Response to Kaitlin's Question

Do you feel it is easy working in a group with three or four other kids? Do you feel like everyone does the same amount of work?

I personally enjoy working in teams. Having different personalities and view points is definitely useful. This improves the quality of work and a definite amount of increased productivity. Working in teams also makes a project more enjoyable. Having conversations and sharing different ideas brings a project to life rather than working on your own. Although, it is true that sometimes not everyone does the same amount of work. This usually doesn't bother me as long as the job gets done.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you were working harder than others in a group?

Chapter 10: Benefits of working in a team

After reading chapter 10, I found that there are actually a lot of positive benefits in working in a team. These benefits are employee benefits, reduced costs, enhanced performance, and organizational enhancements. Teams can actually benefit the organization itself by a benefit known as organizational enhancements. This includes a increase in innovation and new ideas. It involves creativity and a lot of flexibility. When team members realize that they are making a difference in the organization, they are more likely to work harder. Another benefit is known as reduced costs. When working in a team, employees are less likely to make mistakes and this leads to significant cost reduction. This is definitely beneficial for the company. Organizational Enhancements include increased innovation and flexibility. The use of teams can actually eliminate redundant layers of bureaucracy and flatten the hierarchy in large organizations. Lastly, employee benefits are definitely positive additions to working in a team. Teams can actually provide a sense of self control, dignity, and a sense of self worth. Working in a team can definitely benefit both the organization and the employee.

Have you ever worked in a team? What advantages did you find from doing so?

Response to Kaitlin's Post

After reading Kaitlin's blog, she left off with the question... Have you ever had a job where the commitment was noticeable and everyone around you tended to have a good attitude? What made it so enjoyable?
For four years I worked at my dad's work, Nerac, a fairly large research business in our town. The company did a lot for the employees which made the job very enjoyable. Their were potlucks, buffets, holiday parties, and all sorts of festivities for the employees. They would have made up holidays like "bring your pet to work day" etc. Nerac would also give out UCONN tickets and have all sorts of lotteries and prizes. There was always something to look forward to. These type of gatherings really kept the employees motivated and looking forward to coming into work. It also helped gain relationships within the workplace. Also, as for me as an intern I made pretty good pay for someone my age at the time. This was obviously an excellent incentive to work hard for the company. Overall, I had a really positive attitude about working for the business.

Differing Perceptions at Clarkston Industries

When reading the case Differing Perceptions at Clarkston Industries, brought me onto the topic of how much people stereotype. Jack, having a bad past, came out of jail and started working for Clarkston Industries. Not only did he make a lot of friends, but had been doing very well at the company. When word finally got out about his past in jail, people made a lot of assumptions about Jack. People immediately assumed he was a thief after some of the employee's personal items were stolen. Not only did no one have any idea what Jack actually went to jail for, but they stereotyped him as a bad person and kept their distance.
I personally know someone that has been in a very similar situation as this. He had a similar past and came out clean. He started his new career at an accounting firm because the manager believed in him. Although I'm sure many people made their judgments, he proved them wrong as being the top salesman in the department. Not only that but he made a lot of friends and was liked by everybody. After this experience, I have learned it isn't right to judge people, especially from their past. People can change their lives around and they deserve second chances. Stereotypes are usually very wrong and can be unfair. What are your thoughts on this topic? Is it Okay to stereotype Jack?

Response to Kevin's Question

In Kevin Polley's last blog, he stated a question having to do with the case about Shauna and her father's heart attack. I agree with Kevin in the fact that Shauna should definitely be excused her leaving work unexpectedly because of her father's heart attack. Not only is the reason excusable, but Shauna has a record of being a very reliable employee. Mr. Hamid respected her because she was a very hard worker and was never late or missed work. For him to call her unreliable is completely out of line. Although he is from a different culture, I feel that is irrelevant in this situation. He clearly is showing no compassion or sympathy for his employee. I think that he should put himself in her position, and Im sure he would have made the same choice Shauna did.

Personality in the organizations..

