Case Study
For
Organizational Behavior

Submitted by: Varun Paruchuri BM11059

OB Case Study

Joining XLRI after having worked in an organization (Infosys) for close to three years is one of the best things that have happened to me in my life. I was filled with boundless joy and happiness when I got to know that I had made it to XLRI. After having joined here, I was very happy to come back to studying and college life again. Everything here was excellent, the infrastructure, the faculty and the environment to learn. Subjects like Organizational Behavior highlighted the importance of being not only a good manager who is very good technically but also a good human being before anything else. It aimed to create responsible individuals who are sensible, knowledgeable and are good citizens in the society to whom everybody can look up to in their lives. Various topics were taught to us in the class and the point was driven home through effective use of real life examples, creative games and other modern teaching tools. The focus was not on the marks scored in the exam but on the learning and experience gained in the classroom. I have collated the learning’s that I have gained during the course of my stint with OB (I sincerely hope this is not the last one) below. I’m sure that as you read along, you would notice a certain trend in the learning and it indicates my progression gradually.

I learnt that EQ is generally a measure of self-awareness, which is extremely vital. I will attempt to understand myself before I try to understand others. Contemporary quotient talks about your knowledge of the background you are from and how you are able to relate to it. IIQ is a measure of intuitions. Intuitions are something we earn out of experience. Our experience gives us a wide knowledge that aids our thinking and tackling of practical situations. Next we spoke about the different innate characteristics an individual has and the factors that affect a person’s performance like age, gender, race, social group, seniority, religion and sexual orientation. We moved on to understand human being as a creature. It is believed that each person has an unlimited potential and this need not necessarily result in competencies. Competency is the potential that is displayed at work. It is potential put to use. Talking about stress, it is a result of a low level of SQ. SQ does not imply religion, but religion is one of the means to achieve it. Stress is a state of imbalance, wherein the person concerned becomes a victim of non-performance and is not able to think properly. He is not able to achieve targets and goals properly.

I have decided to honestly perform the goals entrusted upon me and those chosen by me to the best of my ability. I realize that it is best for my meaningful existence and a healthy growth.

These plays brought out the realization of a very important thing-the importance and applicability of organizational behaviour in every walk of life and in all the departments which we encounter in day to day life. Hence, one should try to incorporate the suggestions and learnings from OB in one’s life and use it to his benefit to improve the overall performance of the society.

I came to know the difference between skill, competency and talent and have decided to sharpen my skills by developing various competencies. I have decided to concentrate on my talents and put them to good use and make the most of my life.

The importance of right attitude was impressed upon us and I realised that it is with the right attitude that knowledge, talent and skill results in competency. Forming a good attitude as well as changing the attitude towards anything majorly depends on us and one must always form/change attitude keeping in mind the goals intended to be achieved. The right attitude is what helps you achieve your goals. Also, job involvement and organizational commitment as well as the other job attitudes are closely related. Hence, one must understand that an organization that ensures enthusiasm and well being of employees generally has employees with a high level of job satisfaction and involvement towards work.

Todays session enlightened me on the different stages of development of a child and what can be the results of a indifferent childhood. Also, we got a good understanding of the 3 components of personality, we understand that a person’s nature is decided by the balance between the 3 elements. Also, a vital point that was highlighted was that defence mechanisms are a good and necessary way to get rid of guilt.

I was able to understand that appreciation of work and challenging work are extremely important to keep intelligent and resourceful employees motivated. Also that personal life also plays a very important role in an employee’s work life.

The session helped us a lot in understanding the various types of personalities and the characteristics of each of them. This gave an understanding of the diversity of human race and that each personality has its own set of positives and negatives. As a compassionate human being, it would serve us well to consider all of these personalities and be well with them.

Values explain attitudes, behaviours and perceptions. So given the knowledge of a person’s values can provide insight to what motivates and drives a person. In case there is coherence between an employee’s and an organization’s values, it can greatly enhance the synergy and performance. Thus apart from ability and talent, an excellent value system is also very vital for any individual to perform to his best.

I have decided that henceforth whenever I am in a situation that is upsetting, I would first go through the experience and then let go of it. This is because avoiding such a situation will only create more disharmonies.

I have decided that henceforth whenever I am in a situation that is upsetting, I would first go through the experience and finally let go of it. This is because avoiding such a situation will only create more disharmonies.

It was a very interesting experience to learn about how groups are formed and the various stages in their formation. I was excited to experience the formation of groups, now that we all knew and understood the different stages involved.

