A LEADER’S GUIDE TO WHY PEOPLEBEHAVE THE WAY THEY DO Effective leaders understand why the people they are trying to influence behave the way they do, effective leaders’ mental models of leadership go beyond giving orders and assuming compliance for monetary rewards. The Beginnings When we are born, we begin a three to six months process of becoming simply, aware of our individuality, that we are separate, that we are no longer totally encased in the identity of another human being. Depending on our developing personality and its holism we tend to develop strategies to influencing others. Solidifying the Tendencies Leaders must take into account all of this levels of similarity and dissimilarity, whether one is opening a new plant overseas or trying to motivate an underperforming employee to do better. Memes: are the ideas and beliefs that people develop and pass on to others over time. Motivation The vanilla leader’s view of motivation generally includes two ideas-rewards and punishments. The Rational-Emotive Model The REB model includes several elements: events and our perceptions of them, values and assumptions we have about the way the world "should" be, conclusion or judgment about the present situation, feeling and behavior. Events To paraphrase the common street meme, "things happen." people speak to us. or don't. doors open. or close. Perception and Observations an observations, as we use it here means simply what would be visible to an impersonal, unemotional camera's eye. an MANAGING ONESELF Know what you are good at. a person can perform only from strengths. one cannot build performance on weaknesses, let alone something once cannot do at all. Feedback Analysis: Feedback analysis is the only way to identify your strengths observation is a description as opposed to a judgment. VABEs when we observe something, we immediately compare that event with our personal set of Values, Assumptions, Beliefs, and Expectations (VABEs) about the way the world should be. if there is a gap between what we observe and what we except, we have a problem. if there is no gap, things are as they should be or the way other people should behave. External Conclusions the key to understanding why people behave the way the do is in the comparison of what they see and what they believe ought to be, the comparison between one's perceptions and one's VABEs. it is not events that take place around us that determine what we do; rather, it is the comparison we make between what that place around us and our personal, basic assumptions about what ought to be taking place that motivates our activity. Internal Conclusions human also have the capacity to observe and judge themselves. we can call the observations we make about ourselves our self-image. we make self-judgment or conclusion by comparing what we believe we should be with what the see ourselves doing, that we are good fathers, good golfers, poor driver, terrible poets and so on. the conclusion can affect our behavior on a number ways. Feelings Whether our conclusion are internal or external they tend to generate emotions. Behavior behavior is another result of the comparison we make between events and our VABEs. behavior is as we're using it here simple what people say and do. it is that which we or a camera can observe. Write down expected outcome for your key decisions and actions. 9 to 12 months later, compare them with the results. Action plan: o Put yourself where your strengths can produce results o Work to improve your strengths sustenance In other words. Bosses are neither the 'title' on the Org chart nor the 'function' to adapt to what makes the boss more effective is the secret of 'managing the boss'. A knowledge worker's quest on contribution involves: What does the situation require? Given my strengths. WHAT MAKES A LEADER Daniel Goleman opens his article with a quick reference about a leader who “fails” and a leader who “soars” when given similar opportunities. and what goals. not necessarily meaning that they like each other. where and how to start. and may not stay put The need to manage oneself is therefore creating a revolution in human affairs. or rather where do they not belong. values are. In the knowledge industry Mostly. musician and cooks are usually mathematicians. objectives and deadlines to set. musician and cooks by the time they are four or five years old. identify incompetence areas and avoid them Do not try to change yourself (too much) instead. hardworking and competent but otherwise mediocre into an outstanding performer. what is "'the" great contribution to what needs to be done? What results have to be achieved to make difference? It is rarely possible to look too far ahead. old employees incremental improvements or risky breakthroughs emphasis on short term result vs. . Managing oneself required new and unprecedented things from the individual to the point where each knowledge working thinks and behaves like a CEO. have no lack of manners o Know what not to do. Organizations are built on trust between people. quantity and growth vs.o Avoid intellectual arrogance. The mirror test: ethics require that you ask yourself. What determines who has the “right stuff” to be a truly great leader? Goleman believes each leadership situation is to be studied as unique but one common thread is undeniable—a high level of “emotional intelligence”. Taking the responsibility of communicating how you perform reduces personality conflicts. success is at best an absence of failure Knowledge workers outlive the organizations Knowledge workers are mobile. and values. what to do. Successful careers are not planned Successful careers develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they know their strength their method of work and their values Knowing where one belongs can transform and ordinary person. the ultimate test for your comp ability with an organization. work harder to improve the way you perform. long term goals quality vs. "what kind of person do I want to see in the mirror in the morning?" Personal value system should be compatible with that of the organization's. 18 months should be planned to: Achieve meaningful results and make a difference Set stretched and difficult goals that are reachable Gain visible and measurable outcome Define course of action. the typical conflicts to avoid are: organization's