UNIT 4:HARKING INTO THE FUTURE

Structure

4.0 Objectives
4.1 Managing Diversity in the 21st Century
4.2 Managing Workforce Through Proper Communication
4.3 Holistic Improvement of Workforce through Effective Motivation
4.4 Leadership Styles for Effective Management of People
4.5 Team Building for A better Work Environment
4.6 Effective Interpersonal Relations
4.7 Conflict Resolution
4.8 Collaborative Approach for Effective Employee Engagement
4.9 Let Us Sum Up
4.10 Suggested Readings
4.11 Answers

4.0OBJECTIVES

The objective of this unit is to help you

 To develop skills which will assure you a successful future.
 Elucidate the evolution, scope and relevance of people management and leadership.
 Understand Diversity perspective.
 Explain the purpose and usefulness of a holistic work force in the modern workplace.
 Define leadership roles for the present and future.
 Comprehend the complex nature of the modern workplace.
 Creating congenial work environment through effective interpersonal relations.
 Comprehending human factors in conflict resolution for harmony through practical
techniques.
 Developing certain personal and social traits.
 Successful operation of committees, teams and group decision making through
collaboration and cooperation.

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4.1 MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Diversity, inclusivity, subjectivity, globalization, intersectionality, decentered poetics,

accommodating alternative traditions anddemocratizing potential are the central tenets of the
twenty-first century world view.The new workplace is more tolerant. The traditional hierarchical
structures are getting dismantled. Today’s workplace is characterized by a relaxed, fluid
environment. According to a study by Center for Assessment, critical thinking, collaboration,
complex communication and self-directed learning are the skills to master in the 21stcentury.
It is important to note that, as a result of demographic and legislative changes,workplaces are
increasingly becoming more diverse. People no longer function in a monochromatic setting. The
inclusion of women and members from various racial, religious, social, linguistic, gender, ability
and skill backgrounds has additionally altered the workplace dynamics. Diversity, according to
Stephen Butler, co-chair of the Business Higher Education Forum, is a valuable competitive
asset. (Robinson 2002)Inclusion of diversity not only benefits the managers but also imparts a
wider perspective and a greater vision to the workforce. Organizations are constantly evolving
and are being restructured to accommodate the interests of the larger working population.Since
diversity has the ability to improve work efficiency and has acompetitive advantage, companies
are increasingly transforming into inclusive spaces. Discrimination and derogatory perceptions
(prejudices, stereotyping, and biases) in the workplace are now unlawful due to improvements in
federal and state equal opportunity laws.As a result, managers and administrators must
implement new and creative approaches to manage people. Progressive organizations promote
safe environments within the offices that eventually lead to further opportunities for dialogue,
dissent and discussion. Effective managers create a fair and safe environment for everyone and
keep up to date on diversity concerns, its laws and regulations. They also never ignore
constructive, critical criticism about company’s programs and policies.Thus, recognizing,
embracing, and respecting differences among people with empathy, compassion, and an
awareness of rights and duties is a vital management skill that discerning administrators must
cultivate.

Check your progress 1

1 Why is the 21st century different from the other centuries?

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2 Why is it essential for administrators to recognize diversity?

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3 How will you make your work environment conducive for a new hire from a different
cultural background? [Practical Question]
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4 How will you make your workplace communication gender and race agnostic?
[Practical Question]

4.2 MANAGINGWORKFORCE THROUGH PROPER

COMMUNICATION

In all aspects of life, effective communication is critical to success. Particularly beneficial for
those in positions of leadership and management, almost all aspects of work and functionality are
affected by communication. Training specialists Brad Humphrey and Jeff Stokes identify
communication skills as being amongst the most important skills for modern supervisors.
Andrew Posner, a career counsellor, advises that employees looking for career advancement
require such “transferable skills” as the ability to “analyze, write, persuade, and manage”.

Communicationfor Effective Leading andBetter Teamwork

Effective leaders are able to use a wide variety of media and strategies to communicate. They are
not only skilled at using verbal communication skills, but they are also adept at reading
nonverbal cues. Great leaders collaborate to foster harmony and amicability at work and help
teams achieve organizational objectives, in addition to writing regular and constructive
messages, gathering and conveying information, and making informed decisions for better
productivity. Additionally, they collect useful information through informal networks such as the
company grapevine; they can communicate effectively and persuasively in core groups and
formal presentations; and they write with conviction.Relying on the latest systems and
technology to improve their day-to-day operations, modern day managers employ modern
collaborative software like Skype and Google docs, TeamViewerto communicate more
efficiently in real time with their colleagues all over the world. In today's world, apart from using
e-mail as a competent communication tool, Managers arealsousing social media networks to
launch, promote, and collaborate with potential clients and customers. Online collaborative post-
It notes are a great way to share ideas within a team.
In contrast to the traditional methods like newsletters, flyers, and brochures, modern day
managers are enhancing their professional reach exponentially by writing professional e-mails,
relevant WhatsApp messages, effective business blogs, informative podcasts, and so on to
connect with a wide variety of stakeholders. However, depending on the purpose and scope of
your writing, having your authentic voice and personal style to communicate with different
individuals and groups is even more essential.Clear and honest communication can strengthen
the relationships at the workplace. Leaders need to keep themselves abreast with latest

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motivational theories and leadership models to help create a stable system and philosophy for
their own business enterprise viable in their indigenous surroundings. It’s imperative on the part
of managers to acknowledge the contribution of employees every now and then by generously
offering words of appreciation such as “thank you”, “great job”, “commendable effort”,
“laudable effort” etc. These kind expressions recognize individual effort, increase loyalty and
inspire people to work even harder. In a survey by Mc Kinsey Quarterly in 2009 it has been
stated that praises from immediate superiors can empower and motivate employees.

Delayed feedback, stilted and rude content, delayed action, fewer personal pronouns can mark a
manager’s expression discourteous, impolite and offensive. However, putting a focus on
interpersonal relations, conversational tone, immediate feedback, prompt action and usage of
more personal pronoun, simpler yet colloquial expressions can bring the manager closer to his
subordinates and other members of the organization. “You” is more preferable than “I” or “We”
in most instances. Use of more positive words can draw more encouraging response from the
listeners. The seven C’s or golden rules of communication can again be recalled for ensuring
effectiveness in business dealings within and outside the organization.

The Seven C’s of Effective Communication

Completeness –Providing all necessary, desirable information, answering all questions asked.

Conciseness- eliminates wordy, redundant expressions, include only relevant material.

