Course Human Relations
This Human Relations course will help you build good human relation
skills by teaching you the meaning of human relations, the different
methods of reinforcement, and how they can help in maintaining positive
relationships. You'll get tips for being more productive at work and to
build and maintain solid relationships. By understanding the
characteristics of a good supervisor, you'll gain important leadership
skills and learn how to construct and maintain a good relationship with
your supervisor. You’ll also learn to deal with frustration, aggression,
and stress. Creating daily schedules to be on time for work and
appointments will help you avoid stress. This course will also provide
techniques to properly cope with stressful life situations, which will lead
to greater satisfaction with your life.
Course Objectives
Define how human relations can help you in your personal life and
your job
Describe how to use your human relations skills in the workplace
Identify ways to handle issues you may face as you advance through
your career
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Human Relations (v3) : Page 1
Human Relations : Relationship Types
Lesson 2 Overview
In the first lesson of this course, you learned the basics of human
relations. Now you’ll put some of your knowledge to practical use. In this
lesson, you’ll learn more about using human relations skills in the
workplace.
2.1 Identify relationship types
Relationships
READING ASSIGNMENT
Relationships are complex, and it’s hard to say just what they’re made
of. One way to understand relationships is to consider the
characteristics, or “ingredients,” on which they’re based. You can think
of these ingredients as a general recipe for a relationship.
A relationship
Involves at least two people, but can involve more than two people
(For example, when three or more people drive to work together
every day, they share a relationship.)
Is influenced by the ideas and attitudes of all those involved
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Is influenced by its purpose (For example, a relationship can be
personal, social, business related, based on religious beliefs, or
have other purposes.)
Is often voluntary (For example, the people who share it choose to
become involved with one another. They can also decide when the
relationship will end.)
Varies in strength of feeling, and intensity affects the strength of the
relationship (For example, in a romance, there are strong emotions.
In other relationships, feelings are less intense. A group of people
who attend the same exercise class probably have only weak
feelings concerning one another.)
Requires trust, and the people in a relationship must know they can
depend on one another
Requires that the people who share it spend time communicating
with one another in person, through letters, by telephone, or even
by sharing friends
Although relationships are often complicated matters, becoming part of
a relationship is often very easy—it just happens. The following example
shows how it can happen.
John stocks snack vending machines. Almost every day, he stops at
Gene’s workplace. They’re always nice to one another and often chat for
a minute or two. One Saturday afternoon, John and Gene run into one
another at the local bowling alley. They decide to bowl together and then
go out for a bite with some friends. They get along well and become
good friends.
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Types of Relationships
People share many different kinds of relationships during their lives.
A current relationship is one that’s active now. You see the person
once in a while and do something together every so often.
A past relationship is one you used to have, but for some reason
you no longer have contact with that person. Relationships weaken
because people no longer see, write, or talk to one another or
because their attitudes toward one another have changed. Past
relationships can be brought back to life. This is especially true for
relationships that once were close but weakened because of
distance or lack of time.
A social relationship is one you have with friends.
People who are related to one another form a family relationship.
A working relationship builds between people who work together.
Social, family, and working relationships can be current or past.
Maintaining Relationships
A relationship is like a car. If it’s built strong, it can stand up to many
things. But like a car, a relationship needs maintenance. You can
“service” a relationship by communicating, being honest, keeping
contact, holding fair expectations, and providing reinforcement.
Communication
Open communication is important to a relationship. You should
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communicate clearly and honestly with all people involved. The
communication needn’t always be positive, but it should be honest. If
someone hurts your feelings, it’s much better to let him or her know than
to pretend that everything is just fine.
Countless relationships have been damaged or destroyed by poor
communication. Keeping strong feelings inside can change your attitude
toward someone, and your relationship can suffer. In time, the
relationship might be damaged beyond repair.
Honesty
When communicating in a relationship, it’s important to be honest. For
example, if something makes you upset, don’t try to hide that—talk
about it. Otherwise, you’re likely to build bad feelings until it negatively
affects the relationship.
Of course, you should try not to hurt people when being honest. There’s
no good reason to tell your friend his shirt is ugly. Although, if he asks
your opinion, you could always say that the style or color isn’t your
favorite. Saying things that make your point without angering people is
very important to human relations. Here are several examples of honest
communication that people in a relationship might use:
To someone who’s usually late: “I know you have a good reason for
being late. But each time I arrive to meet you, I wait fifteen minutes.