commitment to new vs. but that they understand one another. Highly gifted people must realize early where do they belong. and should be. methods. acquire skills as required o Remedy bad habits. Mathematicians. a group of five skills that enable the best leaders to maximize their own and their followers' performance. however. what distinguishes great leaders from merely good ones is emotional intelligence (EI). Not all interpersonal problems or conflicts are communication problems. whether or not a communication problem actually exists. the expression "communication problem" is now used so commonly that it is often applied to just about any difficulty that exists between two people.understanding other people's emotional makeup Social skill . So pervasive is this phenomenon that it takes up a disproportionately large amount of space in the literature written for and by managers. UNDERSTAN DING COMMUNICATION IN ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIP Everyone has experienced interpersonal conflicts and misunderstandings in both their personal and professional lives. drives. And it is a suitable concern for people in management who are constantly trying to use communication to obtain specific results. Indeed. practice.knowing one's strengths. Dr. but we can strengthen these abilities through persistence.As summarized in the article. which means that party B has understood a concept that party A wished to convey to B. The EI skills are: Self-awareness . They may understand each other extremely well (and therefore not have a communication problem). values. When a communication does obtain the intended outcomes.relishing achievement for its own sake Empathy . Good communication is a prerequisite but does not insure effective communication. A Case of Misunderstanding .building rapport with others to move them in desired directions. Two managers may have difficulty working with each other for many different reasons. and impact on others Self-regulation .controlling or redirecting disruptive impulses and moods Motivation . But the communicator should be alert to this distinction. Goleman notes that we are each born with certain levels of EI skills. one may not act as the other wishes. and feedback from colleagues or coaches. In practice it is not easy to separate the communication process itself from other processes involved in effective communication. it can be properly called "effective. "Effective" Communication versus "Good" Communication The major common concern is with effective communication." But effective communication requires in most instances "good" communication. weaknesses. Dissonance results when a person's perceptions are in conflict with his or her assumptions. and beliefs that a person has about how things "ought" to be in a given situation. or otherwise senses as taking place in a situation (as compared with what he or she thinks ought to be occurring). values. Although it is easier to develop relationship with those who share the same background. interest. They are seldom neutral or value-free in nature. strategic. Steve had no serious intention of moving to another company until after the memo from Tom arrived.A misunderstanding had taken place. Effective relationship is one that mutual expectations. Knowing our own strength or weakness could help us to understand our tendency in one to one work relationship. are we easy to go into conflict or more into conflict avoidance behavior As you advance in your careers. they are the emotions that are triggered by what a person sees taking place. the roots of which we cannot understand without getting a better sense of what Steve experienced before and during his dealings with Tom. He had enjoyed his work and had received two promotions within three years. as a manager you must be able to diagnose potential barriers to establishing mutually beneficial relationship with different individuals. BUILDING EFFECTIVE ON-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIP Reading the article it seems that resolving a conflict in one to one work relationship is not that difficult. attitudes. By perceptions we mean what the person actually sees. since neither Tom nor his area manager had given him any indication they were unhappy with his results. however I believe it needs a whole life learning time to master it. The degree of relationship can be measured based on : 1) Mutual expectations about performance. trust and influence grow overtime and become more concrete. and as datadriven as any other management discipline 2. with the complex network of people of whom they are interdependent 3. Steve saw it as a sign that his past performance was not good enough. Effective managers must know how to build relationship. The "ought" of these assumptions should be stressed because typically the assumptions that are at the root of misunderstandings have both an imperatives and normative dimension to them. Assumptions are defined as the values. trust. A relatively simple but effective way of doing this is to use a framework that describes experiencing in terms of assumptions. just need to apply some simple questions to inquire other’s view. hears. tested and grounded . or working style. Understanding the Misunderstanding To diagnose and prevent miscommunications of the type just described. and feelings. Our reasoning with regard to interpersonal matters should be as analytical. and find a basis upon which to build more effective relationship 4. Your success will be more and more on your human competencies – your ability to do the important interpersonal work of developing effective work relationship with key individuals. he had been very satisfied with his career in the company. Steve had reasons on which to base this supposition. goals and priorities 2) Mutual trust that develops in a relationship 3) Mutually influence each other beyond what is accorded to them by virtue of their roles 5. The thought that this might have been the case angered him. and influence. While Tom saw the transfer as a recognition of Steve's performance. To begin with. Below are key points from the reading: 1. perceptions. excellent technical competencies will not be enough. He had accepted his promotions and Tom's praise as clear signs of approval but now wondered if Tom had been less satisfied than he had seemed. we need some