Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior Organizations have been described as groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. This definition clearly indicates that organizations are not buildings or pieces of machinery. Organizations are, indeed, people who interact to accomplish shared objectives. The study of organizational behavior (OB) and its affiliated subjects helps us understand what people think, feel and do in organizational settings. For managers and, realistically, all employees, this knowledge helps predict, understand and control organizational events. There are three determinants of behavior in order to make an organization more effective: individual, groups, and structure. The people within the organization and their behaviors affect the performance of the organization. There are a number of behavioral disciplines that contribute to OB: psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science. There are lot of challenges and opportunities today for managers to use OB concepts. One of the most important and broad-based challenges facing organizations today is adapting to diverse work environments. Organizations are becoming more heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity. Understanding the concepts of OB allows management to facilitate the needs of a diverse workforce.

Organizational behavior is about people at work in all kinds of organizations and how they may be motivated to work together in more effective ways. By studying these behaviors you become more aware of your business ethics and are able to positively find ways to transfer your employee's attitudes and behaviors into more positive experiences personally and for the company. Most organizations realize that being ethical is good business practice and pays in the long run. To be ethical requires treating others -- customers and employees -- properly and fairly. A company that is interested in growth and profits must establish relationships with customers and employees based on trust. Improvement of the employer-employee relationship is important to both parties for several reasons. First, employee productivity increases when employers treat their employees with more respect. Second, employees may find that increased ethical behavior on their part actually results in higher compensation. For example, many companies are involved in relationship marketing, which is the process of creating and maintaining long-term relationships with customers. Relationship marketing, which can help a company increase its profits, requires the cooperation of employees. Employees that perform their jobs conscientiously and diligently are frequently rewarded with higher wages. Third, even if there is no material gain, ethically appropriate behavior provides a sense of self-satisfaction. Therefore, it is advantageous for every organization to maintain high ethical standards and thereby foster trust between a company and its employees.

Virtually all studies of employee satisfaction show that influencing employee attitudes is more affectively done by local managers and supervisors than by any other force with in a business or organization. Positive attitudes, behaviors, and language are the most critical ingredients, supported by constant application, interpretation, and example provided by organizational leadership. Here are some of the principles that I feel are pretty powerful techniques to redirect redefine and refocus how employees think, speak and behave and achieve in their work environment.

Managers should be more constructive. This means that daily, managers should seek to make and solicit positive, constructive suggestions to their employees. They should seek out useful questions to answer everyday and critique performance constructively.

Managers should be positive. By teaching others to have fun and celebrate some success every day is positive behavior. Using positive language and reducing the negative language in a group should eliminate negative emotions amongst the team and or company.

Managers should be outcome focused. Learn from positive lessons from adverse situations and focus on today and tomorrow. This will commit the manager to a forward momentum that each employee can follow.

Managers should be reflective and seek to learn everyday. As managers, you should be learning everyday just like the rest of us. What could you have done better? What could you have done more of less often? Or could you have conducted yourself differently, more consistently. These questions show employees that you to have the ability to redefine your actions to make yourself better. Managers should be pragmatic. If management makes forecasts achievable you are helping others achieve their goals.

Managers should relentlessly seek positive incremental improvements everyday. Help the employees break down problems into solvable parts. Help your team resolve these parts