1. If a co-worker asked you why he/she should study organizational behavior, what would you tell that person?
I would tell my co-workers that studying organization behavior is a potential stepping stone to becoming a better self-aware leader. Studying organizational behavior examines different mindsets and tries to look at different motivations in the workplace. It can also look at different outcomes in an organization due to behavior.
2. What are the "highlights" from the reading? Be sure to include a highlight for each reading.
Unleashing Individual Potential Highlights:
This paper looks at how important it is for managers to value and respect his or her subordinates and the people around them. It shows the benefits of positive thinking and assumption making to leaders by analyzing the value that comes from positive organizational behavior, being an authentic leader and showing the importance of positive theory Y thinking as supposed to negative theory X thinking. Throughout the paper, the reader will understand the meaning of positive organizational behavior (POB) and attributes needed for managers to implement and encourage POB in the workplace. Also one will understand the qualities needed to be an authentic leader and the fundamentals for developing authentic leadership skills (Gardner and Schernerhorm, 2004, p. 270-281).
Building the Civilized workplace:
According to Robert Sutton, “Nasty people don’t just make others feel miserable; they create economic problems for their companies (Sutton, 2007, p.47)”. This article is excellent at examining abuse in the work place and the determent it can cause for a company. One of the great highlights in this article is “the total cost of jerks” or “TCJ” chart. In this chart, we see a breakdown of the different cost associate with employing a jerk. This article also emphasizes the importance for employees or anyone to speak up when bullying or cruel behavior occurs because it can potentially keep occurring and affects the company’s image. This article also shows the reader how to enforce the “no-jerk” policy (Sutton, 2007, p. 47.55).
Shawn Anchor’s Video: The happy secret to better work:
According to Shawn Anchor’s, “Formula for success is that, if I work harder I will be more successful and if I am more successful, I will be happier (Anchor, 2011).” If one really works hard and becomes successful will he or she find complete happiness? The example of when Shawn Anchor goes to Harvard will be used to answer this question. When Shawn Anchor was admitted to Harvard and sat at his classroom for the first day he was extremely excited and honored. After a week, that happiness dissipated and stress along with having to create others goals was substituted . In this formula for happiness, we set a goal and meet it and then we set another goal and then meet it and the same thing occurs continuously. As a result, we never actually get to happiness. We are so concentrated on the negative or the problem that we don’t really ever focus on the positive. Shawn Anchor discusses how being more optimistic is a benefit to ones work environment and to one’s personal health and life (Anchor, 2011).
3. Do you agree/disagree with the perspectives discussed in the readings? Why do you hold the perspective that you do?
Unleashing Individual Potential:
I agree with the whole message. I think it is important for manager to be authentic, to have a positive outlook, mindful and to be able to exercise self- control because as a manager you are (in a way) a remodel and a representative to everyone in that company. I also think being optimistic (instead of negative) will affect the behavior of the people around you and can motivate others to be positive, confident and driven. The reason I agree with this article is because I have seen it occur and when friends or family talk about their working situation one of the things that is always emphasized is the positive/negative work environment and the behavior exhibited because of that environment.
Building the Civilized workplace:
I also agree with this article. Speaking as one person who has had a bully for a boss in the past, it can be difficult to feel motivated to exhibit ones best work when there is so much negative behavior in the work place.
Shawn Anchor’s Video: The happy secret to better work:
I am not quite sure if I agree. I do agree that it is important to be optimistic in the actions or things that we do. However, there are some people out there that enjoy knowing and trying to complete a goal every day. To some degree I do agree with Anchor’s idea that we should slow down and take some healthier habits (meditating, writing in journal etc.). However one’s happiness that creates a positive outlook can be different for another person. 4. How can you apply what you read this week to your current work situation? To your life?
I can share the information that I have learned with the people I work with and talk about the benefits to being optimistic, of self-regulating one’s behavior and how we can encourage other people in the company.