Organisation Behaviour

Q1. Every individual perceives the world in his/her own way. It is generally seen
that every individual has its own idea about good/bad, right/wrong. One might
find any activity to be right and other might find it wrong. The decision is based
on how one perceives it. Discuss with appropriate examples what perception is
and what are the factors influencing the same (Perception)?
Ans.
Everyday different stimuli around us will be stimulating our sense organs. Many of these
stimuli are received by our sense organs and are converted into sensations.These
sensations are transmitted to the concerned parts of brain. In turn the brain will interpret
these sensations. It is only after such interpretation we understand what the stimulus is.
Hence in understanding the world around us, attention occurs first, followed by
sensation and finally interpretation by brain. This process of interpretation of stimulus is
known as perception. So perception involves two processes: sensation interpretation.
But interpretation of any stimulus requires past experience also. For example, a child
who has not seen an elephant earlier either in photo or directly cannot identify that
animal, whereas another child who has seen earlier will identify the animal easily.
Hence, perception may be defined as a process of interpretation of a present stimulus
on the basis of past experience. Perception is not as simple as said here. It is an
integrated approach. It is a synthetic process where different physiological and
psychological processes are involved. For example, the accuracy of sense organs,
clarity of sensations, mental set of an individual, etc. Otherwise our perception may go
wrong.
Factors Affecting Perception:

There are individual differences in perceptual abilities. Two people may perceive the
same stimulus differently.
The factors affecting the perceptions of people are:
a. Perceptual learning:
Based on past experiences or any special training that we get, every one of us learns to
emphasise some sensory inputs and to ignore others. For example, a person who has
got training in some occupation like artistry or other skilled jobs can perform better than
other untrained people. Experience is the best teacher for such perceptual skills.

For example, blind people identify the people by their voice or by sounds of their
footsteps.
b. Mental set:
Set refers to preparedness or readiness to receive some sensory input. Such
expectancy keeps the individual prepared with good attention and concentration. For
example, when we are expecting the arrival of a train, we listen to its horn or sound
even if there is a lot of noise disturbance.
c. Motives and needs:
Our motives and needs will definitely influence our perception. For example, a hungry
person is motivated to recognise only the food items among other articles. His attention
cannot be directed towards other things until his motive is satisfied.
d. Cognitive styles:
People are said to differ in the ways they characteristically process the information.
Every individual will have his or her own way of understanding the situation. It is said
that the people who are flexible will have good attention and they are less affected by
interfering influences and to be less dominated by internal needs and motives than or
people at the constricted end.
Extrasensory Perception (ESP):
Is there any way of knowing about the world in which the information does not come
through the senses? Some people believe that is possible. But there are some
instances reported by people that they have experienced some perceptions without the
aid of their sense organs. Psychologists have named the perception that occurs without
sensory stimulation as Extrasensory perception (ESP). This is otherwise known as
sixth sense in common mans view. Some of the common phenomena in ESP are
clairvoyance, telepathy, meeting the souls, precognition, psycho-kinesis, reincarnation,
etc. Though research is going on, the researchers are unable to confirm them, because
these experiences are not repeatable for verification. In many instances they remain as
coincidences.
Errors in Perception:
As seen above perception is process of analysing and understanding a stimulus as it is.
But it may not be always possible to perceive the stimuli as they are. Knowingly or
unknowingly, we mistake the stimulus and perceive it wrongly.
It may be due to defect in our sense organs or defective functioning of the brain. Many
times the prejudices in the individual, time of perception, unfavourable background, lack

of clarity of stimulus, confusion, conflict in mind and such other factors are responsible
for errors in perception. There are two kinds of errors:
a. Illusion:
Illusion is a false perception. Here the person will mistake a stimulus and perceive it
wrongly. For example, in the dark, a rope is mistaken as a snake or vice versa. The
voice of an unknown person is mistaken as a friends voice. A person standing at a
distance who is not known may be perceived as a known person. Most of our illusions
are visual and auditory. But illusions pertaining to other senses are also possible.
b. Hallucination:
Sometimes we come across instances where the individual perceives some stimulus,
even when it is not present. This phenomenon is known as hallucination. The person
may see an object, person, etc. or he may listen to some voice though there are no
objects and sounds in reality. Hallucinations pertain to all the sensations appear in
people, but visual and auditory hallucinations are more common. Usually persons with
unsound mind, emotionally disturbed, alcoholics and those who are in confused states
may experience hallucinations. However, among abnormal people and intoxicated
persons hallucinations are very common. In addition to these errors, there are some
abnormalities in our sense perceptions called anaesthesia (no sensation), hyperesthesia
(excessive sensitivity) and paraesthesia (distorted or wrongly localised sensation). In
these cases the tactile (skin) sensation is wrongly perceived.
Observation and Nurse:
Good and keen observational ability is an essential characteristic of a nurse. The most
important activities of a nurse include observation of changes in pulse, respiration, heart
beat and blood pressure because they indicate general condition of a patient. The
condition of the postoperative case, the emergency cases also require accurate
observation. Observation involves attention and perception. The nurse should always
concentrate her attention on duties. Distraction of attention may lead to serious
consequences like death of a patient. Attention helps to understand the problems of
patient. At the same time, accurate perception helps the nurse to have a clear picture of
the condition of the patient. While attending the emergency cases, during operations
and other serious conditions accurate perception of the situations help the nurse to deal
with the situation in an effective manner.

Q2. It is said that leadership has nothing to do with the designation. A person
sitting on the top level does not necessarily demonstrate leadership skills
whereas his subordinate can possess immense leadership skills & qualities. In
order to support the statement discuss the qualities / skills required to be a
leader?
Ans
What sets the most successful managers apart from others? You might be an expert in
your field, even the smartest person in the room -- but that's no guarantee of
success. You need an array of skills that are particularly well-suited to times of change
and challenge. Here are 10 I recommend.

1. Inspires and motivates others

Great leaders create a vision of the future that is vivid and compelling, and that
motivates employees to want to achieve it. Everyone wants to work for a company that
makes a difference in the world. As a leader, you are best able to help the members of
your team connect what they do to the impact it has on customers and communities.
2. Displays high integrity and honesty
Great leaders are honest and transparent, and have high integrity--they do what they
say they are going to do, and they walk their talk. As Umpqua Bank CEO Ray Davis said
in his book Leading Through Uncertainty, "I always tell our people that they're entitled to
get answers to every question they have. ... That doesn't mean they're going to like the
answers. But it's going to be truthful, and I know they can deal with the truth. This might
create additional questions, but we'll get through them. And we do."
3. Solves problems and analyzes issues
Ultimately, leaders are recruited, trained, and chosen to solve organizational problems,
and to take advantage of opportunities in the marketplace. This requires not only
excellent analytical abilities, but also above-average people skills.
4. Drives for results
Some people are happy to sit back and watch the world go by, while others aren't unless
they are making things happen in their organizations. Great leaders have a higher level
of perseverance, stick-to-itiveness, and drive than most anyone else, and they can be
counted on to get things done.

5. Communicates powerfully and prolifically

Great leaders communicate with their people often, and in a variety of different ways.
Whether it's by means of one-on-one conversations, team meetings, blog posts, email
messages, phone or Skype calls, or any other such medium, leaders don't talk about
communicating--they just do it.
6. Builds relationships
Business is built on a solid foundation of relationships and trust. Without these two
things, you can't have a business, or at least not a successful business. Take time every
day to build relationships with the members of your team, your customers and vendors,
your boss and your boss's boss, others in your industry, and your community. The
stronger your relationships, the better a leader you will be.
7. Displays technical or professional expertise
Most leaders start out in business with a specific skill, such as selling, or accounting, or
designing software. The best leaders build on their technical and professional skills over
time, becoming valuable experts in their field and skilled at leading their team.
8. Displays a strategic perspective
Great leaders have a long-term vision of the future, and they avoid getting bogged down
in the here and now. While they can be tactical when necessary, they maintain the
strategic outlook necessary to guide their businesses to the best future possible.
9. Develops others
Just as they work to continuously develop and build their own technical and professional
expertise, the best leaders set aside time (and money in their budgets) to develop their
work force. They look for the most promising employees, and provide them with the
training they need to become their company's next generation of great leaders.
10. Innovates
Many organizations would like their leaders to create more innovative teams. But
how exactly should they do this? If you ask highly innovative leaders what makes them
effective you are apt to hear, Well, I dont know. I havent thought about it. Or they will
make something up that sounds compelling. But the fact of the matter is that people who
excel at something arent usually very good at pinpointing exactly what accounts for
their skill.

Q3. Ananya & Rick work in the same organization and in the same designation.
Both have joined at the same time and have similar work experience. Later Rick
came to know that he was paid less salary than Ananya, knowing that he started
dumping his work on her desk and behaved in a very unpleasant manner with her.
The conflict which was between them could be sensed by the entire team. Ananya
came to know the reason from one of the Ricks close associate. She is now
thinking about the methods through which she can resolve the conflict .
a. What kind of conflict was between Ananya & Rick. Discuss the same with
suitable concepts & reasons?
Ans
There are many types of conflict in the workplace that you will need to deal with. By far
the most frequently and certainly most challenging are Personality conflicts.
However, there are four others worthy of mentioning before we take a deeper at one of
the ways you can minimize the negative impact of personality clashes.
1. Interdependence Conflicts.
These types of conflict happen when a person relies on someone else's co-operation,
output or input in order for them to get their job done. For example, a sales-person is
constantly late inputting the monthly sales figures, which causes the accountant to be
late with her reports. Interdependence conflicts can often be easily overcome by
ensuring that people have a good handle on delegation skills (yes you can delegate
across and up, not just down); that people are well trained in how to have challenging
conversations, that consequences (natural and imposed) are used (for example the
sales person who is late with his or her input could have a bonus
reduction).Interdependence conflicts are less likely to look like personality conflicts,
whereas the next three can, and do, regularly look like personality conflicts ...
2. Differences in Style.
People's preferred way for getting a job done can differ. For example, one person may
just want to get the work done quickly (task oriented), while another is more concerned
about making sure that everyone has a say in how the work gets done (people
oriented).

3. Differences in Background/Gender.
Conflicts can arise between people because of differences in age, educational
backgrounds, personal experiences, ethnic heritage, gender and political preferences.
Listen to an interview I did with Barbara Annis on gender diversity and inclusiveness..
There are some great tips in the interview to help you make the most of gender
differences.
4. Differences in Leadership.
Leaders have different ways of leading their teams. Team members who have to deal
with different leaders throughout a day, can become confused and irritated by these
different ways of being led. For example, one leader may be more open and inclusive,
whilst another may be more directive. To avoid this type of disruption make sure that
your leadership team have put together a solid set of principles and values that are used
to provide consistency in how decisions are made, and how people are involved in the
business.
5. Personality Clashes.
These types of conflict in the workplace are often fueled by the differences noted about
and end up being ignited by emotions and perceptions about somebody else's motives
and character. For example, a team leader jumps on someone for being late, because
she views the team member as being lazy and disrespectful. The team member sees
the team leader as out to 'get' him because he isn't one of the 'favored children'.

b. How can the conflict be resolved or managed by Ananya. Discuss?

Ans.
There is bound to be some amount of conflict in any project. In fact, it is actually a bad
sign if there is none because that means someone on your team is afraid of voicing their
opinion or differing from the pack. Learn 10 methods of resolving conflict and using it to
improve your project. It is inevitable that there will be some amount of conflict on a team
with a variety of industry experts and leaders. Some amount of conflict can be healthy,
as long as it is discussed and a conclusion is reached. Clashing personalities or
opposing viewpoints can actually bring new thoughts and discussions on aspects of a
project that had not been imagined before.

The type of conflict you have to worry about more is unspoken resentment that can
erupt in an outburst, or even more deadly, in quiet mutiny or deviation from agreed upon
roles, tasks and goals.
The goal of the project manager should be to get your team to a place where they can
openly discuss differing views without it resulting it a shouting match or hurt feelings.
Use the following ten methods to create harmony in your team and your project.
1. Be Aware That Conflict Occurs
Knowing that conflict may and will occur is the first step to resolving it, especially if you
know that certain team members may disagree with each other. By recognizing that
there will be conflict, a project manager knows what to expect.
2. Set the Ground Rules
At the beginning of your project set some ground rules in your first meeting. Be sure to
address what process will be taken to address conflicts, as they are bound to rise and
will need to be taken care of before they spiral out of control. Tell team members that
everyone's ideas are valid and that they shouldn't be dismissed, even if you do not
agree with them.

3. Learn About Destructive Conflicts

Conflict becomes destructive when no resolution is in sight or the issue cannot be
resolved. A psychological model for explaining destructive patterns is the persecutorvictim-rescuer triangle. The persecutor would be the bad-guy or bully in this scenerio,
but the rescuer is also placing him or herself in a position of superiority over the
supposed victim. Stop yourself if you see yourself slipping into any of these roles and
also try to recognize it in your team.
4. Stop Conflict When it Happens
Conflict should be addressed immediately before it can grow. If a discussion grows
heated during a meeting, do not wait until the next meeting to address the issue.
Instead, discuss the issue while in the meeting; even if members disagree, they are still
able to see each other's points of view.
5. Get the Whole Story
Be sure you understand the perspectives of every person involved. Conflicts arise when
there are differences of opinion, but also due to miscommunication or misunderstanding.

As the project manager, you should get all the information you can in regards to the
conflict so that you can resolve it efficiently and effectively.

6. Meet for Resolutions

If the conflict can't be resolved during the initial meeting, set up a separate meeting with
those that are having the conflicts, so that a resolution can be reached without getting
the other team members involved and picking sides.
7. Discuss Both Sides of a Perspective
Even if you are inclined to agree with one side of the conflict, do not make a final
judgment until each person has had their say. Ending a discussion without hearing each
person out can escalate the problem. Explain the pros and cons of both ideas, so that
both people can consider the opposing view.
8. Make Compromise a Goal
Compromising between parties is helpful, as it can allow for both conflicting parties the
ability to use their ideas. Most times, points can be combined in order to make a better
idea or solution.
9. Avoid Falling into Groupthink
Groupthink is when a group suppresses the opposing views of members in order to
create harmony. While it is always good to maintain harmony within a group while
working on a project, this idea of keeping opposing viewpoints at bay because they will
disrupt the norm will end up doing more harm than good. To avoid this, make sure that
there is one or two members that bring up constructive criticism to ideas.
10. Don't Try to Change a Team Member
This final tip might be the most important. Just as in any type of relationship, do not try
to change a member of your team. They are an individual person with unique ideas and
forms of expression. Trying to change their feelings or viewpoints will only lead to
resentment. You can propose to them alternatives, or list benefits of other ideas, but in
the end you may just have to accept that they will disagree with an outcome. Sometimes
conflict can be productive by bringing ideas up from different people; sometimes it can
be detrimental to the overall productivity of the group and its members. Remember to
allow people to express their ideas, even if they differ.