The Development of the Comfort Zone and Development Phase Theories - Essay Example

The comfort zone theory focuses on the situations in which people experience the greatest comfort either mentally or physically. It is usually the brain that interprets the objects or situations that make a person comfortable. Comfort zones are different for different people and they influence the behavior of individuals. A person’s comfort zone could be engaging in group work while another may be comfortable working alone to accomplish personal goals. The nature of a comfort zone determines the manner in which people react to various issues. The comfort zone maintains the character of a person and may become a hindrance to personal development if there are no opportunities for inventiveness. In other words, the comfort zone might be a barrier to thinking outside what is already known by an individual. Mental expansion may not be accomplished in such a comfort zone. Substantial changes might result from tragedies forcing a person outside the comfort zone. Development phase theory on the other hand is based on the hypotheses that development is an irregular process that occurs through a series of phases in which individuals have distinct behaviors. In group development, Tuckman in Wheelan & Conway identifies four phases of development, which include; “forming, storming, norming and performing” (81). This paper presents a critique of the two theories and how they impact performance, influence management styles, affect decision-making and impact the successful implementation of change. The Comfort Zone Theory The comfort zone is a combination of surroundings and occurrences that a person usually feels contented without fears of imminent dangers. An individual is usually at peace without risks in his/her environment. The zone is a major determinant of a person’s personality. There might be various comfort zones for one individual which he/she develops mental boundaries which generate an unsubstantiated feeling of security (Guskey, 62). In other words, the person may not have enough bases to claim security in the comfort zone. It is usually difficult for a person who has established a comfort zone to move away from it in life. However, a shift from the zone can be accomplished after a careful experimentation of various behaviors and an evaluation of the reactions to the new environment. There are various situations whereby the comfort zone is not necessarily a place or situation where an individual derives comfort (Hughes & Michael, 242). For example, a person may be used to stress, misery, failures and other problems associated with the workplace. The mindset of such individuals makes them contented with such situations due to their common occurrence. Such a comfort zone can be described as a situation in which a person is familiar with. In the workplace, different employees have different comfort zones. There are those who tend to be comfortable when they read the newspaper every morning, others like reviewing the previous day’s work for them to have a good start among other activities. Each person has a way of approaching tasks, which may affect the results if changes occur unexpectedly. The impacts of comfort zones on performance are wide ranging. People tend to perform differently in varied conditions in the workplace. When an employee is working in a comfort zone, performance is usually high. The managers need to ensure that there is flexibility in the workplace to allow the employees to maintain their comfort zone (Gilley, 81). For example, some employees like using the internet for news and information. Their comfort zone is the working environment that has privacy, which is one of the factors that help in maintaining employee satisfaction. Satisfied employees usually perform better than the disgruntled counterparts. Allowing the employees to be contented is significant in the maintenance of inventiveness in the workplace. Maintenance of a comfort zone helps in promoting self management amongst the employees through flexible working practices. This makes them to feel indebted towards achieving the objectives that have been set for them by the employers. The motivation that occurs amongst self managing employees is usually due to the fact that satisfied employees require minimum supervision and can produce the desired output on their own. The cost of hiring supervisors is therefore reduced. Workers tend to strive to achieve the set objectives in order to maintain the employer’s confidence in them so that they can get promotion or more benefits. Skills are improved due to specialization in specific tasks leading to increased production (Robert & Jerald, 113). They are normally inventive and their creativity is usually an important asset to the organization. Managers need to invest in their innovativeness for improvement in the organization’s output. The management style in organizations that are able to maintain a comfort zone for the human resources is usually strong and enhances the accomplishment of organizational goals. The managers and the subordinates collaborate to accomplish tasks in the workplace. They approach work issues as a team and find solutions to challenges as a group when all are contented. (Hughes & Michael, 242) argue that employees enjoy participating in management through teamwork when they are satisfied. It becomes easy to identify problems and come identify the way forward. They turn out to be assets to the organization and strikes that may arise due to dissatisfaction are rare. Constantly being supervised and controlled in every action reduces self esteem and confidence. Performance is lowered since the workers can not be certain about their output. They should also be allowed to be responsible in certain tasks in which they specialize depending on their comfort zones. However, negative comfort zones such as stressful work, insufficient pay, failure to accomplish a work life balance and other aspects of dissatisfaction hamper the organizational management. Even though the