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Part 5
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Leadership Principles
10. Effective Leadership and Human Relations
11. The Team Concept
W
I
L leader coaches.
THE BOSS DRIVES; the
The boss wants power;
S the leader, good will.
The boss creates fear;O
the leader builds pride.
The boss says “I”; theN
leader says “We.”
The boss places blame;
, the leader solves the problem.
The boss knows how; the leader shows how.
The boss uses people; the leader serves others.
J
A
The boss takes credit; the leader gives credit.
M
The boss commands; the leader asks.
I leader says “Let’s go.”
The boss says “Go”; the
E
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
The boss preaches; the leader teaches.
—William J. Stewart
Author and educator
5
0
5
Learning Objectives
1
After studying Part B
Five, you will be able to:
• Apply the principles
U and practices of effective leadership.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop a high-morale, high-performance workforce.
Understand the importance of good human relations in the work setting.
Demonstrate the art of effective listening.
Identify the elements of an enlightened workplace.
Describe the characteristics of a high-performance group.
Know what the leader can do to develop communication, teamwork, and
a one-team attitude.
199
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CHAPTER
10
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Effective Leadership
and Human Relations
P
art 5 addresses the role of the
Wleader in creating a high-morale and highperformance workplace. Topics include work satisfaction, human relations,
I 10 begins with principles and practices for
and team leadership. Chapter
effective leadership.
L
How do you go about being an effective leader? Author and educator Warren Bennis
S
provides a short-course answer distilled
from years of study and experience:
O
Be yourself. Figure out what you are good at. Hire only good people who care. Treat people
the way you want to be treated. Focus
N on one or two critical objectives. Ask your co-workers
how to get there. Listen well. Call the play. Get out of their way. Cheer them on. Count the
,
gains. Start right now.1
No individual has been more influential than Peter Drucker in the study and pracJ are classics on the subject, and his advice has
tice of effective leadership. His books
helped six generations of leaders.
AAn Austrian trained in economics and law, Drucker
came to the United States in 1937, where he worked as a correspondent for British
M professor. In 1954, he wrote his famous text,
newspapers and later became a college
The Practice of Management. Drucker’s
conclusions about leadership include the
I
following:
E
1. There may be “born leaders,” but these are few. Effective leadership can be learned.
2. Without followers, there can be no leaders. Trust is the glue that binds the two.
5 or title. Leadership is responsibility.
3. Leadership is not rank, privilege,
0 is it style or personality. Leadership is results.2
4. Popularity is not leadership; nor
When Drucker died in 2005,5Fortune, BusinessWeek, and The Wall Street
Journal declared him to be the1greatest management thinker and writer of all
time. His ideas influenced Bill Gates, and the Japanese business establishment,
B Frances Hesselbein, past editor of the Harvard
citing a famous few out of millions.
Business Review and CEO of the
U Girl Scouts of the USA, describes the influence
of Peter Drucker: “In his 65 years of work, Peter Drucker redefined the social
sector, redefined society, redefined leadership and management—and gave mission, motivation, and values powerful meanings that have changed our lives.”
Drucker’s influence endures today especially in the booming economies of
Asia where old school values like integrity and humility fit well with Confucian
heritage.3
Drucker provides the following advice for leadership effectiveness:
1. Determine what needs to be done.
2. Determine the right thing to do for the welfare of the entire organization.
3. Develop action plans that specify desired results, probable restraints, future revisions, check-in points, and implications for how one should spend his or her time.
4. Take responsibility for decisions.
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10 / Effective Leadership and Human Relations
201
5. Take responsibility for communicating action plans, and give people the information they need to get the job done.
6. Focus on opportunities rather than problems, and treat change as an opportunity
rather than as a threat.
7. Run productive meetings. Different types of meetings require different forms of
preparation and different results. Prepare accordingly.
8. Think and say “we” rather than “I.” Consider the needs and opportunities of the
organization before thinking of your own opportunities and needs.
9. Listen first, speak last.4
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Drucker believed rules 1 and 2 provide the knowledge leaders need, rules 3
through 6 help leaders convert knowledge into effective action, rules 7 and 8 ensure
that the whole organization feels responsible and accountable, and rule 9 should be a
leadership commandment.
Certain principles of leadership have optimum positive influence on followers.
WStagg, Knute Rockne, Eddie Robinson, and Paul “Bear”
Consider Amos Alonzo
Bryant in the field of sports.
Although their styles were different, each followed uniI
versal principles of leadership that brought out the best in the pride and performance
L constitute leadership by competence. They apply at all
of people. These principles
5
levels of leadership and
Sin all fields of work.
For an evaluation of your competence as a leader (or an evaluation of your leader’s
competence), completeO
Exercise 10–1 and read the rationale that follows each question.
Note that this questionnaire
N is an assessment of leadership behaviors, as opposed to
personality traits. Followers are unable to read the minds of their leaders and can go
only by what they see ,them do; therefore, it is important to consider how well you
are practicing the principles of effective leadership.
J
A
M
I
E
5
0
5
1
B
U
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W
I
L
S
O
N
,
J
A
M
I
E
5
0
5
1
B
U
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Exercise 10–1
Leadership Report
Card6
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Circle the appropriate number for each response, and read the accompanying rationale. If
you are evaluating your leader, substitute he or she for I, and his or her for my.
A. I have a clear understanding of my responsibilities in order of priority.
1. I haven’t the foggiest.
2. Things are vague.
3. There is some confusion.
4. Generally speaking, yes.
5. Exactly.
Rationale:
■
If the leader is confused about personal goals and duties, how can the leader guide the
behavior of others? The leader won’t know in which direction to lead them.
B. All my people know what their job duties are in order of priority.
1. None do.
2. Some do.
W
I
4. Almost all do.
5. All do.
L
Rationale:
S
■ Job expectations must be understood and agreed upon for maximum job satisfaction
O
and work performance.
■ Not knowing what isN
expected of you is a major cause of stress at work.
■ Manage by the Marine Corps “rule of three”—most people can efficiently handle three
,
key responsibilities.
3. Most do.
C. The jobs my people have are satisfying to them.
J
A
3. So-so.
M
4. More than most.
I
5. Definitely yes.
Rationale:
E
1. Not really.
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
2. Some are.
■
A person’s work is an important part of personal identity in Western society.
■
Work must be personally satisfying if high morale and productivity are to be achieved.
5
D. My people know whether
they are doing a good job or if they need to improve.
1. No, it’s best they 0
don’t.
2. Some do.
5
1
4. Practically all do.
Bdon’t.
5. Yes, it’s rare if they
Rationale:
U
3. I try to get to most of them.
■
Not knowing how you are doing causes worry and anxiety and dissipates energy.
E. I recognize and reward good performance.
1. The paycheck is enough.
2. Sometimes.
3. More often than not.
4. Almost always.
5. Always.
Rationale:
■
Appreciation for a job well done reinforces good work.
■
Ignoring a job well done reduces commitment. The employee begins to think, If they
don’t care, why should I? People need psychic, social, and economic reinforcement
at work.
203
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5 / Leadership Principles
■
Glorify the lower levels of the organization. Celebrate their successes and take pride in
their performance. Most of an organization’s critical tasks are accomplished by frontline leaders and their teams.
■
Recognition techniques that build morale include (1) personal thanks; (2) year-end celebrations; (3) courtesy time off; (4) traveling trophy; (5) money.
F. I have criticized an employee in the presence of others.
1. I believe in making an example.
2. Occasionally.
3. Almost never.
4. Once.
5. Never, not once.
Rationale:
■ Public criticism embarrasses, alienates, and ultimately outrages not only the employee
being chastised, but all who are present as well.
■
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Criticism should not be querulous and wasting, all knife
W
and rootpuller; but guiding, instructive and inspiring—a south wind, not an east wind.”7
I
G. I care about the personal well-being
of my people, and they know it.
1. Honestly, no.
L
2. Some of them, yes.
S
3. Usually.
O
4. Almost all of them, yes.
5. Totally.
N
Rationale:
,
■ People resent being treated as unimportant; they want leaders to care about them and
show respect for their interests, their problems, and their needs. Whether by personal
hospital visits when they are ill,J
or by providing the best equipment and working tools
available, or by sharing in the trials of battle and the rewards of victory, the effective
leader shows consideration for A
others. Plutarch in Lives has this to say about the Roman
leader, Julius Caesar:
M
Caesar implanted and nurtured high spirits in his men: (1) first by gracious treatment
I stint, demonstrating that the wealth he amassed
and by bestowing awards without
from wars was a carefully guarded
E trust for rewarding gallantry, with no larger share
for himself than accrued to the soldiers who merited it; and (2) secondly by willingly
exposing himself to every danger and shrinking from no personal hardship of battle
faced by his fellow soldiers.8 5
■
A leader’s ability to remember aspects of followers’ personal lives (names of children,
favorite hobbies, etc.) creates a0bond that causes followers to admire and support the
leader.
5
H. I have policies and procedures for employee development and cross-training.
1
1. There is no need for this.
B
2. I plan to someday.
3. On occasion, for some employees.
U
4. Yes, generally speaking.
5. It is a major commitment I have.
Rationale:
■ Employee training does six important things: builds skills, raises morale, cuts avoidable
turnover and absenteeism, raises loyalty, reduces mistakes, and increases productivity.
I. I have given assignments to people without first considering the availability of
their time and the competence they possess.
