Organizational behavior

1. Amar works for an IT company as a project coordinator. His boss, Ajay is very adamant and
wants the work to be done according to his way without even considering anyone’s perspective. If
Amar commits any minor mistake also he is reprimanded in front of the entire team. Ajay wants
Amar to stay late beyond office hours, even when his work is complete. Consider the given
situation and explain the pitfalls in leadership shown by Ajay.

SOLUTION

Introduction

To explain the pitfalls in leadership shown by Ajay needs a wide range of discussions for the
benefit of academic and management fields. Before any other points are cited, the contradictory attitudes
of Ajay in this assignment and Sameer in the following assignment are worth studying for a common
purpose, i.e.poor leadership or leadership with pitfalls and leading a workforce and motivating the
followers, and achieving organizational goals.

Let us elaborate on the meaning and consequences of pitfalls in leadership. There are 8
Common pitfalls a leader must avoid:

1. Ajay is reactively putting out fires instead of proactively finding out and placing longer-term
solutions.
2. Ajay uses the power of the position in place of coaching.
3. Ajay makes such decisions and expects his employees should be following him in the same
line with the same perspectives.
4. He is not communicating his expectations to his followers.
5. Ajay’s style of leading is just micromanaging employees instead of helping them develop on
their own.
6. He is not holding employees to remain accountable for performance.
7. He is assuming that what motivates him (Ajay) will motivate his all employees, (especially
Amar here).
8. Ajay is not providing effective or result-oriented performance feedback and training.

Key takeaway-- "Great leaders find out what motivates every person they are managing,"
suggests Tery of Attainment Inc., a consulting firm in Phoenix that helps successful people move to the
next level. In the same line, leaders are expected to look for the cause of poor employee performance.

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Many times, the poor performance of employees can be traced right back to the leader. The examples
are:

a) ·Employees remain directionless – it is a communication problem

b) They don't know what to do and why it must look to be a directionless situation.
c) ·They don’t want to do the job – it is most likely the motivation problem.
d) ·They don't know how to do the job – that means a lack of training & skill development.

Learn how to prioritize and how to manage goals

“One among the biggest leadership challenges is transitioning from a reactive mindset to a
proactive one" posits Linda Tennant. This requires leaders to fathom such a plan that can prioritize tasks
—with total team performance in mind. A question rises about Ajay -- does he fathom this wisdom?
Linda adds a leader must understand that effective and efficient are two different things. Effective
pertains to getting the right things done while efficiency is aligned with getting everything done as
quickly as possible. Hence, it becomes important for a leader to get the right things on the task list, -
does Ajay stick to this?

HPAs (High-payoff activities) refer to those six prime activities a leader should spend at least
80 percent of his/her time on. Leaders should first identify their HPAs. After practicing so, the leader
will chalk out time to help employees develop their own. Leadership HPAs are subject to vary from
company to company because each one of these companies and their atmosphere & circumstance is
different. Leaders, in some companies, will be responsible for certain day-to-day technical tasks. Under
this view, some common leadership HPAs are very much incomprehensible that all leaders should have
in their knowledge library. They are as below:

a) · Communicate company values, vision, and goals.

b) · Achieve financial goals of the company.
c) · Identify KPIs (key performance indicators), HPAs, and scorecards for employees.
d) · Help employees develop career plans, motivation, and training plans.
e) · Provide feedback and coaching on employee performance.
f) · Develop, document, and keep the goal of improving processes.

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 Linda advises that a leader has to devote most of their time to these said areas. And further to
that, the focus areas of a leader should be engrossed in their employee performances. And relevantly, a
leader's job is to make the team more productive.

Once the leadership HPAs have been developed, the next priority of a leader is to get on track
in spending the majority of his/her time on them. Some of the pieces of advice she lists are:

Leaders need to schedule blocks of time and also plan and work on this

· Interruptions must be controlled during those blocks of time

· Having done so, a leader needs to delegate low-payoff activities that others can do

A leader needs to establish a delegation plan -- Delegating jobs can be a bit challenging for
many leaders. Instincts often suggest that it is really difficult for employees to do jobs that too so quickly
as leaders can. This apart, a leader may sometimes fear being viewed by their superiors as making a big
enough contribution or just the opposite, not working hard enough.