employees are used to such problems, their relationship with managers is usually a hindrance to effective management. The employees do not love their work, nor do they feel appreciated for their contributions to the organization. They usually feel oppressed even though removing them from their comfort zone may lead to resistance (Robert & Jerald, 91). Both the management and the employees are usually accustomed to working in a disorganized way, bad relationship and other negative aspects of the day to day operations. In most cases, the employees accuse the employers of hindering their personal development while on the other hand the employers blame the employees for their inefficiency in the workplace. Satisfaction in such comfort zones is accomplished when each party finds something to blame the other for. In essence, there is failure in management and the employees can not perform in the workplace. Decision making is accomplished when each member in the organization contributes positively to the business strategy development. With each member in the organization having his/her comfort zone, it is possible to share ideas regarding the best way to accomplish tasks. This is because each member in the organization has his/her own view regarding how to maintain contentment. However, there is a tendency for the various comfort zones to be represented in the organization’s decision making process as each member would wish to maintain his/her interests, which is likely to slow down the process (Hughes & Michael, 242). On the other hand, Robert & Jerald argue that the comfort zone is sometimes used as a decision making tool whereby the employees fail to make serious considerations concerning the decisions that they make (112). In other words, the comfort zone makes them to make decisions that are not based on facts. The fact that a person is comfortable in a particular situation leads him/her to ignore the fact that others have a different opinion. Comfort zones usually affect the successful implementation of change especially since each person is always unwilling to leave his/her comfort zone. Maintenance of the status quo is the goal of members in the organization. Change may therefore take longer especially for the people who feel contented. On the other hand, when employees are dissatisfied with the prevailing conditions in the organization, they usually wish to move to other comfort zones where they can be contented. However, this occurs over a long period and therefore implementation of change may take longer. When change occurs rapidly, it results in a disorganized workforce and the employees tend to desire their original comfort zones (Harris & Kuhnert, 69). That way, it becomes difficult for change to be accomplished in the organization. Change must be preceded by discontent in the workplace, which is usually associated with the employees’ goals and long term plans. When an individual finds that he/she can not accomplish the long term goals, the idea of change takes precedence over all other decisions. In other words, people are usually encouraged to change when they have issues that hinder their contentment. First, they have to realize that a change from the current comfort zone will bring positive developments in the workplace. Jablin & Putnam argue that real change is usually accomplished when people focus their thinking on the challenges that they face and the issues that they need to change for their needs to be met (736). Making the right imaginations about how life would be after changing from the current comfort zone to a new one is one of the greatest aspects of a positive attitude towards the change process. With such outlook among the employees, it is possible for changes to be accomplished. The employees need to have expectations regarding the changes that they need for them turn in to reality. Developmental Phase Theory This theory is based on the assumption that development occurs through stages rather than in a continuous process. The theory is based on the development of groups from the formative stages when the group is virtually amorphous to the point where it is highly differentiated and highly performing. The various phases of development have unique characteristics that make them vital to the accomplishments of the group. As it develops, there are usually some behavioral changes among the group members that define the stage of development. These stages were identified by Tuckman, and they are significant for the success of teams in the workplace (Wheelan & Conway, 78). The most significant stage is the forming stage whereby the employees are usually not willing to engage in a particular task or may not be in a capacity to do so. This is usually attributed to the lack of skills that can enable them to accomplish tasks. In essence, there is usually lack of interest in adopting new ideas in the workplace. The employees lack skills and experience in the formative stage and may not be in a position to form effective teams. The focus is mainly on personal actions that may affect performance rather than teamwork. When the employees first join the organization and get incorporated in groups, they usually tend to be interested in the other members of the group. They begin setting goals while allocating tasks to each of them. In this phase, all the group members are usually careful not to make mistakes to avoid demonstrating weakness. Interactions are usually meant for developing strategies and organizing the team. Organizational communication plays a significant role in the enhancement of team growth. The managers communicate effectively with the employees while the employees on the other hand ensure that they present the management with information regarding the challenges encountered on in the workplace. The more the team develops the stronger the capacity to deal with workplace issues. When a crisis occurs in the workplace, members of the team usually seek assistance from each other making it possible to accomplish organizational goals (Gilley, 97). In the formative