Chapter3 Communication Skills

XYZ slipped into his seat at the meeting of the faculty of the College of Business Administration of LN University. He was 10 minutes late because he had come completely across campus from another meeting that had lasted 1^1/4 hours. "Boy!" he thought, "if all of these meetings and committee assignments keep up, I won't have time to do anything else."

"The next item of importance," said the dean "is consideration of the feasibility report prepared by the assistant dean, Dr. JD, for the establishment of our MBA program."

"What's that?" Tom whispered to his friend Jim Lyon, who was sitting next to him.

"Ah, Professor Madden," winked Lyon as he passed the 86-page report to Tom, 'evidently you've not bothered to read this impressive document. Other wise, you'd know."

"Heck, Jim, I've been out of town for two weeks on a research project, and I've just come from another meeting."

"Well, Tom," chuckled Jim," the report was circulated only three days ago to, as the dean put it, 'ensure that we have faculty input into where the college is going.' Actually, Tom, I was hoping you had read it because then you could have told me what was in it."

"Dr. JD," said the dean, "why don't you present a summary of your excellent reports on what I believe is an outstanding opportunity for our college, the establishment of an MBA program in Latin America."

"Hey, Jim," said Tom, "they've go to be kidding. We're not doing what we should be doing with the MBA we've got here on campus. Why on earth are we thinking about starting another one 3,000 miles away?"

Jim shrugged "Some friend of the dean's or Jackson's from down there must have asked them, I guess."

While the summary was being given, Tom thumbed through the report. He noted that the college was planning to offer the same program that it offered in the United States. "Certainly," he thought, "their students' needs are different from ours.” He also noted that faculty were going to be sent from the United Sates on one to three-year appointments. "You would think that whenever possible they would seek local instructors who were familiar with the needs of local industry," tom thought. He concluded in his own mind, "Actually, why are we even getting involved in this thing in the first place? We don't have the resources.”

When Jackson finished the summary, the dean asked, "Are there any questions?"

"I wonder how many people have the time to read this report in three days and think about it," Tom thought himself.

"Absolutely, Professor Madden," the dean answered. "Dr. JD and I have spent a great deal of time on this project."

"Well, I was just thinking that …"

"Now, Professor Madden, surely you don't question the efforts of Dr. JD and me. Had you been here when this meeting started, you would know all about our efforts. Besides, it's getting late and we've got another agenda item to consider today, the safety and security of final examinations prior to their being given."

"No further questions," Tom said.

"Wonderful," said the dean. "Then I will report to the president that the faculty of the College of Business Administration unanimously approves the Latin American MBA program. I might add, by the way, that the president is extremely pleased with our method of shared decision making. We have made it work in this college, while other colleges are having trouble arriving at mutually agreed-upon decisions.

"This is a great day for our college. Today we have become a multinational university. We can all be proud."

After the meeting, as Tom headed for the parking lot, he thought, "What a way to make an important decision. I guess I shouldn't complain though, I didn't even read the report. I'd better check my calendar to see what committee meetings I've got the rest of the week. If I've got any more, I'll . . ."

Questions for Consideration

a) Analyze this case, and outline the factors that influenced the faculty decision in this case-either positively or negatively.

b) Does this case indicate that shared decision making cannot be worthwhile and effective? How could it be made effective in the College of Business Administration?

c) Do you believe that decision making of this type may be more worthwhile and effective in some types of organization than in others? Discuss.

‎

3.2

Case for Managers’ Orientations

Interpretation

3.2 Case for Managers’ Orientations

· Task Oriented.

· People Oriented.

"T-P" Orientation Questionnaire Instructions

The following items describe aspects of leadership behaviour. Respond to each item according to the way you would most likely act if you were the leader of a work group. Circle whether you would most likely behave in the described way: always (A), frequently (F), occasionally (O), seldom (S), or never (N).

