“Two heads are better than one.” We’ve all heard the old adage encouraging teamwork, but what does working together really do for you? Teamwork involves different people and different groups across your business working together to maximize their efficiency and reach a common goal. There are many ways of organizing teams – some teams are organized around a particular product that is being developed, while others are organized around a process, such as manufacturing or research. In addition to providing team members with experience, benefits of teamwork include increased efficiency, financial savings, innovation and morale. However, there is also one more concept when teams work together, Synergy. “The modern concept of synergy was proposed by chemists. They discovered that every time they separated atoms or molecules from a complex compound, the behavior of the separate parts could never explain the behavior of all of them interconnected” (Romero;2015). Synergy is a buzzword that managers and HR pros like to bandy around; sometimes they get it and sometimes they really don’t have a clue. In short, synergy happens in the workplace when two or more people working together produce a better outcome than if they did it alone. It is not a touchy-feely concept, but instead is a practical approach to getting results – and it’s not all that difficult to create.  “Research on teams corroborates that a critical leadership skill is not only the ability to create synergy, but utilizing that powerful combined effect of the group wisely to achieve your goals” (Federer; 2013).

Teamwork allows employees to take greater responsibility for decision making and also allows team members to control more of the work process. This can lead to improved morale as employees gain more authority and ownership over the projects they are working on.  Working together lets employees build on the talents of their teammates. While your strength may be creative thinking, a coworker might shine in organization and planning. Do not hesitate to share your abilities with the team. Often, a team works well together because team members rely on each other to bring individual talents to the table. By observing the process behind these skills, you can learn how to combine your gifts and become a stronger team.

Some companies use teams and teamwork to create a work environment which excels at creativity. These companies sometimes base their corporate structure almost entirely around teamwork. Creativity thrives when people work together on a team. Brainstorming ideas as a group prevents stale viewpoints that often come out of working solo. Combining unique perspectives from each team member creates more effective selling solutions. What you have learned from your individual experiences is entirely different from your coworkers. Thus, teamwork also maximizes shared knowledge in the workplace and helps you learn new skills you can use for the rest of your career.

Working with teams, conflict will arise. It’s never of matters of how, it’s a matter of when. The thing to remember is “sometimes conflict helps generate new ideas, bit that only works if the organization are open to new ideas/ That is why diverse organizations are often the most creative; they take advantage of the differing perspectives within the organization to generate more solutions” (Penn State, Cross Cultural Conflict & Resolution; 2017). Teamwork can help companies to be more flexible. By bringing employees from different parts of a project together into one team, problems or bottlenecks can sometimes be ironed out more easily.

“Going back to chemistry for just a moment, we know that if we add sulfur (S₈) to a controlled environment already containing water (H₂O), given the right temperature and pressure conditions we can turn said water into sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). In other words, we can transform a life-giving substance, water, into a destructive one, sulfuric acid. This is a metaphor to show how positive synergy can be turned into negative synergy by adding the “wrong” element. In teamwork, the same can happen” (Romero; 2015). There may be no “I” in team, but teamwork can still benefit employees on a personal level. Do not allow competitive natures to get in the way of personal growth in the workplace. Instead, understand how to resolve conflicts and trust teammates to contribute their best ideas. Learn from your team members and build on each other’s skills to create more impressive results in the workplace. Synergy can provide a big boost to the bottom line of most large companies. The challenge is to separate the real opportunities from the illusions.

 

References

Federer, D. (2013, December 06). How to build team synergy. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from http://www.businessobserverfl.com/section/detail/how-to-build-team-synergy/

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context –Cross-Cultural Conflict and Resolution.. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654125

Romero, L. E. (2015, December 01). The Ultimate Guide To Team Synergy. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/luisromero/2015/12/01/the-ultimate-guide-to-team-synergy/#84b8245409b3

Many senior executives know this and worry about it. When asked what keeps them up at night, CEOs involved in change often say they are concerned about how the work force will react, how they can get their team to work together, and how they will be able to lead their people. They also worry about retaining their company’s unique values and sense of identity and about creating a culture of commitment and performance. Leadership teams that fail to plan for the human side of change often find themselves wondering why their best-laid plans have gone awry. Yet companies will reap the rewards only when change occurs at the level of the individual employee. No single methodology fits every company, but there is a set of practices, tools, and techniques that can be adapted to a variety of situations.