In reality, if delegation is done properly, it may be instrumental to a company's ability to thrive

as well as grow. Effective delegation translates to more employee learning and more task output,
enabling more people to take more responsibility for the expansion of the company. Delegation in its
essence, helps leaders free up more of their time to spend on their own HPAs, which is the secret to
maximizing any team's performance.
Linda further adds that by delegating one task for just a half-hour each day to complete, a
leader, (Ajay here) could have freed up an entire month over a single year. You can imagine what could
be the aggregated outcome with that extra month per year!!

Leaders can start by identifying a task one of their employees could do either simply for their
personal development or the employee can do better for less money or time.

Conclusion

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 Finally, leaders must follow through on their commitments. This is how leaders not only build
credibility but also inspire their teams. Credibly, leaders are expected to build a system that can ensure
sure that when they say they are going to do something, they stick to that and accomplish it.

2. Sameer works as a team leader in a multinational company. Whenever his team member
performs well and goes out of their way to serve the client he awards them. The award can be a
gift voucher or an appreciation mail. Sameer also encourages good behavior by removing or
handling well the situation which may lead to undesirable behavior. Because of this practice, it was
the best performing team in the office. Analyze the situation and explain the elements of
reinforcement used by Sameer.

SOLUTION

Introduction

Sameer deserves huge appreciation for converting his team to the best-performing team in the
office. If we analyze the situation and explain the elements of reinforcement used by Sameer, the
following findings come into our hands. Sameer's action is known as Positive Reinforcement.

What makes Positive Reinforcement in Sameer’s Workplace/organization?

"Positive reinforcement concept" is pretty simple. Why so? When a leader rewards good
behavior, it is most likely to be repeated. And whether you're talking about learning a new job skill, dog
training, or potty training; the same principles brought in by Skinner in the early 20th century still get
applied today.

As far as positive reinforcement strategies are concerned, Skinner was a strong propounder of
that. Rhetorically asking by quoting him, "What is love except for another name for the use of positive
reinforcement? Or vice versa”. To go with Skinner's operant learning theory (1938), if we can add a
rewarding operant (e.g., stimulus) after the desired behavior, that behavior gets reinforced, and is thus
most probably to occur again. Some more theories of Skinner are response types, negative
reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement, etc.), but the basic concept of positive reinforcement is as
follows: --Reward the behaviors -- if you want to see it gets repeated. Having said this, the "Positive
Reinforcement’ term is often used synonymously with ‘Reward.’.

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 Why does Positive Reinforcement matter at work?

It will be pertinent to consider the real significance of positive reinforcement in the workplace.
First of all, we spend a crucial portion of our lives at our jobs. To exemplify it, a person works full-time
per day, e.g., 40 hours per week and for 30 years. This aggregates to one-third of that person's life spent
at work – a number that has only increased over time due to a later average age of retirement and higher
life expectancies.

Given this lifetime investment of talent and time, it makes sense that one's work environment
should be pleased with many positive opportunities or an atmosphere for growth and advancement.
Further to that, from the standpoint of an employer; employee churn or turnover, results in an expense to
an organization. To correctly calculate it, economic turnover costs have been estimated to go for a
highly skilled job as high as 213% of a year’s salary. As it's a consequence, it is in the best interest of an
employer to provide a rewarding atmosphere that surely encourages motivation and productivity; and
that discourages turnover – in particular, undesirable turnover (i.e., the loss of valued employees, as
viewed by Mayhew, (2019). Nonetheless, going far i.e. 1946, ample evidence that supported the
motivating impact of simply feeling appreciated for a job well done from the works of Wiley (1997),
could be traced there.

Effective Leadership

The two underlying as well as crucial purposes of positive reinforcement in the workplace are:

1. To acknowledge the desired behavior; and thereafter

2. encourage the desired behavior.

Undoubtedly, these types of acts of intentional acknowledgment and encouragement mandate

effective leadership that is both inspiring and motivating. In the views of Cleavenger & Munyon, (2013)
transformational leadership promotes motivation by inspiring employees to do their best. However,
James MacGregor Burns, Pulitzer Prize winner, describes the underlying agenda of transformational
leadership lies in the nourishment and protection of happiness, so that the opportunity to pursue
happiness for all people can be extended. Transformational leadership has an intense connection with
positive reinforcement; the reason being, it is concerned with enhancing the perceived meaningfulness

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of work. This objective is achievable by reinforcing various types of positive behaviors, such as
autonomy (about providing employees credit for contributions and celebrations of team successes); and
task significance (that pertains to the acknowledgment of individual contributions).