Consideration-Focus on “You” instead of “I” or “We”, show interest in the speaker, emphasize
positive pleasant facts

Concreteness-Use specific facts and figures, put action in your verbs, choose vivid, image-
building words

Clarity-Choose precise, concrete and familiar words, construct effective sentences and
paragraphs

Courtesy-Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative, use expressions that show respect,
choose nondiscriminatory expressions

Correctness-Use the right level of language, tone, check accuracy of figures, Facts and words,
maintain acceptable writing mechanics

It has been noted that managers who practice honest, candid and timely communication in public
interest are valued highly for their congeniality and trustworthiness. An efficient manager
disseminates accurate information and rectifies wrong communication. Being sensitive to
cultural values and beliefs of theirteamwhile engaging in fair communication, the Managers
shoulder a larger responsibility towards the organization by refraining from taking part in gossip

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and unethical communication. They are non-judgmental, empathic in nature, positive in attitude,
assertive and sensitive to business etiquettes. Fairly accountablefor their speech and actions,
these managers use compatible language and images, provide practical information, clarify and
condense information, persuade others by example and offer recommendations, testimonials etc.
for creating an exemplary work culture.

Check your progress 2

1. What are the current day employees deficient in? Why is it important to learn the use of
new age technology for communication?

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2. What are the seven Cs or golden rules of effective communication?
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3. [Practical]Describe a workplace example of lack of clarity in communication leading to a

conflict amongst peers?

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4. [ORAL] Give an example of an effective communication between Manager and an

Employee for promoting gender neutrality at workplace.
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4.3 HOLISTIC IMPROVEMENT OF WORKFORCE THROUGH

EFECTIVE MOTIVATION

Catherine Cupas and Michelle Siarez define motivation as the internal condition that activates
behavior and gives it a definite direction. Motivation is also the factor that energizes and directs

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goal-oriented behavior. It is the vigor that causes an individual to behave in a specific manner.
According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in the basic need to minimize physical
pain and maximize pleasure. Motivation can be broadly classified into two types: Intrinsic and
Extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation stems from practicing self-control and the attraction for the rewards inherent
to a task or an activity i.e., the pleasure or joy of doing something up to one’s capability and
perfection can motivate people to perform well and precisely without expecting anything in
return - the activity in itself becomes the reward. It leads to feeling of competency and personal
development.

Extrinsic Motivation comes from external factors such as valuable insights, suggestions or
upshots provided by supervisor or a higher-level manager or even factors like money, bonus,
cash rewards, promotions, time waver, special tasks, verbal adulation etc. Here self-control is
increasingly understood as a subset of emotional intelligence.A person may be highly intelligent
to a more conservative definition, yet unmotivated to dedicate this intelligence to a certain task.

Here is a comprehensive view ofdifferent motivational theories and approaches integral to

modern day management.

THE INCENTIVE THEORY

A tangible or an intangible award is offered at the end of an act or certain behavior with the
intention to cause the behavior to occur again. Here, the sources of motivation lie within oneself
(intrinsic motivation) or in other people (extrinsic motivation).

NEED THEORIES (ABRAHAM MASLOW)

According to Need Hierarchy Theory of Abraham Maslow, motivation is based on a hierarchy of

needs, which a person cannot ignore by moving to the next level of needs without satisfying the
previous level. Maslow’s hierarchy begins with the lowest level of needs, basic physiological
needs such as air, water, and food. Employers paying at least a minimal living wage meet these
basic employee needs. The next level is that of safety and security which include needs for a
living abode or shelter. Employers can meet these by ensuring that employees are safe from
physical, verbal or emotional hazards and have a sense of job security. The third level is for
social affiliation and belonging. This is the need to be social, to have friends, and to feel like one
belongs and is loved. Implementing employee participation programs can help fulfill the need to
belong. Rewards such as acknowledging an employee’s contributions can also satisfy these
social and love needs. At the workplace, interaction with friendly workers, customers, pleasant
supervisors can fulfill this need. The fourth level on the hierarchy is esteem needs. This level is
described as feeling good about one’s self and knowing that their life is meaningful, valuable,
and has a purpose. Employers should use the job design technique to create jobs that are
important to and cherished by the employee. The last level Maslow described is called self-

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actualization. This level refers to people reaching their potential states of well-being. An
employer who ensures that an employee is in the right job and has all other needs met will help
the employee realize this highest need.

VROOM’S EXPECTANCY THEORY

The expectancy theory of motivation was established by Victor Vroom with the belief that
motivation is based on the expectation of desired outcomes. The theory is based on three
concepts: valence, expectancy, and force. Valence is the attractiveness of potential rewards,
outcomes, or incentives. Expectancy is a person’s belief that they will or will not be able to reach
the desired outcome. Force is a person’s motivation to perform. “In general, people will work
hard when they think that it is likely to lead to desired organizational rewards”.

MC CLELLAND’S THEORY OF NEEDS

Mc Clelland claims that we are all influenced by the impact of one of the three motivating
drivers, namely achievement, affiliation, and power.

LOCKE'S GOAL THEORY

Edwin A. Locke’s goal theory describes setting more specific goals to stimulate higher
performance and setting more difficult goals to increase effort. He also believed that, through
employee participation in goal setting, they would be more likely to accept the goals and have a
greater job satisfaction.

REINFORCEMENT THEORY

Reinforcement Theory is based on E.L. Thorndike’s Law and looks at the relationship between
behavior and its consequences. This theory focuses on modifying an employee’s on-the-job
behavior through the appropriate use of one of the following four techniques: Positive
reinforcement rewards desirable behavior. Avoidance is an attempt to show an employee what
the consequences of improper behavior will be. Extinction is basically ignoring the behavior of a
subordinate and not providing either positive or negative reinforcement. Punishment (threats,
suspension) is an attempt to decrease the likelihood of a behavior recurring by applying negative
consequences.

In today’s competitive scenario, effective leaders clearly know about their goals and are driven
by their intrinsic or extrinsic rewards.As explicated by Marlowe’s need for self-actualization, or
by Locke’s normalization of goal settings in challenging situations, an underlying incentivization
is pertinent for organizational success, individually as well as a group.