1. Often.
2. Occasionally.
3. Rarely.
4. I almost never do this.
5. Never.
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205
Rationale:
■
Assigning work that is over a person’s level of skill creates undue stress and is likely to
result in a costly error.
■
Assigning more work than is possible to accomplish in the time available creates frustration, low morale, resentment, and lower performance in the long run.
J. I have been accused of favoritism regarding some of my employees.
1. Often.
2. More than most.
3. At times.
4. Rarely.
5. Never.
Rationale:
■
The values of equality and fair treatment are widely shared in Western society; favoritism runs directly counter to these values.
W
K. I take personal responsibility
for the orders I give and never quote a superior to
gain compliance. I
1. Never.
L
S
3. Usually.
4. Almost always. O
5. Always.
N
Rationale:
,
■ Leaders who violate this principle lose the respect of their direct reports, upper manage2. Rarely.
ment, and ultimately themselves as they become merely “paper leaders.”
■
■
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
■
The effective leader agrees
J with Harry Truman, who said, “The buck stops here” and “If
you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
When a leader refersA
to higher managers as “they,” he or she drives a wedge between
the employees and the
M organization, failing senior managers and employees as well.
Karl Menninger’s definition of loyalty can be helpful here:
I
Loyalty doesn’t mean that I agree with everything you say, or that I believe you are
always right, or that E
I follow your will in blind obedience. Loyalty means that we share
the same values and principles, and when minor differences arise, we work together,
shoulder to shoulder, confident in each other’s good faith, trust, constancy, and af5 we go forward, secure in the knowledge that few day-to-day
fection. Then together,
9
matters are hills worth
0 dying on.
L. I do not promise what cannot be delivered, and I deliver on all promises made.
5
1
2. I have failed occasionally.
3. Usually.
B
4. Almost without exception.
U
1. I have dropped the ball often.
5. Always.
Rationale:
■
Broken promises lower employee confidence and respect for the leader.
■
Disappointments deflate employee morale and performance, especially when they
come from the leader.
M. My people understand the reasoning behind policies and procedures.
1. Rarely.
2. Occasionally.
3. Sometimes.
4. Usually.
5. Always.
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5 / Leadership Principles
Rationale:
■
Not knowing the purpose of a policy or procedure can result in mistakes.
■
The following story shows the importance of understanding why:
The members of a crew on a submarine were about to take battle stations, and the
ship’s captain was worried about a young seaman whose job it was to close the watertight doors between certain compartments. The young man didn’t seem to realize
the purpose of his job, so the captain undertook to impress him. He told him that if
he failed his job, the ship would be lost. Not only that, some of the men aboard were
specialists and it cost thousands to train each of them; they might be drowned. The
captain stated: “So you see how important it is that you do your job . . . this is a very
expensive ship, and these men are very valuable.” The young crewman replied: “Yes
sir, and then there’s me too.” The captain stopped worrying.10
■
Uncertainty about policies can lead to paralysis.
N. The rules we live by are discussed and modified as needed.
1. Rarely.
W
I
3. Usually.
4. Almost always.
L
5. Always.
S
Rationale:
■ People are more likely to followO
a rule they help set.
■ People need to know the appropriate
N limits of behavior and guidelines for conduct.
■ Rules should be periodically reviewed for appropriateness; some rules may no longer
,
2. Sometimes.
be necessary or desirable.
O. I encourage my people to express disagreement with my views, especially if I’m
dealing in a controversial area.
J
1. Never.
2. Rarely.
3. Sometimes.
4. Fairly often.
5. Always.
Rationale:
A
M
I
E
■
People have the need to express themselves on emotional issues without fear of
5
reprisal.
■
Good ideas can come from constructive
disagreement.
0
■
Remember Harry Truman’s advice: “I want people around me who will tell me the
truth as they see it. You cannot5operate if you have people around you who put you on
a pedestal and tell you everything
1 you do is right. Because that can’t be possible.”11
P. My people know and feel free to use a right of appeal, formal and informal.
B
U
2. There is a procedure, but it is not widely known.
1. There is no procedure for appeal.
3. Some do.
4. Most do.
5. All do.
Rationale:
■
Not all decisions are good ones, and some should be reversed.
■
Every rule must have an exception, and a review or appeal process can facilitate this.
■
An appeal process is a defense against arbitrary and capricious treatment, and it meets
the need for a sense of fairness.
Q. The last time I listened closely to a suggestion from my people was:
1. I can’t remember.
2. Two months ago.
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10 / Effective Leadership and Human Relations
207
3. A month ago.
4. Last week.
5. Within the past two days.
Rationale:
■ Not listening shows disrespect, and people shut down when they do not feel respected.
■ Important information and ideas may be lost unless two-way communication prevails.
■ Ben Jonson’s words make the point well: “Very few men are wise by their own counsel;
or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool to
be his [teacher].”12
■ Abraham Lincoln advised casual contact with subordinates to keep in touch with their
concerns. He called these opportunities “public opinion baths.” John Nicolay and John
Hay, his personal secretaries, reported that Lincoln spent 75 percent of his time meeting with people.
■ One of the best ways to keep communication lines open is to be available. The simple
act of placing your office in a position near the lobby, parking lot, or hall is a time13
tested way to stay informed
W of employee needs and suggestions.
R. I encourage my people to participate in decisions affecting them unless compelI it.
ling reasons prevent
1. Rarely.
L
2. Sometimes.
S
3. Usually.
4. Almost always. O
5. Always.
N
Rationale:
,
■ Democracy is a political value taught in our society. It should come as no surprise when
employees want to be involved in decisions that affect them.
■ Participation leads to understanding; understanding leads to commitment; and comJ
mitment leads to loyalty.
■ Peter Drucker makesA
the point: Good leaders know how to tell; great leaders know how
to ask.14
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
M
S. I have mastered both the job knowledge and technical skills of my work.
1. I am totally out ofImy element.
2. I need much improvement.
E
3. I am OK.
4. I am very good.
5. I am excellent. 5
Rationale:
0
■ Job knowledge helps the leader gain the respect and loyalty of people.
5
■ Job expertise helps solve critical problems.
1
■ Effective leaders are teachers and developers of people; this role requires keeping job
knowledge current. B
T. I have lost control of my emotions or faculties in the presence of my people.
U
1. Often.
2. Occasionally.
3. Rarely.
4. Almost never.
5. Never.
Rationale:
■ Emotional stability in the leader can be an anchor of strength for others.
■ Past a certain point, as emotionality increases, objectivity and the ability to make good
judgments decrease.
U. I set a good example for my people in the use of my time at work.
1. If they did what I do, we’d be in trouble.
2. I waste significant amounts of time.
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5 / Leadership Principles
3. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
4. Usually.
5. I wish they would use me as a model.
Rationale:
■
Because people are influenced primarily by the example the leader sets, leaders must
follow effective time management practices.
■
Effective time management results in efficiency and smooth operations in the work
setting.
Scoring:
Add the numbers you circled for all 21 questions; record your total score here:
Interpretation:
Check the following list for an evaluation of your (or your leader’s) competence as a
W
leader.
Score
95–105
84–94
I
You should go to L
the head of the class. Your leadership practices can
serve as a model for others. Your behavior concerning employee communication, rewards,S
decision making, assignment of work, and the example
you set are ideal. O
You are on solid footing as a leader. You understand and employ the
N
basic principles of effective leadership, regardless of the level and field of
work. People should
, be happy under your direction, and the quality of
Evaluation
their work can be expected to be high.
63–83
You are doing some things right, and you are making mistakes in other
areas. Go back to J
the test, determine where your strengths are, and
capitalize on those areas. Also, work diligently to raise your low scores.
A have good two-way communication with your
For example: Do you
people? Are you following
the principles of effective motivation? Are you
M
setting a good example by your own work habits and the use of your
I
time?
62 and lower
Because of lack ofE
training, lack of application, or lack of aptitude, you
are not practicing the principles of good leadership. To diagnose the
problem, answer these three questions: (1) Have you been reading the
wrong book or following
the wrong models of leadership? (2) Do you
5
know the right answers but have been inattentive to practicing them?
0 for leadership, or do you feel more comfortable
(3) Are you cut out
working alone—being responsible for your own work, as opposed to
5
assigning, coordinating, teaching, coaching, and facilitating the work of
others?
1
Whatever the cause
B of your low scores, for the benefit of your employees
and the quality of work of your group, you should address the problem
U way to do this is to read the rationale for the correct
and solve it. The best
answers and then make every effort to exhibit the correct behavior on the
job.
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209
In his excellent article, “The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs,” biographer
Walter Isaacson identifies 15 beliefs and practices that worked for Jobs as a
leader. Both new and experienced leaders can learn from Jobs’s leadership formula
for success15:
Focus Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.
Simplify Zero in on essence, eliminate unnecessary components.
Own Take responsibility for “the whole widget,” end to end.
Compete When one is behind, leapfrog the competition.
Prioritize Make the right products and profits will follow.
Intuit Listen to your feelings, not just your intellect.
Bend Create a convincing reality through shear mental force.
Present The package is important.
Perfect Use good wood, even if it doesn’t show.
Wpeople to do great things; they will deliver.
Demand Expect good
Communicate PeopleIwho know what they are talking about don’t need “PowerPoint.”
Engage Mix and mingle
L where the work will get done.
Attend Both the big picture
and the minute details matter, so pay attention to both.
S
Imagine Combine art and science to create the best.
O
Commit Stay hungry, stay foolish.
