oct 28

The topic of discussion for Tuesday’s lecture was recognizing employee effort. If being a student was thought of as a job, the job characteristics that would score the highest would be task identity as student work generally requires completion of a whole identifiable piece of work such as an essay. Task significance would score high as well, as most work done in school is very important and affects our learning and abilities. Feedback, autonomy, and skill variety are all negligible as these are dependent on the course and instructor. This course, for example, has high skill variety as we are expected to complete various tasks that are all different and use many of our skills such as reading, writing, analytical and research etc. Autonomy is also a big characteristic in university especially for students transitioning from high school to university as a lot more independence is expected. There are however some courses in which there is limited independence as the instructor may give a lot of direction and instruction; this however, is not a bad thing at all. In this course for example, our instructor has created an outline for notes for us, she has given instruction on what we should focus on, this reduces our autonomy a little bit, but it increases task identity and task significance. This course also requires us to have autonomy, as our career projects are very independent and flexible on our schedules and preferences.

Professors in general could maybe explain tasks and how they relate to the course and why they are significant; this in turn will help to increase task significance as well as task identity. A big problem I find is that sometimes professors do not incorporate a variety of assessments to test our various talents and skills, and generally use only limited means of evaluation such as exams and essays. If professors increased the variety in which students were evaluated, this would help to increase skill variety which would use students’ various talents and abilities, and in turn help to increase self-confidence, among other things.

As I have mentioned previously in this blog, in the summer I worked for Toronto Social Services as a Support Assistant and performed tasks such as making phone calls, filing, scheduling appointments, mailing out letters, making photocopies, etc. This job had skill variety because I was able to use different skills and talents to complete various tasks, but at times it did get somewhat dull, as I found myself repeating some tasks more than others which was frustrating as I felt as though I could do a lot more with my time and knowledge. This position did offer a lot of autonomy, as a lot of the work was independent, and based on personal deadlines. There was definite task identity because we always had to start and finish something; nothing was left undone. Although it was hard to visualize task significance at times, I guess I could understand the importance of my job because I was dealing with customers frontline. How I treated and responded to customers would affect their overall view of the city of Toronto. Sometimes clients would call back and send cards to show their appreciation; this is an example of feedback from the job. Overall this position did include all five core job dimensions, even if it was sometimes hard to recognize.

class on Oct 21

Last Tuesday’s class was all about motivation. What gets people motivated at work? At school? In general? What motivates me to complete school work, including the career assignment for this class? What we learned in class today will help to answer the questions posed above.

First we talked about Maslow’s hierarchy. The needs that I am currently focused on would have to be all 5 of them: physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem and self-actualization! I don’t quite agree with the basic assumptions underlying this theory, but I do agree that all five stages are universal needs. I need food, water and shelter to survive (physiological). I need to feel safe and secure, and my environment has to absent of threat and illness (safety). I need love and affection from my friends and family (belongingness). I have the need to achieve and accomplish certain tasks such as finishing school, and getting a great job, furthermore, I need people to recognize my achievements (esteem). Finally, I have the need to help others, such as engaging in community service, which is something I do on a weekly basis (self-actualization). I feel that at all points of my life, these needs will be in existence, and they are all extremely important to me.

My motivation is impacted by my equity sensitivity. Equity sensitivity describes my perception of fairness in the distribution and exchange of resources. When I feel that I am doing a lot or most of the work when working with a group, I feel very unmotivated and frustrated. It annoys me to see social loafers, as I feel that it is not fair that they are getting a free ride. Although I feel less motivated to finish the assignment/task at hand, my need for achievement (esteem) kicks in, and I will complete the task anyways, as I do not want to risk receiving a poor mark. This can help me with current and future group projects by finding out what people’s needs are in my group, and trying to fulfill them. For example if everyone in my group wishes to get a good mark, and has a need for esteem and belongingness, I can make it clear to them that they have to put their fair share of work into the assignment in order to be well liked by others, and in order to receive a fair grade!