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Check your progress 3

1 Enumerate some Motivational Theories?

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2 Discuss with regard to your personal experience, how an intrinsic motivation can lead to
fulfillment and professional growth.
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3 [Enhanced Read] Read about and describe Machiavellianism with respect to Management
practices.
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4.4 LEADERSHIP STYLES FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF

PEOPLE

Northouse (2001) defines leadership as a process whereby an individual influences a group to

achieve a common goal. According to Koontz (2006) “Leadership is seen as aninfluence, that is,
the art or process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically
towards the achievement of group goals.” To be an effective leader, the manager must exert a
positive influence on his or her associates so as to smoothen the path to reach the goals of the
organization. Adopting an appropriate leadership style helps managers to establish rapport, trust
and respect, engage their team members and build good working relationships.Although
management and leadership are conceptually different, as Henry Mintzberg suggests in
hisbook,Managing,it is difficult to separate the two in day-to-day practice.The leadership style
adopted by the managers should not be at loggerheads with the general ethos of the
organization.Adopting an inappropriate leadership style would mean fall out amongst the
employees anddiscontent. Let’s take a look at various models of management and leadership
styles.Leadershipis an important quality for managers which helps them initiate actions, sets
plans into motion, provides guidance, instill confidence, builds morale and helps employees in
coordinating between their personal goals and organizational goals.

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TRAIT APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

Before 1950s leadership was synonymous with certain traits and held the belief that great men
alias leaders are born and not made, as per the “great man” theory with its roots from the ancient
Greece and Rome making researchers to identify the physical, mental, and personality traits of
various leaders.Many studies of traits have been made toclassify leaders. More recently, the
following key leadership traits have been identified: drive (including achievement, motivation,
energy, ambition, initiative, and tenacity) leadership motivation (aspiration to lead but not to
seek power as such), honesty and integrity, self-confidence (including emotional stability),
cognitive ability, and an understanding of the business. The impact of creativity, flexibility, and
charisma is also being studied on leadership effectiveness (Koontz, 2006)
Around the turn of the twentieth century, the study of leadership moved from personality
analysis to behavioral analysis: not ‘who’ the leader is, but ‘what’ the leader does. This fostered
an appreciation for the possibility of developing leadership in others. Today's most influential
leadership theories draw on this understanding and begin to incorporate followers' perspectives
and the contexts in which leaders and followers communicate.

There are five basic theories of leadership:

 Transformational leadership
 Leader-Member exchange Theory
 Adaptive Leadership
 Strengths Based leadership
 Servant leadership

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

In the late 1970s, political sociologist James MacGregor Burns popularized the idea of
transformational leadership. Burns distinguished two distinct styles of leadership.
Transactional: when a leader affects others throughwhat they offer in exchange, the transaction.
Transformational: occurs when a leader interacts with his or her supporters in such a way that
the degree of inspiration and morality is enhanced.Transformational leadership is a process that
changes and transforms individuals (Northouse 2001).It is the ability to get people to want to
change, to improve and to be led. It involves assessing associates’ motives, satisfying their
needsand valuing them. There are four factors to transformational leadership:
 Idealized Influence: describes managers who are exemplary role models for associates.
Managers with idealized influence can be trusted and respected by associates to make
good decisions for the organization.
 Inspirational Motivation: describes managers who motivate associates to commit to the
vision of the organization.

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 Intellectual Stimulation:describes managers who encourage innovation and creativity

through challenging the normal beliefs or views of a group. Managers with intellectual
stimulation promote critical thinking and problem solving in an effort to make the
organization better.
 Individual Consideration: describes managers who act as coaches and advisors to the
associates. Managers with individual consideration encourage associates to reach goals
that help both the associates and the organization.

Effective transformational leadership results in performances that exceed organizational

expectations. When managers are strong role models, encouragers, innovators, and coaches they
are utilizing the four factors to help transform their associates into better, more productive and
successful individuals. Northouse states that in 39 studies of transformational literature,
individuals who exhibited transformational leadership were more effective leaders with better
outcomes.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

According to leader-member exchangetheory, every group or entity has in-group and out-group
members. Members of the in-group work together with the leader, share the leader's personality,
and are often willing to take on additional duties or responsibilities. Out-group members are
incompatible with the leader; they may have divergent views, clashing attitudes, or a reduced
willingness to take on additional tasks. Unsurprisingly, members of an in-group are more likely
to win promotions; members of an out-group are more likely to leave.

A c t i v a t i ng L MX theory :

Activating LMX theory is simple for followers: agree with the leader, take on additional
responsibilities, and expect positive results. For leaders, LMX presents a greater challenge, as
maximizing team productivity requires converting out-group members to in-group members.
Individualized concern, the final component of transformational leadership, can provide an
avenue for transforming out-group members. Additionally, LMX theory has major consequences
for diversity and inclusion enhancement. If, women, or people with disabilities often self-identify
as out-group members, the leader should ask, "What does it take to be an in-group member here,
and are we implicitly creating obstacles for others?"

Adaptive Leadership

According to adaptive leadership, a leader is someone who mobilizes people to address difficult
issues, such as inclusiveness. Adaptive problems are those for which no obvious solution exists.
Adaptive leadership distinguishes leadership from authority. In comparison to authority, which is
positional and requires control, leadership requires influence and the ability to mobilize.

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Individuals can demonstrate adaptive leadership by engaging in six practices described by

Ronald Heifetz:

 Get on the balcony: take a step back from the fray to obtain a fresh perspective.

 Identify adaptive challenges: adaptive challenges elicit strong emotions; understanding

their origin and complexity helps to explain the path forward.

 Regulate distress: create a secure emotional space in which to resolve the tension
associated with adaptive challenges.

 Maintain disciplined attention: foster concentration.

 Give the work back to the people: follow collective approaches.

 Project leadership voices from below: Listen to the voices of the project's leadership
from below: pay particular attention to out-group participants, the disadvantaged, and the
external community.

Strengths-Based Leadership: is the concept of discovering and using one's own and others'
strengths to accomplish goals. The definition is derived from positive psychology and the Gallup
Organization's common StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment.Most of the analysis and debate around
strengths-based leadership focuses on self-reports of individual characteristics. Gallup
recommends four talent theme categories for strengths: execution, power, relationship building,
and strategic thinking. Understanding your own strengths, as well as those of your colleagues,
will help you boost team cohesion and efficiency, as we always feel more motivated and
energized when we work in our areas of power.

Servant Leadership

Servant leadership emerged in Robert Greenleaf's writings. Servant leadership entails leaders
prioritizing the needs of others over their own. Greenleaf argued that leaders had a social duty to
provide for the disenfranchised and to put others first; he proposed devolving control to those
being guided.Northouse describes ten qualities of a servant leader, citing Spears (2002). Each
implies behavior that a servant leader must exhibit in order to exhibit this leadership style:

 Listening: first and foremost, servant leaders must listen.

 Empathy: servant leaders must "put themselves in the shoes" of other persons.

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 Healing: servant leaders are concerned about their followers' well-being.

 Awareness: servant leaders are perceptive to others' contexts.

 Persuasion: servant leaders communicate effectively and persistently in order to

effect progress.

 Conceptualization: servant leaders are visionaries who develop specific goals and
priorities.

 Servant leaders show foresight by predicting the future.

 Stewardship: servant leaders accept accountability for their leadership position.

 Commitment to the development of others: servant leaders are committed to

assisting others in their development.

 Community building: servant leaders seek harmony and connectedness with

others.

In addition to the above-mentioned theories, Kitty O locker addresses three distinct types of
leadership that correspond to the three group dimensions:

 Informational Leaders: generate and analyze ideas and text

 Interpersonal Leaders: They keep an eye on the group's progress, track people's
emotions, and mediate disputes.
 Procedural Leaders: establish the agenda, ensure that everyone understands what
is expected at the next meeting, interact with absent group members, and ensure
that all duties are shared equally.

While it is possible for one person to fill all of the positions, the three styles of leadership are
filled by three distinct individuals based on their aptitude. Effective groups harmonize
informational leadership,interpersonal leadership andprocedural leadership.Effective leadership,
in the end, is all about coordination and cohesion.

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There are multiple leadership styles, and yet there is no one-size-fits-all solution to handle a
diverse workforce in a variety of situations. Accordingly, an effective leader must possess a
variety of traits, abilities, and attitudes. However, no one leadership style is superior, and
managers are most effective when they apply their skills and adapt seamlessly to unforeseen
situations. According to the leader-member exchange theory, the leader should assume additional
roles and expect positive outcomes. Servant leadership allows leaders to place others' interests
ahead of their own. Another perspective on leadership is based on the premise that leaders are
products of their circumstances; thus, a leader is someone who mobilizes people to solve
challenging problems, such as inclusivity. Transactional leaders identify roles and obligations,
create a framework, and assist followers in accomplishing goals. Transformational Leadership
transforms organizations by articulating a vision and inspiring others. The ideas of
transformational and charismatic leadership are interlinked.

Leadership abilities are not inherently innate in anyone. Work ethic, self-awareness, and a
commitment to personal development are critical components of eventually mastering leadership
skills. These days one can explore a variety of resources to hone one’s leadership abilities.
Nowadays, one can hone one's leadership skills through a variety of tools and resources. There
are facilitating workshops, teambuilding games (both real as well as virtual), leadership
activities, virtual conflict resolution games that improve teamwork, facilitate better
communication and strengthen one’s leadership and team-building skills. As the adage goes,
"Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons," a manager or
leader embraces all kinds of experiences, positive or negative, and with caution, persistence, and
foresight, transforms obstacles into opportunities. Mentoring, peer support, and leadership
development training can all assist an individual in developing into a more effective leader.

Check your progress 4

1. What is “Trait” theory? Contrast it with “Transformational” leadership theory.

2. What, in your view, constitutes the essence of leadership?

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3. If you were chosen to be the group leader for your class project (for example, to make a
case study of best places to work in India), which leadership style would you prefer?
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4. [ORAL] Describe your favorite real-world Leader and justify your choice.
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4.5 TEAM BUILDING FOR A BETTER WORK ENVIRONMENT

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

Having a strong core team guarantees success in all endeavors.The manager's ability to galvanize
the entire force is vital to the company's growth.To be successful at team building in the
workplace, a leader must first understand the fundamentals of group behavior.Training a set of
people to work cohesively for a desired outcome is imperative to a group’s success and is
catapulted by the groups' ability to communicate effectively while staying focused to the
common objectives.Mutual recognition of peers and accommodating to their communication
styles ensures a better team performance and faster realization of goals. Infusing a sense of
solidarity is another ingredient for effective team building.

Teams outweigh individual accomplishments and pave the way for long-term objectives.
According to researchers, teams have significant advantages over directionless individuals in a
variety of work situations and have several advantages such as more evenly distributed work and
less stress on individual shoulders, shared responsibility for problem solving, brainstorming of
ideas, quick decision making, and improved motivation and support through rapport building.

Richard Hackman, a pioneer in the field of organizational behaviour, has discussed many
"enabling conditions" for team collaboration. These ‘enabling conditions’ help today's complex
teams often referred to as diverse, distributed, digital, and dynamic teams (Martine Hass and
Mark Mortensen), or 4-D teams to operate at a high level.These "enabling conditions” include: A
compelling direction, a strong structure and a supportive context. According to Hackman (2002),
real teams have four primary components: defined boundaries, established interdependence,
moderately stable members, and authority. Wage man et al. (2005) argued that real teams have
three characteristics: well-defined boundaries, mutual accountability for common objectives, and
moderate membership cohesion. A more recent update asserted that real teams are defined by six
dimensions: close interdependence, agreed-upon goals, systematic performance reflection or
analysis, defined boundaries, high autonomy, and stated roles (Richardson, 2010; West and
Lyubovnikova, 2012). Pseudo teams, on the other hand, are identified as a group of individuals

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who identify as a team and work independently or collaboratively toward a potentially dissimilar
understanding of their target while maintaining permeable boundaries (Adapted from Benishek
& Lazzara).Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson, an English business magnate, elucidates the
benefits of teamwork in the following manner: “Two heads are definitely better than one and by
sourcing ideas from each other, you have a better chance of coming up with a strategy that will
allow your business to overcome a setback or challenge.”

There is no "I" in a team; petty ambitions, self-centered thoughts, and self-serving motivations
have no place in a team. Enhanced employee motivation can arise from the creation of trust
amongst coworkers. The most significant advantage of team building is increased efficiency,
which results in increased profits.Vince Lombardi puts it succinctly that team players need to
commit to group goals rather than individual satisfaction: “Individual commitment to a group
effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Characteristics of a Good Team

 They interact effectively with one another.
 Concentrate on priorities and targets
 Each person contributes their fair share.
 They provide assistance to one another.
 Team members come from a variety of backgrounds.
 Efficient Leadership
 They are well-organized.
 Clear contact and open doors
 Clearly established functions
 Disagreement and debate are welcome.
 Trust in the team
 Mutual responsibility
 esprit de collaboration
 They slog together, they enjoy together.
 They look forward to working with each other.