means of understanding what each person experiences during an exchange and why each person experiences it differently. based on mutual expectations. On the contrary. Feelings are the emotive and affective responses of a person in reaction to a given situation. The quality of a manager’s work relationship are especially critical at the upper functional and general management levels. their team-building responsibilities.6. facilitate the team's process is by decisions. Some simple questions can be used to advocate your own view and to inquire into other’s view. effective and ineffective managers. to the personal well-being and development of the members? Coaching the team Does 3. it is to help them learn how to What is an Effective Team? minimize the process losses that invariably Managers should apply three occur in groups and take advantage of the interrelatedcriteria in assessing overall team synergistic process gains. To this end. Does the team experience contribute unconsciously. clarify their assumptions. the team gets its work done. In fact. Conflicts will inevitably arise. In contrast to the perspective Facilitating the Team Process of the seasoned manager. effectiveness: Shaping the team's culture An important way in which a manager can 1. even when you have good intentions. and develop a mutual and more accurate and refined understanding of what really transpired and why. team Managing the Team's Boundary members may not know how to work it out among themselves. it is instructive to step attention should be paid to competitive back and consider the five conflicting forces or monitoring and communication with tensions at the heart of team life. managers have may have the technical expertise to continually scan their competitive necessary to complete a task but not environment and monitor the activities of key interpersonal expertise. Manager need to balance advocacy and inquiry skill to promote mutual learning and when trying to resolve a conflict. managers assume that the capability of the members to work and team members know how to work learn together in thefuture? together effectively. that is. and are taken-for-granted.who have to use assumptions and beliefs that are shared by it? the team members. but also they have to manage the can build a well-functioning team. work. MANAGING YOUR TEAM To create the conditions for team success. Managing the Team Itself . The more hard work because it is a process of managing turbulent the external environment. rather. Team members If their teams are to be effective. Gabarro Designing the Team quoted a consumer-goods division manager What type of teamwork is needed? who had successfully turned around a number Team composition and structure of organizations.much less the team task but also to the team process-how address. the more paradox. the team experience enhance the Too often. services) meet shaping the team's culture-the basic the standards of those.. the article found that Effective managers pay attention not only to most new managers fail to recognize.g. products. uncover internal contradictions in their assumptions. 8. external constituencies on whom they are Managing Paradox dependent. This skill helps both parties test their mental models. Does the team's output (e. that operate 2. You have to use your basic thinking skills to identify such conflicts and find out how to resolve it 7. not Most seasoned managers understand that their only do managers have to manage the team's success is dependent on how effectively they boundary. These constituencies outside the organization. These constituencies and prepare the By now it should be apparent that teamwork is team for new opportunities and threats. In his team itself-design the team and facilitate the research on the key differences between team's process. The managerial T h e y focus primarily on managing individual role is not so much to dictate how the team performance. and pay little or no attention to members should go about their collaborative team performance. team effectiveness usually demands a mix of diverse individuals. or both. Direct versus indirect communication. Differing attitudes toward hierarchy and authority. the nonWesterner can understand the direct communications of the Westerner. The good news is that cultural challenges are manageable if managers and team members choose the right strategy and avoid imposing single-culturebased approaches on multicultural situations. creating interpersonal conflict. If teammates become frustrated or impatient with a lack of fluency. For the team to benefit from the diversity. teams have a rather flat structure. In Japan.paradoxes must be understood. but their difficulty communicating knowledge makes it hard for the team to recognize and utilize their expertise. priorities. But this is only one of the four categories that can create barriers to a team’s ultimate success. The Challenges People tend to assume that challenges on multicultural teams arise from differing styles of communication." Embrace individual differences and collective identity and goals. In cross-cultural negotiations. or problems with translation or usage. or anxious about their performance evaluations and future career prospects. communication can cause serious damage to relationships when team projects run into problems. differing attitudes toward hierarchy and authority. styles-to be expressed and heard. interpersonal conflicts can arise. the team has to have a process that allows for the different voices-perspectives. No fluent team members may well be the most expert on the team. These may also influence perceptions of status or competence. trouble with accents and fluency. The first paradox is the need to embrace individual differences and pursue a collective identity and goals. Communication challenges create barriers to effective teamwork by reducing information sharing. The differences between direct and indirect discussed earlier. lack of fluency. a typical response to direct confrontation is to isolate the norm violator. Although the language of international business is English. The challenge in managing multicultural teams effectively is to recognize underlying cultural causes of conflict. As MANAGING MULTICULTURAL TEAMS Multicultural teams often generate frustrating management dilemmas. in which people are treated