Becoming a Master Manager A Competing Values Approach, 5th Ed By Quinn, Faerman, Thompson, McGrath, St. Clair
Email: Richard@qwconsultancy.com
Instructor’s Manual for Becoming a Master Manager, 5th ed. Module 1: Creating and Sustaining Commitment and Cohesion
Module 1 Creating and Sustaining Commitment and Cohesion 1. Understanding Self and Others 2. Communicating Honestly and Effectively 3. Mentoring and Developing Employees 4. Managing Groups and Leading Teams 5. Managing and Encouraging Constructive Conflict
Human Relations Model Criteria of Effectiveness
Commitment, cohesion, morale
Means-ends theory
Involvement results in commitment
Action Imperative
Collaborate
Emphasis
Participation, conflict resolution, consensus building
Climate
Team oriented
Culture
Clan
The human relations model focuses on intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies of managerial leadership. As such, the competencies in this quadrant focus on developing one’s self-awareness, communicating in ways that are both supportive and focused on improvement, showing support for and developing employees, and building cohesion and among employees while still valuing differences that can lead to conflict. In Western society, these competencies are sometimes considered to be “soft skills.” Evidence has shown, however, that many managers’ careers have been derailed because those individuals lacked self-awareness and empathy. On the other hand, successful managers recognize how much they rely on employees to “get the job done” and so pay careful attention to ensuring that employees feel valued by the organization. While the competencies in this quadrant are vital to managerial success, it is important for students to keep in mind that this quadrant stands in stark contrast to the rational goal quadrant, which focuses directly on productivity and profitability. The contrast between these two quadrants provides students with an early view of some of the key paradoxes presented by the competing values framework. Within the quadrant, students will see important organizational paradoxes as well. For example, within the competency of understanding self and others, students should recognize that increasing one’s self-awareness sets the stage for developing one’s capacity to change. Within the competency of managing groups and leading teams, students should recognize that team development and team building can lead to loss of productivity in the short run. And within the competency of
Instructor’s Manual for Becoming a Master Manager, 5th ed. Module 1: Creating and Sustaining Commitment and Cohesion managing and encouraging creative conflict, students should recognize that too much cohesiveness should be avoided and that teams can become more effective by valuing conflict. KEY PARADOXES AND CURRENT ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLLABORATE IMPERATIVE Paradoxes
Values and Ethics
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Developing self-awareness is fundamental to developing one’s ability to relate to others, but it should not be seen as a “destination.” Rather, developing self-awareness needs to be seen as a building block to developing one’s capacity to change and to develop new competencies
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In building commitment and cohesion in a work unit, managerial leaders need to be concerned with individual employee’s needs, as well as the needs of the work unit, which are sometimes at odds. Treating employees fairly sometimes mean treating all employees alike, and sometimes it means recognizing differences and treating employees according to their individual needs.
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Involving employees in decision-making processes can be timeconsuming and inefficient (in the short run), causing frustration among the members of the decision-making group. But it can save time in the long run if people are able to contribute ideas and opinions about issues that may arise as the decision is implemented.
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Decision-making processes designed to build commitment and cohesion among employees can lead to conditions of groupthink where the primary benefits of group decision making—bringing different opinions and ideas to the table—are lost. Bringing different opinions and ideas to the table can generate uncomfortable conflict. Managerial leaders need to understand conflict management as involving both conflict reduction and conflict generation.
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While we tend to focus on strengths and weaknesses with respect to managerial competencies as a key component of selfawareness, it is equally important to be aware of our values and ethical predispositions. Similarly, while organizational employees are often expected to “act as professionals,” individual actions are very much influenced by “who we are” as individuals. Managerial leaders thus need to be aware of how their personal values and beliefs influence daily actions and decision making.
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A fundamental value of the collaborate imperative is openness to
Instructor’s Manual for Becoming a Master Manager, 5th ed. Module 1: Creating and Sustaining Commitment and Cohesion feedback and ideas from employees. In some organizations, these values represent a significant change from the past. Managers in these organizations may have to overcome a history of mistrust before they can convince employees to embrace these new values.
Diversity
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In contrast to the previous point, some employees may assume that, because they are involved in organizational decision making, their opinions and ideas will always be implemented. They may then become mistrustful if higher levels of management override their decisions or make decisions without consulting employees. Both managers and employees must consider when and how it is appropriate to involve employees in decisions and when decisions should be made by managers.
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Increasingly, organizations are using work teams and task forces that create high levels of interdependencies among employees. Ethical dilemmas may arise when individuals are contributing equally to the team. Is it acceptable to “carry” an employee who is not contributing to the team? If reward systems reward team outputs/outcomes, how does the manager determine that everyone has contributed appropriately? Alternatively, if reward systems are focused on individuals, rather than team performance, how can a manager prevent self-serving actions by employees?
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Understanding self may involve recognizing some hidden biases and prejudices that we hold because of limited interactions with people who we may perceive to be “different.” It may be difficult for some people to face that they view “others” in a stereotypical way. For example, do we communicate differently to some employees? Are we more inclined to develop some employees than others? Self awareness can help ensure that managers respond appropriately to the changing composition of the work force.
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In building commitment and cohesion, we should not assume that this means that everyone should think or act alike. In fact, a major advantage of participative decision making is that it provides opportunities for input from individuals with different backgrounds and experience. Managers therefore need to be careful in creating messages around building commitment and cohesion though teamwork, ensuring that employees believe that the organization truly values individual and cultural group differences.
Instructor’s Manual for Becoming a Master Manager, 5th ed. Module 1: Creating and Sustaining Commitment and Cohesion
Technology
Globalization
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As we face an increasingly diverse work force, the importance of asking for feedback from employees is even more pronounced. While the skills of managing group processes, team building, and conflict management are potentially more difficult to apply in a culturally diverse work force, the values underlying these skills are consonant and, in fact, the competencies are appropriate for managing such a work force.
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Technology can both expand opportunities for communication as well as limit communication amongst employees. On the one hand, technology provides opportunities to connect with individuals asynchronously and at a distance. On the other hand, employees sitting within 100 feet from each other may send an email, rather than speaking with each other face-to-face. Managers should help employees understand how different types of communication media may be more or less appropriate for different occasions.
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New technologies allow for individuals and groups at different locations to meet asynchronously. Managing group meetings at several locations may require more coordination and preparation than face-to-face meetings, but also provides organizations with a variety of different ways to collaborate.
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As new technologies are developed, employees may resist new ways of functioning. Managers should recognize that an important element of mentoring and developing employees involves helping them learn about and adapt to changing technologies.
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Developing employees no longer is limited to preparing them for assignments further up the ladder. Today, employees need to be developed so they can be successful around the globe. Especially key are skills of effective communication that take into account national and regional culture differences. For example, cultural norms differ with respect to the degree that giving and getting feedback. This can affect how managers think about issues associated with mentoring and developing employees.
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Similarly, in cultures where there is a high degree of power distance, employees may not be comfortable with managers asking for their input. Expectations about the status of people at superior ranks might undermine attempts toward openness and participation in these cultures if these approaches are not presented in ways that respect the values of different global cultures.