Organizational-Behaviors-and-Leadership WGU Organizational Behaviors and Leadership (IBC1) Questions and Answers

In self-managed work teams, members take on greater responsibility for their work and each other's performance. Evaluating each other's performance can enhance accountability, provide constructive feedback, and help identify areas for improvement. This approachencourages team members to support each other's development and fosters a culture of continuous improvement, thereby improving synergy and overall team success.

Problem-solving is a conflict resolution technique where parties involved meet to identify the problem and resolve it through open discussion. This technique focuses on finding a mutually beneficial solution and addressing the underlying issues causing the conflict, thus ensuring a more sustainable resolution.

Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This challenges the assumption that group productivity should equal the sum of individual productivity, as some members may rely on others to carry the workload, leading to reduced overall group efficiency.

When transitioning to a team-based structure, it is essential to align performance evaluations and reward systems with the new organizational setup. Group performance evaluation with group rewards would have been more effective in this situation because it fosters a sense of collective responsibility and encourages collaboration among team members. Individual rewards can create competition rather than cooperation, which can undermine team productivity and morale.

References:

• Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993).The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harvard Business Review Press.

An advantage of a strong organizational culture is that the company has low employee turnover. Strong cultures create a sense of belonging and commitment among employees, which increases their loyalty and reduces the likelihood of them leaving the organization. This cohesiveness leads to higher employee satisfaction, better job performance, and reduced turnover rates. Research indicates that companies with strong cultures often enjoy these benefits due to the alignment of values and consistent behavioral norms (Kotter & Heskett, 1992).

Terminal values are the end goals that people strive to achieve in their lives. These include a comfortable life, a sense of accomplishment, and happiness. Terminal values represent the desired states or life goals that individuals aim to fulfill.

In contrast, instrumental values are the means or behaviors used to achieve these end goals, such as honesty, hard work, and responsibility.