Style Amity Center for e-Learning

• Democratic:
– May help motivation and involvement
– Workers feel ownership of the firm and
its ideas
– Improves the sharing of ideas
and experiences within the business
– Can delay decision making
 Types of Leadership Style Amity Center for e-Learning

• Laissez-Faire:
– ‘Let it be’ – the leadership responsibilities
are shared by all
– Can be very useful in businesses
where creative ideas are important
– Can be highly motivational,
as people have control over their working life
– Can make coordination and decision making
time-consuming and lacking in overall direction
– Relies on good team work
– Relies on good interpersonal relations
 Types of Leadership Style
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• Paternalistic:
• Leader acts as a ‘father figure’
• Paternalistic leader makes decision
but may consult
• Believes in the need to support staff
 Theories of Leadership
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• Trait
• Transformational
• Behavioral
• Contingency
• Invitational
• Transactional
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Trait theories:
• Is there a set of characteristics
that determine a good leader?
– Personality?
– Dominance and personal presence?
– Charisma?
– Self confidence?
– Achievement?
– Ability to formulate a clear vision?
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Trait theories:
– Are such characteristics
inherently gender biased?
– Do such characteristics
produce good leaders?
– Is leadership more than
just bringing about change?
– Does this imply that leaders are born
not bred?
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Behavioural:
• Imply that leaders can be trained – focus
on the way of doing things
– Structure based behavioural theories – focus
on the leader instituting structures – task
orientated
– Relationship based behavioural theories –
focus on the development and maintenance of
relationships – process orientated
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Contingency Theories:
• Leadership as being more flexible –
different leadership styles used at
different times depending on the
circumstance.
• Suggests leadership is not a fixed series of
characteristics that can be transposed into
different contexts
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• May depend on:

– Type of staff
– History of the business
– Culture of the business
– Quality of the relationships
– Nature of the changes needed
– Accepted norms within the institution
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Requires:
– Long term strategic planning
– Clear objectives
– Clear vision
– Leading by example – walk the walk
– Efficiency of systems and processes
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Invitational Leadership:
– Improving the atmosphere and message sent
out by the organisation
– Focus on reducing negative messages
sent out through the everyday actions of the
business both externally and, crucially,
internally
– Review internal processes to reduce these
– Build relationships and sense of belonging and
identity with the organisation –
that gets communicated to customers, etc.
 Theories of Leadership Amity Center for e-Learning

• Transactional Theories:
– Focus on the management
of the organisation
– Focus on procedures and efficiency
– Focus on working to rules
and contracts
– Managing current issues
and problems
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POWER AND POLITICS

 Organizational PoliticsAmity Center for e-Learning

• Organizational Politics
– The activities managers engage in to
increase their power and to use power
effectively to achieve their goals or
overcome resistance or opposition.
 Organizational Politics Amity Center for e-Learning

• Political strategies
– Specific tactics used to increase power
and use it effectively to influence and
gain the support of other people while
overcoming resistance
 The Importance of
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Organizational Politics
• Politics
– Can be viewed negatively when
managers act in self-interested ways
for their own benefit.
– Is also a positive force that can bring
about needed change when political
activity allows a manager to gain
support for needed changes that will
advance the organization.
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Political
Strategies
for
Increasing
Power
 Political Strategies for
Gaining and Maintaining
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Strategies
Power
Controlling Uncertainty Reduce uncertainty for others in the firm

Being Irreplaceable Develop valuable special knowledge or

skills

Being in a Central Have decision -making control over the

Position firm’s crucial activities and resources

Generat ing Resources Hire skilled people or find financing when

it is needed

Building Alliances Develop mutually beneficial relations

with others inside and outside the
organization
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Political
Strategies
for
Exercising
Power
 Strategies for Exercising
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Power
Strategies
Relying on Objective Providing impartial information causes
Information others to feel the manager’s course of
action is correct.

Bringing in an Outside Using an expert’s opinion to lend

Expert credibility to manager’s proposal

Controlling th e Agenda Influencing those issues included (and

those dropped) from the decision
process.

Making Everyone a Making sure that everyone whose

Winner support is needed benefits personally
from providing that support.

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THANK YOU