Emotions and How They Affect Decision-Making, Solving Team Conflict, the Role of Leadership for Organizational Success - Essay Example

Organizational Newsletter (Student Name) (Institutional Affiliation) Accounting (Instructor) May 8, 2013 COMPANY NEWSLETTER Introduction This company newsletter is aimed at informing the staff on organizational behaviors. Three OB topics have selected and clinically analyzed. These topics are: a) Emotions and how they affect decision-making b) How to solve team conflicts c) The role of leadership for organizational success. A: Emotions and how they affect decision-making One school of thought holds that the mental process of decision making is or to some extent, be rational a formal process of decision-making is or to some extent, be rational a formal process that is intended and based on maximizing utility.  It is arguable that, rational thinking and decision making does not leave much space for feelings or emotions. In reality emotions or feelings are often considered irrational happenings that may disfigure or distort proper reasoning. However, there are two theories and research focusing on the important role of emotions in decision making.  Bolman and Deal (2011) distinguish emotions during the decision making process into two groups:  Those anticipating future emotions and those that are currently experienced while deliberating and deciding. According to the somatic marker hypothesis by Damasio, who formulated it does propose a mechanism by which emotional process can guide or bias behavior especially decision making.   Bolman & Deal (2011) believe that the issue of rationality should be pegged on the validity of emotional evaluation lather than on coherence. Further research has been conducted to ascertain the implications of emotion on decision making. These studies indicate the complexity and of those implications.  Some of the results from such studies are: Decision makers who were made to consider safety concerns that triggered negative emotions   when deciding which house to build, were more likely “ to choose not to choose” or to stick with the status quo. Fearful people made pessimistic judgment of future events unlike angry people who made optimistic judgment. Study participants who had been triggered to feel sad were likely to set a lower selling price for a commodity they were required to sell.  The researchers suggested that, selling the commodity will bring about a change in the participants’ predicaments purpose a mood shift. Participants with “normal emotion processing” were engaged in a card drawing exercise.  When drawing from the dangerous desk and consequently experiencing losses and the associated negative emotions, they subsequently made safer and more lucrative choices.  Interestingly participants with brain damage that resulting in them not experiencing such emotional responses, did not change their behavior in this way.   Generally it is the contemplation of incremental losses or gains that generates anticipated emotions in decision makers, as opposed to their overall condition. For instance, an employee who imagines the loss of a small amount of money as a fine at his/her workplace will generally focus with disappointment on the lost time and money, rather than with the pleasure on the overall amount still he/she will earn. Finally decision makers incline to assess the possible implications differently based on the amount of delay between the choice and the outcome (Bolman & Deal, 2011). Decisions made with a time delay tend to involve different weights on outcomes depending on their delay.  These effects are then connected to anticipate emotions as the decision is being contemplated. It is therefore important to note that, emotions play a big role when making decisions.  Therefore, to improve on the performance of organizations, the management ought to understand and manage staff behavior in a manner that not only reduces negative emotions among the staff, but also triggers positive emotions. To achieve this, the organization Management needs to deploy the following guidelines in addressing any issue(s) or improve behavior of their respective workforce. Any notable problem should not be ignored the greatest mistakes that most supervisors make is to assume that an employee who is not performing at work or who has shown some signs of sadness is just having a bad day.  The unfortunate reality is that some people need to be pushed a bit so as to do their job as required.  Through this earlier diagnostic of the problem an earlier solution to it can be sought without necessarily affecting the whole organization. Decide whether the problem is due to the training or the attitude.  It is a known fact that people have their own and unique way of doing all sorts of different jobs.  This is why a company should have a training program though at times one or two rounds of training are not enough.   The employee who has been noted to be less effective should be taken a side and point out the exact problem.  The discussion should be in an open manner without hiding anything, in this talk, the employee should be made to understand that he or she was hired purely to exercise that particular task.  While discussing the employee should not feel intimidated in any way because will worsen the situation that made to understand their obligations. Special circumstances should not be considered an employee can be fired if he/she has committed certain cress acts like thefts blatant insubordination, a major impropriety like telling crucial information about clients et cetera.  