The importance of groups and the various stages involved was discussed and I learnt a great deal. Especially it is of importance to us, because as managers, it is very important to understand the group dynamics and to work in a manner that would focus the group energies towards achieving the common goal.

I learnt the importance of leadership in day-to-day life and also in the functioning of an organization. I was inspired to be a great leader and also to lead by example and not by force. It was also important to be respected by the followers.

I learnt the importance of leadership in day-to-day life and also in the functioning of an organization. I was inspired to be a great leader and also to lead by example and not by force. It was also important to be respected by the followers.

This session was conducted to teach us about the importance of negotiation in life and also about how to interact with people in the sense when it comes to situations where we are dealing in business terms with them. A wallet was distributed with different color coins, each of which had a different value. We had to negotiate and deal with the rest of the class and end up with a higher amount at the end of every round. It was a very different and exciting game and all of us thoroughly enjoyed playing the game. We also learnt the nitty gritties and issues that would be encountered while negotiating with others.

We played for 3 rounds and at the end of the 3rd round; I had collected a pretty high number of points. Then after the game, we discussed about the concepts of negotiation and conflict resolving.

It was a wonderful experience as our work since the last two months was being showcased. The presence of the Rev. Father Tony Uvari only added to the significance of the occasion. I am pretty sure that he must have been impressed with the kind of work that we had done in the chosen organizations. The students were engulfed with feelings of satisfaction and also the need to do more such much in the future. The pure joy that we had seen in the people that we had dealt with in the last 2 months had spurred us on to do more for them in the coming future.

All the 12 groups presented their presentations and videos of the activities undertaken by them during the course of their 2 month long project. Some of the presentations were very moving and I’m sure they must have inculcated a sense of social service in each and every person.

Giving back to the society is very important no matter how small the contribution may be. Spending time with the underprivileged is the simplest, yet the most preferred thing that anybody can do. I learnt that if every person can contribute his/her little to a particular cause, then we could definitely bring about change in peoples life and make the world a better place to live in.

Personal Learning Paper And
Student Profiling for Organizational Behavior

Submitted by: Varun Paruchuri BM11059
Session 1

Course Agenda: 1) Introduction to the course 2) Division of the class into groups 3) Basics of OB, relevance of the course in general

Learning’s from the course:

1) From the group activity, I learnt that non-verbal communication is very important and that it was very essential to be able to achieve the goal in spite of communication hassles. 2) Knowing and Learning are two different things. Knowing a thing doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has been able to understand it. Learning is a continuous process that brings about a relatively permanent change in the behavior of a person or an organization. 3) The concept of performance was defined in class. Performance is a necessary factor to grow and exist. If a person does not do justice to a particular role, then he/she will have to forfeit that role. Performance is not a matter of choice but it is obligatory by nature. 4) Next the concept of freedom was defined. It is bolstered when we are on the right side of the law. When a person has a choice of doing whatever he/she intends to do, then they are said to be free. A feeling of regret indicates a lack of freedom.

Conclusion:

I will try to learn about things in depth and not just know them superficially. I will communicate effectively and try to achieve my goals in life.

Session 2

Course Agenda:

Independent variables like ability, potential, competency, biography and learning and how these affect performance were discussed in the class. It was previously pointed out that performance is not a matter of choice but a necessity to existence. Regarding ability, we spoke about the two broad classifications and the different quotients used as a gauge of ability and intelligence. Next, we discussed the biographical characteristics and the different possibilities we face being humans. Finally, we discussed potential, competency and also spoke about stress.

Learning’s from the course:
Ability is something we all are gifted with naturally. No one person is inferior to another. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and it is the realization of this that builds a person. Ability is basically the capacity of a person to perform various tasks in a job. The two broad categories of ability are: intellectual and physical. Intellectual ability involves mental activities, logical reasoning and problem solving abilities. Inductive and deductive reasoning, number aptitude, verbal comprehension, perceptual speed and memory are all related to the intellectual abilities of an individual. However, one must not that it isn’t a measure of performance. It may be one of the indicators. The other type ability is the physical ability that elaborates on an individual’s strength and skill in sports.

