Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace

1
Chapter 13

• Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in
  the Workplace

2
Objectives

• After reading the chapter and reviewing the
  materials presented the students will be able
  to
• Define internal politics.
• Understand the impact of internal politics on
  quality.
• Learn how to overcome negativity in
  organizations.
• Learn how to overcome territorial behavior in
  organizations.
• Learn how to manage conflict in organizations.

3
Internal Politics Defined

• Internal politics consists of activities
  undertaken to gain advantage or influence
  organizational decision making in ways that
  intend to serve a purpose other than the best
  interests of the overall organization.
• Internal politics consists of the games people
  play to promote decisions that are based on
  criteria other than merit.

4
Organizational Structure and Internal Politics

• Internal politics can exist, and usually does, in
  every type of organization regardless of
  organizational structure.
• This is because internal politics is a tool to be
  used anytime people within an organization
  compete among themselves.

5
Internal Politicians and their Methods

• Internal politicians seek to gain advantage so
  as to influence organizational decision making.
• The most widely used methods are lobbying,
  building coalitions, applying pressure,
  electioneering, and spreading rumors and gossip.

6
Impact of Local Politics on Quality

• Loss of morale due to infighting, buck passing,
  and rumor mongering.
• Questionable decisions made for reasons other
  than what is best for the organization.
• Counterproductive internal competition that saps
  the organization of its competitive energy.
• Loss of the best and brightest employees as they
  make a statement of their dissatisfaction by
  leaving.
• Perpetuation of outdated processes, procedures,
  and technologies as internal politics is used to
  promote organizational inertia by those opposed
  to change.
• Constant conflict as the political machinations
  of one group are countered by those of others.
• Loss of quality, competitiveness, and customers
  as the organizations focus is diverted from what
  really matters.

7
Controlling Internal Politics in an Organization

• Strategic Planning Component Explaining to the
  employees the content of the strategic plan and
  how it is to be used in guiding all decisions and
  actions in the organization.
• Leadership Component Managers must be consistent
  role models of the behavior they expect of
  employees.
• Reward/Recognition Component Reward
  collaboration, and recognize people who practice
  it.
• Performance Appraisal Component One of the
  criteria in an organizations performance
  appraisal instrument must be collaboration.
• Customer Focus Component The strategic plan is
  written from the perspective of attracting,
  satisfying, and retaining customers.
• Conflict Management Component Managers can make
  it difficult for internal politicians to play
  their games by establishing conflict guidelines,
  helping all employees develop conflict prevention
  and resolution skills, helping all employees
  develop anger management skills, and simulating
  and facilitating productive conflict.

8
Categories of Negativity in Workplace

• The most common categories of negative behavior
  are
• Control disputes
• Territorial disputes (boundaries)
• Dependence and independence issues
• Need for attention and responsibility
• Authority
• Loyalty issues

9
Overcoming Territorial Behavior

• Overcoming territorial behavior requires a 2
  pronged approach
• 1. Recognizing territorial behavior and admitting
  they exist.
• 2. Creating an environment in which survival is
  equated with cooperation rather than
  territoriality.
• Strategies
• 1. Avoid jumping to conclusions Talk to
  employees about territoriality versus
  cooperation.
• 2. Attribute territorial behavior to instinct
  rather than people Reward cooperation and apply
  negative reinforcement to territorial behavior.
• 3. Ensure that no employee feels attacked Put
  employees at ease.
• 4. Avoid generalizations Deal with the
  individual who exhibits the behavior.
• 5. Understand irrational fears Be firm but
  patient with employee fears.
• 6. Respect each individuals perspective Let
  employees explain their perspectives, even if you
  do not agree.
• 7. Consider the employees point of view
  Sensitivity and patience with employee view are
  critical when trying to overcome territorial
  behavior.

10
When Conflict Should be Stimulated

• Stagnant organizations need to be shaken up or
  they will die.
• Conflict should be stimulated when
• Employees always agree with you and tell you only
  what you want to hear.
• Employees are afraid to admit they need help or
  that they have made mistakes.
• When decision makers focus more on reaching
  agreement rather than arriving at the best
  decision.
• When managers focus more on getting along rather
  than accomplishing objectives.
• Managers place more emphasis on not hurting
  feelings rather than making quality decisions.
• Managers place more emphasis on being popular
  than on high job performance and competitiveness.
• Turnover rate is unusually low.
• Employees, supervisors, and managers avoid
  proposing new ideas.

11
Summary

• Internal politics consists of activities
  undertaken to gain advantage or influence
  organizational decision making in ways that
  intend to serve a purpose other than the best
  interests of the overall organization. Internal
  politics consists of the games people play to
  promote decisions that are based on criteria
  other than merit.
• Overcoming Territorial Behavior 1. Avoid jumping
  to conclusions Talk to employees about
  territoriality versus cooperation. 2. Attribute
  territorial behavior to instinct rather than
  people Reward cooperation and apply negative
  reinforcement to territorial behavior. 3. Ensure
  that no employee feels attacked Put employees at
  ease. 4. Avoid generalizations Deal with the
  individual who exhibits the behavior. 5.
  Understand irrational fears Be firm but patient
  with employee fears. 6. Respect each individuals
  perspective Let employees explain their
  perspectives, even if you do not agree. 7.
  Consider the employees point of view
  Sensitivity and patience with employee view are
  critical when trying to overcome territorial
  behavior.
• Conflict should be stimulated when Employees
  always agree with you and tell you only what you
  want to hear. Employees are afraid to admit they
  need help or that they have made mistakes. When
  decision makers focus more on reaching agreement
  rather than arriving at the best decision. When
  managers focus more on getting along rather than
  accomplishing objectives. Managers place more
  emphasis on not hurting feelings rather than
  making quality decisions. Managers place more
  emphasis on being popular than on high job
  performance and competitiveness. Turnover rate is
  unusually low. Employees, supervisors, and
  managers avoid proposing new ideas.

12
Home Work

• Answer Questions 1, 8, 9 on pages 230-231.
• 1. Define internal politics.
• 8. Explain the strategies for overcoming
  territorial behavior.
• 9. When should conflict be encouraged in an
  organization?