The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is something everyone hears when change is on horizon. When Shein’s (1980) planned theory arouse, it derived from this very idea that people are resist to change.  His theory encompasses three main stages to enact change, in essence teaching an old dog new tricks. Stage 1 – becoming motivated to change, known as the “unfreezing” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017), the learning phase. This phase of change is built on the theory that human behavior is established by past observational learning and cultural influences (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017) and utilizes three essential mechanisms. The first mechanism is “Disconfirmation is the process of showing organizational members that their current behaviors or attitudes are incorrect, and that continuing to behave in those ways will not only harm the organization, but themselves as well” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017). People will react to what they see and hear around them, and need to be involved in the change process. Highly visible rewards, such as promotion, recognition, and bonuses, should be provided as dramatic reinforcement for embracing change just as dogs react to the barrage of treats when they learn a new trick. Now that previous beliefs now being seen as invalid, “anxiety or guilt in organizational members will motivate them to change their behavior” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017) the second mechanism to this stage. And the final mechanism is “creating psychological safety” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017).  This safety net is utilized in order for those in the process of change, to see the new behaviors as those that will cause less anxiety therefore viewed as positive solutions to their old behavior.

Stage 2 of Schein planned change theory is that change what needs to be changed, unfreeze into a new state.  “Once that positive end goal has been established, change is possible” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017). Once there is sufficient dissatisfaction with the current conditions and a real desire to make some change exists, it is necessary to identify exactly what needs to be changed. Three possible impacts from processing new information are: words take on new or expanded meaning, concepts are interpreted within a broader context, and there is an adjustment in the scale used in evaluating new input. “The official message from the organization is only one source of information. That is why going back to stage one and creating the motivation to change is so crucial; it becomes easier to control the message if everyone sees the need for change in the first place” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017).

Stage 3 – making the change permanent, “refreezing” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017) or the maintenance phase. Refreezing is the final stage where new behavior becomes habitual, (no treats necessary). However, “It is important to note that just because people show the changed behavior once or even a few times, that does not necessarily mean that it is a permanent behavior. They can regress to the old ways if that supportive environment is not present” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017). So keep the treats and clicker handy!

“Change process involves learning something new” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017) while “unlearning something that is already present and well integrated” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017). Company culture is an amalgam of shared history, explicit values and beliefs, and common attitudes and behaviors. Change programs can involve creating a culture (in new companies or those built through multiple acquisitions), combining cultures (in mergers or acquisitions of large companies), or reinforcing cultures (in, say, long-established consumer goods or manufacturing companies). Understanding that all companies have a cultural center — the locus of thought, activity, influence, or personal identification — is often an effective way to jump-start culture change. No change program goes completely according to plan. People react in unexpected ways; areas of anticipated resistance fall away; and the external environment shifts. Effectively managing change requires continual reassessment of its impact and the organization’s willingness and ability to adopt the next wave of transformation. “The leader must motivate people in the organization to want to change (by overcoming the perception of threat and pain). Help them unlearn old behaviors, help them learn new behaviors, as well as make sure that there are support system (infrastructure, training, people, etc.) to make sure the change actually goes beyond lip service” (Penn State, Planned Change, 2017).

References

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context –Learning and Change in a Global Setting, Organizational Change. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from

https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654115

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context –Learning and Change in a Global Setting, Planned Change. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from

https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654116

The Japanese are world class negotiators and do business very differently than their American counterparts. “The negotiation process differs from culture to culture in language, cultural conditioning, negotiating style, approaches to problem-solving and building trust” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 74).  Negotiating is a part of everyday life, but in business it’s absolutely critical to your success. Poor negotiation can cripple a company just as quickly as losing key customers. Doing business overseas, specifically in Japan, there is much to consider before you take that 17 hour flight forward and open the door to the several Japanese business associates waiting to meet you.

Maintaining balance and harmony is an important aspect of Japanese thought. Japanese do not want to “lose face,” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 85) and they also do not want to cause you to “lose face.” Culturally, “saving face” is of utmost importance. One who loses face in front of his or her peers is politically injured or destroyed. It is never proper to criticize or humiliate another in public. Conflict is avoided at all costs.

