comm120 pt 3

confirmation bias

a decision making pitfall

seeking information that confirms your beliefs

anchoring

a decision making pitfall

relying too heavily on the first piece of informaiton

availability bias

a decision making pitfall

overvaluing recent or vivid examples

overconfidence

a decision making pitfall

assuming your interpretation is more accurate than it is

fundamental attribution error

a decision making pitfall

assuming someones behaviour reflects their personality rather than the situation

selective attention

a decision making pitfall

noticing certain cues while missing others

halo/horn effect

a decision making pitfall

one positive / negative trait that shapes the entire impression

evidence based decision making

1) asking the right question

2) gather relevant evidence

3) evaluate the evidence

4) make a decision and reflect

trigger

first step of the conflict escalation cycle

an event or comment that creates/triggers tension

interpretation

second step of the conflict escalation cycle

assumptions about the other persons intent

emotional response

third step of the conflict escalation cycle

frustration, anger, hurt

behaviourial response

fourth step of the conflict escalation cycle

avoidance, sarcasm, snapping, shutting down

counter reaction

the fifth and final step in the conflict escalation cycle

the other person responds defensively, conflict escalates

constructive conflict skills

active listening, i statements, clarifying intent, switching the channel (voice/video for emotional topics), pausing, assuming positive intent

integrative negotiation (win-win)

a conflict resolution framework

focus on collaboration, creativity, and understanding interests rather than positions.

try to come to a conclusion where everybody is happy

takes time

distributive negotiation (win-lose)

used when resources are fixed and compromise is necesary

DESC method

DESCRIBE the behaviour

EXPRESS how it affects you

SPECIFY what you need

CONSEQUENCES if nothing changes

social loafing

individuals exert less effort in a group than they would themselves

what helps: clear roles and accountability

groupthink

when the desire for harmony overrides critical thinking

what helps: psychological safety

coordination loss

a team underperforms because tasks are organized poorly

what helps: shared processes

task conflict

debate over ideas or approaches; can improve outcomes

relationship conflict

personal tension; harmful to performance

consensus

everyone supports the decision even if its not their first choice

Best for complex or high-impact issues.
Requires time and trust.

majority vote

Quick and efficient for simple, low-stakes decisions.
Risk: minority opinions may be ignored.

leader decides

One person makes the decision, often based on expertise.
Useful when speed matters or the leader has specialized knowledge.

rotating decision maker

Authority shifts depending on expertise or task.
Good for long-term projects or skill development.

brainwriting

write ideas privately before sharing

nominal group technique

individuals generate ideas, discuss, and rank.

specific, behaviour focused, timely, respectful

effective feedback is…

resolve communication

assume positive intent
• ask clarifying questions
• restate your interpretation
• switch to a richer communication channel

communication climate

how safe employees feel expression ideas, concerns, mistakes, and feedback

span of control

the number of employees a manager supervises

formalization

how much work is standardized through written rules and procedures.

functional structure

Organized by job function (Marketing, HR, Finance, Operations).

Advantages: efficient, clear expertise
Disadvantages: risk of silos

Divisonal Structure

can be based on product, region, or customer segment.

matrix structure

employees report to 2 managers

example:

An engineering co-op student reports to a Project Manager and a Senior Engineer.
This increases collaboration but can cause conflicting priorities.

team-based or flat organizations

minimal hierarchy; teams make many decisions

A five-person startup with no formal titles. Everyone supports marketing, development, operations. Decisions are quick, but roles may be unclear.

sensemaking

how people interpret, understand, and create meaning when they face situations that are uncertain, unexpected, or unclear.
People rarely react to events based on the event itself; instead, they react based on the story they construct about what the event means.

psychological noise

mental distractions or internal states

ex: stress, anger, personal worries, daydreaming, prejudices, stereotypes, biases

physiological noise

internal bodily states.

ex: hunger, fatigue, headaches, blocked ears

semantic noise

issues with meaning of words or symbols

ex: technical jargon; slang; cultural idioms; ambigious words

deep level diversity

values, experiences, communication norms