A	F	O	S	N	1	Most likely act as the spokesperson of the group.
A	F	O	S	N	2	I Encourage overtime work.
A	F	O	S	N	3	Allow members complete freedom in their work.
A	F	O	S	N	4	Encourage the use of uniform procedures.
A	F	O	S	N	5	Permit the members to use their own judgment in solving problems.
A	F	O	S	N	6	Stress being ahead of competing groups.
A	F	O	S	N	7	Speak as a representative of the group.
A	F	O	S	N	8	Push members for greater effort.
A	F	O	S	N	9	Try out my ideas in the group.
A	F	O	S	N	10	Let the members do their work the way they think best.
A	F	O	S	N	11	Be working hard for a promotion.
A	F	O	S	N	12	Tolerate postponement and uncertainty.
A	F	O	S	N	13	Speak for the group if there were visitors present.
A	F	O	S	N	14	Keep the work moving at a rapid pace.
A	F	O	S	N	15	Turn the members loose on a job and let them go to it.
A	F	O	S	N	16	Settle conflicts when they occur in the group.
A	F	O	S	N	17	Get swamped by details.
A	F	O	S	N	18	Represent the group at outside meetings.
A	F	O	S	N	19	Be reluctant to allow the members any freedom of action.
A	F	O	S	N	20	Decide what should be done and how it should be done.
A	F	O	S	N	21	Push for increased performance.
A	F	O	S	N	22	Let some members have authority which I could otherwise keep.
A	F	O	S	N	23	Things would usually turn out as I had predicted.
A	F	O	S	N	24	Allow the group a high degree of initiative.
A	F	O	S	N	25	Assign group members to particular tasks.
A	F	O	S	N	26	Be willing to make changes.
A	F	O	S	N	27	Ask the members to work harder.
A	F	O	S	N	28	Trust the group members to exercise good judgment.
A	F	O	S	N	29	Schedule the work to be done.
A	F	O	S	N	30	Refuse to explain my action.
A	F	O	S	N	31	Persuade others that my ideas are to their advantage.
A	F	O	S	N	32	Permit the group to set its own pace.
A	F	O	S	N	33	Urge the group to beat its previous record.
A	F	O	S	N	34	Act without consulting the group.
A	F	O	S	N	35	Ask that group members follow standard rules and regulations.

Interpretation:

Score the instrument as follows:

(a) Write a "1" next to each of the following items if you scored them as S (seldom) or N (never). 8, 12,17,18,19,30,34,35

(b) Write a "1" next to each of the following items if you scored them as A (always) or F (frequently). 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,31,32,33

(c) Circle the "1" scores for the following items, and then add them up to get your TOTAL "P" SCORE = ____. 3, 5, 8, 10 ,15 ,18, 19, 22, 23, 26,28,30,32,34,35

(d) Circle the “I” scores for the following items, and then add them up to get your TOTAL “T” SCORE= -------. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20,21,23,25,27,29,31,33

(e) Record your scores on the graph in Figure 3.1 to develop an indication of your tendencies toward task-oriented leadership, people-oriented leadership, and shared leadership. Mark your T and P scores on the appropriate lines, then draw a line between these two points to determine your shared leadership score.

Figure 3.1: Graph of task and people oriented leadership

‎

3.3

Workshop on Individual & Group Decision-Making

The Situation

The Problem

Results of the Ranking

3.3 Workshop on Individual & Group Decision-Making

The Situation

It is approximately 10:00 a.m. in mid-July and you have just crash landed in the WD. The light twin engine plane, containing the bodies of the pilot and the co-pilot, has completely burned. Only the air frame remains. None of the rest of you has been injured.

Flashlight (4) (battery size)

Jack Knife

The pilot was unable to notify anyone of your position before the crash. However, ground sightings, taken before you crashed, indicated that you are 65 miles off the course that was filed in your VFR Flight Plan. The pilot had indicated before you crashed that you were approximately 70 miles south-southwest from a mining camp which is the nearest known habitation.

Sectional air map of the area

Plastic raincoat (large size)

Magnetic compass

The immediate area is quite flat and except for occasional barrel and saguaros cacti appears to be rather barren. The last weather report indicated that temperature would reach 110^o, which means that the temperature at 4 O’clock will hit 130^o. You are dressed in light weight clothing-short sleeved shirts, pants, socks and street shoes. Everyone has a handkerchief. Collectively; your pockets contain $2.83 in change, $85.00 in bills, a pack of cigarettes, and a ballpoint pen.

Compress kit with gauze

45 calibre pistol (loaded)

Parachute

(red & white

The Problem

Before the plan caught fire your group was able to salvage the 15 items listed on the right side of the page. Your task is to rank these items according to their importance to your survival, starting with "1" the most important, to "15" the least important.

You may assume that the number of survivors is the same as the number on your team, and the team has agreed to stick together.

Bottle of salt tablets (1.000 tablets)

1 quart of water per person

A book entitled Edible Animals

of the Desert

Step 1: Each member of the team is to individually rank each item. Do not discuss the situation or problem until each member has finished the individual ranking. Once discussion begins, do not change your individual ranking.

A pair of sun- glasses per person

2 quarts of soft drinks

Step 2: After everyone has finished the individual ranking, rank order the 15 items as a team.

Your team will have until ……… O'clock to complete this step.

1 top coat per person

A cosmetic mirror

Results of the Ranking

Items Salvaged

Ideal (*)ranking

Individual ranking

Individual grade

(A-B)

Group ranking

Group grade

(A-C)

1. Flashlight.

2.Knife.

3.Air map.

4.Rain Coat.

5.Compass.

6. Compress kit

7.Pistol.

8.Parachute.