Silence at a negotiation is common and appreciated by the Japanese (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 86). Silence is a time for thought and reflection. As negotiators, the Japanese speak less than most cultures and especially less than the Americans, who they view has blabbermouths, unpredictable, and selfish. When the Japanese do speak in a negotiation, it is almost always in the form of questions to get the other party to reveal information. This approach is also why it so hard to negotiate with them; it is nearly impossible to get them to disclose their interests or motivations. “Personality dimensions are universal to all humans regardless of their culture. If you understand the dominate personality types in the culture where you are doing business, and you understand your own personality predilections, you may have a useful and simplified stereotype to work with” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 68).

Context of time is also a key factor when doing business overseas. Negotiating in Japan is a marathon, not a sprint, and in terms of business negotiations, especially large ones, are likely to take place over a longer period of time than in the West. A delay in reaching a decision is not a reflection of a Japanese counterparts inefficieny.  For instance, For westerners may find themselves complaining that on 6 visits to a company they will be met by 18 different people in groups of 3 and will have to say the same thing six times. This is time-consuming but necessary for the Japanese, as all the members of the group have to become acquainted with the visitors. After this ordeal, Westerners often press for a quick decision. They will not get one. If they impose a time limit, the Japanese will back out quietly. “Negotiating is not a theoretical activity. It is a face-to-face activity, kind of like a dance where partners in the dance influence each other” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 71).

When negotiating in Japan, you will likely face a team of negotiators across the table, (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 85).  A key challenge will be to identify the real decision maker in the group — there is usually only one — and the individual or individuals who can influence the decision maker. “When people communicate, they make certain assumptions about other’s process of perceiving, judging, and reasoning patterns. Correct assumptions facilitate communication, but incorrect assumptions lead to misunderstandings, and miscommunication often results” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 76). Thus, when dealing with a Japanese company that may, superficially resemble your own, do not assume similarities that are not there. Japan has modernized, not westernized, and true similarities are mainly only technical. Don’t assume that they mean the same as you do when they use words like leadership or motivation. They have something quite different in mind.

Why are Japanese companies so successful? If there is one key to Japanese success it is their ability to conduct a company’s internal affairs in a spirit of harmony and cooperation. Many foreign companies never do start business in Japan (or only enter the Japanese market through a distributor) simply because of the misconception, fueled by those infamous myths and misconceptions of doing business in Japan. Often times labeling the business culture is somehow too risky. Fortunately, Japanese business culture is not an impenetrable barrier to successful business in Japan. “In face-to-face negotiations, we give and receive nonverbal behavioral cues. Some argue that these cues are the critical messages of negotiation” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 77). We must remember that personality and context are also determinates of behavior in any on country. “Behaving as an effective negotiator involves great skills of resilience, forbearance, emotional intelligence, thoughtful listening and the consideration of all sides of the argument” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 71). Effective business negotiation is a core leadership and management skill. This is the ability to negotiate effectively in a wide range of business contexts. As more businesses expand their focus to include foreign markets, the demand for competent international business negotiating professionals increases. “In face-to-face negotiations, we give and receive nonverbal behavioral cues. Some argue that these cues are the critical messages of negotiation” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 77). We must remember that personality and context of a culture are also determinates of behavior in any on country and can critically influence your strategy going into an international negotiation. Remember, in some cultures the turtle is more respected that the hare.

Reference

Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). London: Routledge

Traditionally, the glass ceiling was a concept applied to women and some minorities. It was very hard, if not impossible, often times for women to reach upper management positions. No matter how qualified or experienced, they simply were not given opportunities to further advance their careers. Today, there are many more women and minorities in powerful positions. However, the glass ceiling is still very real. “There is an unwritten but additional perquisite for becoming a leader: Even today despite the achievements of exceptional women leaders, some people still question the ability of women to serve in leadership positions” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 117.) Both women and men face invisible barriers when it comes to moving to the top floor. Two predominant theories attempt to explain the differences in treatment between white men, women and minorities in the workplace. “The glass ceiling” asserts that there is a limit to how high women and minorities can be promoted (Aulette & Wittner; pg. 187). “The glass escalator” theory suggests that in female- or minority-predominant fields, white men are promoted more quickly and with greater ease (Williams; pg. 256). Women struggle and pound their heads against the fated “glass ceiling” while men face an ironic position of riding the “glass escalator” (Williams; pg. 256) to success, most often unwanted and unsolicited. When it comes to women in traditionally male jobs or men in traditionally female-dominated roles professionally, there’s all kinds of talk about how we have made so much progress and we are still improving. In many ways, this is true. The workplace paradigm is in the visible process of shifting from men conquering the world and women taking care of the men, to women and men taking care of each other and the world.