There are a number of quotients that act as a gauging factor of a person’s intelligence. They are- * IQ(Intelligence Quotient) * EQ(Emotional Quotient) * SQ(Spiritual Quotient) * CQ(Contemporary Quotient) * IIQ(Intuitive Intelligence Quotient)

Conclusion:

I learnt that EQ is generally a measure of self-awareness, which is extremely vital. I will attempt to understand myself before I try to understand others. Contemporary quotient talks about your knowledge of the background you are from and how you are able to relate to it. IIQ is a measure of intuitions. Intuitions are something we earn out of experience. Our experience gives us a wide knowledge that aids our thinking and tackling of practical situations. Next we spoke about the different innate characteristics an individual has and the factors that affect a person’s performance like age, gender, race, social group, seniority, religion and sexual orientation. We moved on to understand human being as a creature. It is believed that each person has an unlimited potential and this need not necessarily result in competencies. Competency is the potential that is displayed at work. It is potential put to use. Talking about stress, it is a result of a low level of SQ. SQ does not imply religion, but religion is one of the means to achieve it. Stress is a state of imbalance, wherein the person concerned becomes a victim of non-performance and is not able to think properly. He is not able to achieve targets and goals properly.

Session 3

The session started with a brief outline of what is to be expected from the course, followed by evaluation schemes, class proceedings, quizzes and group distribution for the remainder of the term. The course content began with the discussion of what defines performance, concept of freedom, rational and emotional behaviour and difference between knowing and learning.
Performance is something which creates difference in success rate of people. It is also indispensable for existence and growth. That is, to maintain my entity I have to perform the roles I chose for myself (engineer, or MBA grad) and those entitled upon me by the society. The moment I fail to perform my roles, I cease to exist in the broad domain of the same. If I fail to deliver upon my roles, I loose self respect and my self confidence sweeps to the bottom. This leads to self guilt out of which Iwill disown myself and my deeds. Freedom is when we are free to do something which we want to without regretting for it afterwards. Biggest remorse is to live with guilt.If I do something I like but am later regretting , then I am not free. Knowing is just gaining knowledge while learning is inculcating that knowledge in ones life after understanding it in full depth.

I have decided to honestly perform the goals entrusted upon me and those chosen by me to the best of my ability. I realize that it is best for my meaningful existence and a healthy growth.

Session 4

Course Agenda:
Today’s session was occupied in the several organizational models depicted through role plays by several groups. Plays were enacted and the dependent, independent variables were explained with reference to the specific organization. The organizations enacted were : police station, prison, court, clinic, college and cricket team.

Learning’s from the course:
The 6 organizations that were showcased today displayed in detail each of their own set of dependent and independent variables which affect the overall working of the organization. The first organization was prison setup. In this, our group showed the various activities that were undertaken in a prison. Prison was displayed as a place for rehabilitation of the anti social elements rather than a jail for them. The various activities they showed were arts, yoga, clinic, etc. I played the role of a Yoga instructor who was actually a rich businessman. I am a person who wants to give something back to the society. Various other socially active people had volunteered to work towards the betterment of the prison and its inmates. Here, independent variables like motivation, sense of social work and individual nature, the prison’s crime rate, the number of people coming back, etc. are also affected. Also, since it’s a government organization, politics play a major factor. The next group was a college. The various processes like admissions, administrative issues and placements were displayed and the affecting variables were shown. In the next play, a court scene was enacted and a murder case was shown. Here, we saw witnesses going hostile, motivation of lawyer changing because of variable pay, etc. affecting the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the court and the entire justice system. Next, a police station was enacted wherein factors like politics, motivation, and organizational structure affected dependent variables like job satisfaction, efficiency in reducing crime rate and absenteeism from work of policemen. The next team showed how motivational captaincy and good teamwork could work wonders in enhancing the performance of a cricket team. The next group showed a clinic and the various people involved in the smooth functioning of the day-to-day activities of a clinic. Clear demarcation of work and various challenges faced were also shown clearly. All in all, it was a fun session in which the entire class got a chance to showcase their creative and theatrical skills.

Conclusion:
These plays brought out the realization of a very important thing-the importance and applicability of organizational behaviour in every walk of life and in all the departments which we encounter in day to day life. Hence, one should try to incorporate the suggestions and learnings from OB in one’s life and use it to his benefit to improve the overall performance of the society.

Session 5

Course Agenda: Skill, Competency, Talent, Multiple Intelligence Test

Learning’s from the course:
The session dealt with definitions and difference between skill, competency and talent. The various components of competency were discussed in detail through some excellent practical examples. The theory of learning and various learning models were also dealt with.
It was a wonderful learning experience and I gained valuable insights to know the difference between skill, competency and talent. Skill is something that can be demonstrated, is specific in nature and are learnt from practice, while competency cant be demonstrated and is generic in nature.