However, if there is poor performance chronic absenteeism may be because of potential verified alcoholism or depression, it is best to consult an expert to deal with such a case. Make notes about the first meeting and its results and keep it in a file for yourself.  This can be mentioned in the board.  This may come in hand later on if the performance problem from the said employee persists.  The board will be likely to be precious and objective asset in handling search case, especially if things with the employee worsen. If the problem occurs again within the next two months, immediately issue them a written warning.  Also update the board on any development in the memo, clearly specify what you saw, mention the previous meeting and its date, say the behaviors that have improved, worn then that if this occurs again , over  sometime for example the next month they will be promptly terminated. Besides the above, the following can be done to improve on the staff attitude towards their jobs. Communicating the importance for what these staff does.   Every supervisor should be able to state a meaningful purpose for his or her department and the work that is being done.  If this is done regularly without using the ever boring clichés, the result will be there to see.  Secondly, effective employees should be recognized and appreciated.  Workers repeated tell, with great feelings, how much they appreciate a compliment.  They also report how distressed they are when their supervisor is quick to criticize a mistake and very slow in a compliment for a well done job.  A part on the back a well executed work or mere mention of it may be in a meeting with staff real motivates many workers. Finally, the importance of involvement should not be overlooked.  There may be no single motivation tactic more powerful than asking for people’s input.  Getting everyone involved in executing the job makes employees to feel valued and appreciated.  This will in turn lead to a positive emotion and attitude towards their respective b) How to solve team conflicts “United we stand, divided we fall” so goes the common adage.  Conflict can be pretty much inevitable in an environment where one works with others.  Given the unique nature of each and every human beings, there is a different view points and under the right set of circumstances, those differences and divergences escalate to a new height of conflicts.  How one handles these conflicts determines whether it works to the team’s advantage or contributes to its eventual downfall. You can choose to ignore it, complain about it, blame someone for it, or try to deal with it through hints and suggestions: or you can be direct, clarify what is going on, and attempt to reach a resolution through common techniques like negotiation or compromise.  It is unquestionable that conflict ought to be tackled, but the big question is how to go about it.  It must be dealt with constructively and with a clear plan, otherwise it may degenerate into a complex point say like an argument and trigger even a bigger mess. It is worth noting that a conflicts not necessarily a bad thing.  Healthy and constructive conflicts a key component of hire and effective functioning team.  Conflict may arise from divergences between people, the disagreement that often make diverse things effective than those made up of people with similar experience.  When people with varying with experiences, skills, opinions and viewpoints are tasked with a project or a challenge, the combined effort can by far surpass what any group of similar individual can attain.  Therefore, team members must let divergences and not allow them to be blown into full scale confrontations. Understanding and appreciating various diverse opinions involved in conflict are key factors in conflict resolving process.  These are essential skills for all team members to develop.  The paramount issue is to maintain a healthy balance of constructive divergent view points and avoid negative conflict that is both destructive and disruptive. Striking and maintaining that often tricky balance requires well developed team skills, top most the ability to keep it healthy and avoid conflict in the day-to-day course of team working in executing the stated mandates and obligations. It is obvious that when a team oversteps the point of healthy divergence of opinion, resolving conflict requires respect and patience.  The human experience of conflict involves all emotions or feelings, perceptions, and actions, we experience if all in the three levels, and we need to address all the three levels to resolve it Below is a systematic, step by step mediation process which helps team members to achieve the ultimate goal of resolving any conflict. Step 1: Prepare for Resolution.             The conflict has to be acknowledged that indeed it’s there before it can be resolved.  The tendency ifs for people to ignore the first signs of conflict, perhaps as it seems petty or is so hard to differentiate a conflict from a healthy debate that great teams thrives on.  If you are concerned about the conflict in your team, discuss it with other members.  Once the team confirms that there is indeed a conflict, the process of resolving if is started immediately without any undue delay. As a team discuss the implications of the noted conflict on the dynamics and performance of the team Everyone involved in the conflict then has to agree to cooperate in resolving the conflict. This therefore means that, putting the unit and effectiveness of the team first before anybody else.  