Introduction to Organizational Behavior and Team Dynamics

Twin Studies

Research involving identical twins reared apart to separate nature and nurture effects, suggesting that 35% to 49% of personality variation is due to genetics.

5 Factor Model (C.A.N.O.E)

A model of personality that includes Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness to experience, and Extraversion.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait characterized by being dependable, organized, ambitious, hardworking, and persevering, positively related to job performance.

Agreeableness

A personality trait characterized by being warm, kind, cooperative, sympathetic, helpful, and courteous, beneficial in some positions but detrimental in others.

Neuroticism

A personality trait characterized by being nervous, moody, emotional, insecure, and jealous, negatively related to performance for most jobs.

Openness to Experience

A personality trait characterized by being curious, imaginative, creative, complex, refined, and sophisticated, associated with higher adaptive performance.

Extraversion

A personality trait characterized by being talkative, sociable, passionate, assertive, bold, and dominant, prioritizing status striving.

Research Findings on Conscientiousness

Employees who are higher in conscientiousness have higher task performance, engage in more citizenship behaviors, and engage in fewer counterproductive behaviors.

MBTI

A personality assessment that is not based on a spectrum but rather on binary choices, such as being open to new experiences or being introverted.

Cultural Values

Shared beliefs about desirable end states or modes of conduct in a given culture, providing societies with their own distinctive personalities.

Cultural Dimensions Theory

A theory stating that individuals vary on five value dimensions as a result of national culture.

Power Distance

A cultural dimension that measures how egalitarian or hierarchical a society is.

Individualism/Collectivism

A cultural dimension that assesses whether a culture is loosely or closely knit and the degree of group loyalty.

Masculinity/femininity

Characteristics such as assertiveness, acquisition or caring, and quality of life.

Uncertainty avoidance

Tolerance for ambiguity and the presence of formal rules.

Long-term/short term orientation

Focus on past and present versus a more future-oriented perspective.

Influence

Ability to institute change in behavior and attitude, which is multi-directional.

Internalization

Target agrees with and becomes committed to the request, resulting in behavioral and attitudinal changes.

Compliance

Target is willing to perform the request but does so with indifference, resulting in behavioral change only.

Opposition

Target is opposed to the request and attempts to avoid doing it, resulting in no change in behavior or attitude.

Most Effective Influence

Collaboration.

Moderately Effective Influence

Apprising.

Least Effective Influence

Exchange/pressure.

Contingency Factors

Leaders' ability to influence increases when certain conditions are met.

Substitutability

There are no substitutes for the rewards or resources the leader controls.

Centrality

The leader's role is important and interdependent with others in the organization.

Discretion

Leaders have the freedom to make their own decisions without being restrained by organizational rules.

Visibility

Others know about the leader and the resources they can provide.

Reciprocity

Obligation to give back when one receives something first.

Scarcity

People desire things that are less available.

Authority

People follow the lead of credible knowledge experts.

Consistency

People are more likely to agree to things they see more frequently.

Liking

People prefer those who complement them, are similar to them, or cooperate with them.

Consensus

People will follow the actions of others to determine their own behavior.

Power

Ability to influence the behavior of others, with the understanding that the influenced can resist.

Organizational bases of power

Power based on organizational power.

Coercive power

Complies from fear of negative results.

Reward Power

Complies due to desire for positive benefits.

Legitimate Power

From the formal authority to control and use organizational resources.

Personal bases of power

Power stems from an individual's unique characteristics.

Expert Power

Influence wielded as a result of expertise, special skill, or knowledge.

Referent Power

Based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits.

Leadership

The use of power and influence to direct the activities of followers towards goal achievement.

Trait theories

Identifying the essential personality traits that are required for leadership.

Behavioral Theories

Creating and teaching a common set of behaviors that underlie all good leadership.

Contingency theories

Assessing situational needs and matching with appropriate responses.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

Some relationships are stronger and the stronger ones have better results.

Leadership Styles

Leaders can be separated by the style they use when making important decisions.

Autocratic

The leader makes all the decisions.

Consultative

A style where the leader seeks input from team members before making decisions.

Facilitative

A style where the leader facilitates the decision-making process among team members.

Delegative

The employees make the decisions.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders inspire followers to transcend self-interests for the good of the organization.

Team

Consists of two or more people who work interdependently over some time period to accomplish common goals related to some task-oriented purpose.

Interdependence

Refers to the degree to which team members interact with and rely on other team members for the information, materials, and resources needed to accomplish work for the team.

Diversity in teams

Diversity is beneficial to teamwork due to bringing in different characteristics and experiences.

Similarity-attraction approach

Individuals tend to stick together and identify with people who are similar to them, based on surface level characteristics.

Optimal Distinctiveness Theory

Theory of being an individual, but also feeling like they fit on a team.

Team Development

Teams follow a stage of development and at certain stages they encounter challenges.

Pooled Interdependence

Each member produces an output

Sequential Interdependence

One member does one thing, then sends it to the next person

Reciprocal Interdependence

Each person relies on the other person for everything to produce an output

Comprehensive Interdependence

How do we know teams are successful?

Successful Team

A team is successful when it completes its tasks, maintains good social relationships (teamwork processes), and promotes members' personal and professional development.

Team Processes

Reflects the different types, views and behaviors that occur when teams contribute to the ultimate goals

Task Behaviors

Information sharing leads to collective efficacy and communication and coordination.

Social Behaviors

Social recognition and encouragement lead to cohesion and motivation.

Process Gain

Getting more from the team than you would expect according to the capabilities of its individual members.

Process Loss

Getting less from the team than you would expect based on the capabilities of its individual members.

Coordination Loss

Issues within the process and tasks that lead to production blocking.

Motivational Loss

The environment, the structure, and who is on the team can lead to social loafing.

Task Work Processes

Activities of team members that relate directly to the accomplishment of team tasks.

Teamwork Processes

Transition Processes focus on preparation for future work.

Action Processes

Focuses on monitoring progress toward goals.

Interpersonal Processes

Focuses on managing relationships throughout the project.

Cohesion

When members develop strong emotional bonds to other members of their team and to the team itself.

Potency

The degree to which members believe that the team can be effective across a variety of situations and tasks.

Mental Models

The level of common understanding among team members with regard to important aspects of the team and its task.

Transactive Memory

How specialized knowledge is distributed among members in a manner that results in an effective system of memory for the team.

Getting Teams to Accomplish Tasks

Ensure commitment to common purpose, hold members accountable, manage interpersonal processes, reduce relationship conflict, increase task conflict, increase group cohesion, guard against groupthink, and help team members believe they can be effective.

Personality

The structures and propensities inside a person that explain his or her characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior