Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. 1 Quality Management for Organizational Excellence Lecture/Presentation Notes By: Dr. David L. Goetsch and Stanley Davis Based on the book Quality Management for Organizational Excellence (Sixth Edition)

2 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace MAJOR TOPICS Internal Politics Defined Power and Politics Organizational Structure and Internal Politics Internal Politics in Action Internal Politicians and their Methods

3 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) Impact of Internal Politics on Quality Controlling Internal Politics in Organizations Overcoming Negativity in Organizations Overcoming Territorial Behavior in Organizations Managing Conflict in Organizations Major Topics Continued

4 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) Internal politics consists of activities undertaken to gain advantage or influence organizational decision making in ways intended to serve a purpose other than the best interests of the overall organization. It is the games people play to promote decisions that are based on criteria other than merit. Organizational structure is not the cause of internal politics. All of the widely used organizational structures are susceptible to internal politics.

5 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) Several concepts—personal insecurity, self- interest, a hunger for power, ambition, ego, and the need for acceptance—are the primary drivers of internal politics. The most commonly used methods of internal politicians are as follows: lobbying, building coalitions, applying harassment and pressure, electioneering, gossiping, and spreading rumors.

6 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) The rationale for collaboration is found in the debilitating effect internal politics can have on an organization. Internal politics can drain an organization of its intellectual and physical energy and in the process take way its ability to compete. An organization’s effort to control internal politics should have at least the following components: strategic planning, leadership, reward/recognition, performance appraisal, customer focus, conflict management, and culture.

7 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) The most common categories of negative behavior are control disputes; territorial (boundary) disputes; dependence and independence issues; need for attention; and responsibility, authority, and loyalty issues. The following symptoms are indicators of negativity in the workplace: “I can’t” attitudes, “they” mentality, critical conversation, and blame-fixing among employees.

8 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) To overcome negativity, organizations should communicate, establish clear expectations, provide opportunities for anxiety venting, build trust, and involve employees. Territorial behavior in organizations manifests itself in the following ways: occupation, information manipulation, intimidation, alliances, invisible walls, strategic noncompliance, discredit, shunning, camouflage, and filibustering.

9 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) The following strategies will help when trying to overcome territorial behavior:  Avoid jumping to conclusions  Attribute the behavior to instinct rather than people  Ensure that employees don’t feel attacked  Avoid generalizations, understand irrational fears  Respect each individual’s perspective  Consider the employee’s point of view.

10 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) Causes of workplace conflict include:  Limited resources  Incompatible goals  Role ambiguity  Different perspectives  Poor communication

11 Quality Management, 6 th ed. Goetsch and Davis © 2010 Pearson Higher Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved. Thirteen: Overcoming Politics, Negativity, and Conflict in the Workplace (Continued) Managers have two responsibilities regarding conflict in the workplace:  Conflict resolution  Conflict stimulation Conflict should be stimulated to overcome excessive compliance and complacency.