This involves setting aside your opinion or ideas for the time being.  However, should everybody wish to win the argument at this stage a stalemate is inevitable. Another key ingredient for effective conflict resolution is communication.  The people involved should be open to talk and freely express themselves.  This is to ensure that the team moves together.   STEP 2 Understand the situation. Once the team is ready to solve the prevalent conflict, the next stage is to understand the current state of events and each team member’s point of view.  Take time to know each person’s position take time to know that each person’s position is heard and understood.  It must be emphasized that, at this stage emotions are high and the environment is really charged.  Here, the following should be done Whatever the conflict or disagreement is, it is important to clarify people’s positions and also if there factions within the team with each supporting either side of the divide’s opinion, idea or position this step in tandem will go up to solving the conflict because it helps the team to see the facts more objectively and with diminished emotions of feelings  List facts, assumptions and beliefs underlying each position:  This is to know what each group or person values, believes in, et cetera and what decision –making approach and process have they employed. Analyze small groups by breaking the team into smaller groups, separating the people the people who are in factions.  In these smaller groups a comprehensive dissection of each position, facts, assumption and beliefs is done.  This is to separate chuff from wheat I mean getting the true facts from illusionary perceptions which are more important if pursued and if additional analysis or evaluation is required.  By considering the facts, the assumptions beliefs and decision –making that leads to other people’s positions, the group will gain a better understanding of those positions.  In these groups, everyone needs to feel heard and acknowledged if a practical and long lasting solution is reached. After the group dialogue, each side is likely much closer to reaching an agreement.  The process of uncovering facts and myths allows people to detach themselves from emotional attachment and perceive the real issues objectively.  When you separate facts from assumptions, the members of the conflict wears out and the people get objected towards the real issues.   STEP 3 Reach a common ground Now that all parties understand the other faction’s position, the team must decide what course of action to take.  With the facts and myths already unearthed, it is much easier to see the best decision to make and thus reach an agreement.  Tip: At this stage, if the team is still not able to reach an agreement, techniques like win-win negotiation or nominal group technique can be deployed When the conflict is finally resolved, take time to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of all the members.  The above three steps can be used to solve team conflict efficiently and effectively. To avoid an occurrence of future conflicts; the following should be observed: Dealing with conflict immediately so as to avoid the temptation of ignoring it. Being open when if people have issues, they need to be expressed immediately and not allowed to fester Always practicing clear communication where thoughts and ideas are effectively articulated. Finally, disruptive conflicts must be solved in time before they escalate. c) Role of leadership in organizational success It has often been said that without good leadership, organization move too slowly, stagnates and lose their way (Bolman & Deal, 2011). If an organization is to grow and flourish, then the effective leadership must permeate through the organization.  Because Organizations are made up of individuals brought together to enable if achieve its targets, the organization’s structure will determine how these individuals work together in teams and how they relate to one another.  It goes without saying that individuals within an organization must work together towards the attainment of a common goal.  Leadership has an important role to play in blending coordinating and integrating the activities of these individuals and teams, ensuring that they are a wake of the institution’s priorities and that they are waking towards them.  Leaders achieve this not only through the authority delegated to them within the organization’s hierarchy, but also by being charismatic, knowledgeable and inspiring (Bolmam & Deal, 2011). There is an increasing demand for top notch and excellent leaders with globalization with us, the advancements in technology, a changing workforce and the changing expectations and values of workers, can move challenging contexts in which to load.  To remain competitive and able to cope with the increasing uncertainty leadership in organizations is no longer a nice to have.  Before looking at the qualities of good leadership, perhaps we can look at the difference between mangers and leaders.  There is much debate about the difference between, a manager and a leader.  Some people usually argue that there is no real and piratical difference between the two because they are all about captainship while others depict a leader as someone who has a clear vision and he /she drives fundamental changes in his/her organization whereas a manger maintains stability through planning, control and monitoring activities.  