N
,
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Work Morale
J
The importance of morale has been recognized by all great leaders. Napoleon
A success depends on its size, equipment, experience, and
once wrote: “An army’s
morale . . . and morale is worth more than all of the other elements combined.”16
M
Meta-analyses of research studies show positive relationships between employee
I commitment, job performance, organizational citizenship
morale and organizational
17
behavior, and retention.
E
A person’s morale can be diagnosed according to the percentage of time spent on
the job in each of three states—work, play, and hell. Consider your own job. What
percentage of your time
5 is spent doing work (drudgery)? What percentage is spent at
play (enjoyable, uplifting activities)? What percentage is hell (pain and torture)?
0 below to assess your morale.
Record your percentages
5
1
B
U
State
Work
Play
Hell
Total
Percentage of time
100%
If less than 20 percent of your job is enjoyable, your interest, commitment,
and ultimately your performance will go down. There is not enough satisfaction in
your job. If more than 20 percent of your job is hell, your attitude, performance,
relationships, and even your health may be affected. More than a day of your week
is spent in a miserable state. An acceptable work (drudgery) quotient depends on the
work ethic you have developed. Because of either Western world or Eastern world
socialization, some people have a higher degree of self-discipline and tolerance for
tedious labor.
The single best way to achieve high morale is to get the right person in the right
job in the first place. As a job aid in doing this, career counseling can be helpful.
To find out what people actually do in a variety of jobs, what the salaries and
working conditions are, and what the current and future job prospects are, see
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the Occupational Outlook Handbook, compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. It can be found online at http://www.bls.gov/oco. See also O*NET at
http://online.onetcenter.org.
Raising Employee
Morale
Some policies and techniques for maximizing morale seem to work with the majority
of employees in most cases. A review of 550 studies published since 1959 shows
nine areas in which management can take action that will have positive effects on
employee satisfaction and job performance. Following are the nine areas and possible
actions:
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
Pay and reward systems. Introduce a group bonus.
Job autonomy and discretion. Allow workers to determine their own work methods.
Support services. Provide service on demand from technical support groups.
Training. Provide training and development for all employees.
Organizational structure. Reduce the number of hierarchical levels.
WBreak long production and assembly lines into
Technical and physical aspects.
smaller work units.
I
Task assignments. Assign whole
L tasks, including preparatory and finishing work.
Information and feedback. Solicit and utilize direct feedback from users—
S
clients, customers, other departments.
O Increase the amount and types of group
Interpersonal and group processes.
interaction.
N
Research shows that positive, results can be obtained by using one or more of
these techniques. Costs go down, and the quality of work and quality of work life
improve. Satisfied workers are more likely to continue working for the organization and are more likely to engage
J in organizational citizenship behaviors that go
beyond the scope of job descriptions.18
The Measurement of
Morale
A
M book A Great Place to Work, describes high
Robert Levering, in his best-selling
morale as having pride in what you
I do (the job itself), enjoying the people you are
working with (the work group), trusting the people you work for (management pracE (wage and benefits). One of the best ways to
tices), and gaining economic rewards
understand the importance of morale is to evaluate your own level of morale in these
four key areas. Complete the following exercise (Exercise 10–2).
5
0
5
1
B
U
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Exercise 10–2: Morale
Survey—What Is Your
Level of Morale?19
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The following survey addresses a number of work-related issues. Answer each question as it
relates to your own experience. Circle the appropriate response.
Job
1. At this point in my job, I am doing the things I feel are important.
Strongly
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
2. When it comes to challenge, the job I am doing is demanding.
Strongly
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
3. As things are now, I have a sense of accomplishment in the work I am doing.
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
W
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
I
Group
L
S in the work of my co-workers, it is high.
4. When it comes to pride
Strongly
O
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
N
, whom I work.
5. I like the people with
Strongly
Disagree
Strongly
Agree
Strongly
JDisagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
A
6. There is teamwork between
my co-workers and me.
Strongly
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Disagree
Management
M
IDisagree
E
Strongly
Undecided
Agree
Agree
7. Management strives to be fair.
5
Disagree
Undecided
0Disagree
5
I understand and agree with the goals of management.
1
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
B
U
Management shows concern for employees.
Strongly
8.
9.
Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
Agree
Strongly
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
211
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5 / Leadership Principles
Economics
10. My wages are satisfactory.
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
11. My fringe benefits are satisfactory.
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Agree
12. The opportunity for advancement is satisfactory—if I desire to pursue it.
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Scoring:
Undecided
Agree
Agree
W
What does the Morale Survey tell you about your own work situation? To find your level of
I
satisfaction in four important areas—the
job itself, relations with co-workers, practices of
management, and economic rewards—complete
the following three steps.
L
S
For each question, score 1 for “Strongly
O Disagree,” 2 for “Disagree,” 3 for “Undecided,”
4 for “Agree,” and 5 for “Strongly Agree.”
N
,
Step Two:
Step One:
Add the total scores for each section of the questionnaire, divide by 3, and enter the averages in the appropriate spaces below.
J
Job
Group
Average for items
1, 2, and 3
Step Three:
A
Mfor items
Average
4, 5, and
I 6
E
Management
Economics
Average for items
Average for items
7, 8, and 9
10, 11, and 12
Make a three-dimensional picture of your morale at work, using Figure 10–1. Circle the
appropriate number on each edge of the box, and connect the circles with straight and
5
dotted lines as shown in the example (Figure 10–2).
Figure 10–1
Your Levels of Morale
0
5 Management
1
5
B
4
U
Job
5
4
3
5
4
4
2
5
3
2
3
1
2
1
Group
1
3
2
1
Economics
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10 / Effective Leadership and Human Relations
Figure 10–2
Example of Levels
of Morale
Job
Management
5
5
4
3
4
5
5
3
4
4
2
2
3
1
1
W
I
Group
L
S
Interpretation:
O
Score
Description
N
1.0–2.5
Low Morale
,
1
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
3.5–5.0
J
A
M
Wait-and-See
Attitude
I
E
5
0
High Morale
5
1
B
U
3
2
2
2.6–3.4
213
1
Economics
Meaning
Scores from 1.0 to 2.5 on any one or a combination of the four edges of the box—job, group,
management, and economics—indicate a low level
of morale. If you are doing a good job, you are
doing so because of personal qualities, not because
of environmental support.
Scores between 2.6 and 3.4 on any one or a combination of the four edges indicate a wait-and-see
attitude. It is likely that your morale is neither helping nor hurting your job performance at this point.
However, you lack a sense of full satisfaction and do
not feel complete commitment to your work. Your
current condition can be likened to running in
place or treading water.
Scores between 3.5 and 5.0 on all four edges indicate a high level of morale. You are fortunate in
that you receive much satisfaction from your work.
You are striving to do the best job possible, and
with training and practice your level of performance could be expected to be high.
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W
I
L
S
O
N
,
J
A
M
I
E
5
0
5
1
B
U
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10 / Effective Leadership and Human Relations
Employee Morale
and the Role of
Management
215
The Conference Board has been tracking levels of U.S. job satisfaction since 1987.
Research shows decreasing morale in the American workplace, with only 45 percent
of employees satisfied with their jobs, down from 60 percent two decades ago.20
Managing morale is the task of management. Meeting this responsibility requires a
willingness to listen to employees and the ability to read between the lines of what
they say and do. In this process, the morale of each person should be considered individually. Although the elements of morale are the same for everyone—job, group,
management, and economic rewards—each element may be more or less important
to different people at different times.
■ The nature of the job itself may not be as important to the individual who views
work as a temporary source of income while going to school as it is to the person in
midcareer who foresees many more years in the same line of work.
■ Typically, wages and the opportunity for advancement are of primary importance to
younger workers, while older employees are more interested in fringe benefits for
their retirement years. All three—wages, benefits, and advancement—are usually
important to workersW
in their middle years, when the financial demands of raising
a family must be met,
I security for sickness and retirement must be considered, and
social needs for status and responsibility can be great.
L
■ Relations with co-workers and practices of management probably would be less
S who works alone, than to factory and office employees,
important to the inventor,
who spend a significant amount of time in the company of co-workers and who are
O
subject to a supervisor’s orders.
N
In summary, when,an employee has an attitude problem that is work-related,
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
stress levels rise and performance goes down. It may be discovered that management is part of the problem. Occasionally, the problem is caused by other employees. Often, the problem
J is caused by the employee her- or himself. In any case,
management’s potential to help is enormous. If you are a manager and have an
A you should be concerned for the sake of the individual
employee attitude problem,
21
and the good of the organization.
M
I
E the Role
Work Morale and
of the Leader
5
Does morale make a difference,
and does leadership count? Yes and yes, say Robert
Levering and Milton Moskowitz
in The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America,
0
identifying Southwest Airlines as a “best” company and quoting an enthusiastic employee: “Working here5is an unbelievable experience. They treat you with respect,
pay you well, and ask 1
you to use your ideas to solve problems. They encourage you
to be yourself. I love going to work!”22
B his role in the success of the company, former CEO
Although he downplays
Herb Kelleher personifies
U the honest and caring leader who is committed to his
people and who cares about their morale. As CEO, Kelleher spent his business day
making sure employees believed in themselves and their company, and he did this in
his own unique way. He smoked, arm-wrestled, drank Wild Turkey, rapped in music
videos—and he loved it. His employees loved him, too. Kelleher states, “You can’t
just lead by the numbers. We’ve always believed that business should be enjoyable
as well.”23
Kelleher’s attention to morale paid big dividends for Southwest Airlines.
