Employee Empowerment and Interpersonal Interventions

1
Chapter 9

• Employee Empowerment and Interpersonal
  Interventions

2
Learning Objectives

• Recognize need for employee empowerment.
• Experience dynamics in communication.
• Practice giving and receiving feedback on your
  personal communication style.
• Describe career life planning and stress
  management.

3
Changing Michael Dells DNA(part 1 of 2)

• Michael Dell manages with determination.
• Recent survey of Dells employees revealed
  problems.
• Half of employees would leave if given the
  chance.
• Felt M. Dell was impersonal.

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Changing Michael Dells DNA(part 2 of 2)

• M. Dell went before management team and offered
  honest self-critique.
• He promised to build tighter relationship with
  his team.
• Videotape of meeting shown to every manager in
  company.

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Empowering the Individual(part 1 of 2)

• Empowerment is giving employees power to make
  decisions about work.
• Power and decision making delegated to lower
  levels of employees.
• Interventions aimed at enhancing development of
  individual members.

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Empowering the Individual(part 2 of 2)

• Interventions include
• Helping organization members improve
  communications.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Managerial performance.

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Employee Empowerment

• The individual is one of the most critical
  elements in any large-scale organizational change.

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Central to Empowerment Is

• Delegation of power and decision-making to lower
  levels.
• Promulgation of shared vision of future.
• Engaging employees so they develop sense of pride
  and responsibility.

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Empowerment (part 1 of 3)

• Employees are more proactive and self-sufficient.
• Individual is one of most critical elements in
  change.
• Purpose is for individuals purpose and vision
  congruent with the organizations.

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Empowerment (part 2 of 3)

• In many organizations empowerment is basic
  cornerstone of change.
• GE has company wide version they call work-out.

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Empowerment (part 3 of 3)

• Empowerment concepts interwoven through OD
  interventions including
• Team and system interventions.
• Total quality management.
• Self-managed work teams, learning organizations.
• High-performance systems.

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Laboratory Learning (part 1 of 2)

• Sometimes called encounter groups, sensitivity
  training, and training groups.
• Involves using a group as laboratory for
  discovering cause-and-effect relations in
  interpersonal communications.

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Laboratory Learning (part 2 of 2)

• Usually includes 10 to 12 participants who do not
  know one another and 1 or 2 experienced
  facilitators.
• Recently it is used less as an OD technique.

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Objectives of Laboratory Learning Include

• Insights into managerial and personal style.
• Determine impact upon others.
• Awareness of group functioning.
• Analyzing and coping with change.

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The Johari Window Model

• Communication is critical in determining
  effectiveness of organizations.
• Johari Window Model is technique for identifying
  interpersonal communication style.
• Model presents 2 dimensional, 4 cell figure based
  on interaction of self and others.

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Figure 9.1The Johari Window
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Four Areas of Johari Window(part 1 of 2)

• Public area - behavior, thoughts, and feelings
  which are known both to the person and to others.
• Blind area - aspects of the self not known to
  oneself but readily apparent to others.

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Four Areas of Johari Window(part 2 of 2)

• Closed area - behaviors and feelings know only to
  oneself but not to others.
• Unknown area - aspects of self not known to
  oneself or others.

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Disclosure and Feedback of Johari Window

• Disclosure involves open disclosure of ones
  feelings, thoughts, and feedback to others.
• Feedback is behavioral process used to enlarge
  public area and reduce blind area.

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Our Changing World Joint Ventures, Mergers,
and Part-Ownership (part 1 of 3)

• Auto industry is good example of joint ventures,
  mergers, and acquisitions.
• Toyota and General Motors.
• Chrysler and Daimler Benz.
• Nissan and Renault.
• Mazda and Ford.

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Our Changing World (part 2 of 3)

• Trust and cooperation between Mazda and Ford is
  part of the joint venture.
• They cooperate on new vehicles and exchange
  information.
• Information that is shared is complementary.

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Our Changing World (part 3 of 3)

• Some principles they use are
• Meet often at all levels.
• A third party settles disputes.
• Anticipate cultural differences.
• Open, honest communication is key.
• Their relationship can define a Johari Window.