It is these transformational leadership qualities that promote effective employee-manager

relationships; and that in turn, increase an employee's ability to make meaningful and rewarding career
contributions.

Research and Studies

Positive psychology has a considerable link with the studies of organizational behavior.
Furthermore, several researchers have established the significance of positive organizational behavior
that has enhanced desired work-related outcomes.

Performance Incentivization

Researchers, in addition to these psychological concepts, have investigated the correlation

between specific workplace performance and workplace incentives. An example is the comprehensive
meta-analytic review of workplace incentive studies by Condy, Clark, and Stolovitch (2008), published
in the eric.ed.gov/ . A few of the main findings are as below:

i) · Team-directed incentives had a stronger relationship with the performance outcomes

compared to individually-directed incentives;
ii) · As a whole, incentive programs were instrumental in increasing 22% increase in
workplace performance;
iii) · Long-term incentive programs were more connected with the larger performance
increases in comparison to short-term programs;
iv) · Compared to non-monetary, tangible incentives, money was a more powerful predictor
of performance.

There are several studies along with this research, that outline a significant relationship
between many types of positive work outcomes, and positive reinforcement practices.

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 Positive Reinforcement and their Techniques and Strategies for Uses

Positive psychology plays a significant role when it comes to increasing motivation,

productivity, and satisfaction in the workplace. There are several evidence-based strategies for boosting
each of these outcomes through these three domains: the individual worker, organization, and
management.

The Role of Strengths

This approach involves elucidation and promotion of strengths in the workplace, as against
deficits, among individuals. Luthans (2002, p. 695) defines positive organizational behavior in the
following paraphrase -- “the study and application ofpositively oriented human resource strengths and
psychological capacities which are measurable, worth developing, and effectively manageable for
performance improvement in today’s workplace.”

Conclusion

Similarly, the value of work at the individual level is supported, and employers can promote
employee motivation. Many additional strategies for administering positive reinforcement have been
provided by Leadership experts in such a way that is not only effective, it is motivating and inspiring
too.

Effective leaders like Sameer possess a meaningful repository of reinforcement techniques, and
they know how & where to use them. Whether the type of reinforcement is verbal feedback, monetary
compensation, advancement opportunities, or anything like this; it is vital to recognize that the potency
of a reward is contingent upon the particular employee and also what he/she finds rewarding in totality.

3. Case:
Renita Parker was a trainer for a Tasty Tummy multinational company, in FMCG
business. She worked brilliantly with the executives on their writing and helped them to feel
more confident about it. Renita worked with top executives as well as the shop floor level. She realized
that teaching the shop floor employees was her call and she wanted to work more with them. Renita was
paid quite high as majorly she was dealing with the top executives. Renita met Mark, her supervisor, and
explained to him that she wanted to be associated with teaching and training the shop floor employees

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because many of them could not write anything other than their names. She also agreed to work on a
reduced salary and started offering English classes as an added benefit to them. Although the classes
took some man hours the employee's productivity increased and even some of them began to apply for
supervisory positions

a. What content theories would explain why Renita was unhappy despite her high
income? (5 Marks)

SOLUTION

Introduction

Individuals who have a high urge for achievement will remain eager to engage in competitive
activities so that they can fulfill this desire. Individuals like Renita will require to be affiliated and will
tend to join teams, clubs, and groups and thus they will satiate that want. Individuals who have the urge
for power will seek activities that accord with their needs and satisfy them, as such, they run for high
positions in their organizations and tend to seek opportunities to exercise their dominance.

Content theory

A subset of motivational theories, Content theory tries to define what motivates people.
Content theories of motivation often relate to a system of needs that motivate the actions of people.
While Process theoriesof motivation try to explain why and how our motivations affect our behaviors,
content theories of motivation try to define what those needs or motives are. The work of Abraham
Maslow, David McClelland, and other psychologists are encompassed in the Content theory.

Need theory

The Need for Achievement is connected with the motive of getting ahead and succeeding. The
Need theory is affiliated with the desire to be around people and be socially well received. The theory
also includes the inclination for being a member of a group and maintaining conformity there-in. The
Need for Power substantiates the desire for control over others and also over oneself. The concept
confers the need to be able to exercise direction in the world surrounding you and cause things to happen

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 David McClelland’s proposal of a context that understands people’s needs, which are of much
importance in understanding their behaviors and motivations. It is subdivided into three categories: the
Need for Power, the Need for Affiliation, and the Need for Achievement.