When he became CEO in 1982, the airline had just 27 planes, $270 million in
revenues, 2,100 employees, and flights to 14 cities. By the time of his retirement
in 2001, Southwest had become a $5.7 billion business with 30,000 employees
and was flying to 57 cities. At $14 billion, Southwest’s market capitalization was
bigger than American’s, United’s, and Continental’s combined. Most astounding
of all was that, since the company first earned a profit in 1973, it never lost a
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5 / Leadership Principles
penny. In an industry plagued by fare wars, oil crises, and other disasters, this is
an amazing accomplishment—traced primarily to a caring leader who cared about
his people.24
It is interesting to note that Kelleher was succeeded by his former secretary, Colleen
Barrett. What happened to the company? Its performance got better, additional testimony to Kelleher’s leadership ability. Of course, when asked, both Kelleher and Barrett
(now “president emeritus”) are certain to assign Southwest Airlines success to “our people.”25 It is not surprising that in a 2013 interview, Kelleher described his leadership
philosophy as follows: When employees are having problems, be there; when things are
going well, stay out of their way.26
The relationship between job satisfaction and job performance is positive for most
employees. High morale predicts creativity, problem solving, task persistence, coworker support, and organizational commitment.27
Does job satisfaction help customer satisfaction as well? “Indeed so,” says Virgin
Group founder Richard Branson. “It is common sense that happy employees make
28
happy customers. At Virgin Group,
Wour front line makes our bottom line.” The business case linking employee satisfaction with customer service is well documented. Research shows employees in a goodI mood display friendliness and positive interactions
more naturally and frequently, and
Lthis causes customers to experience positive emotions and loyalty. Also, satisfied employees are less likely to quit their jobs, so they have
S their customers. Lower turnover also enables cusbetter knowledge and skills to serve
29
tomers to have the same employees
Oserve them, so there is more consistent service.
Brad Bird, director of Ratatouille and other award-winning films at Pixar Animation, makes the business case forNemployee morale: “In my experience, the thing that
has the most significant impact on
, a budget, but never shows up in the budget, is
morale. If you have low morale, for every dollar you spend, you get 25 cents of
value. If you have high morale, for every dollar you spend, you get $3 dollars of value,
not to mention a beautiful product.”
J 30
A
Practical Leadership Tips
M
The task of leadership is to manage
I morale, which means making sure people (1) feel
they are given the opportunity to do what they do best every day; (2) believe their
E employees are committed to doing high-quality
opinions count; (3) sense their fellow
work; and (4) have made a direct connection between their work and the company’s
mission. By focusing on these key factors and by adhering to the following proven
tips for being an effective leader,5the leader can keep morale high and performance
31
up in the work group or organization.
0
1. Be predictable. One good rule for leading people is: Be consistent. If you give
praise for an act today and criticism5for the same act tomorrow, the result will be confusion.
2. Be understanding. Try to1see things from the other person’s view. How can
you appreciate what another person is going through if you have never been there or
B
at least listened?
3. Be enthusiastic. The atmosphere
you create determines whether people will
U
give their best efforts when you are not present. Why would they care if you do not?
4. Set the example. It is difficult to ask others to do something (for example, be
at work on time—8:00 a.m.) if you, yourself, aren’t willing to do it.
5. Show support. People want a leader they can trust in times of need and a
person they can depend on to represent their interests. Care about your people and
they will care about you. Mutual loyalty is an important force for getting things done,
especially in emergencies and adverse conditions.
6. Get out of the office. Visit frontline people with your eyes and ears open.
Ask questions, understand their concerns, and gain their support. This has to be done
often enough to show that you care about their problems and their ideas.
7. Keep promises. When you make promises, keep them faithfully. One key to
being an effective leader is credibility. Credibility is the formation of trust, and trust
is an essential quality employees want in a leader.
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217
8. Praise generously. Never let an opportunity pass to give a well-deserved
compliment. Don’t forget to show appreciation for effort as well as accomplishments,
and do so in writing whenever possible.
9. Hold your fire. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant tone of voice.
How you say something is often more important than what you say. Most important,
ask people, don’t tell them. Discuss, don’t argue.
10. Always be fair. Show respect, consideration, and support for all employees
equally, but differentiate rewards based on performance. Reward good performers in
a similar fashion, and nonperformers in a similar fashion, but don’t reward good performers and nonperformers in the same fashion. Doing so is a sure way to demotivate
good performers and lower the quality of work for all.
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Psychological Health
and the Concept of Flow
Research supports the W
importance of work as a central activity in people’s lives.
When asked, “If you had
I enough money to live as comfortably as you would like
for the rest of your life, would you continue to work, or would you stop working?”
L say they would continue to work.32
70 percent of Americans
A satisfying work experience
is important for emotional well-being. The Russian
S
writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky expressed this when he wrote, “If it were considered
O
desirable to destroy a human being, the only thing necessary would be to give his
33
N
work a climate of uselessness.”
Thomas Jefferson believed it was neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquillity and
,
occupation, which give happiness.34 Along these lines, University of Chicago psy-
chologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term flow after studying artists who
could spend hour afterJhour painting and sculpting with enormous concentration. The
artists, immersed in a challenging project and exhibiting high levels of skill, worked
A 35
as if nothing else mattered.
Flow is the confluence
M of challenge and skill, and it is what the poet Joseph
Campbell meant when he said, “Follow your bliss.” In all fields of work, from
I when we are challenged by something we are truly good
accounting to zookeeping,
at, we become so absorbed
E in the flow of the activity that we lose consciousness of
self and time. We avoid states of anxiety, boredom, and apathy, and we experience
flow. See Figure 10–3.
Figure 10–3
The Experience of Flow
Combines High Challenge
and High Skill
Anxiety
5
0
High Challenge
5
1
B
U
Flow
Low
Skill
High
Skill
Apathy
Boredom
Low Challenge
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Note that low skill + low challenge = apathy and diminished work life; low skill +
high challenge = anxiety and low self-esteem; high skill + low challenge = boredom
and low creativity; high skill + high challenge = the experience of flow and work
fulfillment.
What is it like to be in a state of flow? Csikszentmihalyi, in his book The
Evolving Self, reports that over and over again, people describe the same
dimensions of flow:
■
■
■
■
■
A clear and present purpose distinctly known.
Immediate feedback on how well one is doing.
Supreme concentration on the task at hand as other concerns are temporarily
suspended.
A sense of growth and being part of some greater endeavor as ego boundaries
are transcended.
An altered sense of time that usually seems to go faster.36
At this point in time, where are
Wyou in your work and professional life: Are you in
a state of apathy, anxiety, boredom, or flow? If you are not now in a state of flow,
I
what would it take to get you there?
More than forty years ago, Peter
L Drucker recognized that leaders are more effective when they focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. They capitalize on their
own strengths and the strengths S
of their employees.37 Yet research shows that only
20 percent of employees in largeO
organizations say they have an opportunity to perform tasks they do best.38 The untapped potential of people is the main message in
the “concept of flow.” Effective N
leaders will take action to be sure no employee stays
long in a state of apathy, anxiety,, or boredom; but instead is challenged to perform in
his or her area of strength and gain the satisfaction of the experience of flow.
J
Job Design and Work Satisfaction
A
The works of Adam Smith and C. Babbage serve as the foundation for contemporary
M jobs and work satisfaction remain central conwork design.39 The design of good
40
cerns in today’s workplace.
I
What constitutes a good job? One of the best models of job design and work
E
satisfaction shows intrinsic and extrinsic
factors that are necessary for a rich job.41
Intrinsic factors are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Variety and challenge—including
5 the use of different skills and talents.
Opportunity for decision making—including
task identity and autonomy.
0
Feedback and learning—including evaluation and suggestions from users.
5
Mutual respect and support—including responsive listening and teamwork.
1
Wholeness and meaning—including tasks of social and personal significance.
B
Room to grow—including development
of new knowledge and skills.
U
The first three must be optimal—not too much, which can add anxiety, or too little,
which produces boredom. The second three are open-ended. No one can have too
much respect, growing room, or wholeness. Thus a rich job has optimal variety, responsibility, and feedback, and as much respect, growth, and meaning as possible.
The rich job also includes extrinsic conditions of employment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Fair and adequate pay.
Job security.
Benefits.
Safety.
Health.
Due process.
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219
Job design works. A meta-analysis of 259 studies shows job design is positively associated with employee performance, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and
employee retention.42 With this model as a basis, consider the employees in your jurisdiction. What steps can be taken to improve or maintain a high level of job satisfaction?
What do 5 billion people age 15 or older want? A good job, says Jim Clifton, chairman of Gallup, the worldwide polling company. Research reported in his book, The
Coming Jobs War, shows what the whole world wants is a good job.
A good job is defined as a job with a paycheck from an employer and steady work that
averages over 30 hours per week. Global labor economists refer to these as formal jobs.
Clifton states nothing would change the current condition of human kind more than
if every adult who wants one possessed a good job. More than anything else, a good
job is the foundation for love, money, reputation, food, shelter, safety, and self respect.
Leaders should focus on creating good jobs, because as jobs go, so does the fate of
their companies. Good jobs are the basis of prosperity, happiness, and human development. Further, Clifton believes the future belongs to those companies and societies
that do the best job of creating
the best jobs.
