Quality Management for Organizational Excellence Lecture/Presentation Notes

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Quality Managementfor Organizational
ExcellenceLecture/Presentation Notes

• By
• Dr. David L. Goetsch and Stanley Davis
• Based on the book
• Quality Management for Organizational Excellence
  (Sixth Edition)

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace

• MAJOR TOPICS
• Internal Politics Defined
• Power and Politics
• Organizational Structure and Internal Politics
• Internal Politics in Action
• Internal Politicians and their Methods

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)
Major Topics Continued

• Impact of Internal Politics on Quality
• Controlling Internal Politics in Organizations
• Overcoming Negativity in Organizations
• Overcoming Territorial Behavior in Organizations
• Managing Conflict in Organizations

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• Internal politics consists of activities
  undertaken to gain advantage or influence
  organizational decision making in ways intended
  to serve a purpose other than the best interests
  of the overall organization. It is the games
  people play to promote decisions that are based
  on criteria other than merit.
• Organizational structure is not the cause of
  internal politics. All of the widely used
  organizational structures are susceptible to
  internal politics.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• Several conceptspersonal insecurity,
  self-interest, a hunger for power, ambition, ego,
  and the need for acceptanceare the primary
  drivers of internal politics.
• The most commonly used methods of internal
  politicians are as follows lobbying, building
  coalitions, applying harassment and pressure,
  electioneering, gossiping, and spreading rumors.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• The rationale for collaboration is found in the
  debilitating effect internal politics can have on
  an organization. Internal politics can drain an
  organization of its intellectual and physical
  energy and in the process take way its ability to
  compete.
• An organizations effort to control internal
  politics should have at least the following
  components strategic planning, leadership,
  reward/recognition, performance appraisal,
  customer focus, conflict management, and culture.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• The most common categories of negative behavior
  are control disputes territorial (boundary)
  disputes dependence and independence issues
  need for attention and responsibility,
  authority, and loyalty issues.
• The following symptoms are indicators of
  negativity in the workplace I cant attitudes,
  they mentality, critical conversation, and
  blame-fixing among employees.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• To overcome negativity, organizations should
  communicate, establish clear expectations,
  provide opportunities for anxiety venting, build
  trust, and involve employees.
• Territorial behavior in organizations manifests
  itself in the following ways occupation,
  information manipulation, intimidation,
  alliances, invisible walls, strategic
  noncompliance, discredit, shunning, camouflage,
  and filibustering.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• The following strategies will help when trying to
  overcome territorial behavior
• Avoid jumping to conclusions
• Attribute the behavior to instinct rather than
  people
• Ensure that employees dont feel attacked
• Avoid generalizations, understand irrational
  fears
• Respect each individuals perspective
• Consider the employees point of view.

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• Causes of workplace conflict include
• Limited resources
• Incompatible goals
• Role ambiguity
• Different perspectives
• Poor communication

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ThirteenOvercoming Politics, Negativity,and
Conflict in the Workplace(Continued)

• Managers have two responsibilities regarding
  conflict in the workplace
• Conflict resolution
• Conflict stimulation
• Conflict should be stimulated to overcome
  excessive compliance and complacency.