Motivation is an outcome of my expectancy for certain outcomes to occur. When I know an outcome is going to be positive, I am very motivated to perform the action which leads to the outcome. For example, I know that if I put my time and effort into my career assignment, I am likely to receive a good mark; this motivates me to work extra hard and receive a good grade as it significantly contributes to my final mark. The thing that puzzles me about expectancy theory is that if one’s outcome is likely to be negative, why bother performing at all? For example I use to work at Ontario Place, and one of my coworkers use to travel from Ajax to work, and she said it use to cost her $200 a month just for transportation. A typical cashier only made $500-600 a month as we got limited hours. In the end she was left with $300 per month with a job where she had to work very late hours and deal with angry customers; this was a very negative outcome, and I could never understand why she even bothered taking on the job. I would not perform a task that leads to a negative outcome, but I guess not everyone sees the world the way I do.

week six

Many perceptual factors have affected my impression of people, events, and situations. I feel that once I form an impression of someone, I keep that impression, and it takes a long time for me to think otherwise. First impressions are very important as I form ideas and generalizations about individuals and situations; this is referred to as the primacy effect. I also have formed as well as learned stereotypes about certain individuals or groups of people. Stereotypes can be seen in the media, as well as learned from your friends, family, or acquaintances. At times, stereotypes hinder my ability to see past a group or individual, as I find it hard to get past my assumptions; in the end, I am the one who loses out because I may not give some people a fair chance. For example I stereotype all boys as being immature, so if a really nice guy asks me out, I may reject him thinking that he is like all other boys-immature. A final perceptual factor that influences my opinions is the halo effect. If someone I just met has one outstanding factor, I am likely to presume that they also possess several other quality characteristics. Of course, real life has taught me that this is not the case at all!

I enjoyed learning about the Johari window today. I believe that my biggest quadrant would have to be “mysteries of life”. I feel that I may have a lot of qualities that I cannot see, and nor can others; or maybe I just can’t see them, and everyone else can, in that case my biggest quadrant would be blind spots. My smallest quadrant would probably be open area (public domain), because I believe that I do possess a lot of qualities, but it is very difficult for me to identify what they are as I do not just excel in one area, I find that I am pretty well-rounded; I believe that others see this trait in me as well.

The emotional intelligence survey confirmed my suspicion that I had a high EQ. I always knew that I was in touch with my feelings, and that I could express them very easily. I’m also aware that I can hide my feelings when necessary. I scored a whapping 113 on the questionnaire, which means that I have a strong ability to perceive and express emotion, understand and reason with emotion, as well as regulate emotions in myself and in others. There have been situations in which I have had to regulate my emotions, for example, I was let go from my first job, and I was so upset about it. I felt useless and depressed, but I couldn’t let my employer see that, so I had to hide my feelings. I think people who are very close to me would agree that I have a high emotional intelligence, but people who are acquaintances would probably guess that I would have a low EQ as I regulate my emotions around strangers. My emotional intelligence is definitely seen more by my friends and family than my coworkers, as I am more likely to express my true thoughts and feelings with people who are closer to me. In addition, I find it unprofessional to express your emotions in the workplace, many decisions should be made with your head and not your heart (for the most part), and by involving your emotions at the workplace, you can sometimes get so caught up with your feelings that you cannot look past certain things; as a result, your decision making skills are partial and biased.

lecture five

Yesterday’s class was pretty much a review for me. In second year I took a course called personality psychology, and in that class we learned a lot about ourselves. It was good to see how consistent my personality has remained over the past two years, especially in relation to OCEAN; or how the textbook addresses it: CANOE. The Myers Briggs inventory was new to me, and it was interesting to see where I stand relative to my peers. My personality type was XNFJ which means that I am both introverted and extroverted, and I use intuition, feelings, and judgments to make my decisions. This knowledge will help me to match my personality to a career that is best suited for me.

The textbook and lecture helped me to learn that I am more likely to set higher personal goals for myself, and I’m more motivated and have higher performance expectations than individuals with low levels of conscientiousness. In addition, I am more likely to provide better customer service. Now that I look back at myself, I can agree with all the statements above; I do set personal goals for myself, and I am very motivated when it comes to school.

The case we discussed today, “Pushing Paper Can be Fun”, is a classic example of what goes on in the workplace. No matter where you work, everyone always wants to do the fun stuff, but no one ever wants to do the dull and boring tasks. This goes for volunteer work as well. For example, most of my volunteer positions involve filling out a bundle of paperwork, following my shift, and I often find myself leaving these tasks to the last minute, as I do not want to complete them. I found that this one agency I volunteered with solved this problem during training. The agency made it clear that if we could not complete the paperwork, then we could not volunteer, as a big part of our job was ensuring that we had accurate and up-to-date paperwork in case of a lawsuit. I think that this is the best way to go about the problem in the case study. During training, potential officers need to be sure that their paperwork is complete, clear, and concise, as someone’s life may depend on it. Paperwork should be a requirement of the job, and it should be stated along with the job description. As for current officers, they should all be retrained in how to write and complete paperwork, and the importance of this task should be stressed during their training. In addition, the department should notify all officers that their job description has changed, and it is now absolutely mandatory for all officers to complete paperwork; if an officer does not fulfill these requirements, he or she will have to deal with the consequences (i.e. go through retraining, or work the graveyard shift etc.)