phase of development, employees usually do not possess enough confidence in the outcome of their activities and therefore there is a likelihood of the close relationships in the workplace, which forms the basis of team building. The second phase is usually for the employees to be enthusiastic about trying the new ideas without the capacity to accomplish tasks due to lack of knowledge. The employees in this phase tend to have conceptualized the ideas but lack the basic skills to implement them. There is usually a tendency of inconsistencies due to the differences in opinion within teams in the workplace. Instead of collaborating, the employees challenge each other and they may not speak in one voice to overcome the workplace challenges (Jablin & Putnam, 734). It is important for employers to encourage workplace learning in such a time when the employees are willing to learn new ways of working. As the employees begin to work in the organization, their willingness to accomplish tasks is usually low due to the absence of confidence in the knowledge acquired during the training. However, they gain new knowledge in as the days move on. They begin understanding organizational bureaucracy, which involves various procedures, rules and regulations that have to be adhered to for the purpose of accomplishing the organizational mission. The bureaucracy can have both positive and negative impacts on performance. Harris & Kuhnert observes that consistency is maintained while on the other hand it is possible to avoid and deal with potential risks. The employees feel safe guarded against injustices (68). Bureaucracy tends to help them to accomplish tasks in a well designed and organized way. In its perfect form, they learn to be efficient in their daily operations while on the other hand, they respect the rules involved and therefore it is possible to maintain high performance with minimal supervision. Employees become honest and reliable as they understand that they are expected to maintain competence and to ensure that their clients’ needs are satisfied. Even though understanding bureaucracy at this stage presents a systematized way of working, it is associated with a number of inefficiencies. Galloway argues that for decisions to be implemented there are certain rigid procedures that have to be adhered to, which leaves no room for improvement (124). Extensive write-ups and documentation are involved, and the employees learn about the hindrances and delays due to red-tapes. Since rules have to be followed strictly, there is a tendency of hindrances in regard to response needed in matters of urgency. In many instances they tend to give reasons for their lack of intervention to various issues based on rules, claiming that they are not allowed to do this or that by the law. Performing involves the employees demonstrating the willingness and capability to accomplish tasks. They become effective and inventive at work and are change oriented. When the employees are willing and able to work, they are capable of working in successful teams to accomplish organizational objectives. The level of interdependence increases at this stage and teamwork facilitates knowledge transfer among the team members which motivates them to work harder. Competence is achieved and each member of the workforce develops a positive attitude towards work (Galloway, 128). The development phase theory is significant in maintaining constant improvements in the capabilities of the employees’ abilities. They begin at the bottom and end up as highly capable individuals at the of the development process. Orientation towards teamwork has much benefit to the organization. According to Ikujiro teamwork speeds up the process of implementation of tasks, which are shared among individuals other than being undertaken by one person (18). Teams present diverse skills that are useful in the accomplishment of tasks. Moreover, communication becomes effective due to the fact that members of the team are not threatened by victimization for airing their opinions. In other words, the opinion of one employee in a particular team is owned by all members and therefore they do not fear jeopardizing their position in the organization as they would do when speaking as individuals. The management can therefore learn on better ways of improving the conditions of the workplace. On the other hand, (Rickards & Moger, 51) argue that since performance and reward management is not focused on an individual, there is the likelihood of employees focusing their efforts on the output of the whole team rather than personal accomplishments. This means that the employees may assist each other for effective performance, especially when dealing with customers because if an employee leads to dissatisfaction in a client, the entire team bears the responsibility, hence all of them ensure high commitment within the whole group. For this reason, non-attendance and employee turnover are minimal, and organizational goals can be accomplished more effectively. The teams that emerge from the development phases facilitate understanding by all members regarding each other’s tasks and responsibilities to avoid duplication of roles. As a result, members of a team assist each other in identifying the possible failures that may result from performing tasks in a particular way, which enhances the performance of individuals. Ikujiro argue that since each team member is focused on the accomplishment of a particular organizational goal, they attach much importance to working together, which makes them more productive (22). In regard to the management style, it is usually possible for managers to motivate workers as a group than trying to motivate each employee separately. Moreover, the development stages allow the managers to learn and understand the needs of the employees such that it becomes easy to manage the accomplishment of tasks (Jablin & Putnam, 738). Motivation through teamwork is accomplished when members of a team encourage each other through supportive strategies especially when there