If you think about the origins of gender discrimination in the workplace, and the advent of women taking “traditional” jobs outside the home, you will begin to see a pattern. Gender discrimination is not born simply of a belief that women are less intelligent or capable than men, but that they are inherently better at different things than men are. The stereotype that women are inherently communicative, nurturing, and compassionate and thus better able to carry out jobs of service, is directly related to the careers that are predominantly female. “Negative perceptions can make it difficult for women to assume and succeed in leadership. If their behavior is similar to that of male leaders, they are perceived as unfeminine. If they act ‘like a lady,’ they are viewed as weak or ineffective” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 117). On the flip side, the stereotype that men are inherently strong leaders, more aggressive, protective, organizational, analytical, mathematically minded, spatial, and rational, is directly related to the careers we see men dominating:  The expectation that sex alone is an indicator of certain traits and abilities is still prevalent, however much we believe in a post-sexist society, because even as we are evolving these misguided beliefs about gender roles and allowing careers for men and women to overlap, deep-seated understandings of femininity and masculinity continue to penetrate our attitudes and actions. “Culture provides guidance and some cultures have rigid rules for expected females and male roles, and as such, provide value and the subsequent expected behavioral norms for men and women within each culture” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 143). The perfect example of this is the “glass ceiling” for women and the “glass escalator” for men. Despite women’s advancement in business, “stereotypical and negative expectations still persist” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 118) and can exist on the opposite end of the spectrum. “Stereotypes can hinder the advancement of women” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 149) whereas culturally influenced gender role expectations can inhibit male advancement.

With all this said, what happens if the coin is flipped? Men finding themselves is women-dominated professions, like nursing or teaching, would they face the same stereotypical negative behavior? While women encounter a glass ceiling in their career advancement (invisible barriers that constrain their promotion due to the gender biased attitudes of men in the higher positions) men seem to struggle against a glass escalator. Sociologist Christine Williams first coined the term and in her research found that often men are subtly pushed to move up in their professions and as if on a moving escalator, they must work to stay in place. Because of these expectations, men starting in pink-collar fields can face negative stereotypes and gender-based discrimination from the public. On the other hand, men might also receive benefits because of their under representation in these fields. Surprisingly no.  Instead of men comforting the same issues as women, it’s been discovered that the exact opposite occurs. “Men find themselves welcome and given preferential treatment with this token status” (Aulette & Wittner; pg. 187). Due to the lax of men in certain women-dominate professions, men experience positive reinforcement in and often times “are effectively being kicked upstairs” (Williams; pg. 256), in essence being given a first glass ticket to the glass escalator to management. Nice huh? “Often the pressures keeping men out of certain specialties were subtle. Some men described being tracked into practice areas within their professions which were considered more legitimate for men. Those specialties considered more legitimate practice areas for men also tend to be the most prestigious, better paying ones.” (Williams; pg. 256).

The point is both men and women are struggling to make ends meet after the 2007 recession. Both men and women should feel comfortable to follow their passions in any career, despite outside pressures in an environment of increased equity and equality between the sexes.  It is encouraging that societal pressures are easing towards men entering nontraditional occupations, but we must keep in mind that simultaneously, women are struggling to earn equal wages, fighting gender-based stereotypes and attempting to meet basic economic security for themselves and their families. For whatever the reason, we may come into contact with that infamous glass ceiling or escalator they key to point out is you have a choice. You can accept your situation and be happy with looking up and not being able to touch what you see, or you can smash the glass with purpose and determination. Inevitably with our changing society, growing numbers will bridge the gender gap in many careers, but I firmly believe that equal treatment within those careers will only come with the dissolution of stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, both within ourselves and about others.

 

 

References

Aulette, J. R., & Wittner, J. G. (2015). Gendered Worlds (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Engleberg, I. N., & Wynn, D. (2013). Working in Groups: communication principles and strategies (6th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Martin, L. (1991). A Report on the Glass Ceiling Imitative. Washington, DC: Department of Labor.

Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). London: Routledge.

Williams, C. L. (1992). The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the “Female” Professions. Social Problems,39(3), 253-267.