The MARS model we learned in lecture today helped to identify problems and issues in everyday situations. I found it to be extremely useful when analyzing the Pushing Paper Can be Fun case. I’m glad that we learned this model, as I will be able to apply it to everyday situations including my career project. Following my research, I will be able to see if I am motivated, have the ability to work as CA, what my role perception of the field was before and after my research, and what types of situational factors will effect my possibility of becoming a CA. This analysis will help me to evaluate if the career is indeed a perfect fit for me.

week four

When I get into the workforce, I would like the organization I work for to have a very strong culture. Having a strong culture will motivate me, and it will make me feel a part of the organization. I hope that the organization will have rituals and ceremonies such as rewarding employees for their hard work, dedication, and commitment.

I would like to be part of an organization that encourages teamwork, where employees work well together, where all employees are treated fairly and equally, and where management works hard to keep employees motivated and happy. In addition, I would like my organization to be innovative, and always experimenting with new ideas, and I would like my organization to be a fierce competitor. I think it would be great to work for a company that encourages employees to engage in social activities with one another both inside and outside the workplace. For example, my brother works for an insurance company that makes monthly trips to various destinations. Last month my brother and his coworkers took a bus trip to Niagra Falls, where they enjoyed a buffet dinner and a night of fun and games at Fallsview Casino. I think this really brings employees closer together; it’s easier for coworkers to find a common ground outside work if they have shared interests. This can ultimately help their relationship at work because they will work better together.

If I was a leader, I would make sure that social activities were arranged for all employees on a monthly basis. Furthermore, I would ensure that the structure of the building helped to promote social gatherings, i.e. having staff lounges with pool tables and fuse ball tables. I worked at Toronto Social Services this past summer, and every time it was someone’s birthday, or someone was leaving the team, the social committee would organize a big party in the staff lounge. Yes that’s right, we had a social committee!! They did a wonderful job with our events, and to raise money for the events, they would have a 50-50 draw every payday where staff members could buy a raffle ticket for $2, and half the money would go to the social committee, and the other half would go to a lucky winner. If I were a leader, I would definitely organize a social committee; I think it’s a great idea.

I found the readings for this chapter to be very informative. I was never aware of Realistic Job Previews (RJPs). I never thought that organizations would be willing to give out this type of information to potential employees. Before I work for an organization, I would very much like to have an idea of the organization’s balance of positive and negative information about the job and work related conditions; this will help me to decide whether or not the job is for me. If I were a leader, I would make sure that all potential employees receive an RJP; this would reduce overall employee turnover rates because employees will know what to expect. I believe that RJP’s prepare individuals, as well as give them a realistic view of what to expect. It should be mandatory for all organizations to provide this information to future employees.

In the readings, I also came across Scotiabank’s idea of a buddy system. I for one am very impressed with this concept. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for newcomers to meet and make friends with the rest of the workforce. It’s sort of like a mentor-menti relationship. I would be very scared starting out a new job, but having someone to help me get use to the new procedures and rules would make all the difference in the world.

My final thoughts today are about the case discussed in class “Consolidated Life”. Basically Mike was having a hard time conforming to new organizational rules and standards. This organization was no longer a good fit for him; I think this whole ordeal could have been prevented if Mike was just given an RJP before he rejoined the organization; this way he could have seen all the changes and restructuring that took place during his leave. All in all, I am very proud of Mike’s decision to leave, and start off his own business, this was a very brave move on his part, however I still do have to side with Jack. When an organization starts off, there is a mission, and a vision, with this, there is a strategic plan that outlines the actions the organization will take, and how the organization plans to take on these actions. If someone in management is not abiding by this strategic plan, then they are being unfaithful to the organization’s vision and mission. I understand that Mike had talents that were incongruent with the organization’s strategy, but I think there was still a way for Mike to pay more attention to administrative duties and forgo his bad habits, and at the same time utilize his own management styles and skills; and this is where Jack comes into play. Jack was very inflexible and unwilling to find a balance between his management style and Mike’s management style; it was his rigidity that led to the ultimate downfall of Consolidated Life.