seems to be difficulties in the accomplishment of tasks. While undertaking tasks as an individual, there is a possibility of exhaustion and fatigue, which may lead to low morale. However, while working in a team, employees are motivated by reasoning that they are not alone in their tasks. The realization that other people are concerned in regard to accomplishing tasks in the workplace motivates an employee who may otherwise loose his/her morale if problems have to be solved individually. Working towards a common objective motivates individuals especially when all team members demonstrate high commitment in regard to accomplishing tasks in the workplace. Moreover, it is possible for the management to employ motivation strategies that apply to a group than for each individual (Rickards & Moger, 67) In decision making, the developmental phases lead to strong decision making and setting up of strategic goals since there is participatory decision making. The employees understand what is expected of them and they understand what is good for the organization rather than what is good for individuals. In other words, as Ikujiro observes, unlike where each employee is focused on maintaining satisfaction as an individual, the goals are shared in the development phases, which make it possible to be effective in decision making (37). The development phase theory postulates that at the end of the development phases, the employees own the organizational goals and therefore are likely to positively and willingly contribute to the decision making process. The employees are usually committed to take actions that can improve the organizational performance. In many cases, they tend to be the major contributors to the information applied in decision making. They usually react to challenges as they appear, but sometimes they have to revert to past experiences in the various phases of development while searching for a solution to the problem at hand. Development of organizational knowledge through involvement in decision making allows the employees to make the change process effective. In essence, change can not be accomplished without implementation of new decisions. The employees are always ready to change with circumstances. They are used to changing from one situation to another in which they discover more regarding their day to day engagements in the workplace. This flexibility allows organizational learning and continuous transformation, which allows performance enhancement and improvements throughout the organization’s lifecycle. Galloway observes that an organization that is continuously changing with the changes in the operating environment is likely to accomplish its mission (126). In essence, it is the people that change the organization by their actions and inventiveness. In the development phase theory, the employees are viewed as the source of knowledge for the organization. They search for knowledge and integrate it in to the organizational strategies, which keep the organization’s growth constant. In other words, the development phase theory points to a culture of change, which continues even after the aging workforce leaves the organization. The new employees follow the same phases of development. Conclusion Comfort zones are usually situations in which an individual feels contented with the surrounding environment. When a person is comfortable with the prevailing conditions, there is a likelihood of high performance. A person is able to manage personal affairs when in a comfort zone, which is the reason why organizations where employees are able to remain in their comfort zones outperform other organizations without such arrangements. It is not always that a comfort zone comprises of positive situations. In some cases the employees are forced to be contented with stressful conditions especially if there is nothing they can do to change the situation. Change might take longer to accomplish since each member strives to maintain his/her comfort zone. The development phase theory is based on the assumption that development is a continuous process. There are various stages that employees pass through in forming successful teams in the organization. Each of these stages is unique and equally important in the accomplishment of teamwork. Performance is facilitated by collaboration and teamwork. Decision making is accomplished through contribution of all team members. Change can be accomplished especially when the members contribute diverse ideas in the decision making process. References Gainor, B. “The comfort zone and the fun zone: A case for volunteerism in hand surgery” The Journal of Hand Surgery, Vol. 26.3 (2001): 392-397 Galloway, S. J. “An interview with Peter Vaill”, Organization Development Journal, Vol. 6.4 (2002): 123-136 Gilley, J. W. and Maybunich, A. Beyond the Learning Organization. Creating a culture of continuous growth and development through state-of-the-art human resource practices, Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Books, 2000. Guskey, T. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Harris, L. S. & Kuhnert, W. K. “Looking through the lens of leadership: a constructive developmental approach”. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 29.1 (2008): pp 67-71 Hughes, M. & Michael W. Organizations and Management in Social Work”. Journal of Social Work, Vol. 9.2 (2009): 242-243  Ikujiro, N. “A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation”. Organization Science 5.1 (1994): 14-37. Jablin, F.M & Putnam, L. “The new handbook of organizational communication” Advances in Theory. (2000): 732-818 Rickards, T., & Moger, S.T. Handbook for creative team leaders, Aldershot, Hants: Gower, 1999  Robert A. B., & Jerald, G. Behavior in organizations. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2008. Wheelan, S. A. & Conway, C. “Group Development as a Framework to Understand and Promote School Readiness to Engage in an Organizational Development Project”. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, Vol. 2.3 (1991) pp 66-81 Read More