W
I
The Importance
L of Human Relations
Human relations are important to the individual and the society. As John Donne, the
S
17th-century English poet, wrote, in the language of his time:
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
O
No man is an Island, intire of its selfe;
Every man N
is a peece of the Continent,
A part of the
, maine;
If a Clod be washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse,
As well as if a Promontorie were,
As well as if
J a Mannor of thy friends, or of thine owne were;
Any man’s death diminishes me,
A involved in Mankinde;
Because I am
And therefore;
M
Never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
I 43
It tolls for thee.
E
In The Different Drum, psychiatrist Scott Peck writes: “We are all, in reality,
interdependent. Throughout the ages, the greatest leaders of all of the religions have
taught us that the journey
5 of growth is the path away from self-love, and toward a
state of being in which our identity merges with that of humanity.”44 Effective lead0 fully, and at a basic level feel connected with their fellow
ers understand this idea
humans, care about the5well-being of others, and relate effectively with people.
Consider the words of William Penn: “I expect to pass through this life but once;
1 kindness I can show or any good thing I can do for any fellow
therefore if there be any
being, let me do it now,
Bnot defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
U
Human Relations in the Workplace
Psychologist William Menninger explains the importance of human relationships in
the world of work:
The only hope for man to be fulfilled in a world of work is that he get along with his fellowmen—
that he try to understand them. He may then be free to contribute to their mutual welfare—theirs
and his. Insofar as he fails this, he fails himself and society.45
The first empirical evidence of the importance of human relations in the workplace
was provided by studies conducted at Western Electric’s Hawthorne plant. The original
purpose of the studies was to discover the effect of working conditions—noise, lighting,
and the like—on employee performance. The final result was to demonstrate the critical
role of human relations, particularly employee recognition and management support.46
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The Hawthorne studies followed a period of American history marked by
massive industrialization, exploitation of workers, and the use of scientific
management to improve employee efficiency. As epitomized by Charlie Chaplin
in the film Modern Times, the worker had been dehumanized in the pursuit of
production and profit.
Among the findings commonly attributed to the Hawthorne studies are the following:
(1) Productivity is affected by human relationships because the work environment is also
a social environment; (2) a supportive leadership style and the amount of attention directed toward employees have positive influence on productivity; (3) there is a tendency
for workers to set their own standards or norms for acceptable behavior and output.47
With the published results of the Hawthorne studies, the industrial community
awakened to the fact that the worker must be treated as more than a machine, and that
humanism in the workplace is good for both people and business. Participative work
groups, enlightened leadership practices, and meaningful job assignments were
recognized as important to prevent worker alienation, and a human relations movement began to take root.
W
Human relations are increasingly important in today’s workplace for three reasons:
I
L Writing in Liberation Management, Tom Peters
how well the customer is served.
states: “All business decisionsShinge, ultimately, on conversations and relationships; all business dealings are personal dealings in the end.”48
O
To build superior work teams, people need greater competence in human relations skills. In the 1980s, the N
National Science Foundation reported that Japanese
companies of the period were, more productive than American companies primar49
1. More people are employed in service occupations, where success depends on
2.
ily because of collaborative work relationships.
3. In his essay “Building Community,” John Gardner describes the modern work-
force as composed of a variedJmix of personalities and cultures, thus the necessity—
and challenge—of building strong human relations with all kinds of people. It
A
is interesting to note that the most common cause of supervisory failure is poor
50
M
human relations.
I
Basic Beliefs about People
E
The quality of human relations in any workplace reflects its members’, particularly
its leaders’, views of the essential nature and value of humanity itself.
5
■
■
■
Human nature. It makes a great deal of difference whether one views people
0 assume that people are basically good, we can
in general as good or evil. If we
believe that misbehavior is a reactive
response rather than a manifestation of char5
acter. This positive view of people will lead to a search for causes in experience
1other hand, we assume that people are inherently
rather than in nature. If, on the
bad, then we are prone to assume
B that misbehavior is caused by something within
the person that cannot be altered directly. Accordingly, our attention will focus on
U
limiting freedom to choose and act through external restrictions and controls.
Human value. What is the basic value of human beings? This is a question as old
as written history and probably as old as society itself. It stems from the debate
as to whether people are ends in themselves or merely means to ends. In simple
terms, we treat people as ends when we allow them to establish their own purposes
and to choose for themselves. When we view people as ends, we reflect a humanistic view. In contrast, when we treat people as means, we limit their choices
and use them primarily as instruments for our own purposes.
Where do you stand? Personal history draws each of us toward some primary
tendency that determines the general pattern of our relations with others. Small
changes may occur to accommodate the various roles we play, but there seems
to be a core pattern that represents our basic beliefs concerning human beings. Is
your own view of people primarily positive or negative? What experiences and
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221
factors have influenced your view? As a result, what principles and practices do
you follow in your relations with others?
Effective Human Relationships
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
The goal of human relations is the maximum well-being of all people involved. Management author Wendy Leebov presents 12 practices for obtaining good human
relations.51
1. Agree upon goals. Objectives should be understood and agreed upon by all parties.
2. Be on the lookout for competitive behavior. If you feel under attack, or feel yourself lining up support, you are probably in a contest for power.
3. Listen to understand. Stop thinking about counterarguments while the other
person is speaking. Pay genuine attention to what people are saying. Seek first
to understand, then to be understood.
W
4. Avoid absolute statements.
Absolutes leave no room for compromise. “I think
this is one way . . I.” is better than, “This is THE ONLY way. . . .”
5. Admit mistakes. Admit it openly when you have made a mistake, overlooked
L a poor decision; and then apologize. Remember that missomething, or made
takes can be valuable
S learning experiences for future use.
6. Involve people. Whenever
possible, people should have influence on decisions
O
that affect them.
N
7. Use decision making by consensus. Avoid vote taking without discussion and
,
avoid autocratic fiat.
8. Live up to agreements. Follow through on every promise.
9. Draw a continuumJline. Have people place themselves on a continuum line
regarding issues. It often occurs that different “sides” are not far apart.
10. Be alert to sellingA
or winning strategies. Note these in others, and avoid using
them yourself. “Any
M intelligent person can see the advantages . . .” would be a
danger signal.
I
11. Respect differences. See things from the other person’s view. Try to understand
the other person’sE
needs, goals, and problems.
12. Think positive. Beliefs have a way of influencing reality. If you think a problem
or relationship is impossible
to solve, it probably will be.
5
The key for turning negative
situations into positive results is to strive for what is
0
best for all. In this way, everyone comes out on top, and this represents the human
5
relations ideal.
Dale Carnegie’s well-known
book How to Win Friends and Influence People be1
longs in every personal and professional development library. Five principles for
good human relations B
are drawn from this tried and true source.52
1. Help People
Feel Important
U
The philosopher John Dewey believed the deepest urge in human nature is the desire
to be important. It was this desire that led Abraham Lincoln to study law, that inspired Dickens to write his novels, and that makes people put their best foot forward
in the presence of company.
Because people want to feel important, you can achieve wonders by giving them
honest appreciation. Every person feels special in some way, and a sure way to the
heart is to let people know that you recognize their importance. We should stop
thinking of our own accomplishments and our own wants. Instead, focus on the
other person’s good points.
Give honest and sincere appreciation, and people will cherish your words years
after you have forgotten them. A word of thanks, a comment on how well a task is
done, a handwritten note of sincere appreciation—these are “priceless rewards” that
satisfy everyone’s need to feel important.
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2. Avoid Arguments
A good way to improve relationships is to be less judgmental, and a good way to
handle an argument is to avoid it. Most of the time, an argument ends with each person more firmly convinced than ever that he or she is absolutely right. You can’t win
an argument. You can’t win because even if you win, you lose, for you will never get
the other person’s goodwill.
In his biography, Benjamin Franklin tells how he conquered the habit of argument.
One day when Franklin was a youth, an old friend took him aside and said, “Ben,
your opinions have a slap in them for everyone who differs with you. Your friends
find they enjoy themselves better when you are not around. You know so much that
no man can tell you anything. Indeed no man is going to try, for the effort would lead
only to discomfort. So you are not likely ever to know any more than you do now,
which is very little.” Franklin was wise enough to realize that this was true, and he
changed immediately. Carnegie quotes Franklin on his new attitude:
I made it a rule to forbear all contradiction to the sentiments of others, and all assertion of my own.
I even forbade myself the use of every expression that imported a fix’d opinion, such as “undoubtedly,” and adopted, instead, “I conceive
Wa thing to be so,” or “it so appears to me at present.” When
another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny’d myself the pleasure of contradicting him
abruptly, and in answering I began by Iobserving that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion
would be right, but in the present caseL
there seem’d to me some difference. This became at length so
habitual that perhaps for fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me.
And to this habit I think it principally S
owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow citizens
when I proposed new institutions, or alterations
in the old, and so much influence in public councils.
O
3. Don’t Be a
Complainer
4. Show Interest
in Others
N
Closely related to arguing is complaining. People don’t like complainers and will
,
avoid them if at all possible. Associating
with complainers will bring you down in
the minds of others and in your own as well. Negative thinking puts one in a negative
mood and this can result in negative behavior. It is a destructive cycle that
J
begins with complaining.
Instead of complaining, look A
for the positive. Be an optimist. As a practical matter, develop the habit of smiling. A smile shows interest and appreciation for others.
It may interest efficiency expertsM
and conservationists to know that it takes fewer
muscles to smile than it does to frown.