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Transactional Analysis

• Model for analyzing human behavior using familiar
  terminology.
• Structural analysis is useful to understand how
  we get to be who we are.

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Ego States of TA (part 1 of 2)

• Person has 3 sources of behavior called ego
  states
• Parent - behaviors copied from parental figure.
• Adult - behaviors involving objective facts.
• Child - behaviors retained from childhood.

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Figure 9.2Ego States
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Ego States of TA (part 2 of 2)

• All 3 ego states exist within everyone.
• Each ego state necessary for well-integrated
  personality.
• Can enable person to better understand values,
  behaviors, and thoughts.
• Awareness can help to improve ones
  effectiveness in an organization.

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Understanding Transactional Theory

• A transaction is basic unit of communication.
• Every interaction among people involves
  transaction between ego states.

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Transactions Are Classified As

• Complementary.
• Crossed.
• Ulterior.

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Complementary Transaction

• Occurs when a message sent from one ego state
  receives an expected response from other persons
  appropriate ego state.

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Figure 9.3 aComplementary Transaction
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Crossed Transaction

• Occurs when a message from one ego state receives
  response from inappropriate or unexpected ego
  state.

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Figure 9.3 bCrossed Transaction
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Ulterior Transaction

• Involves two ego states simultaneously
• The literal words of the transaction, which may
  mean one thing.
• And the underlying intent, which may mean
  something entirely different.

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Figure 9.3 cUlterior Transaction
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Strokes in TA Are Recognition

• Stroke is any form of recognition including
  physical, verbal, and visual.
• Strokes are conditional and unconditional.

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Conditional and Unconditional Strokes

• Conditional strokes tied to some type of
  performance by receiver of stroke.
• Unconditional strokes are given with no strings
  attached.
• Both types of strokes are appropriate.

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Positive, Negative, and Crooked Strokes

• Strokes in TA may be
• Positive.
• Negative.
• Crooked.

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Positive Strokes

• Transactions that provide expected response and
  reassure a persons worth.
• Results in a Youre OK feeling.

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Negative Strokes

• Critical transactions resulting in unexpected,
  unreassuring response.
• Results in Youre not OK feeling.

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Crooked Strokes

• Transactions that have double meaning.
• Transmits message different from words a person
  uses.

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Psychological Positions and Scripts

• Psychological position is persons general
  outlook on life.
• It is how he or she relates to others.

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4 Psychological Positions (part 1 of 2)

• Im OK, youre OK. - acceptance of self and
  others, a healthy outlook.
• Im OK, youre not OK. - tendency to mistreat,
  blame, and put down others.

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4 Psychological Positions (part 2 of 2)

• Im not OK, youre OK. - feelings of low
  self-esteem or lack of power compared to others.
• Im not OK, youre not OK. - feelings of low
  self-esteem and loss of interest in living, with
  feelings of confusion and depression.

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Authentic Communication and Relationships of TA

• TA emphasizes open communications.
• Provides framework for examining how people
  communicate and work.
• Adult-to-adult transactions help develop employee
  involvement and empowerment.

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Career Live Planning Interventions

• Help individuals better manage their career.
• Process of choosing occupational, organizational,
  and career paths.

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Steps in Career Life Planning (part 1 of 2)

• Prepare set of career life goals.
• Go through the list to test for reality,
  determine priorities, and look for conflicting
  goals.

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Steps in Career Life Planning (part 2 of 2)

• Make list of important accomplishments and things
  that made participant feel satisfied.
• Work through list in Step 3 looking for
  conflicts.
• Prepare detailed plan of action.

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Stress Management and Burnout

• Stress is interaction between individual and
  environment.
• Characterized by emotional strain affecting
  persons physical and mental condition.
• Excessive work and personal stress can become
  dysfunctional.

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Stress Requires 2 Simultaneous Events

• External event (stressor).
• Emotional or physical reaction to the stressor
  such as

• Fear
• Anxiety

• Muscle tension
• Increased heart rate

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Major Sources of Stress

• On-the-job activities.
• Events occurring away from work.
• The two interrelated and complex issues.