It is wondrous, really, how this world is made up of so many different people belonging to different races or ethnicities. Color, language, culture, appearance, values― all these factors come together to group people based upon the aforementioned. There’s nothing wrong with ethnicity, to be honest. It just means a group of people practicing or following the same culture. However, what happens when ethnocentrism takes over? Ethnocentrism is believing in the superiority of one’s ethnic group (Penn State; 2017).  Even though it sounds like ethnocentrism is bad, ethnocentrism has positive and negative qualities. For a minority group in oppressive conditions, ethnocentrism enables the group to create and sustain an identity over extended periods of time. The downside of ethnocentrism is that it causes a people from an ethnic group to look down on those who are from other ethnic groups. Psychology tells us about the concept of in-groups and out-groups, where one tends to agree with the beliefs and actions of one’s in-group (such as race, religion, or ethnicity, for example) and judge or have biased opinions about the out-groups (Myers; pg. 461). ”Compared with the narrow path taken by flies, fishes and foxes, the road along which environment drives us is wider. The mark of our species – nature’s great gift to us- is our ability to learn and adapt.  We come equipped with a huge cerebral hard drive ready to receive cultural software” (Myers; pg. 463). Ethnocentrism is thus the tendency to consider one’s own culture or race to be superior over all others (Penn State; 2017). Though it is present in little forms in every culture, history has shown us how it can have tragic consequences if not controlled. Ethnocentrism might seem similar to ethnic pride, which is having pride for your culture and values, but there is a very fine line separating the two. “Learning to manage cultural differences is a means for all persons to become more global in their outlook and behavior, as well as more effective personally and professionally” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 32)

It is true that we’re all ethnocentric sometime or the other in our lives, without even realizing it. For instance, if we see someone dressed according to a style we don’t follow, we immediately develop a biased judgment against them. “God, what is he/she wearing? It’s clear he/she has no sense of fashion.” In an instance as small as this, we tend to immediately conclude that the person we’re judging has a bad fashion taste, and we’re much better than him/her.  Another example of ethnocentric behavior would be if a tourist on a holiday judges the destination based upon his comparison with his native place. “Look how dirty this country is! They should just see MY country. No wonder this place is so underdeveloped and backward!” In this instance, the tourist developed a biased judgment of the destination based upon his opinion of his own country. Maybe if he had stopped to think of the poverty rates of his tourist spot, or the dwindling economy, or even the history of that place which was different from his own culture, he wouldn’t have immediately deemed it to be inferior. Food, or rather, cuisines, can also become a source of ethnocentrism. Very often, people tend to praise the type of food that they eat, and put down the cuisines that do not seem very appealing to them, deeming the other cuisines to be very inferior to their own.

Ethnocentrism does not necessarily have to be negative; in fact, it does have its share of advantages. “The first step to managing cultural difference effectively is increasing one’s general cultural awareness” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 25). Advantages of Ethnocentrism can include generating pride and self-confidence among the people of a group, about the group, themselves, and each other. Defining social standards and the behavior that a group is expected to follow, thus maintaining uniformity among the people. Ethnocentrism, if kept in check, cannot harm the society. “Culturally skilled leaders are essential for the effective management of emerging global corporations as well as for the furtherance of mutually beneficial world trade and exchange” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 32). Only when it goes out of hand does it pose any risk to other members of society, especially those belonging to the out-groups.

 

References

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism – Boundless Open Textbook. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2017, from https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/culture-3/culture-and-society-29/ethnocentrism-and-cultural-relativism-186-4770/

Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). London: Routledge.

Myers, D. G. (2008). Exploring Psychology. New York: Worth.

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context – Introduction to Culture, Ethnocentrism. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654085

Hello Class! My name is Kely Blackburn and I reside in the beautiful Central Coast of California. I’m currently a senior working on my BA in Letters, Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Educational Leadership, with a graduation potential of this summer! So starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have been employed with a local school district working with students with special needs going on three years and head coach two girls basketball teams (Middle School and Varsity levels). Eventually, I look to get my Teaching Credential in Multiple Subjects and Science, as well as complete my Masters in Educational Leadership which will enable me to reach my goal of working in an administrative/leadership role in education. A favorite leadership quote of mine was one by the Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan, “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” I believe whole heartily that leaders are there to inspire and encourage greatness among those around them. I am happily married and have three adorable fur babies, (Lovek, a 4yrs old Aussie, and Charlie and Joey, his kitty cat brothers). My husband and I love the outdoors, walks on the beach, hikes in the mountains and enjoying time with close friends and family.