9.Salt tables.

10.Water.

11.Book.

12. Sunglasses.

13.Soft drinks.

14.Top coat.

15.Cosmetic mirror.

(*)The instructor will tell you the ideal Ranking.

‎

3.4

Workshop on Management Decision Making Profile

3.4 Workshop on Management Decision Making Profile

To complete this profile follow three steps…

Step 1
	Complete the profile questionnaire
	Step 2
		Tabulate your scores in the score summary section
		Step 3
			Either: If self assessing- read the analysis and follow up the development issues Or: If assessing others- read the analysis and follow up the development issues with the individuals

Step 1

Notes on Answering

The Profile Questionnaire

This profile provides the individual with relevant insights about their behaviour when conducting business, in a relative and comparative form. It not therefore a test with 'right' or 'wrong' answers: its aim is to help you by giving relevant information about yourself to help formulate appropriate, realistic training and development plans.

Please complete the questionnaire as honestly and accurately as you can.

Read through each of the following pairs of statements and choose which one more closely represents how you would usually act. Allocate a score of '2' to that statement and give the other, which you feel is less like you a score of '0'. If you cannot choose between the two, give each a value of '1'.

The sixty different pairs of statements are not necessarily opposites, but rather different stages and approaches to decision-making.

Next to each box where you fill in your score is a letter. When you have completed all the questions add up the scores you have allocated for each letter- A, B, C, D, E and F and enter them in the sub-totals box at the bottom of the page and then in the totals boxes at the end of the questionnaire.

Work through all the questions as quickly as possible. Don't waste time searching for meanings that probably don't exist.

Example

I am more likely to:

Feel confident about my action, if I have been careful and thorough in planning events well ahead………………….	2	E
Feel confident if I have established reality and clarified what is really important in a problem ………………….	0	C

Now you are ready to complete the profile questionnaire

Step 2

Score Summary

Each letter represents an element of your management decision-making style. Transfer your scores onto the chart below by plotting the score on the axis against each appropriate letter on the x axis. Join the points together for a comparison with the dotted line shown in Figure 3.2 which is the MEAN scores for British managers and professionals.

Figure 3.2: MEAN scores for British managers

Now plot your scores and calculate the percentages for your ' awareness' 'direction' and 'action' in the shaded boxes overleaf.

A. Inquiry Seeking, analysing, examining, probing and classifying data. Defining criteria, standard or principles. Concern for basic facts and principles.	Score A	The awareness stage in your decision-making Add scores A and B
B. Insight Intuiting, exploring possibilities. Generating and synthesising ideas. Feel for scope, options and change.	Score B
C. Diagnosis Assessing, weighing, clarifying, estimating prioritising and simplifying. Concern for reality.	Score C	The direction stage in your decision-making Add scores C and D
D. Drive Being resolute or determined. Applying pressure, resisting, persisting or insisting. Being firm, asserting. Sense of purpose.	Score D
E. Planning Predicting, foreseeing, anticipating, planning, progressing and following up. Concern for preparation.	Score E	The action stage in your decision-making Add scores E and F
F. Pace Taking time, action, varying or adjusting pace, pre-empting. Sense of timing	Score F

Balance of logical and emotional responses

Transfer your first set of scores from page 10 ('A', 'C' and so on) and place them in the spaces marked in the diagram opposite. Add these up to show you how much relative energy you appear to be directing toward both logical/cognitive and emotional/intuitive responses in your approach to making decisions, as shown in Figure 3.3

Figure 3.3: Balance of logical and emotional responsesLogical/Cognitive

Logical/cognitive responses	Emotional/intuitive responses
Inquiry A ____________________	Insight B ___________________	Awareness
Diagnosis C _________________	Drive D ____________________	Direction
Planning E __________________	Pace F _____________________	Action
Total logic ___________________	Total emotion ________________
Use of logic and Cognition	Use of emotion and Intuition
'Head rules heart'	'Heart rules head'

1. Logic and cognition provide you with knowledge, perspective, understanding and conclusion, in your approach to problem analysis and decision-making. When scores are very high they may also reflect anxiety. Very low scores in logic and cognition suggest too much activity and insufficient thinking.

2. Emotion and intuition provide purposefulness, courage, perception and inspiration for making decisions. Excessive scores may indicate miss-directed energy, e.g. fighting unnecessary battles. Very low scores are likely to mean too little use of hunch, assertiveness, or risk taking.

Step 3

Assessment and Analysis

Now Either

If self assessing – read the analysis and follow up the development issues.

If assessing others – read the analysis and follow up the development issues with the individuals.

This analysis looks at:

· The background to the management Decision making Profile

· Interpreting the scores

· The significance of the scores against factors 'A'-'F'

Quick Jump

Home Next Page of Chapter3

Quick Jump