Theory of Self-determination

SDT (self-determination theory) was developed and tested in the early 1970s by Deci and
Ryan. Three innate needs have been identified by SDT that, if satisfied, will facilitate optimal functions
as well as growth, such as 1) competence, 2) relatedness, and 3) autonomy. These three psychological
needs are found to be important for psychological health & well-being and also for behavioral
motivation. Three essential elements are affiliated with the theory.

Humans are innately proactive with their potential and tend to master their inner forces (such
as emotions and drive). Humans have an innate inclination towards growth, supplemented by
development, leading to integrated functioning. Optimal development and actions are ingrained in
humans but they hardly happen automatically. Within SDT, Deci & Ryan distinguish between four
different types of extrinsic motivation, and also differentiated their levels of perceived autonomy:

External regulation -- among these four, this is the least autonomous and is determined by
external punishment or reward.

Introjected regulation -- The external motivation of this type arises when the individuals have
somewhat internalized regulations but do not accept them as their own.

Identified regulation -- Predominantly, this is autonomously driven - when the individuals

consciously or deliberately recognize the actions as valuable.

Integrated regulation -- This regulation is the most self-determining form of motivation and the
action has been internalized and is connected with the beliefs, and values, and is perceived as necessary
for the wellbeing of an individual.

Conclusion

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 Renita falls under the SDT’s Identified regulation category, as she consciously or deliberately
recognizes the actions as valuable.

b. Renita seems to have drifted into being a teacher. Given her needs and motivations, do
you think teaching is an appropriate profession for her? (5 Marks)

SOLUTION

Introduction

To answer whether Renita’s acceptance of teaching is an appropriate profession for her or not
can be supported by studying the essence of different appropriate theories.

Natural theories -- The natural system presupposes that people have higher-order needs, and
that is the reason the theory contrasts with the Rational theory which suggests that people dislike work
and are solely responsible for either punishment or rewards. Theory Y by McGregor, suggests that
human behavior is based on satisfying a hierarchy of needs, such as social, ego, physiological, safety,
and self-fulfillment.

This Theory Y appears to be most relevant to Renita’s acceptance of a teaching as an

appropriate professional. The rationale is:

Physiological needs are the most important yet lowest level. These fundamental requirements
include shelter, food, rest, and exercise. After the physiological needs are satisfied, people can focus on
safety needs, which are comprised of protection against deprivation, danger, and threat. Nevertheless, if
management makes biased or arbitrary employment decisions, then an employee's safety needs remain
unsatiated. The next set of needs is social, which refers to affiliation, reciprocal friendships, desire for
acceptance, and love. In the natural system of management, as such, close knit-work teams are
productive. In this perspective, if an employee's social needs are unmet, he will act defiantly.

There are two types of egoistic needs , which is the second-highest order of all needs. The first
type is aligned with one's self-esteem, which includes independence, achievement, self-confidence,
competence, and knowledge. The second type deals with recognition, respect from colleagues,
reputation, and status. Egoistic needs are comparatively more difficult to satisfy. The highest order of
needs is for self-fulfillment, which encompasses areas for self-improvement, recognition of one's full

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potential, and the opportunity for creativity. This disagrees with the rational system, which takes for
granted that people favor security and routine over creativity. As a means of motivation, the natural
system is a constituent of these needs. This system contradicts the rational management system, which
assumes that humans least care for these higher-order needs.

Self-management through teamwork

To successfully motivate and manage employees, the natural system confirms that being a part
of a group is essential. Mayo posits due to the structural changes in the social order, the workplace is
more fluid and adaptive. This has led to individual employees losing their sense of stability and also
security, which could have been otherwise possible by being a member of a group. Undoubtedly, if
teams continuously change within jobs, employees feel empty, irrational, anxious, and become harder to
work with.

Wage incentives

Besides wage incentives, humans are motivated by additional factors. People are not driven
toward economic interests, contrary to the rational theory of motivation, it is rather conforming to the
natural system. To exemplify it, based on each unit of their output, the straight piecework system pays
employees. Employees look for upper limits on each person's daily output, which is in direct contrast to
the ideas underlying their system of financial incentives, which does not limit them to any upper
scale/boundary to performance other than the physical capacity of the individual.

Conclusion

Having conclusively discussed all the above points, it is clear that Renita’s decision to teach
and train the employees was above many considerations. Hence, Theory Y by McGregor satisfies a
hierarchy of needs, such as social, ego, physiological, safety, and self-fulfillment.

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