The main points of the class were: * Skill can be demonstrated while competency cannot be. It is noticed by behaviour. It is the underlying principle that gives rise to performance. * Unlike competency, skills can be learnt through repetition. * Skill is specific, competency is generic. * Skills are more refined.

Knowledge, skill and attitude are three components of competency.This skill emerges from knowledge and ability to apply it in practical problem. Learning pace differs from individual to individual. Through a multiple intelligence test, it was made realize to us that it is not the IQ that ensures a success in life but a combination of different other factors. I learned that different people have different potential and it is how much you exploit that strength that counts ultimately.Classical, operant and social learning theories were discussed in depth.

Conclusion:
I came to know the difference between skill, competency and talent and have decided to sharpen my skills by developing various competencies. I have decided to concentrate on my talents and put them to good use and make the most of my life.
Session 6

Course Agenda:
The class covered the 4 properties of personalities and the main components of attitude. The cognitive dissonance theory was discussed in detail. The concept of Attitude was defined and the process of formation of attitudes was explained. Attitude scale was introduced to the class and also the process of attitude change. The various job attitudes were discussed and the inter relation between them was explained. The importance of Job performance and job satisfaction were introduced.

Learning’s from the course:
The main components of attitude are: * Cognitive Component-Opinion/ belief in the way things are * Affective Component-Emotional/Feeling segment * Behavioural Component-Intention to Act

The process of formation of attitude has 4 steps: * Decision to understand(Intent) * Perception(Inputs) * Evaluative(Process) * Judgement leading to enduring disposition(Direction/Dynamic/Subjective & Personal/Action Oriented)

There are 5 types of job attitudes. They are: * Job Involvement-Identifying with one’s job * Organizational Commitment-Identifying with top management and organization and feeling of well being in the organization * Job Satisfaction-positive feeling about one’s job resulting from an evaluation of its characteristics * Perceived Organizational Support * Employee Engagement

Job performance is closely related to job satisfaction and has both in role and extra role components. The former is a part of the job, while the latter includes activities which are not part of the job.

Conclusion:
The importance of right attitude was impressed upon us and I realised that it is with the right attitude that knowledge, talent and skill results in competency. Forming a good attitude as well as changing the attitude towards anything majorly depends on us and one must always form/change attitude keeping in mind the goals intended to be achieved. The right attitude is what helps you achieve your goals. Also, job involvement and organizational commitment as well as the other job attitudes are closely related. Hence, one must understand that an organization that ensures enthusiasm and well being of employees generally has employees with a high level of job satisfaction and involvement towards work.

Session 7

Course Agenda:
The class dealt with the discussion of the case hand out and then moved on to the concept of personality and its importance in life. The Freudian structure of personality and the different stages of development, fixations were explained.

Learning’s from the course:

Personality is defined as the sum total of ways in which a person/ individual reacts and interacts with others. Sigmund Freud suggested a structure of personality that comprised of 3 elements.
The 3 elements of the Freudian theory are: 1) ID 2) SUPER EGO 3) EGO

The first element ID, includes the primary drives of rage, hunger and sex which any human inherently has due to the need for protection, survival and proliferation respectively. ID is the selfish part of every person. The second element is the SUPEREGO. This develops at a later stage in life and brings in the social aspect of a human life. It is the superego that makes people do what others want them to do. It includes internalised norms, morality and taboos and conscience keeping. The final element is the EGO which performs the balancing act between the two. It gives a “sense of self”. It brings in a sense of individual safety and well being. It wants to satisfy the selfish ID desires while keeping in mind the consequences. Also, it gives rise to a feeling of guilt unconsciously when it is unable to follow the directions of SUPEREGO. In case of conflict between the two, one often tends to use defence mechanisms. Super ego development first occurs at an age of 5-6 years. Kids of this age are often attracted to the parent of opposite sex. This is suppressed by the family/ society in general and thus leads to the formation of superego. This feeling is diverted in the form of attraction towards other men/ women. Absence/ weakness of a particular parent can lead to homosexuality.