After reading Chapter three, I learned how important personality matters in the workforce. As the book states, personality is the relatively stable set of psychological attributes that distinguish one person from another. Personality stems from both our parents and environmental factors. This is where the whole nature nurture question comes into play. I find this debate very interesting because you always wonder, why are we who we are today?
The book also seems to go into something called the "Big Five" Personality Traits. Although there are hundreds of different personality traits, there are five fundamental traits that are relevant to the business world. These five traits are known as agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, extraversion, and openness. Agreeableness has to do with how you get along with others. This is very important in the workforce in order to make good relationships with your employees and coworkers. Conscientiousness is the number of goals that a person focuses. People who are more conscientiousness are usually more motivated and perform better. Negative emotionality is a trait that is characterized by moodiness and insecurity. It is important to have litle negative emotionality so one can handle stress and tension. Extraversion is important because it refers to how comfortable someone can be in certain relationships. This has to do with being social and being able to relate to other people. Lastly, openness refers to being able to share new ideas and speak honestly to a group. I think all 5 of these are very important. What traits to find most important to have in the workplace?

Response to Brianna Callahan's Blog

After reading Brianna's blog, she stated a question asking what I think it would be like to work for someone like Mr. Hamid. Although he did come from a completely different cultural background with different views and ideas, I think it would be very difficult. He clearly did not put himself in Shauna's shoes when her father had a heart attack. Mr. Hamid does not seem to be understanding of the fact that he comes from a completely different culture. He needs to realize that he is crossing the line by firing Shauna and was also offending her in many ways. I think his style of managing was completley unprofessional and he needs to be more aware of his employees' culture.

Diversity

Chapter two discusses in great detail about diversity. This is a very popular topic in the business world. It discusses the dimensions of diversity. The primary dimension are those factors that are either inborn or exert extraordinary influence on early socialization. Such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental abilities. There is also a dimension known as secondary dimensions of diversity. This includes factors that matter to us as individuals and that to some extent define us to how others perceive us. This can include educational background, geographical location, income, martial status, and military experience. Workforce diversity has to do with the similarities and differences between members in a business or organization. I feel that diversity in the workplace has lead to many problems in the business world. Stereotypes especially has been a well known problem. Many managers or owners have made generalizations about people due to their differences when hiring or even firing their employees. I think that sometimes managers make stereotypes unconsciously even when they do not mean to. When managers tend to treat their employees differently due to their own differences, it can lead to many problems in the workplace. With that said, Why do u think organizations need to be interested in managing diversity?

Response to Bridgets question

Do you agree that the key to managerial success is to understand the human behavior at work? Why or why not?

I definitely agree that the key to managerial success is to understand the human behavior at work. Knowing how to grasp your employees and reach out to them is very important. Inspiring and motivating the employees in very necessary in creating a relationship between the manager and the employee. By giving positive feedback and praising your employees the manager gains respect. When respecting their manager, the employees actually want to work their hardest and make their workplace a positive environment.

Important manangerial skills

Chapter one discusses the roles and skills that are necessary for success in an organization. There are many important skills that one must acquire in order to be a successful manager. Technical, Interpersonal, conceptual, and diagnostic skills are the four important types of skills to have. Technical skills are the skills necessary to accomplish specific tasks within the organization. Interpersonal skills are used to communicate, understand, and motivate individual skills. Conceptual skills are used to think in abstract. Lastly, diagnostic skills are used in order to understand cause-and effect relationships and to recognize the optimal solutions to problems.
I definitely agree that these skills are all very necessary in order to be a successful manager. Although some skills may be more important depending on the field you are in, overall I feel that the combination of all four are very important to acquire. Having technical skills are important when knowing the operations of the actual organization. However, interpersonal skills are key when connecting with your employees. I find this skill especially important because it focuses on the communication between the manager and his or her employees. The connection between the employee and the manager is very important. The employee is more likely to strive to work harder and respect their manager if he or she has a personable qualities and a strong personality.

What skills do you find to be most important to acquire as a manager?