The adage, “smile and the world smiles with
I
you; weep and you weep alone” has truth to it. Frowners go around complaining,
E people down. Don’t be a frowner.
looking for the negative, and putting
One last point: There is a theory that how a person holds her face (smiles, frowns,
etc.) the first half of life will determine the condition of her face the second half of life.
5
0 Think about the leaders you have had. Who
Be genuinely interested in other people.
was your favorite and why? There5is a good chance that this person was genuinely interested in you as a person, not simply as a means of getting the job done. Think about your
1
friends. One of the reasons you like them is because they show a genuine interest in you.
B others, forget yourself. People are interested in
If you want good relations with
you, but they are interested in themselves
as well. This is why you can make more
U
friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two
years by trying to get other people interested in you. If you want to improve your relations, do things for other people—things that require time, energy, and thoughtfulness. This is the secret of success in both personal and business dealings.
Remember that the person you are talking to is usually more interested in himself
than in any other subject. The ache in his tooth can mean more to him than a famine
in China. If you want good human relations, be a good listener and encourage others
to talk about themselves.
5. Remember People’s
Names
One of the simplest, and most obvious, and most effective ways of gaining goodwill
is to remember names. Yet so few people do it. Many times we are introduced to a
person, talk a few minutes, and can’t even remember the person’s name when we say
good-bye. Most people don’t remember names for the simple reason that they don’t
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223
expend the effort necessary to concentrate and repeat and fix names indelibly in their
minds. It takes effort, but “good manners,” said Emerson, “are made up of small sacrifices.” Remember that a person’s name is to him the sweetest and most important
sound in the world.
There are four steps to remembering names. First, decide that it is important to do.
If it is not important to you, you are sure to fail. Second, be sure the information registers in the brain. This means focus and concentrate to be sure the name is recorded
in the first place. Third, use the power of repetition; it is the mother of remembering.
Call the person by name two or three times when you are introduced and repeat it
over and over in your mind. Fourth, make an association as a mental aid to help you
remember the name. The association may be a place (such as a city or state), physically descriptive (Jim is slim), character descriptive (Mary is contrary), object-related
(lazy Susan), historical (King Edward), rhyming (Earl the pearl), or humorous in
some way (Mister Magoo).
As a review, if you want good human relationships, follow five proven principles:
Help people feel important,
W avoid arguments, don’t be a complainer, show interest in
others, and remember people’s names.
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
I
L
Abuse and Physical
Violence
S
Awareness and interestOin workplace violence has increased in the past 27 years. It
was in 1986 that Patrick Sherrill went on a rampage in the Edmond, Oklahoma, post
N death of 14 of his co-workers before he took his own life.
office that resulted in the
This event and others that
resulted in the term going postal to describe
, followed
53
episodes of violence at work.
Mass shootings by disgruntled or mentally ill employees (or students, soldiers, or
citizens) have made society
J aware that erratic behavior has to be spotted and dealt
with early. Events from Virginia Tech, to Fort Hood, to Newtown, Connecticut, to a
A
Colorado movie theater, to the Boston Marathon, to the Washington Navy Yard are
M
tragic examples that highlight
security needs for hotlines, emergency response, and
trained personnel to recognize
signs of troubling behavior.54
I
Bullying behavior and the escalation of abuse to the level of physical violence has
Eimportant human relations issue in the workplace. Punching
become an increasingly
and shoving are becoming more common, and the extreme of violence, murder, is not
unheard of. Men commit nearly 75 percent of the incidents, and women commit
nearly a quarter of all 5
threats and attacks.55
In an average work0week in the United States, 10 employees are killed and 25
are seriously injured in assaults by current or former co-workers. Often the offender
5 signs of impending tragedy—revealing weapons,
demonstrates clear warning
threatening co-workers,
1 and talking about attacks. In many cases, employers ignore,
downplay, or misjudge the seriousness of the threat.56
Paula Grubb, of theB
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, states
that one out of four workplaces
reports bullying and three out of five say uncivil
U
behavior, such as berating employees and using “the silent treatment,” occurs. From
the professional office to the retail store to the factory floor, aggressive behavior is
increasing personal injury, property damage, absenteeism, and turnover; and it is
decreasing employee morale, productivity, and bottom-line profits of companies.57
Research shows that antisocial behavior can be influenced by the behavior of coworkers. Work groups can condone harmful behaviors, such as use of profanity, sexual abuse, damaging property, and threatening or bullying other employees. Codes of
conduct, disciplinary action, offender counseling, and supervisory training are practical
steps to deal with inappropriate behavior. It is essential for leaders to establish a work
climate where ladies and gentlemen treat each other like ladies and gentlemen.58
The role of the leader is critical in preventing bullying behavior and dealing with
workplace violence. It is important to establish a civil work climate and a no-violence
code, and to back these up with quick and effective disciplinary action if violations
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occur. It is essential for the leader to model restraint and to avoid being a verbal or
physical aggressor—behaviors that could be copied by employees.59
Studies of abusive leaders show that employees who face ridicule and verbal
abuse develop anger and hatred toward their supervisors. Employee morale and work
performance deteriorate until the supervisor is replaced or employees quit or are terminated. Abused workers are not happy, nor is the organization functioning at its
most effective level.60
What to Do When People Complain
An important subject in human relations is how to handle complaints. If people
think a mistake has been made, it is only natural for them to be upset, especially if
the matter is important to them. When people complain, they want to be taken seriously and treated with courtesy. They also want to clear up the problem as soon as
possible, so that it won’t happen again. Use the following guidelines for handling
W
complaints:
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
I A polite and friendly manner works best, even
Keep cool, calm, and collected.
with the most irritated people.LA phrase to remember is: Maintain grace under
pressure.
S
Listen patiently without interrupting. Don’t argue or become defensive; allow the
O
person to vent emotions.
Accept and acknowledge the person’s
point of view. Show empathy. Consider how
N
you would feel if you were in the other person’s shoes.
,
Ask questions to fully understand the problem and to fully understand what the
person wants. Don’t jump to conclusions about how the problem should be
resolved.
J
Fully discuss possible solutions.
A Explain clearly what can and cannot be done.
Reach closure. Don’t leave the person hanging. If you can’t solve the problem,
M
find someone who can. Arrange a time and method for communicating the results.
I speaking up. Explain why you are glad that he or
Genuinely thank the person for
she pointed out a shortcoming.
EFor example, “ It gives me a chance to make things
right,” or “It helps us improve for the future.”
Follow through. Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it. Keep
5
promises.
0 responsibility. It is a practical and tangible
Handling complaints is everyone’s
demonstration of respect for people.
5 If done effectively, it can help keep small irritations from becoming major problems and it can be an important asset in building and
1
maintaining relationships.61
B
Trust and Respect in U
Human Relations
Today it is a recognized fact that people have greater satisfaction and produce more
when they are involved in their work, when they feel they are doing something
important, and when their work is appreciated. Both quality of work and quality of
work life are greatest when people are treated with trust and respect.
Trust and respect are the key elements of all good relationships. Trust is expressed
by an openness in sharing ideas and feelings. Respect is demonstrated by a willingness
to listen to the ideas and feelings of others. Without trust and respect, human relations
break down.
The rules for good relationships are to show respect by listening in a responsive
manner and to show trust by expressing oneself honestly and openly. Exercise 10–3
provides an effective way to develop trust and respect, the foundation behaviors of
good human relations.
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Exercise 10–3
The Dyadic
Encounter62
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Introduction:
A theme frequently thought and occasionally voiced when people meet or work together
is, I’d like to get to know you, but I don’t know how. This sentiment often is expressed in
work groups and emerges in marriage and other dyadic (two-person) relationships.
Getting to know another person involves a learnable set of skills and attitudes—self-disclosure,
trust, listening, acceptance, and nonpossessive caring.
Through the dyadic encounter, a unique learning experience, people who need or
want to communicate effectively can learn trust and respect by doing, as they build
relationships and skills that can be applied both on the job and in the home.
The conversation that you are about to have is intended to result in more effective
human relations. Tasks are accomplished more effectively if people have the capacity to
exchange ideas, feelings, and opinions freely.
In an understanding, nonjudgmental manner, one person shares information with
another, who reciprocates. This exchange results in a greater feeling of trust, understanding,
and acceptance, and the relationship becomes closer.
W
I
The following ground rules should govern this experience:
L
■ Each partner responds
S to each statement before continuing to the next statement.
■ Complete the statements in the order they appear, first one person responding and
O
then the other.
■ Do not write yourN
responses.
, finished reading, begin the exercise.
■ If your partner has
Directions:
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
A. My name is . . .
J
A
B. My hometown is . . .
M
I
C. Basically, my job is . . .
E
D. The reason I am here is . . .
5
0of person who . . .
E. Usually, I am the kind
5
F. The thing I like most1
is . . .
B
G. The thing I dislike most
U is . . .
H. My first impression of you was . . .
I. On the job I am best at . . .
J. My greatest weakness is . . .
K. The best leader I ever had was . . .
225
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5 / Leadership Principles
L. The worst leader I ever had was . . .
M. I like people who . . .
N. I joined this organization because . . .
O. The next thing I am going to try to accomplish at work is . . .
P. Away from the job, I am most interested in . . .
Q. Society today is . . .
W
I
R. What concerns me is . . .
L
S. My most embarrassing moment
Swas . . .
O
T. I believe in . . .
N
,
U. I would like to . . .
J
A
M
What I think you need to know is . . .