The various stages of development, fixations are given below: * Oral-This occurs between 0-18 months of age. A child is generally fixated on the mouth and tends to put all objects in the mouth. Curbing this can lead to a lack of further development/ Oral fixation leading to smoking habits, excessive eating, etc. * Anal-This occurs in the age of 18-36 months. This is the age where the child tends to avoid going to the wash room or take very long times inside the wash room. Controlling this can lead to obsession with organization, neatness/ recklessness, carelessness, being disorganized, etc. * Phallic-Occurs between 3-4 years of age and this is the time the child grows aware of the sexual organs and is attracted to the parents of the opposite sex. Homosexuality is caused by fixation at this stage. * Latency-Occurs between 6 years and puberty. Here, the male and female children prefer not to play with each other. Fixation can lead to sexual unfulfillment. * Genital-From puberty onwards, this stage generally is characterised by interest in sexual matters. Fixation can cause sex addiction/ impotence, unsatisfactory relationships, etc.

Conclusion:
Todays session enlightened me on the different stages of development of a child and what can be the results of a indifferent childhood. Also, we got a good understanding of the 3 components of personality, we understand that a person’s nature is decided by the balance between the 3 elements. Also, a vital point that was highlighted was that defence mechanisms are a good and necessary way to get rid of guilt.

Session 8

Course Agenda:
Today’s session mainly discussed the case of an employee who had become a cynic due to various factorswhich had affected him- both internal and external to the organization. We had a discussion about the positive qualities as well as the negatives he had developed over time. The various factors and the possible solutions were discussed in detail.

Learning’s from the course:
The employee in question, Abhinav had several good qualities in him. High self respect, highly confident, intelligent, perfectionist and a keen sense of observation were a few of them. He had grown to be a cynic due to lack of appreciation at work and lack of support on the personal front. His case had to be handled carefully as he was a very resourceful person and given the right guidance, he could have proved to be an asset to the company. Ideally, his positive qualities should be reinforced and he should be allowed to undertake tasks according to his action plan under indirect supervision. It is extremely important to integrate others with the framework at the earliest. For any organisation, it is extremely important for it to handle different kinds of people with different skill levels and personalities for it to further the success possibilities.

Conclusion:
I was able to understand that appreciation of work and challenging work are extremely important to keep intelligent and resourceful employees motivated. Also that personal life also plays a very important role in an employee’s work life.

Session 9

Course Agenda:
Motivation was the main concept discussed in todays class. The definition of motivation, the definition of motive were explained elaborately as well as the different theories proposed were discussed.

Learning’s from the course:

Motivation is the process which accounts for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of efforts towards attaining a goal. Motive is an inner urge arising out of need. It follows a process which moves from currents state to need state, emotional state, achieving state and finally satisfaction state. When a person has a motive, he is generally emotionally attached to it and this gives him energy and keeps him in an energised state. Having a motive often improves chances of attaining the goal as energy levels are high. Motive has to be managed first by identifying the need, achieving the real need and finally celebrating the need. It is achievements that define the effectiveness of the motive. To motivate others, one must have the inner urge and must also have the ability to pass on the urge to others. Motives give a meaning to life and helps in attaining goals. Often, a manager fails to motivate people since he derives power from the organizational structure.

The various theories have been proposed by several great people with regard to motivation. They are discussed below:

1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory
Every man has different types of needs which follow a hierarchy. Only when a lower order need is satisfied does a man move on to further needs. This theory was rejected due to the suggestion of a hierarchy. The hierarchy is as follows: * Physiological needs (Basic needs like hunger, thirst, etc.) * Safety needs (Security/ protection from emotional and physical harm) * Social needs (To be a part of the society, with other human beings) * Esteem needs (Internal and External esteem factors like self respect, autonomy, achievement and status, recognition respectively) * Self Actualization (Drive to become what one is capable of-potential and self fulfilment) * 2. Clayton Aldelfer’s ERG Theory
He reworked on Maslow’s theory and said there are 3 categories of needs- existence, relatedness and growth. There isn’t any hierarchy or order in these.

3. Mac Gregor’s Theory X and Y
The assumptions of Theory X are that employees dislike work and avoid it. There is a constant need to coerce them as they try to avoid responsibilities. However, Theory Y says that work is natural and every person has self direction and self control when committed. Every man learns to accept and even seek responsibility. These assumptions impact managerial behaviour.

4. Frederick Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
There are intrinsic (motivation) and extrinsic (hygiene) factors that affect job satisfaction/ dissatisfaction. Opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction. Disappointment with hygiene factors like pay, company policies, working conditions, relationships, job security, etc can cause dissatisfaction while the presence of them needn’t necessarily lead to satisfaction.
Intrinsic factors are work/ work outcome related like promotion, personal growth, recognition, responsibility, achievement, etc.