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Potential Stressful Work Activities Include

• Change in policy.
• Reorganization.
• Unexpected changes in schedules.
• Conflicts with other people.

• Lack of feedback.
• Not enough time to perform duties.
• Lack of participation.
• Job ambiguities.

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Job Burnout

• Emotional exhaustion and reduced accomplishment
  experienced by those who do people work.
• Response to chronic emotional strain of dealing
  extensively with other human beings.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 1 of 6)

• Helps individuals cope with negative outcomes of
  exposure to stress.
• Interventions include

• Wellness programs.
• Relaxation techniques.
• Career life planning.

• Stress management training.
• Job burnout seminars.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 2 of 6)

• Wellness Program
• Helps employees to improve diet and exercise,
  sometimes providing company-built training
  facilities.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 3 of 6)

• Relaxation Techniques
• Two commonly used techniques are biofeedback and
  meditation.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 4 of 6)

• Career Life Planning
• Sessions may be one-to-one or group sessions.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 5 of 6)

• Stress Management Training
• Instruction in time management, goal setting,
  relaxation techniques, and conflict resolution.

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Stress Management Interventions(part 6 of 6)

• Seminars on Job Burnout
• Workshops to help employees understand nature and
  symptoms of job problems.

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OD in Practice Health And Wellness at JJ
(part 1 of 3)

• Live for Life (LIF) is health promotion of J J.
• Total immersion approach that includes

• Weight control.
• Stress management.

• Fitness.
• Smoking cessation.
• Nutrition.

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OD in Practice (part 2 of 3)

• JJ altered work environment.
• Programs fall into 4 broad areas
• Employee Assistance.  
• Proactive Health Assessments.
• Workplace Health.
• Wellness and Fitness Services.

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OD in Practice (part 3 of 3)

• The results lowered medical expenses and
  achieved improvements in health.
• LIF program compatible with corporate credo.
• Credo stresses honesty, integrity, and putting
  people before profits.

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Key Words and Concepts

• Biofeedback - instruments record brain wave,
  heart, etc. which enable people to control
  nervous system reactions and stress.
• Career life planning - matching career and life
  goals.

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• Complementary transaction message sent from ego
  state receives expected response from other
  persons appropriate ego state.
• Crooked stroke transmits message different from
  words that person uses.
• Crossed transaction - occurs when message from
  one ego state receives response from
  inappropriate state.

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• Disclosure - used in Johari Window model to
  enlarge public area.
• Ego states - sources of behavior used to describe
  feelings and behaviors of parent, adult, and
  child .
• Empowerment - delegates power to lower levels to
  engage all employees.

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• Fade out - occurs in laboratory learning when
  participants return to work organizations.
• Feedback - process used to enlarge public area
  and reduce blind area.
• Job burnout - response to emotional strain of
  dealing extensively with other human beings.

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• Johari Window Model - model for identifying
  communication style.
• Laboratory learning - uses group as laboratory
  for discovering relations in interpersonal
  communication.
• Meditation - relaxation technique to reduce
  stress.

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• Negative strokes - results in unexpected response
  with Youre not OK feeling
• Positive strokes - provide expected response and
  reassure a persons worth.
• Psychological positions - feelings lead to
  positions toward oneself and others.

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• Psychosocial system - includes relationships and
  behavioral patterns of members.
• Stress - emotional strain affecting persons
  physical and mental condition.
• Stress management intervention - methods to help
  individual deal with stress.

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• Stressors - events that create state of
  disequilibrium within individual.
• Stroking - form of recognition of one person by
  another.
• Structural analysis - used to understand the 3
  ego states.
• Transaction - interaction between people
  involving communication between ego states.

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• Transactional analysis - relationship model for
  people to understand themselves better.
• Ulterior transaction - involves 2 ego states in
  people sending messages which may have underlying
  meanings.
• Wellness programs - stress reduction programs
  such as physical fitness and nutrition counseling.

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Preparations for Next Chapter

• Read Chapter 10.
• Complete Steps 1 and 2 of OD Skills Simulation
  10.1.
• Complete Step 1 of OD Skills Simulation 10.2A
  before class but after finishing OD Skills
  Simulation 10.1.