I
E
V. What I like about you is . . .
W.
X. You and I can . . .
5
0
a. your face has communicated . . .
5
1
b. your posture has conveyed . . .
B
U
Y. During our conversation:
c. your hands and arms have indicated . . .
Z. Have a brief discussion of your reactions to this conversation. If time permits, you may
discuss other topics. Several possibilities are projects at work, leadership practices,
societal needs, and future goals. Or you may choose your own topics.
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The Art of Listening
Poor listening is a major cause of communication breakdown. The Roman philosopher Cicero wrote, “God gave us two ears and only one mouth. In view of the way
we use these, it is a good thing this is not reversed.”63 More recently, psychologist
Carl Rogers wrote, “The biggest block to personal communication is the inability to
listen intelligently, understandingly, and skillfully to another person. This deficiency
in the modern world is widespread and appalling.”64
Poor listening is a problem that affects many people. Studies of listening effectiveness show that 40 percent of the average white-collar worker’s day is spent in the
listening process, yet listening comprehension typically is only 25 percent.65 Most
people would be upset if their pay were reduced by 30 percent (75 percent of 40 percent),
yet the misunderstanding and mistakes resulting from inadequate listening can be
critical (particularly in occupations with life-and-death consequences, such as medicine,
transportation, justice, and the military), and this is precisely what would happen to a
blue-collar laborer who produced poor-quality work.
Wthat two-thirds of all employees feel management isn’t listening
It is interesting to note
66
to them. What can be Idone to improve listening effectiveness? Ralph Nichols, pioneer
and most recognized authority on the art of listening, outlines 10 principles of effective
L
listening. These principles apply on the job, in the home, and in the greater community.67
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Capitalize on Thought
Speed
S
Most people talk at a speed
O of 125 words per minute. Yet people think at a much
faster rate—around 500 words per minute.68 It is difficult—almost painful—to slow
N
down thinking speed. Therefore, you usually have about four times as much thinking
, minute you are in conversation. What you do with this
time as you need for every
extra thinking time depends on whether you are a poor listener or an effective listener.
If you are a poor listener, you usually start to listen to the speaker, then realize
J you briefly turn your thoughts to something else. These side
there is time to spare. So
trips of thought continue
A until you tarry too long on some enticing but irrelevant subject. When your thoughts return, you find the speaker is far ahead of you. At this
point, the conversationM
is harder to follow, making it easier to take more mental side
excursions. Finally, you
I stop listening entirely. The speaker is still talking, but your
mind is in another world.
E you will use thought speed to advantage—by applying
If you are a good listener,
spare thinking time to concentrating on what is being said. To capitalize on thought
speed, you should
5
■
■
■
■
■
Listen for Ideas
Anticipate what the speaker is going to talk about on the basis of what has already
0 is this person trying to get across?
been said. Ask: What
5 what the speaker has been saying. What point, if any, has
Mentally summarize
already been made?1
Weigh evidence by mentally questioning it. If facts, stories, and statistics are used,
B
consider: Are they accurate? Am I getting the full picture? Is this person telling
U a point?
me only what will prove
Take a few helpful notes on major points. As an old saying goes, “The strongest
memory is weaker than the palest ink.” Research shows that you will gain 20 percent
more retention if you take notes and 35 percent more if you put notes into a summary
of how you will use what you have heard.69
Listen between the lines. People don’t put everything important into words. The
changing tone and volume of the speaker’s voice may have meaning; so may facial
expressions, hand and arm gestures, and other body movements. See Figure 10-4.
Do you ever say, When I listen, I concentrate on details? If so, you may be a poor
listener. Suppose someone is giving you information composed of points A through Z.
The person begins to talk. You hear point A and think, Point A, point A, point A . . . I
have to remember it. Meanwhile, the person is telling you about point B. Now you
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Figure 10–4
Nonverbal Language
W
I
Source: Adapted from “Eye-Say,” Sunday Post, Glasgow, as it appeared in Reader’s Digest (March 1982), 129.
L
S
O
have two things to memorize. You
N are so busy memorizing point A and point B that
you miss point C completely. And so it goes up to point Z. You catch some information, confuse other information, ,and completely miss the rest.
Good listeners focus on main ideas. As information is presented, weigh one point
against the other. Try to find a relationship between them. The person talking usually
J develop or support a central idea. If you want to
will put several points together to
comprehend and remember the speaker’s
message, listen for main ideas, not for a
A
series of memorized details.
Reduce Emotional
Deaf Spots
M
I
Parallel to the blind spots that affect human vision are emotional deaf spots that
impair one’s ability to listen andE
understand. These deaf spots are the dwelling places
of our most cherished notions, convictions, and complexes. Often, when a speaker
invades one of these areas with a word or phrase, the mind turns to familiar mental
5 area of sensibility. When emotional deafness
pathways that crisscross the invaded
occurs, listening efficiency drops0rapidly to zero.
To show how emotional deaf spots work, suppose your tax accountant calls and
5
says, “I have just heard from the Internal Revenue Service, and . . .” Suddenly, you
1 Can’t they leave me alone? You have stopped lisbreathe harder and think, Auditors.
tening. Meanwhile, your accountant
B is saying there is a chance you can save $3,000
this year. But you don’t hear this, because the words “Internal Revenue Service”
have created emotional deafness.U
Emotional deaf spots are common to almost everyone. An ardent Republican, for
example, may become temporarily deaf on hearing the names Jimmy Carter, Bill
Clinton and Barack Obama; and many Democrats quit listening when they hear the
names Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Other red-flag words that
cause emotional deafness include tax increase, downsizing, and mother-in-law.
For more effective listening, identify the words that bother you and analyze why
they upset you. A thorough examination may reveal that they really shouldn’t bother
you at all.
Find an Area of
Interest
Studies of listening effectiveness support the importance of being interested in the
topic under discussion. Poor listeners usually declare a subject dry after the first few
sentences. Once this decision is made, it serves to rationalize any and all further
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229
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
inattention. Good listeners follow different tactics. Although their first thought may
be that the subject sounds boring, a second thought immediately follows, based on
the realization that to get up and leave would be awkward. The final reflection is
that, being trapped anyway, it would be good to learn if anything is being said that
can be put to use.
The key to the whole matter of interest in a topic is the word use. Whenever you
wish to listen carefully, ask yourself, What is the speaker saying that I can use? What
worthwhile ideas are being expressed? Is the speaker reporting any workable procedures? Is there anything of value to me or anything I can use to make myself happier?
Such questions help keep attention on the subject as you screen what is said in a constant effort to sort out elements of value.
Judge Content, Not
Delivery
Many listeners justify inattention to a speaker by thinking to themselves, Who could
listen to such a character? What an awful voice. Will the speaker ever stop reading
from those notes? The good listener reacts differently. The good listener may well
look at the speaker andW
think, This person has a problem. Almost anyone ought to be
able to communicate better than that. But from this initial similarity, the good listener
I
moves on to a different conclusion, thinking, But wait a minute. . . . I’m not interL
ested in the speaker’s personality
or delivery. I want to find out if this person knows
something that I need S
to know.
Essentially, people listen with their own experiences. Should a speaker be held
responsible because a O
listener is poorly equipped to receive the message? Even if
you cannot understandN
everything you hear, one way to improve communication
effectiveness is to assume responsibility to be a good listener by judging content, not
,
delivery. Can you remember
a time when you withheld judgment of delivery and
benefited by the content?
Hold Your Fire
Albert Einstein believed: If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y
plus Z. X is work, Y isAplay, and Z is keep your mouth shut. Overstimulation is
almost as bad as understimulation,
and the two together constitute the twin evils of
M
inefficient listening. The overstimulated listener gets too excited or excited too soon
I learn not to get worked up about a speaker’s point until you
by the speaker. You must
are certain you thoroughly
E understand it. The secret is contained in the principle that
you should withhold judgment until comprehension is complete.
Some people are greatly addicted to overstimulation. For them, a speaker can
seldom talk for more 5
than a few minutes without touching on a pet bias or
conviction. Occasionally, they are aroused in support of the speaker’s point, but
0 In either case, overstimulation reflects the desire to enter
often the reverse is true.
into argument. This can
5 be especially harmful if it occurs with family members,
friends, and colleagues.
1
The aroused person usually becomes preoccupied by trying to do three things
B the harm being done to personal ideas, plot an embarrassing
simultaneously: calculate
question to ask the speaker,
U and mentally enjoy all the discomfort the speaker will
experience once a devastating reply is launched. With these three things happening,
subsequent passages go unheard.
Work at Listening
Listening is hard work. It is characterized by faster heart action, quicker blood circulation, and a small rise in body temperature. To be a good listener, you must be an
active participant.
One of the most striking characteristics of poor listeners is their unwillingness to
spend energy in a listening situation. People, by their own testimony, frequently enter
school, community, or business meetings worn out physically, assume postures that
only seem to give attention to the speaker, and then proceed to catch up on needed
rest or reflect on purely personal matters.
Faking attention is one of the worst listening habits. It is particularly prevalent
when you are listening to someone you know very well, such as family members or a
J
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friend. You think you know what the speaker is going to say anyway, so you just
appear to tune in. Then, feeling conscience-free, you pursue any of a thousand mental
tangents.