5. McClelland’s Theory of Needs
There are 3 needs namely: * Need for achievement * Need for power * Need for affiliation

Conclusion: I understood the several theories that were proposed and would definitely apply them in my life.
Session 10

Course Agenda:
This session was mainly about the various views on personality, the different types and the instrument used to judge an individual’s personality. Each of us understood our personalities and a lot of self understanding took place.

Learning’s from the course:
A lot of research has been done on the concept of personality. Few of the theories are listed below: * Freud: He proposed the concept of ID, super ego and ego. * Rogers: He viewed personality in terms of self which is at the heart of all our experiences and spoke about the actualizing tendency. * Allport: He defined the self/ the propium, that which an individual really is, an internal something that guides and directs all human activity. * Erikson: His thoughts matched Freudian thinking but was cultural and social oriented. * Kelley: His idea was that personality develops and builds from life experiences. * Jung: He felt that people differ in preferences and these differing natural preferences make people fundamentally different from each other.

MBTI is a methodology and instrument for identifying an individual’s personality type based on Jung’s theory of personality preferences. This instrument was developed by Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs and published by David Keirsey.

There is no ideal preference and usage of one’s best preference makes a person feel confident, natural and energetic. Now, talking about personality type. Personality type is an underlying pattern resulting from dynamic interaction of our preferences, environmental influences and our own choices. People tend to develop a behaviour, style and competencies associated with their type. The 4 main categories of personality types are: * Extrovert/ Introvert * Sensing/ Intuitive * Thinking/ Feeling * Judging/ Perceiving

Conclusion:

The session helped us a lot in understanding the various types of personalities and the characteristics of each of them. This gave an understanding of the diversity of human race and that each personality has its own set of positives and negatives. As a compassionate human being, it would serve us well to consider all of these personalities and be well with them.

Session 11

Course Agenda:
Different values, their characteristics, types, sources and implication to life.

Learning’s from the course:
Values are basic conventions that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally/ socially preferable to an opposite/ converse mode of conduct or end state of existence. The characteristics are convictions, preferable conduct and judgement based on right, good and desirable. Value system is hierarchical order of individual values in terms of intensity. It is relatively stable and enduring and influences attitudes, behaviours and motives. There are 2 types of values: * Terminal: desirable end states of existences, goals that a person would like to achieve during his life. Eg. Self respect, happy life, etc. * Instrumental: preferable modes of behaviour or means of achieving one’s terminal values. Eg. Honesty, Hard work, etc.
Values have a lot of implication to life. They provide stability to a personality and make sone predictable to self and to others. It makes one’s life simpler and gives true direction to the ways of being happy in life. Modern man learns fast, has wide opinions on everything but is not able to consolidate and enjoy it due to lack of values. The problem is that he wants to achieve terminal benefits but does not want to follow and achieve instrumental values.

Conclusion:
Values explain attitudes, behaviours and perceptions. So given the knowledge of a person’s values can provide insight to what motivates and drives a person. In case there is coherence between an employee’s and an organization’s values, it can greatly enhance the synergy and performance. Thus apart from ability and talent, an excellent value system is also very vital for any individual to perform to his best.

Session 12

Course Agenda:
We discussed the results of the TAT questionnaire that we had filled out the day before. We also discussed some of the theories such as cognitive evaluation theory, goal setting theory and self-efficacy theory. Theories such as reinforcement theory, equity theory and expectancy theory were also discussed.

Learning’s from the course:
The results of the TAT questionnaire showed that I had no dominant motivating factor. I draw equal motivation from the need for power; need for affiliation and the need for achievement. However in case of the secondary motives need for affiliation plays a dominant role. Thus I find the need to feel a sense of involvement and "belonging" within a social group.To achieve high performance, it is essential to set specific and difficult goals with feedback. Conquering a mountain is a perfect example of the same. I understood the difference between efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness. Confidence is a part of efficacy and low efficacy results in low performance.

Conclusion:
Since it is my need for achievement that drives me ,I have decided that I will work on achieving my goals in life.

Session 13

Course Agenda:
Todays class was about short cuts in judgements. A small test was conducted in the class where we were asked to list out the five reasons of liking a person and five reasons for disliking a person. Eventually we were told that both the sets of reasons were our own characteristics. We discussed the application of perception and decision making.

Learning’s from the course:
Every individual has his/her order and one shouldn’t try to influence this order in any way. Managing our mood is very important. It is essential that instead of avoiding the situation we must experience it, try to understand the reason behind such behavior of that person and finally let go of it. I became aware of the fact that my EQ was actually average at 235. I will try to work on this and improve it.

