Organizational Behavior Essay

The presented situation deserves particular attention as in a Project Manager’s situation I am faced with a large number of problems. The team members are not getting along, there are numerous disagreements, costs are going up and component quality is not up to the mark. All these problems need to be addressed. Since the team members all belong to different backgrounds, they are bound to have communication issues. First it is important to resolve the conflicts arising due to communication barriers (Lloyd 2005). The team members need to sit together and decide on a common language that all of them can communicate in. Conflicts may arise due to differences in cultural and generational backgrounds and therefore it is essential to address these issues in meetings with all employees allowed to face each other (Lemay & Schwamberger 2007). Also, they may be restricted to use their own language during work as this may give other members the feeling that they are being talked about. The next step is to set goals and objectives and prioritize work accordingly. It is my duty as the project manager to delegate tasks. Although employee autonomy is given emphasis in Theory Y which assumes that an employee will work if he is committed, in this case Theory X needs to be applied. Theory X which assumes that an individual dislikes responsibility and needs to be controlled and directed to work comes into play in this situation (ACCEL Team). In the goal setting process, I have to set milestones that need to be completed within a given period of time. The tasks are prioritized with the team’s consent so that there are not further arguments over the prioritization and completion of each milestone. Instead of allowing all team members to individually set their priorities, priorities have to be set with the consent of the entire team. The Total Quality Manager and Operation Manager need to sit together and set quality standards that need to be met. As a Project Manager, I need to oversee that the Total Quality Manager clearly explains to the Operation Manager the quality standards that need to be followed to avoid further increase in time delays and cost. The Operation Manager needs to be specific about the quality of the required components and therefore quality standards need to be documented to avoid any confusion. Only if these steps are taken, will the quality issue be successfully resolved. In order to inculcate a punctual attitude in the team members and discipline them, positive reinforcement can be used (Williams 2002). Disciplining employees is essential in order to keep performance at high levels (Imundo 1985). Instead of punishing employees for coming in late or missing meetings, incentives can be designed to reward employees for their positive work attitude. Rewards can be monetary or non-monetary. Non-monetary awards such as the ‘Most Organized Employee’, ‘Most Punctual’, and ‘Employee of the Month ’or‘Best Performance can be introduced. This will help in heightening the morale of the team members (Bruce 2007). These awards can be given after the completion of the project. Although these may just be titles given to high achievers, the purpose is to make them feel rewarded for their work (Nelson, 2005). Monetary rewards can also be given on the same basis. According to the Extrinsic Motivation Theory, individuals do things for which there are tangible rewards. Therefore, with their personal interests involved, employees will strive to work harder and improve their performance (Podmoroff 2005). Another solution to punctuality issues is flexible working hours (Tynan). This will allow employees to work according to their convenience while enjoying their work and achieving their set targets. Moreover to ensure all team members are effectively participating in meetings and giving in their ideas and opinions, a friendly environment needs to be created (eHow Legal Editor). It becomes my responsibility to ensure that my team members are comfortable with the working environment and can pool in their view. I need to clarify that their views will not be used against them and will be respected and considered by the team. This sense of confidence needs to be inculcated to allow free flow of information within the team and between the team and the management. The main reason behind escalating costs and time delay is the internal issues of the team. These issues need to be dealt with strictly (Draffen 2007). Once these issues are resolved the project will automatically fall into place. The escalating costs are mainly due to disagreements over the right design of the components. Once a standardized design is agreed upon by the Operations Manager, Total Quality Manager and the team there will be no further costs of redesigning. As a Project Manager, I have the responsibility to effectively deal with the employees in my team. Understanding human behavior and building team confidence are the fundamentals of a strong working team (Heller 1999). I need to learn what motivates each individual to work. Accordingly each individual should be rewarded for his hard work. It is a good practice to frequently appreciate the work being done and thank the team members for their contribution (About. om). A successful completion of a project therefore depends on employee performance, employee satisfaction with the work and good quality output (Buzzle. com). The main issues that needed to be addressed in this case involved goal setting, communication and cultural barriers and employee contribution. Therefore once I have addressed these issues and communicated with my team members to clarify all differences and misconceptions that they may have about the management or other team members, the project will be delivered successfully.