differently according to their status in an organization. . Nonnative speakers may become less motivated to contribute. are uncomfortable on flat teams. Cultural differences can create substantial obstacles to effective teamwork—but these may be subtle and difficult to recognize until significant damage has already been done. These categories are direct versus indirect communication. A challenge inherent in multicultural teamwork is that by design. and as much as possible. balanced. But team members from some cultures. misunderstandings or deep frustration may occur because of nonnative speakers’ accents. accepted. but the Westerner has difficulty understanding the indirect communications of the non-Westerner. Trouble with accents and fluency. and to intervene in ways that both get the team back on track and empower its members to deal with future challenges themselves. and conflicting norms for decision making. HARNESSING THE SCIENCE OF PERSUASION Few people are born with persuasion talent. U. learned. There are six fundamental principle of persuasion that can be applied by the executive at the company. The principle of liking People like those who like them.S. exit (removing a team member when other options have failed). how quickly decisions should be made and how much analysis is required beforehand. attitude. Not surprisingly.Conflicting norms for decision making. Persuasion. and applied. structural intervention (changing the shape of the team) 3. Commitment can have a powerful effect on future actions. 4. The principle of consistency People align with their clear commitments. Gift giving is one of the cruder applications of the rule of reciprocity. The principle of reciprocity People repay in kind. The principle of social proof People will follow the lead of similar others. Watching the people that mastering the art of persuasion is at once impressive and frustrating. prefer to stick to it. Experimental data show that positive remark about other person traits. Impressive because they can easily use their charisma to influence people and frustrating because they know well how to do it but they are often unable to pass their skill to other. it confers a genuine first-mover advantage. managers like to make decisions very quickly and with relatively little analysis by comparison with managers from other countries. people that mastering that talent can easily capture the audience and convert the opposition. Cultures differ enormously when it comes to decision making—particularly. In its more sophisticated uses. The more crucial step is assessing the circumstances—or “enabling situational conditions”—under which the team is working. Four Strategies The most successful teams and managers used four strategies for dealing with these challenges: 1. managerial intervention (setting norms early or bringing in a higher-level manager). most people once they take a stand or go on record in favor of a position. is governed by basic principles that can be taught. Praise is the other reliable generator of affection. or performance will generate liking in return. in other words. Liking is a powerful force but the work of persuasion involves more than simply malting people feel warmly . it’s important to establish bond early because it can create presumption of goodwill and trustworthiness in every subsequent encounter. People can create bond with other through similarity. and it does so in predictable ways. identifying the type of challenge is only the first step. if you lend person who is shorthanded you will increase your chance of getting help when you need it. in a donation charity campaign the longer the donor list was the more likely other would be to donate as well. Although persuasion is a gifted talent but some research believe that persuasion works by appealing to a limited set of deeply rooted human drives and needs. There is no one right way to deal with a particular kind of multicultural problem. adaptation (acknowledging cultural gaps openly and working around them) 2. similarity literally draws people together. Liking. Commitment and consistency. they’ll help you. 2. People value things more if they perceive them to be scarce. even dull information with the touch of exclusivity can be very special. Scarcity. executive should establish their own expertise before they attempt to exert influence. People tend to return favors. has found that persuasion works by appealing to certain deeply rooted human responses. People defer to experts and to those in positions of authority (and typically underestimate their tendency to do so). The principle of authority People defer to experts. People will do things they see other people doing – especially if those people seem similar to them. The power of exclusivity is very effective to raise item or information value. If people like you – because they sense that you like them. study said that item and opportunity are more valuable if they become less available. If you help people. they’ll respond in kind. or your product. If you behave (cooperatively). . 4. Even if you're the top person. as any CEO with a vision for major change can attest. or because of things you have in common – they’re more apt to say yes to you. voluntary commitment. Putting it all together The rules of ethic apply to the science of social influence just as they do to any other technology. People want to be consistent. you often need to motivate them to get work done. 5. The commitments never felt voluntary. Robert Cialdini. At the heart of exerting influence are these six key concepts: 1. exchanging something of value for what you want. 6. 