For selfish reasons alone, one of the best investments you can make is to give each
speaker your full attention. You should establish and maintain eye contact and indicate by body posture and facial expression that the occasion and the speaker’s efforts
are of concern to you. When you do these things, you help the speaker express
thoughts clearly, and you, in turn, profit by better understanding. This does not imply
acceptance of the speaker’s point of view or favorable action on the speaker’s arguments. Rather, it is an expression of interest.
Resist Distractions
Ours is a noisy age. People are distracted not only by what they hear, but also by
what they see. Poor listeners tend to be influenced readily by all types of distractions,
even in an intimate face-to-face situation. Often they create distractions themselves
by tapping feet, drumming fingers, and clicking pens.
A good listener fights distraction.
W Sometimes the fight is easily won—by closing a
door, turning off the radio, moving closer to the person talking, or asking the person
I
to speak louder. If distractions cannot
be solved easily, then your task becomes one
of concentrating.
L
Hear What Is Said
People often fail to hear what is said, even when spoken to directly. An employee may
O or be released; or a supervisor may be criticized
be ordered to improve performance
for poor leadership practices. Later,
N when the employee is discharged or the supervisor is relieved of leadership position, both may be surprised, claiming never to have
known of impending trouble. ,
In such instances the mechanism of denial serves to shut out unfavorable
messages. This poor listening habit is common to many people who use selective
J
listening and hear only what they want to hear. Some people are masters of denial.
Do you have a tendency toward A
selective hearing? What messages might you be
blocking or denying?
Challenge Yourself
S
M
Perhaps the one word that best describes
the poor listener is inexperienced. Although you
I
may spend 40 percent of your day in the listening process, you may be inexperienced at
hearing anything tough, technical,Eor expository; you may be conditioned to light, recre-
ational material (television programs, radio shows, sports events, gossip, etc.). This problem can be significant because it lowers performance on the job and in the classroom.70
5
Inexperience can be difficult to overcome. It takes recognition of your weakness, a
0 are never too old to meet new challenges, particudesire to improve, and effort. You
larly when the challenge is meaningful and the rewards are great. Seek opportunities
5
to challenge your listening skills.
The Importance of
Listening as a
Leadership Skill
1
How important is effective listening as a leadership skill? Executive coach Marshall
B
Goldsmith explains: One of the world’s
most respected research and development
organizations had a problem—retaining
young talent. The flaw was that during preU
sentations members of senior management had the annoying habit of looking at their
watches and checking their BlackBerries, motioning young scientists to move it
along, and repeating over and over, “Next slide. Next slide.” This annoying practice
resulted in a serious company problem. The executives learned an important lesson as
they watched talent walk out the door. People will leave (physically or mentally)
when they do not feel respected.71
Multicommunicating (using technology to participate in several interactions at the
same time) is tempting in today’s fast-paced world, but practices such as texting during conversations and checking your e-mail while working with colleagues are insulting and counterproductive as well. Nothing demonstrates respect more than listening
responsively to another person. It is a fundamental practice for good human relations
and effective leadership. When you listen carefully, you win people’s trust, and that
is critical for everything else you want to accomplish.72
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The Enlightened Workplace
Every so often, someone captures an important concept and expresses it in such a
way that it penetrates and takes root in the society. Douglas McGregor and his book
The Human Side of Enterprise, first published in 1960 and rereleased in 1985, stand
like a lighthouse over the sea of literature on leadership. McGregor’s book and his
famous “Theory Y” speech, delivered at MIT’s Alfred P. Sloan School of Management in 1957, changed the entire concept of organizational life for the second half
of the 20th century.73 See Table 10–1 for the three propositions and five beliefs of
Theory X in contrast to the four dimensions of Theory Y.
Table 10–1
Two Theories of
Management—X and Y74
Theory X: Three Propositions and Five Beliefs
The conventional conception of management’s task in harnessing human energy to meet
organizational requirements can be stated broadly in terms of three propositions:
1. Management is responsible for organizing the elements of productive enterprise—money,
materials, equipment, people—in the interest of economic ends.
2. With respect to people, this is a process of directing their efforts, motivating them, controlling
their actions, and modifying their behavior to fit the needs of the organization.
3. Without this active intervention by management, people would be passive—even resistant—to
organizational needs. They must therefore be persuaded, rewarded, punished, and controlled—
their activities must be directed. This is management’s task. We often sum it up by saying that
management consists of getting things done through other people.
W
I
L
S
Behind this conventional theory
O there are five beliefs—less explicit, but widespread:
1. The average person is by nature indolent—working as little as possible.
Nambition, dislikes responsibility, and prefers to be led.
2. The average person lacks
3. The average person is inherently
self-centered and indifferent to organizational needs.
,
4. The average person is by nature resistant to change.
5. The average person is gullible, not very bright, and the ready dupe of the charlatan and the
demagogue.
J
A
Theory Y: Four Dimensions
M
We require a different theory
I of the task of managing people based on more adequate assumptions
about human nature and human motivation. The broad dimensions of such a theory are as follows:
E for organizing the elements of productive enterprise—money,
1. Management is responsible
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Conventional organization structures and managerial policies, practices, and programs reflect these
assumptions.
materials, equipment, people—in the interest of economic ends.
2. People are not by nature passive or resistant to organizational needs. They have become so as a
result of experience in organizations.
3. The motivation, potential for development, capacity for assuming responsibility, and the readiness
to direct behavior toward organizational goals are all present in people. Management does not
put them there. It is a responsibility of management to make it possible for people to recognize
and develop these human characteristics for themselves.
4. The essential task of management is to arrange organizational conditions and methods of
operation so that people can achieve their own goals best by directing their own efforts toward
organizational objectives.
5
0
5
1
This is a process primarily B
of creating opportunities, releasing potential, removing obstacles,
encouraging growth, and providing guidance. It is a liberating and empowering process in
contrast to a system of beliefs,
U policies, and practices that can best be described as “management
by control.”
McGregor married the ideas of social psychologist Kurt Lewin to the theories of
Abraham Maslow. To these, he added his own perspective drawn from his experiences as a professor and practicing leader. The essence of McGregor’s message is
that people react not to an objective world, but to a world fashioned from their own
perceptions and assumptions about what the world is like. Not content to merely
describe alternative theories, McGregor went on to identify leadership strategies that
could be used to create enlightened workplaces.75
McGregor emphasized the human potential for growth, elevated the importance
of the individual in the enterprise, and articulated an approach to leadership that
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5 / Leadership Principles
undergirds all types and forms of organization. McGregor’s prescriptions for an
enlightened workplace are as follows:76
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
The practice of inclusion versus exclusion, based on democratic ideals; the active
involvement of all concerned.
Mutual satisfaction of individual needs and group goals through effective
interpersonal relationships between leaders and followers.
Leadership influence that relies not on techniques of coercion, compromise, and
bargaining, but on openness, honesty, and working through differences.
A conception of humanity that is optimistic versus pessimistic, and that argues for
humanistic treatment of people as valuable and valuing, as opposed to objects for
manipulation and control.
A transcending concern for human dignity, worth, and growth, captured best by
the phrase “respect for the individual.”
A belief that human goodness is innate, but that it can be thwarted by a dysfuncW full potential can best be achieved in a healthy
tional environment, and that one’s
climate characterized by trust,I respect, and authentic relationships.
The importance of free individuals
L to have courage to act and accept responsibility
for consequences.
S
To show the difference enlightened
O leadership can make, contrast conditions in
two investment firms:
N
Firm 1. This firm refers to one-half of its staff as the professionals and the rest of the
, office staff members, primarily secretaries, do not
employees as office staff. While the
expect to earn the wages of college graduates with multiple degrees, they resent the
inference that if one group is professional, it follows that everyone else is unprofessional.
J
In this firm, morale is low, turnover is high, and work performance is reduced.
A
Firm 2. This firm considers its investment
counselors and support staff to be directly
associated. One or more counselors
M and a secretary form a team, and the company
ties the secretary’s bonus and other forms of recognition to the performance of
I esprit de corps runs at stratospheric levels,
the people he or she supports. Here,
performance is high, and the firm
Eis prosperous.
Firm 2 puts into practice McGregor’s prescriptions for inclusion, shared goals,
respect for all people, and personal
5 responsibility. Research exploring the relationship between managerial adjustment and attitudes toward subordinates shows manag0
ers with theory Y assumptions are better at accomplishing organizational objectives
5 of employees.77
and better at tapping the potential
Ricardo Sember of Semco, a 1
Brazilian manufacturer of industrial products, shares
the beliefs of a theory Y leader: “We simply do not believe our employees have an
Bearly, or doing as little as possible. These are the
interest in coming in late, leaving
same people who raise children,U
join the PTA, elect mayors and presidents. They are
adults and at Semco they are treated like adults. We trust them. We get out of their
way and let them do their jobs.”78
The Evolving
Context of Human Relations
Consider the numbers 312 million and 1 billion. Approximately three times the population of the United States are users of Facebook. Information technology has
brought new human relations challenges. Virtual relationships are ones maintained at
a distance, with the majority of interactions occurring through e-mail, fax, phones,
Internet, intranet, video, and other communication technologies. Online technology
allows geographic and time dispersement. There is even a service, “Confession: A
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Roman Catholic App,” that allows the user of an iPad or iPhone to go to a virtual confession and check the box for particular sins.79
The most recently developed tools for electronic communication generally fall into
a category called Web 2.0, a set of Internet-based applications that encourage userprovided content and collaboration. The leader today finds herself in a web of virtual
relationships with customers and co-workers. The challenge is to maintain both a productive and humanistic work life in the face of virtua...
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