• Certain pace and style of working • Unspoken taboos (spoken as well) • Social structures, pecking orders, and patterns of behavior based on community values • Habits govern dress, language, food, and the like • Norms of behavior govern the use of resources PSYCHOLOGICAL CLIMATE
Key elements in the life of the
organizational village - Important dimensions • Reward system • Organizational clarity • Standards of performance • Warmth and support • Leadership practices ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE • Psychologically healthy work environment brings out the best in employee and organizational well- being • Organizations are only as strong as the weakest link • Climate influences the quality of work and the quality of the work life of members ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE Hospital - Example: Exploitive or impoverished hospital • The best workers leave • People who stay spend more time complaining than working • Result is unattended patients, poor housekeeping, and medical and clerical errors • Unnecessary mistakes are due to human factors: Untrained, unqualified, and uncommitted workers ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE Hospital - Example: Enlightened and supportive hospital • Standards of performance are high • Leadership is effective • Goals and responsibilities are clear • Support prevails • Reward system reinforces work
Enlightened and supportive organizations
are good investments because they: • Attract excellent personnel • Outperform counterparts ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE
Organizations are composed of
interdependent groups • Success depends on the conditions in each subgroup • Every unit should develop an enlightened and supportive climate • Primary responsibility is with Leadership PATTERNS OF LEADERSHIP Rensis Likert identified the four patterns that correspond to the four types of organizational climate • Exploitive • Impoverished • Supportive • Enlightened His conclusions were based on studies of leaders in different organizations, inside and outside of the United States PATTERN 1 LEADERSHIP: EXPLOITIVE
Autocratic and Hierarchical
• Members: • Do not participate • Are expected to comply • Do not discuss problems with leaders • Leaders: • Make decisions • Do not trust others
Pattern 1 organizations rarely survive!
PATTERN 2 LEADERSHIP: IMPOVERISHED Not completely autocratic • Power remains at the top • Members sometimes participate in decision-making Organizations fall into two categories • Successful: Benevolent autocracies in which leaders show concern for members • Failing: Autocracies without benevolence that do not consider the ideas of members PATTERN 3 LEADERSHIP: SUPPORTIVE Leaders: • Show interest and confidence in members • Have power • Facilitate good communication throughout the organization Members: • Understand the goals and want to achieve them • Discuss problems with leaders
Member participation and involvement in
decision-making activities are observed PATTERN 4 LEADERSHIP: ENLIGHTENED, 1
• Leaders delegate power to the logical
focus of interest and concern for a problem • People have the freedom to initiate, coordinate, and execute, to accomplish goals • Communication is open, honest, and uncensored • People are trusted • Satisfaction and productivity are high PATTERN 4 LEADERSHIP: ENLIGHTENED, 2 Likert describes the Pattern 4 organization as work groups with a high degree of loyalty and favorable attitudes such as: • Consideration for others and problem- solving skills • Efficient and effective communication Effective system for interaction, problem solving, and organizational achievement Technically competent and maintain high performance goals IMPORTANT PATTERN 4 PRINCIPLES
• View human resources as the organization’s
greatest asset • Treat every individual with understanding, dignity, warmth, and support • Tap the constructive power of groups through visioning and team building • Set high performance goals at every level of the organization BENEFITS OF PATTERN 4 LEADERSHIP • Performance effectiveness improves • Costs decrease • Satisfaction and health improve • Applicable to all sizes and types of organizations • All organizations should adopt Pattern 4 leadership principles • Organizations in the United States are between Pattern 2 and Pattern 3 • Shifting to Pattern 4 would improve employee morale and productivity STORIES Can develop and reinforce a positive work climate Prescribe the way things should or should not be done Have great impact when describing real people and are known by employees throughout the organization Example: Malice in Dallas • Southwest Airlines versus Stevens Aviation • Dispute over the ad campaign “Just Plane Smart” led to an arm-wrestling match • All Southwest employees know the story, which communicates the values of the company BUILDING COMMUNITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Community is experienced in two ways
1. A group of people • Formed by bringing people together in place and time 2. A way of being • Created when barriers between people are let down Creative cooperation when dealing with others involves: • Valuing differences • Building on strengths • Transcending individual limitations • Achieving the full potential of community CONDITIONS FOR TRUE COMMUNITY Shared vision • Positive and future-focused image provides direction Wholeness incorporating diversity • Community must face and resolve differences Shared culture • Norms of behavior and core values that are shared are symbols of group identity CONDITIONS FOR TRUE COMMUNITY Internal communications • People communicate freely, which is uncensored and flows in all directions Consideration and trust • People are respected, valued, and treated humanely Maintenance and government • Roles, responsibilities, and decision-making are conducive to achieving tasks Participation and shared leadership • Involvement of all individuals and opportunity to influence events and outcomes CONDITIONS FOR TRUE COMMUNITY Development of younger members • Mature members help young members develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes that reflect community values
Affirmation
• The community celebrates its beginnings,
rewards its achievements, and takes pride in its challenges
Links with outside groups
• Need to draw boundaries to accomplish tasks
and community’s need to have fruitful alliances with external groups DAVE PACKARD AND BILL HEWETT ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES
• Creation of a company that would attract like-
minded people • Greatest innovation was managerial • Grant of bonuses to all employees when the company improved its productivity • Employees worked in open cubicles • Egalitarian, (relating to or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities) • decentralized system that came to be known as “the HP Way” THE STRUGGLE TO STAY FLAT AND FRESH
Key element of organizational culture and
climate is structure As organizations grow in size, there is a need for layers and divisions of responsibility Mid-level leaders are needed to guide work activities, coach employees, and manage organizational growth (Sufficient resources must be allocated to perform these functions well) Too many layers of management correspond with reduction in creativity and performance ARGUMENTS FOR BEING ORGANIZATIONALLY FLAT • Tall organizational structures have higher overhead costs • Layers of hierarchy tend to slow down the transmittal of information and the speed of response • Tall structures tend to undermine employee satisfaction and organizational commitment MERGING CULTURES Culture is an important factor when organizations merge • Organizations should consider the integration of cultures before the deal Ways to perform cultural due diligence for a successful merger • Talking to past members of the organizations • Interviewing common customers, suppliers, and industry analysts • Ensuring compatibility in the dimensions of organizational climate (Reward systems, standards of performance, leadership practices, feedback and controls, and attitudes toward innovation)