Team building includes following phases:

 Setting realistic goals before the team and explaining the desired outcome
 Clarifying specifications for Planning, preparation and execution
 Recognizing the road blocks and their potential solutions
 Overcoming impediments and inspiring the employees to deliver their best

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Whereas an egoistic personality, unnatural rivalry, disdain towards some peers, and a lack of
trust in team members are the primary deterrents, amicable relationships, empathy, reverence for
others' cultures and values, and group dynamics assist teams in achieving their goals quickly.

The following points must be ingrained in order to ensure a successful team.

 Take into account the perspectives of others and weigh and consider
 Make no distinctions or be partial to any one member's viewpoint.
 Observe and collect data through other channels available
 When in doubt, seek clarifications from authentic sources.
 Avoid preconceived notions and stereotypes.
 Be adaptable and consider everyone's viewpoint within the bounds of prudential
judgement, profit, and professional performance.
 Be considerate and positive in your contributions and interventions.

How to be a “Team player” rather than a “Freelancer”

 Seek information and opinions
 Joke and suggest breaks and recreational activities
 Solve interpersonal problems
 Be collaborative rather than individualistic
 Don’t try to run the group by dominating, yelling and imposing your individual
opinion on others
 Contribute to discussions; don’t be silent, casual or absent minded.
 Drop your arrogance
 Empathize with others
 Don’t have false/unrealistic expectations
 Be realistic
 Be practical
 Enjoy the work you do
 Don’t build walls around you
 Don’t be a verbose
 Don’t beat yourself up over small failures
 Admit your fault
 Learn to appreciate
 Sorry, Thank-You and please are golden tickets to collaboration
 Believe in others’ instincts and abilities

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Check your progress 5

1. What is a team?Is it better to work in a team or independently?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What are the traits of a team worker?
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................

3. [ORAL] Discuss among your classmates, strategies for team building and solidarity via
enhanced interpersonal communication.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.6 EFFECTIVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

A positive work atmosphere uplifts all involved, while a toxic work environment can break
people's spirits by undermining their sense of self.Managers and associates must aim to create
healthy relationships at work in order to strengthen collaboration and promote creativity. It’s a
common saying-people don't quit a job; they quita boss. Balance, timing, and clarity are three
ways to cultivate a genuine manager-associate relationship (White2002).Successful interpersonal
relationships include effective interpersonal communication, which is contingent upon active
listening, conflict resolution, able leadership, an equitable exchange of facts and opinions, a
constructive approach to criticism, and a You-attitude.

ACTIVE LISTENING
Listening is the act of receiving, interpreting and reactingto the speaker's message. Effective
listening often entails an awareness of the primary and secondary points. Sensing, message
decoding, or interpretation, evaluation, and response are the four stages of listening.There is a
distinction to be made between hearing and listening. Listening, is an active process while ,
hearing is a passive one. Listening requires considerable effort, undivided attention, and
focus.Active listening facilitates productive partnerships within the organization and strengthens
the organization's functions.A person with a strong listening ability can expand their knowledge,
broaden their experience, form new and meaningful alliances, and attain more job opportunities
and promotions.Listening enables you to comprehend your coworkers' perspectives.Listening
helps you to recognize the experiences of your peers.It enables you to establish rapport with
colleagues quickly. As an effective manager one should try to elicit the perspectives, thoughts,
and feelings of others about a specific concept or problem.Kitty O locker writes that good

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listeners pay attention, focus on the other speaker in a generous way rather than on themselves,
avoid making assumptions and listen for feelings as well as for facts. Active listening and
occasional questions assist managers in developing their ability to reason about issues.
According to Locker and Kaczmarek (2007:302), in active listening, receivers consciously show
that they have heard and understood a speaker by feeding back either the literal sense, the
emotional material, or both.

To accomplish better communication, listeners are encouraged to take the following steps:
 Paraphrase the content
 Reflect the speaker's emotions in the message
 Express their own sentiments
 Solicit additional details or explanation
 Offer to assist in resolving the problem.

Occasional Talks with Employees/Associates

Small talk or casual conversations with workers or colleagues about daily issues, their well-
being, families, and health often result in the creation of a positive work environment.It can serve
as an icebreaker and can also help to calm anxious nerves.
Small talk can be used by the managers to accomplish the following tasks:

 To inform(at workplace)
 To question
 To guide
 To discuss
 To encourage
 To direct

LEADING WITHOUT ANTAGONISM

According to Locker and Kaczmarek (2007:310), leaders should avoid becoming dictatorial and
should refrain from antagonizing team members and associates by their arrogant behavior and
high-handed approach. They suggest that good leaders should be team players, who do not shirk
criticism or negative feedback and who are prepared to combat peer pressure and groupthink.
The following measures assist in developing harmonious relationships with coworkers or
subordinates: -
i. Smile- A smile is a kind of invitation. Smiling sets the atmosphere. It builds rapport and
fosters confidence.
ii. Share- Share your hopes, ambitions, and priorities, your strengths and weaknesses, as
well as your tactics and experiences. Inviting team members to reciprocate is a good idea.

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iii. Suggest- Making suggestions to resolve a dispute or a problem situation, making

substantive additions to one's job profile, truthful suggestions, ratings, and analysis, and
so on.
iv. Think-Think it aloud. Let the team be aware of your immediate goals and deadlines your
method of work, and make contributions accordingly.
v. Volunteer- to take notes, collect data, and make suggestions to enhance the presentation,
product, project, or report, for example.
vi. Ask-Enquire about others’ core competencies, expertise, interests, and skills alongside
their worst apprehensions, weaknesses and honest feedback about company’s work
culture.

CONFIDENCE BUILDING
A successful leader instils confidence in his team and supports them through thick and
thin.Confidence is derived from a sense of well-being, appreciation of one's body and mind (self-
esteem), and faith in one's own abilities, knowledge, and experience. Therefore, a leader must
‘walk the talk’ andinstill confidence in team members, preparing them to be innovative and
cooperative whilst remaining committed to the organization's goals.