Conclusion:
I have decided that henceforth whenever I am in a situation that is upsetting, I would first go through the experience and then let go of it. This is because avoiding such a situation will only create more disharmonies.

Session 14

Course Agenda:
In the beginning of the class we were asked to identify the emotions of the kid in a video that was shown to the class. We spoke about the myth of rationality and how emotions are considered a big asset now. We discussed the process of mood formation and mood management. We were asked to participate in a test to determine our Emotional Quotient

Learning’s from the course:
Every individual has his/her order and one shouldn’t try to influence this order in any way. Managing our mood is very important. It is essential that instead of avoiding the situation we must experience it, try to understand the reason behind such behavior of that person and finally let go of it. I became aware of the fact that my EQ was average at 235.

Conclusion:
I have decided that henceforth whenever I am in a situation that is upsetting, I would first go through the experience and finally let go of it. This is because avoiding such a situation will only create more disharmonies.

Session 15

Course Agenda:

Groups
Types of groups
Why form groups?
Different stages of formation of a group

Learning’s from the course:

A group is defined as two or more individuals who have come together to achieve particular objectives. There are different types of groups like formal, informal, command, task groups. The other groups are listed as interest groups and friendship groups.

People join groups for various reasons. They can vary from security, status, self-esteem, affiliation, power and goal achievement.

The groups, in their process of formation go through a five-stage model of group development. The different stages of formation are 1) Forming 2) Storming 3) Norming 4) Performing 5) Adjourning

We had discussed the first 2 stages of the group development stages in this class.

Conclusion:

It was a very interesting experience to learn about how groups are formed and the various stages in their formation. I was excited to experience the formation of groups, now that we all knew and understood the different stages involved.

Session 16

Course Agenda:

Continuation of the remaining stages of Group Development

Learning’s from the course:

Norming stage: This is the stage in which the group members form close relationships and display cohesiveness. There is a strong sense of group identity and camaraderie. In this stage, the group has a common set of expectations.

Performing stage:
The structure of the group is very much in place by now and the group is fully functional. The group energy works at performing the task allotted.

Adjournment stage:
The adjourning stage is the last stage in which the group prepares for its disbandment.

Conclusion:

The importance of groups and the various stages involved was discussed and I learnt a great deal. Especially it is of importance to us, because as managers, it is very important to understand the group dynamics and to work in a manner that would focus the group energies towards achieving the common goal.

Session 18

Course Agenda: Leadership, Managers, Trust

Learning’s from the course:

The different types of leadership were discussed as given below: 1) Charismatic leadership 2) Transformational leadership 3) Authentic leadership
We had discussed about how whether charismatic leaders can be born or made, how they influence their followers and the various challenges and advantages faced by them. Transformational leaders are those who inspire their followers to transcend their self-interests and who are capable of having a profound and extra ordinary effect on followers.

We were then told about trust and its relationship with leadership. Trust, or the lack of it, is an increasingly important leadership issue in today’s organizations. It can be defined as a positive expectation that another person will not act opportunistically. The other attributes that contribute to trust are: integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty and openness.

The leadership roles for managers and the implications of different types of leadership were discussed through some real life examples. Among the people discussed were Narayanamurthy, Martin Luther King, George Bush, Barack Obama etc.

Conclusion:

I learnt the importance of leadership in day-to-day life and also in the functioning of an organization. I was inspired to be a great leader and also to lead by example and not by force. It was also important to be respected by the followers.

Session 19

Course Agenda:

Negotiation and Conflict Resolving Skills Game

Learning’s from the course:

This session was conducted to teach us about the importance of negotiation in life and also about how to interact with people in the sense when it comes to situations where we are dealing in business terms with them. A wallet was distributed with different color coins, each of which had a different value. We had to negotiate and deal with the rest of the class and end up with a higher amount at the end of every round. It was a very different and exciting game and all of us thoroughly enjoyed playing the game. We also learnt the nitty gritties and issues that would be encountered while negotiating with others.

We played for 3 rounds and at the end of the 3rd round; I had collected a pretty high number of points. Then after the game, we discussed about the concepts of negotiation and conflict resolving.

Conclusion:

We came to know the importance of looking at the bigger picture when dealing with others and also to think about the mutual benefits of having to negotiate with others.

