The Importance of Norms and Roles in Groups, Leadership Styles - Assignment Example

Behavioural Studies Q.1 Citing motivation theory, explain how managers at the workplace can make practical use of two theories of your choice. Managers at the workplace can use either intrinsic or extrinsic reward when motivating employees at work. Basically, the use of intrinsic rewards as a motivational approach is considered as a sincere acknowledgement for a good performance. (Shamir et al., 1993) Intrinsic reward can be in a form of verbally acknowledging employees’ good performance at work or thanking them for actively participating in the accomplishment of the organizational goal. According to Baker, Jensen, & Murphy (1988), the use of reward system in the form of simple praises coming from employees’ supervisor, managers, or even co-workers combined with the promise of future promotional opportunities is enough to increase the working motivation of employees. In fact, the use of simple praises alone could effectively enlighten employees since it increases their self-esteem and self-confidence within the work place. Extrinsic rewards can be in a form of increased salary or bonus given to employees. When it comes to increasing employees’ job satisfaction and work performance, a study shows that the use of intrinsic rewards such as entending the managers’ gratitude for employees’ work performance (regardless of whether the act of gratitude is made as a writing on a personal note or verbally such as imposing a public recognition or a celebration for a successful work result) is more effective work motivator as compared to monetary compensation. (Graham & Unruh, 1990) In relation to this matter, Kohn (1988) stated that the use of incentive schemes as a work motivating strategy could lead to a negative long-run effect in the overall business performance. In most cases, the use of monetary reward systems and/or promotions is not always effective when it comes to increasing the work motivation of employees. This is because material rewards such as cash incentives could demotivate employees in the long-run. (Anthony et al., 1989: 57; Cecil Hill, 1989; Craig, 1989) In general, the ‘pay-for-performance’ strategy does not always guarantee improvement in employees’ work performance, employee retention and job satisfaction since giving them extra money could either hurt employees’ pride or make them think that they have already earned enough money within a certain period of time therefore they chose to spend some of their time doing personal things. (Lawler, 1971: 151) In most cases, business organizations that are using this strategy could end up experiencing a higher turn-over rate of employees as compared to organizations that are trying to avoid it. Q.2 Explain the importance of Norms and Roles in groups. Organizational culture is generally referring to “a set of norms, principles, belief or behaviour that gives a group of employees a unique character”. (Brown, 1995) With regards to a normal business operation, it is the business managers who play a significant role when it comes to shaping and implementing the organizational culture. According to Aspinwall & Staudinger (2003: 156), the attitude as well as the behavioural standards of the managers has a great impact to the development of the organizational culture. It is not only the business managers who have an important role when it comes to the implementation of organizational culture, each employee also have an important role of actively participating in the implementation of the organizational culture for it to work positively. Culture is normally moulded by employees within the organization. Over a long period of time, the organizational culture eventually develops into a significantly strong pattern of organizational behaviour and beliefs that could greatly affect the employees’ attitude and perception regarding the organizational goals and the success of the business. (Willcoxson & Millett, 2000) In general, setting the organizational norm within a group of employees is important since it enables the entire work force to cope with organizational problems that are related to either internal business operations and/or external environmental pressures aside from the fact that it could enable the group of employees feel and think positively while working. (David 1999: 143) Aside from creating a positive impact over the employees’ attitude, it could also promote employees’ loyalty while motivating them to actively participate and support the team’s effort in working towards the organizational goal. (DuBrin, 2002: 298; Hellreigel et al., 2001; Hampden-Turner, 1990: 7, 9) Up to the present time, the ‘knowing-doing gap’ remains a challenge for the business managers’ to convert employees’ acquired knowledge into a positive organizational performance. (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2000) In line with this matter, organizational culture that gives important to team learning1 has a higher chance of achieving the organizational goal as compared to business organization that fails to set a norm that gives value to team learning. On the other hand, organizational culture that teaches employees to become flexible to environmental changes will enable the managers to have a lesser problem when it comes to dealing with employees that resist organizational changes. Q.3 'Different leadership styles may be exhibited by managers'. Discuss with reference to leadership theory. Winston and Patterson (2006) defined a good leader as someone who could not only influence, select, equip and train his/her follower(s) that has different sets of abilities and skills but also enables their follower(s) to willingly participate with the leader when it comes to achieving the health organization’s goal. Among the different leadership styles that can be exhibited by managers include: (1) transformational leadership style; and (2) authentic leadership style. Transformational Leadership Style Transformational leadership style is composed of four major characteristics known as: (1) charisma; (2) intellectual stimulation; (3) inspirational motivation; and (4) individual consideration. (Bass, 1998; Bass & Avolio, 1993; Bass, 1985a; Bass, 1985b) In general, charisma is considered as a form of referent power that enables the managers to attract employees to cooperate well within the group. (Posakoff & Schriesheim, 1985) Since transformational leaders strongly believe in the importance of intellectual stimulation, these types of leaders often have the ability to implement new ideas and business strategic plans within the group. (Johannsen, 2004) Transformational leaders are able to easily convince the employees to develop a high level of commitment at work. (Burns, 1978: 4) As a result, employees work in accordance to business ethics. Considering all the positive impact of transformational leadership style within the business organization, a lot of managers today adopts the transformational leadership style since it promotes the creative imagination and best working performance of employees within the organization. (Burns, 1978: 4) Authentic Leadership Style Authentic leadership style is based on characteristics related to trustworthy, reliability, and believes in the capability of other people. (George, 2003; Luthans & Avolio, 2003) Other psychological qualities that authentic leaders acquire includes: confidence, optimism, hope and resiliency. (Luthans & Avolio, 2003) Among the positive side of authentic leadership style is that this type of leaders are open-minded in the sense that they acknowledge the value, personality differences, and talents of each employee. (The Leadership Trust, 2007) Therefore, authentic leaders are able to easily inspire, motive, value their employees up to the point that the manager would allow employees to grow intellectually by constantly communicating with them. Since authentic leaders maintains a good business relationship with employees, authentic leaders are able to empower the entire group of employees within the organization. In the process of working with employees, each individual is able to self-reflect and develop self-awareness as they learn to inspire the rest of the team members. (Covey, 2004) In the end, managers are able to improve the performance outcome of each employee given that a good working relationship could enable them to prevent chronic stress related to work and burnout. (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001) *** End *** References: Anthony, R., Dearden, J., & Bedford, N. M. (1989). Management Control Systems, 5th Edition. Irwin, Homewood, Ill.: p. 57. Aspinwall, L., & Staudinger, U. (2003). Psychology of Human Strengths: Fundamental Questions and Future Directions for a Positive Psychology. Washington: American Psychological Association. Baker, G., Jensen, M., & Murphy, K. (1988). Compensation and Incentives: Practice vs. Theory. Journal of Finance , XLIII(3): 593 - 616. Bass, B. (1985a). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press. Bass, B. (1985b). Model of Transactional and Transformational Leaders. In Johannsen, M. (eds) 'A Short Guide to Transformational Leadership Development'. Bass, B. (1998). 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