Organizational Behavior (Stephen Robbins)

OBAT WORK

214 Part 3Interacting Effectively

BREAKOUT GROUPEXERCISES

Form small groups to discuss the following topics, as assigned by your instructor:

1 .Describe a situation in which you ignored someone. What impact did it have on that person’s subsequent commu-

nication behaviours?

2.What differences have you observed in the ways that men and women communicate?

3.You and 2 other students carpool to school every day. The driver has recently taken to playing a new radio station

quite loudly. You do not like the music, or the loudness. Using one of the conflict-handling strategies outlined in

Exhibit 6-6, indicate how you might go about resolving this conflict. Identify a number of BATNAs (best alternative

to a negotiated agreement) available to you, and then decide whether you should continue carpooling.

Yielding Compromising Forcing Problem solving Avoiding

1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______ 4. ______ 5. ______

6. ______ 7. ______ 8. ______ 9. ______ 1 0. ______

11. ______ 1 2. ______ 1 3. ______ 1 4. ______ 1 5. ______

16. ______ 1 7. ______ 1 8. ______ 1 9. ______ 20. ______

Totals______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Your primary conflict-handling style is the category with the highest total. Your fallback intention is the category with the

second-highest total.

Source:C. K. W. De Dreu, A. Evers, B. Beersma, E. S. Kluwer, and A. Nauta, “A Theory-Based Measure of Conflict Management Strategies in the

Workplace,” Journal of Organizational Behavior 22, no. 6 (September 2001), pp. 645–668. With permission.

WORKING WITH OTHERS EXERCISE

A Negotiation Role Play

This role play is designed to help you develop your negotiating skills. The class is to break into pairs. One person will play the

role of Terry, the department supervisor. The other person will play Dale, Terry’s boss.

The Situation: Terry and Dale work for hockey-equipment manufacturer Bauer. Terry supervises a research laboratory.

Dale is the manager of research and development (R & D). Terry and Dale are former skaters who have worked for Bauer for

more than 6 years. Dale has been Terry’s boss for 2 years.

One of Terry’s employees has greatly impressed Terry. This employee is Lisa Roland. Lisa was hired 11 months ago. She is

24 years old and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Her entry-level salary was $52 500 a year. She was told