Leaders who wish to facilitate progress and enhance organizational productivity build spaces for
discussion, collaboration, and idea exchange leading to enhanced individual confidence. Leaders
use their foresight to develop strategies that assist workers in achieving organizational
objectives. Additionally, leaders serve as strong mentors and sponsors for their employees by
motivating, supporting, and providing necessary feedback. Leadership involves exceptionally
effective governance and analytical abilities, as well as an openness to new ideas devoid of
dogmatism. Confidence building initiatives such as promoting resources in achieving small and
approachable goals initially and leading them to aspire for subsequent bigger ones is a very
integral part of confidence building strategy for successful managers.The company should award
certificates of achievement to achievers, and timely recognize employees for crisis management,
superior customer service, or meeting sales goals for boosting employee morale.
Check your progress 6

1. Why is listening so difficult? What are the benefits of good listening?

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. [Oral] Suggest a confidence building method for an employee feeling demotivated

after an initial failure in a project.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

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 Thinking of the Box

4.7 CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The Cambridge Dictionary defines conflict as an active disagreement between people with
opposing opinions or principles. Individuals who work in an organization can have different
viewpoints, principles, beliefs, attitudes, goals, ambitions, and traits. In other words, what I
desire may be different from what the other person desires. When conflict arises in the
workplace, it can go to the extent of affecting people’s morale, decrease efficiency, increase
absenteeism, and spark large-scale confrontations that may escalate into severe and violent
crimes.

Managers devote a substantial amount of time to managing organizational disputes. They spend a
significant amount of their work time resolving internal conflicts. This obviously has an impact
on the morale of both managers and associates and can have a far-reaching effect on the
organization's performance. Locker and Kaczermarek (2007:311) believe disagreements occur
when sincere people are invested in the task at hand. Nonetheless, it is important to fix the real
problem and restore hurt feelings. Additionally, they propose the following measures for
reducing group conflict:

 At the outset, define specific responsibilities and ground rules.

 Instead of allowing problems to fester till people explode, discuss them as they surface.
 Recognize that community members are not responsible for the happiness of one another.
 Discuss problems as they arise, rather than letting them fester till people explode.
 Realize that group members are not responsible for each other’s happiness.

Causes of Conflict

Farnsworth et.al recognize eight causes of conflict:

i. Conflicting needs,
ii. Conflicting Styles,
iii. Conflicting Perceptions,
iv. Conflicting Goals,
v. Conflicting Pressures,
vi. Conflicting Roles,
vii. Conflicting Personal Values,
viii. Conflicting Unpredictable policies
Hark into the Future

Steps to Resolve Conflict 71

Conflict resolution requires one to let go of one’s ego and see the situation in a realistic manner.
It also requires attention to the issue and to people’s feelings. Locker and Kaczermarek
(2007:311) suggest five-step procedure to resolve conflicts amicably:

 Make sure that The People Involved Really Disagree

 Check to see that everyone’s information is correct
 Discover the needs and motifs each person is trying to meet.
 Search for alternatives
 Repair bad feelings

According to Robin (2002), there are five conflict resolution styles: confront, compromise,
collaborate, accommodate, and avoid. Identify your resolution style. The five conflict resolution
styles can be used strategically in three specific ways when dealing with conflict. These three
strategies are engage, do not engage, and negotiate.

Engage Strategy

If the scenario allows for confronting, negotiating, or collaborating, an engage approach will be
used (Robin 2002). The engage approach in confrontations can be violent but not hostile, so the
result should be a win-win situation for both parties. If aggressive feelings continue, suggest a
new approach. Since compromise entails bargaining for a mutually beneficial result, the engage
approach entails putting disagreements aside and working together to find a solution that
everyone can agree on. Working as a team is important when using the engage strategy for
collaboration. Everyone is accountable for their efforts and has a say in the decision-making
process.

Do-Not-Engage- Strategy

Where circumstances allow for accommodating and avoiding, a do-not-engage approach is

suitable. Not engaging does not imply resisting or being defensive; rather, it is a conscious and
deliberate decision not to be adversarial (Robin 2002).Since the problem is less relevant than the
relationship, the do-not-engage approach is successful in accommodating.

Negotiate Strategy
It is important to understand when and how to negotiate. There are several negotiating styles.
Consider negotiating as a means of confronting, compromising, or cooperating.

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 Thinking of the Box

The optimal time to negotiation is if you can make an offer to your adversary that is more
appealing than the next-best option. The following table summarizes when it is possible to
negotiate (Robin, 2002):

 When you are forced to make a choice and there are no better choices

 When a mission or problem is critical (if it is not, either let it go or lead strongly)

 When you are in a position to consider alternative courses of action

 When not negotiating will be detrimental to your interests or you have anything to gain

 When there has been a miscommunication, or when there has been no understanding or
agreement

 When you would like to discuss disagreements freely.

 To serve as a role model by exemplifying what successful negotiation entails.

There are several kinds of negotiators. Recognizing an associate's negotiation style will assist in
the resolution of conflict. Wertheim (2002) suggests the following categories of negotiators:

The Aggressive: makes disparaging remarks about the opponent's previous results or irrational
behaviour, or makes comments implying that the opponent is inferior and insignificant.

The long pauser: employs extended silences to elicit information from the opponent.

The mocking negotiator: antagonizes the adversary in order to provoke regrettable answers.

The interrogator: confronts all respondents and proceeds to press for additional information.

The cloak of reasonableness: seems rational when making impossible demands in order to gain
an opponent's trust while simultaneously undermining him.

Divide and conquer: a strategy used when negotiating with a coalition to sow discord among
rivals that they become distracted by internal conflicts rather than the issue at hand.

The act dumb negotiator: pretended not to understand the issue in order to exasperate the
opponent, or opponents, to the point that he, or another member of the party, accidentally
revealed details.

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Check your progress7

3 What isa conflict?

…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
4 What qualities come in handywhen attempting to resolve conflicts??
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
3. What are the best strategies involved in conflict resolution?
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..

4.[Oral] what practices should be avoided during a conflict resolution?

……………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………….

4.8 COLLABORATIVE APPROACH FOR EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE

ENGAGEMENT

A successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellowmen, usually
incomparably more than corresponds to his service to them. The value of a man,
however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.

Albert Einstein

Togetherness is key to success in an organization. There is no “I” in organizational matters. It is

imperative that managers rise above their egoistic motivations and come together for co-action
and collaboration to reach organizational goals. Great managers recognize their employees'
strengths but also help them to work on any shortcomings. By incorporating empathy, a you-
centric approach, and strategies for team building, managers can develop into good leaders and
role models in their organizations.