Session 20

Course Agenda:

Presentation of the ppts of the socially relevant project of the various groups

Learning’s from the course:

It was a wonderful experience as our work since the last two months was being showcased. The presence of the Rev. Father Tony Uvari only added to the significance of the occasion. I am pretty sure that he must have been impressed with the kind of work that we had done in the chosen organizations. The students were engulfed with feelings of satisfaction and also the need to do more such much in the future. The pure joy that we had seen in the people that we had dealt with in the last 2 months had spurred us on to do more for them in the coming future.

All the 12 groups presented their presentations and videos of the activities undertaken by them during the course of their 2 month long project. Some of the presentations were very moving and I’m sure they must have inculcated a sense of social service in each and every person.

Conclusion:

Giving back to the society is very important no matter how small the contribution may be. Spending time with the underprivileged is the simplest, yet the most preferred thing that anybody can do. I learnt that if every person can contribute his/her little to a particular cause, then we can definitely bring about change in peoples life and make the world a better place to live in.

Various Instruments were used during the course to try to test the personality and value systems of the students. They have been given below:

Multiple Intelligence Test :

The multiple intelligence test was conducted to assess our individual learning style.It helps us in knowing which intelligence is used by us more frequently My scores across various sections maybe seen in the table below: Body/kinesthetic | 8 | Interpersonal | 7 | Intra-personal | 4 | Logical/mathematical | 7 | Musical/Rhythmic | 4 | Verbal/linguistic | 3 | Visual/spatial | 6 | Total | 39 |

It can be clearly observed that I have scored the most in the area of Body/Kinesthetic intelligence. I am very much inclined towards sports and other physical activities and it reflects in all aspects of my life. Playing sports gives me a sense of peace and I perform better after I have done something that is physically draining.

My next two best scores were in Inter-personal and Logical/mathematical intelligence. I am very intuitive and quite skilful in deciphering others feelings and motivations i.e. I have a deep understanding of others

The Girl and the Sailor (Values test) :
My ratings for the characters and reasons for the rankings are as follows: 1. The fiancé’s best friend: I rated him as the best character since he was chivalrous and unbiased 2. The old man: He was honest and straightforward 3. The girl’s fiancé: He displayed strong moral values 4. The girl: She displayed love for her fiancé but lacked integrity 5. The sailor: He lacks moral values and is an opportunist

Emotional intelligence test :
Score obtained : 235/300 Score | Interpretation | <170 | Poor | 171-250 | average | 251-285 | Above average | 286-300 | Very good |

I believed that I do have the ability, skill to assess, and control my emotions, of others, and of groups. However, the results indicate there is a lot of scope for improvement. Though I scored the maximum marks in most questions, there were certain areas where my emotional intelligence wasn’t displayed at all. Thus, I need to work on these areas.

MY PERSONALITY PROFILE
MBTI

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. There are 16 possible combinations available from the matrix and my test resulted in ENTJ. This means I am an extrovert, intuitive, feeling and judging. EXTROVERT | 8 | INTROVERT | 2 | SENSING | 12 | INTUITIVE | 8 | THINKING | 14 | FEELING | 6 | JUDGING | 9 | PERCEIVING | 11 |

Analysis: ESTP

EXTROVERT:
I am an extroverted person and I like to have people around .But, I am not extroverted to the extent that I would get restless if I don’t get the opportunity to interact with people. I am also very impulsive and I often act quickly without thinking. I get very impatient when it comes to most things and I often give in to instant gratification.
SENSING:
I dislike new things unless there are standard ways to solve them and thus like an established way of doing things.
THINKING:
I am too straightforward and as a result of which I often end up hurting the people around me. I am very assertive and I am very finicky when it comes to placing things in a certain order and I dislike chaos of any kind. PERCEPTIVE: I can adapt well to changing situations and do not mind leaving things for alterations.

THEMATIC APPRECIATION TEST

The test of imagination was a picture based test, where we had to write our thoughts on some pictures. The results of the test maybe showed as below:

Story number | Primary social motive | Other motives | 1 | Power | Affiliation | 2 | Achievement | | 3 | Affiliation | | 4 | Affiliation | - | 5 | Achievement | | 6 | Achievement | Power, affiliation |

Primary social motives | Other motives | Power 1 | Power 1 | Affiliation 2 | Achievement 0 | Achievement 3 | Affiliation 2 |

As is evident from the table above, achievement is my primary social motive that has a dominant behavior. It is almost balanced across power, affiliation and achievement. However in case of the secondary motives need for affiliation plays a dominant role. Thus I find the need to feel a sense of involvement and "belonging" within a social group.