lecture trois

The case discussed yesterday, “Peter Dean”, was an excellent example of the types of dilemmas individuals face throughout their careers. I for one wanted Peter to go back to school and get his PhD. The case talked about how it was hard for Peter to find a job with other companies as his skills were too specialized in one area, and he could not fit into any position that other companies had to offer. This should have been the main indicator to Peter that he may have some tough time in the future with the skills he presently possesses. In the future, his job may become obsolete and he would be left with a small range of skills. He would not look very attractive to employers as he has only specialized in one area. He should have gone back to school to broaden his skills, and at the same time he could have earned a PHD, as well as gain a sense of satisfaction and completion. I understand that he does have a family to support and money could be an issue, however, many of our professors at the University of Toronto teach part-time, and work somewhere else. Peter could have been a part-time consultant, and a part-time professor; that way he could increase his skills, earn a doctorate, and not have to worry about money, as well as establish a name for himself. His potential clients would be very impressed if he was a professor because that would mean he has an abundance of knowledge in a particular area of interest.

The remainder of yesterday’s class was very helpful as we were able to explore our skills, and where they could come into play for potential careers. Today I learned that organizations are delayering at a fast pace, and hierarchies are becoming obsolete. I found this idea to be somewhat threatening because it would mean that there is very little room for movement within an organization. I always liked the idea of employee > supervisor > manager > director etc. To me, this meant that I would be able to work my way up. If I were to work for an organization that did not have a hierarchy, I would not be motivated to impress my boss because I would feel that no matter what I do, I will be in the same position for the rest of my life! I guess a solution to this problem is incentives. If organizations can no longer give out promotions, things like stock options, bonuses, etc would be excellent motivators.

Yesterday’s class has prepared me for what to expect when I graduate. It has familiarized me with how organizations have changed, and what potential recruiters are looking for. Knowing what kind of person I am, and what skills I possess will help me to look for an organization that I will nicely fit in with; one that has similar norms and values as me, one that is cultured, and well rounded, and finally one that lets me take on new and exciting challenges!

MGM300 thoughts on lecture numero deux

Today in class we did a few exercises on knowing yourself and on appreciative inquiry. Taking these self quizzes made me realize that I am a very organized and a methodological individual. I also learned that I may not be the best listener, and I react defensively to criticism. I think I react negatively to criticism because I may be under the impression that when people are giving me feedback, they are shutting down my ideas and they disprove my ideas; I need to realize that they are not necessarily disagreeing with all my ideas, but merely trying to broaden my horizons, and make me see things in a wider perspective.

From the appreciative inquiry exercise, I learned that I have worked well with many teams, and it was very difficult for me to pinpoint one in particular that I thought was the best. After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it was a group I worked with last year on a project called Inn at the Falls. This team had everything; Everyone participated actively at our meetings, team goals were understood and agreed upon by everyone, everyone listened to one another attentively, we all carefully worked through solutions to problems, everyone supported one another, and we communicated with each other effectively, no important decisions were made without consulting all group members, we were organized, and everyone was focused on making this project the best that it could be! And that it was!

Some improvements that could have been made were that the work was not split up evenly at times; some members took on more than others, so perhaps it would have been better to assign more duties to those who did not have very much to do.

These self assessments help me in my future in that they give me an idea of the type of person I am, and they help me to outline my strengths and weaknesses. It’s a good time to start setting realistic goals for myself, and I can practice these goals with my current team members. For example, when my group is giving me feedback, I shouldn’t take it to heart; I should use it to my advantage. Furthermore, I need to develop better listening skills; this is essential in the business world, as you are always working with groups. It’s very important that I take into account all my group members’ thoughts and opinions.

In lecture we talked about many topics, but one that struck me in particular was the idea behind social loafing. In almost all groups that I’ve had, I have experienced an individual who was a “social loafer”, and yes, I must admit, that I have been that person once or twice. Sometimes it is just easier to say let somebody else do it, especially when you have a team leader who is more than willing to do all the work, and insists on it. I blame the team leader and the person who is slacking because the team leader should not do all the work, but instruct and help “lead” the team in the right direction; the slacker on the other hand, needs to tell the team leader that he or she cannot take it upon him or herself to do all the work. It all boils down to communication!!! I find that social loafing occurs in situations where teams are big, and it is unnecessary for the team to be big. I have rarely experienced social loafing in small teams, because it is apparent and obvious so individuals are deterred from taking on this role. Teams should be limited in size, and usually no bigger than 5-6 people depending on the nature of the assignment. In the end it also does come down to effective communication; this is a skill that will never grow old.