3. Authority. they’ll try to follow through. your idea. just ordering someone to do something won't necessarily work. or at least to appear to be. and as a result the vice president initiatives all blew up or petered out. Influence is about trades. Social Proof.toward you. People need not only to like you but to feel committed to what you want them to do. Reciprocity. so the department heads never followed through. If they make a public. THE USES AND ABUSES OF INFLUENCE The ability to persuade others to contribute to your efforts is a key skill for managers. Research presented in the Harvard Business Review by leading social scientist and the author of Influence. INFLUENCE WITHOUT AUTHORITY Whether someone is above you or below you in the corporate hierarchy. Six of the responses include: 1. for team members and for anyone who wants to elevate the probability of success. The principle of scarcity People want more of what they can have less of. Third. Going all-out to win at the expense of the relationship. show your boss that it is in his interest to change his behavior. Third. There are three central principles to follow in influencing your boss. you have to use influence for the ultimate good of the organization. there are five major traps to avoid when making trades. here are six key points to consider when trying to influence them: First. To be effective. we will take you through each of the stages of the influence model. Failure to let go of your previous analysis in the face of new evidence in real time. We are all potentially more influential than we think we are. determine the minimum cooperation you will need to achieve your goals. Second. and the potential benefits from full collaboration. Second. and whatever its culture and language. 5. Sixth. The biggest difficulty with having influence often resides with you. They are: Failure to do your homework on what the other person cares about. 4. have reasonable plans. to building effective relationships. clarifying your goals. not your own. POWER DYNAMICS IN ORGANIZATIONS What is Power? Power define as the potential of an individual (or group) to influence another individual or group. Finally. Third. Fifth. and making mutually profitable trades. from learning what you have that's worth trading. Relationships matter. Influence requires that you know what you're doing. because this will get the best work out of you. we will explore the following topics: First. show your boss that it is in his interest for you to be successful and satisfied. the more good ones you have. Being so afraid of negative reactions that you don't use all possible exchange tools. we'll examine how you can apply the influence model to familiar situations. don't let failure discourage you You can learn how to be more effective by developing true influence over the people with whom you work. In this summary. no matter what currencies are at your disposal or what your boss's personal style: First. Bluffing from a low power position. before beginning. we will outline the core influence model. Whatever the group. the greater the odds of finding someone you can trade with. take the group's point of view.2. 6. and are competent enough for the task at hand. Second. to what potential allies value for trading purposes. including identifying your allies. Is ineffective for the individual? Is it effective for the organization? Is it ethical? These are three questions as interrelated criteria that we should apply in evaluating an individual's exercise of power and . 3. and finding the tradeoffs that can help you reach those goals. Fourth. not just for yourself. deliver your preference in a style that is compatible with your boss's style. treat them as if they were customers. avoid stereotyping. don't be afraid to air conflicts and own up to the part your group may have played in them. including the division of labor and specialization. managers would have to eliminate diversity. given the challenges of managing in contemporary organizations. relevance. There are precipitating factors that exacerbate the conflict in an organization though. diversity. Determine the sources of power of the relevant parties. 3. Identify the interdependencies among the relevant parties. How much potential for political conflict exists? Where are the major alliances? The major rivalries? Are there any precipitating factors? Are there any prevention factors? How are key players likely to respond to conflict? Will their response most likely lead to constructive or destructive consequences? 5. for instance. Where Does Power Come From? A person's power is determined by two sets of factors: positional and personal characteristics. autonomy and visibility. In answering those questions. Periodically update your diagnosis. And expertise. To eliminate political conflict. analyze the relevant differences among them.influence. track record. The distribution of power and influence in organizations is generally aligned with the realities they face and can become institutionalized and thereby endure well beyond its usefulness. Organizations as Political Entities Political conflict over scarce or key organizational resources is inevitable. and power gap are included into “The Challenge” and “The Solution” consists of Law of Reciprocity and Networks. What are the underlying factors that have created or are reinforcing those differences? How might these differences lead to other assumptions or perceptions about the current situation? Around what issues can you expect conflict? 4. the more political conflict. Assessing Power Dynamics In assessing the power dynamics in a given situation. In Realities of Managerial Life there are “The Challenge” and "The Solution”. . Diversity and conflict are essential ingredients for creativity and innovation. you need to: 1. Power dynamics are just that dynamic. Shared goals and values can be lacking for a variety of reasons. Power and influence are the mechanisms by which the inevitable political conflicts in organizations get resolved. Interdependency. diversity. The sources of positional power are formal authority. When super ordinate goals and values do not exist it can be political conflict in organizations. centrality. Organizations consist of interdependent individuals(and groups) with divergent interests who must figure out how to reconcile these interests. and resource scarcity in an organization. The more interdependence. when no shared culture exists or strong leaders fail to define a vision behind which people are aligned and motivated. Analyze the broader context. After the interdependent parties have been identified. attractiveness and effort are the sources of personal power. Who is dependent on whom and for what? Whose cooperation is needed? Whose compliance? 2. both the short. There are prevention factors that help to reduce the amount of conflict such as the consistency of organization successfully negotiating win-win resolutions.and long-term consequences of an individual's actions should be assessed.
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