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 Thinking of the Box

Empathic Response

At its most foundational sense, empathy is an understanding of another person's thoughts and
emotions. It is a critical component of Emotional Intelligence, the bridge between self and
others, since it enables us to consider what others are experiencing as if we were experiencing it
ourselves.It is like putting yourself in other’s shoes and trying to understand what they are going
through without passing judgment or refuting them.However, psychologists have identified three
distinct forms of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and compassionate.Empathy, a soft leadership
skill, is required to lead and drive employee engagement in a complex, diffused, and constantly
evolving world.Today's workplaces, thus need more empathetic leaders and managers who can
establish relationships with employees and engage with them first and foremost as
individuals.Keith Ferrazzi, a celebrated author and entrepreneur, maintains that we truly do need
one anotherfor our own pursuit of happiness, personal development, and the growth of our
businesses.He assertsthat‘great businesses require radical interdependency’ and it is therefore,
enabling for managers to form strong bonds with the people who work with them.

The You Attitude

You attitude means looking at things from other person’s (client, audience, associates,
employees) point of view. While this ensures reciprocity, it also entails respect for others'
preferences, requirements, and expectations. The success or efficacy of business communication
or professional communicationdepends upon the amount of consideration you show for others. It
will also require protecting your interests without offending or hurting the egos of your team
members or associates.

You Attitude in oral communication

While communicating orally through speeches, presentations, meetings, group discussions, it is

important to maintain a calm persona and a you centred approach in communicating.
Conducting audience analysis is the second step. It assists you in sensing the nerve of the
audience. Your speech should be tailored to your audience's requirements. Not only should the
speech be important to you, but also to the audience. If time and resources permit, it is best to
perform an audience analysis to determine the audience's demographics and level of awareness
about the subject.

You Attitude in Written Messages

Your viewpoint creates goodwill and has a positive impact on others. Lesikar and Flatley
observe that your “you” perspective should prioritize the needs and concerns of your readers and
the people you have your business with. It should place a premium on ‘you’ and ‘your’ and
downplay ‘we’ and ‘our’. The you-viewpoint entails the appropriate choice of words,

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communication style, language preference, type of examples and illustrations, and an overall
courteous and caring attitude when conducting day-to-day business.

They know that it’s not their job to arm each employee with a dispassionately accurate
understanding of the limits of the strengths and the liabilities of their weaknesses but to reinforce
their self-assurance. According to a Cornell University report, employers can see an increase in
productivityif they allow workers to eat meals together, as many sectors like armed forces do.
Group Activities promote wellbeing, enhance overall productivity, and offer opportunities to de-
stress and connect with one’s strengths and spirit.

It is proposed that organizing company outings, employee newsletters, team building seminars,
regular formal and informal interactions with the employees, surprise treats, employee themed
party, talent shows, outdoor events, sports events, adventure activities, will increase mutual trust
and faith leading to enhanced productivity and creation of enjoyable workplace culture.
“Coming together is beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Henry Ford

Check your progress 8

1. Enumerate benefits of Collaboration?
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………..
2. [Practical]Explain how a difficult task became achievable by cooperation?
…………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………
3. What is it that triggers distrust among team members? In the light of this unit, how
will you overcome your situation?
…………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..

4.9 LET US SUM UP

In the twenty-first century, professional development cannot be accomplishedby merely
achieving theoretical knowledge. In order to create a sustainable work environment, in this ever-
changingworld order, managers need to value the “Team”. Cultivating "people skills" to
collaborate effectively, resolve any conflict and establish rapport with other team members is
ineluctable. Moreover, it has been well established that the most effective individuals are those
who have worked on themselves to develop into supportive individuals and who are receptive to
the needs of their team members and peers and who have honed their emotional and social
intelligence skills.

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 Thinking of the Box

Management in a nutshell is the understanding of the “human “in human resource and effectively
communicating with it to achieve a common goal.

4.10 SUGGESTED READINGS

 Locker, O Kitty & Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek. Buisess Communication: Buiding Critical
Skills. New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2007.
 Northouse, P.G. Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publishers, Inc., 2016.
 Weirich, H. & Koontz, H. Management- A Global Perspective. Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2005.

4.11 ANSWERS

Check your progress 1

1. Marked by its advancement to include diversity,heterogeneity, globalization,

intersectionality, decentered poetics, accommodating alternative traditions and respecting
individual choices at workplace makes 21st century different from the preceding eras.

2. Inclusion of diversity not only benefits the managers but also imparts a wider perspective
and a greater vision to the workforce. Organizations are constantly evolving and are
being restructured to accommodate the interests of the larger working population. Since
diversity has the ability to improve work efficiency and competitive advantages,
companies are increasingly transforming into inclusive spaces

3. Imbibing communication practices which make accommodations for different cultural

practices, beliefs and habits and refraining from xenophobic hints during communication
as well as actions.

4. Using gender neutral communication techniques, avoiding racial remarks and honoring
individual merit impartial to any background or gender preference.

 Being sensitive to verbal and non-verbal behaviour of people.

 Using bias-free language (Discrimination and derogatory remarks based on sexual
orientation, physical capacity, age, ethnicity, appearance, faith, culture, or nationality
are considered illegal.)

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 Avoiding negative terms

 Using terms of positive emphasis
 Choosing bias free photos and illustrations.

Check your progress 2

1. With advancement and overdependence on Virtual channels of communications a perfect

blend of traditional communication tenets with modern methodologies of expression is
vital for any workplace. Modern workforce lacks and need to be upskilled with effective
communication skill for virtual reach out.

2. The Seven C’s of effective communication are golden rules that imply completeness,
conciseness, consideration, concreteness, clarity, courtesy and correctness in favor of fair
and enhanced professional communication.

3. While doling out perks to different strata of workforce in an organization care must be
taken that effective communication of distribution of perks is maintained, so that any
particular group or strata of employees don’t feel alienated or left out leading to
generation of resentment for the higher management.

4. Manager: Manoj, can you please make sure all your mail communications do not refer to
employees only in “male” pronouns as we have to make our workplace equally inviting
to all genders.
Manoj: Yes, Boss.

Check your progress 3

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Hertzberg’s two factor theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory, Mc
Clelland’s theory of needs, Vroom’s theory of expectancy,Locke’s Goal theory, Reinforcement
theory, Mc Gregor’s theory of X and theory Y are some of the popular motivation theories .

1. For a wider acceptance towards my team and to make myself feel valued in the new
workplace I devoted extra hours to keep myself abreast with latest technological
communication techniques practiced by the rest of my team in my new office.