In the modern world where competitions are eminent, organization ought to have effective and efficient leadership for them to survive, succeed and flourish.  This therefore calls for the questions.    What are the qualities of a good leader?  Leaders is concerned with the influencing of the actions, attitudes and perceptions of other ensuring that everyone is touring the line towards the attainment of a common goal or target within the organization.  Within an organization setting, the power of a leader to influence others is established within the organizational structure.  However, positional power does not necessarily mean that others will follow or that they will do so willingly.  It is therefore imperative that the leader possesses certain unique characteristics and abilities.  Some of these are:-  First, the leader ought to have knowledge and expertise.  We are more likely to follow someone if we admire and respect his/her expertise and knowledge.  Take a case of an avidly adopt accountant.  A man/woman with sophisticated knowledge and expertise in accounting matters.  If this person was a manager say in a bank, chances are that many people within that organizational set up will admire him/her and always willing to do things as he/she directs with minimum resistance.  Secondly, quality and efficient leadership must possess cutting-edge social skills.  Leaders channel the efforts and inputs of individual into team efforts.  This in turn transforms an organization into a community of people working united with a deliberate intention of attaining a common goal or target. In order to achieve this, effective working relations must be built. Therefore, the leader has a duty of bolstering and developing this civilized sense of team spirit. Thirdly, a leader must have a clear and distinct vision. Individuals within an organizational setting will tend to view their work, the organization itself and the people the work with in different ways. It is the duty of a leader within that organization to manage this diversity and to reconcile the needs and valves of the organization to encourage and promote creativity and vision besides minimizing frustrations and conflicts. Leaders need to inspire and motivate their staff to hit the organizational targets. It will be paramount to make clear the organization’s vision so that everyone understands his/her obligations in achieving these targets. Therefore, ensure that the necessary systems, structures, and resources are put to necessitate the achievement of the organization’s goals.   Also, a true leader needs to own problem solving and judgment making skills.  Efficient and effective leaders always possess an ability to solve problems and to make objective decisions in a timely manner without causing a statement in their respective organization.  Also a good leader is quality focused.  He/she will aim at achieving their personal best and also help the entire team to continuously and persistently improve in all aspects of performance.   This will involve setting practical, realistic and achievable targets, sponsoring improvement in the organization’s process and striving for total quality in all areas. Finally, a top leader must be self-knowledge.  It is important for one to understand his/her weaknesses and strengths.  Successful leaders build on their self- knowledge and encourage their teams to emulate the same.  For there to be successful leadership within an organization, the following variables that impact upon this success be prevalent.  Good relationship with his/her team.  Teams are made up of individuals who have been assembled together with an intention of achieving a particular organization’s Mission.  It is the role and duty of a leader to integrate the activities of individuals, ensuring that they are working together towards this goal by ensuring that they are aware of the organizations priorities.  To enhance this, leaders must therefore be respected by their teams.  Because of the known fact that respect is not given but earned, leaders must therefore build effective working relationships and trust within their teams.  Also the style of the leader must be consistent with the needs of the organization and the needs of the team.  The most effective leadership style is that approach that is both considerate and compassionate to the workforce and focused on attaining organizational objective and goals like getting the job done, to the right specification and within the intended timeline.  In additional effective leaders one always learning and they encourage their teams to do the same.  This will in turn bring new ideas and expenses, besides the above, successful leadership tends to be adopting in communication.  Some leaders are just better at communication and others not.  This disparity is due to the former developing their communication skills based on their knowledge and experience of what works well.  In summary, a leader in an organization determines the destiny of that particular organization.  In the modern world, nobody needs a boss.  We all need a leader and then leader is the first among equals.  A man or Woman who leads his/her team by being at the bank while banking at everybody on what their respective jobs entails.  Therefore, organization needs to have real, practical and efficient leadership that will inspire, motivate and guide the team towards attaining the organization’s goals and aspirations. References Bolman, G., & Deal, E. (2011), Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership. Jossey-Bass. Read More