2. https://www.ckju.net/en/dossier/machiavellianism-what-it-how-recognize-and-cope-
machiavellians

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Check your progress 4

1. Trait theory is one of the approaches to leadership that held that “great men” alias leaders
are born rather than made, prompting researchers to classify the physical, emotional, and
personality traits of various leaders. Numerous studies of personality traits have been
conducted in order to classify leaders. Recently, the following key leadership
characteristics have been identified:drive (including achievement, motivation, energy,
ambition, initiative, and tenacity) leadership motivation (aspiration to lead but not to seek
power as such), honesty and integrity, self-confidence (including emotional stability),
cognitive ability, and an understanding of the business.

Transformational leadership is about inspiring and motivating teams without

micromanagement. Here, the leader delegates decision-making authority to competent
employees in their assigned roles. It is a management style that empowers workers by
encouraging them to be more creative, to plan ahead, and to come up with novel solutions
to vexing problems.This leadership style is possible when a leader communicates with his
or her followers in such a way that inspires and moralizes them. Individuals undergo
change and transformation through transformational leadership. It is the capacity to
awaken people's desire for change, improvement, and leadership. It entails determining
the motivations of colleagues, meeting their needs, and valuing them. By valuing his or
her employees, a transformational leader helps the business succeed.

2. Transformational because changing times demand adaptability, as well as non-

compromising adherence to the larger picture of overall team building and growth.

3. Mohandas K. Gandhi, the pre-eminent scholar, thinker, philosopher, and social activist
was the greatest leader of the 20th century. He was charismatic, pragmatic and a great
enabler. He had a rock-solid belief system that influenced all of his decisions and he
sought major changes at every step of his life, while maintaining a symbiotic relationship
with his followers. As a man of actions, he lived his life by the four E's: Envision,
Enable, Empower, and Energize. As a great leader he always led by example and never
dictated anything that he could not do himself. He was charismatic, but he was also a
good strategist and examined things closely. He epitomized people management skills to
the core. He was a transformational and transactional leader too.(Information
fromhttps://www.mkgandhi.org)

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Check your progress5

1. A ‘team’may be described as a group of people who work towards shared objectives in

order to achieve a common goal or specific goal.Working in a team is recommended
because team attributes such as collaboration, effective peer support, mutual
encouragement and desire to grow together and strive for bigger goals than self, lead to a
faster and consistent development of all individuals in the team.

2. A team player is adaptable, patient, willing to learn and collaborate, seeks advice and
inputs from others, and never attempts to steal the show by domineering or hijacking the
show. This kind of group member is helpful, contributes ideas, is committed to problem
solving, and is more concerned with the group goal than with individual performance.

3. Games, practices for mutual trust, equitable work distribution, and skill-based training
can be cited as a few of the strategies employed for team building and solidarity through
enhanced interpersonal communication.

Check your progress 6

1. Listening is difficult because it involves considerable effort, undivided attention, and

focus on the part of the listener. Active listening has numerous benefits: A person with a
strong listening ability can expand their knowledge, broaden their experience, form new
and meaningful alliances, and attain more job opportunities and promotions. Listening
enables one to comprehend the co-workers’ perspectives.Listening helps one to recognize
the experiences of peers.It enables one to establish rapport with colleagues quickly and
effortlessly.

2. Verbal counselling, mentoring by helping an employee break down task at hand into
small achievable subtasks can help the employee overcome the initial setback of a failure.

Check your progress 7

1. A conflict may be described as a disagreement, opposition of some sort, argument,

antagonism, or animosity between two or more individuals or groups leading to
disharmony or hostility among the affected individuals or groups.

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 Thinking of the Box

The following measures suggested by Locker and Kaczermarek (2007:311) come in handy to
resolve conflicts amicably:

1) Make sure that The People Involved Really Disagree

2) Check to see that everyone’s information is correct
3) Discover the needs and motifs each person is trying to meet.
4) Search for alternatives
5) Repair bad feelings

2. Engage strategy, Do-Not engage strategy and Negotiate strategy are some of the well
recommended strategies to deal with any kind of professional conflicts.
3.
 Not letting conflicting parties accuse each other.
 Avoid taking sides during conflict resolution.
 Don’t overgeneralize.
 Don’t interrupt/ interject while someone is speaking

Check your progress 8

1. Idea generation, accelerated decision making, diversity perspective, increased employee

engagement and retention, innovation and development, competitive edge, increased
profits, enhanced self-worth among individuals, positive work culture, openness, and
decreased stress and burnout as a result of decentralized authority, tasks, and
responsibilities.

2. An inaugural function required to communicate a large set of people. Impossible task for
a single person, it was judiciously divided into sub tasks among a team of students to take
care of reaching to the different subgroups.

3. Lack of trust in leadership and team members, insufficient opportunities for team
building, unclear group goals, hostile work environment, lack of praise from employers
or preferential treatment for some employees, unprofessional or immoral behaviour on
the part of certain managers or team members.

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References

Benishek E. Lauren & Elizabeth H. Lazzara. “Teams in a New Era: Some Considerations and
Implications.”https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01006/full
Farnsworth Derek, Jennifer L. Clark et al. “Understanding Conflict in the
Workplace”edis.ifas.ufl.edu ›.
Hackman, 2002; Wageman et al., 2005; Richardson, 2010; West and Lyubovnikova, 2012.
https://cvdl.ben.edu/blog/leadership_theories_part1/
https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/bapu-leader-of-
leaders.html#:~:text=He%20was%20charismatic%2C%20but%20he,love%20and%20peace%20f
or%20all
Humphrey Brad and Jeff Strokes. “The 21st Century Supervisor,” HRMagazine. May 2000
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Locker, O Kitty & Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek. Business Communication: Building Critical Skills.
New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2007.
Northouse, P.G. Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publishers, Inc., 2016.
O'Hair, D., Rubenstein, H., & Stewart, R. (2007). A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking (2nd Ed.).
Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Robin, D. When to engage, when not to engage. Daniel Robin and
Associates. http://www.abetterworkplace.com/when-to-engage-when-not-to-engage/.2002.
White, T. 2002. The human element. One more time: Tell me about motivation.
TheFabricator.com. http://www.thefabricator.com/article/trainingretention/one-more-time-tell-
me-about-motivation
Wertheim, E. Negotiations and resolving conflicts: An overview. Northeastern University,
College of Business Administration. https://www.europarc.org/communication-
skills/pdf/Negotiation%20Skills.pdf.2002.

Weirich, H. & Koontz, H. Management- A Global Perspective. Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2005.

www.continualimpact.com
https://www.owltail.com/people/6vgY5-keith-ferrazzi/appearances

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