Can you begin getting ready early enough so that we can leave on
time?”
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To someone who has just done a great favor for you: “Thanks for
taking care of that. You really helped me out. It feels great to know I
can depend on you.”
To someone who makes you an offer that seems a little dishonest:
“Thanks for the offer, but I’d feel a little funny doing that. How do
you feel about it?”
Consider the question in the above example, “How do you feel about it?”
This question is an example of how effective communication works. The
chance you’ve been offered isn’t one you want to take, and you’re not
sure it’s the best thing for your friend. Instead of being critical, you’ve
encouraged your friend to talk things over. By doing this, you might
discover that his offer isn’t dishonest, or at least that your friend doesn’t
think it is. The discussion might also convince your friend not to take the
offer. In any case, the method of communication you chose will help
your relationship grow.
Contact
Relationships need “exercise” to survive. They get it when people have
contact with one another. Ideally, people in a relationship will have time
to spend together. If they don’t, calling or texting and writing emails will
often help. The important thing is that they strengthen their relationship
through quality time together.
Quality time is time that’s meaningful (planning for the future, working in
a volunteer organization), productive (painting a room, repairing a car),
enjoyable (bowling, going to a movie), or simply relaxing (a day at the
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beach, watching the sunset). Reading an email from a friend is quality
time. So is talking to the friend on the phone.
Expectations
Expectations are also part of relationships. The people in a relationship
expect certain things of one another. These expectations vary widely
from relationship to relationship. Some people might expect a deep
emotional bond. For others, a casual activity, such as jogging together
at a pace you both enjoy, is enough. When people’s expectations are
met by their behavior toward one another, relationships grow.
[Friends Playing Basketball]
You have to make time to
develop and maintain a
relationship that you enjoy.
Expectations can be clearly stated, as in a worker’s contract. Or, they
can simply be understood, as when two friends meet in a gym every
Monday and Wednesday to work out. Realistic expectations—ones the
people involved can meet—contribute to a successful relationship. The
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following examples show how expectations can help or hurt a
relationship.
Tom and PJ work at the same plant and live near each other. Tom gives
PJ a ride to and from work, and because the plant is some distance
away, they share the cost of gas. One morning Tom was ill and couldn’t
go to work. He called PJ very early so that he could find another ride.
Tom knew a friend who might stop for PJ, and he provided a phone
number. PJ called the number and got the ride. Tom and PJ’s
relationship became stronger because Tom met PJ’s expectations.
Because he gave Tom gas money on a regular basis, PJ expected that
Tom would help get him to work. Tom realized PJ’s expectations and
met them by helping to arrange a ride when he was sick.
Terry and Cathy decided to rent a house together. They agreed that
they would share expenses for the house. After two months, Cathy told
Terry that she didn’t have her part of the rent money. Terry said she
understood and paid the rent for both of them. A week later, Terry saw
Cathy wearing a new outfit. Terry became angry with Cathy because
she had bought the outfit with the rent money. Their relationship
suddenly became very unpleasant because Cathy hadn’t met Terry’s
expectations.
Reinforcement
Finally, a relationship is reinforcing to the people in it. A reinforcement is
a reward or punishment based on what happens in the relationship.
People in a relationship should get something out of it, so they spend
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more time with each other. This positive reinforcement creates a feeling
of a reward to continue the relationship. If you and some friends play
basketball every Saturday and enjoy the game, you’ll likely continue
playing. But if a relationship brings only negative reinforcements and the
people feel like they’re punished, the relationship may end. On the
basketball team, if you quarrel or play so roughly that injuries occur, the
basketball relationship might come to an end.
Reinforcements aren’t always clear or even visible to others. How often
have you heard something like, “Why does so-and-so date what’s-hisname? They have nothing in common, they fight all the time, but they
still go out with each other.” In this situation, observers are confused
because they don’t understand how the couple stays together with only
negative feedback. It might be that the couple has a great time together
when they’re alone. Or they might have become dependent on each
other or are too set in their ways to look for someone else. These types
of positive feedback satisfy both people, so they stay together.
Key Points
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Relationships involve at least two people.
Relationships are influenced by the ideas and attitudes of everyone
involved, and by their purpose.
There are different types of relationships: current and past, social
and working, and family.
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Open communication and honesty are important to relationships
Exercise: Relationships
Write the names of people with whom you share(d) the following types
of relationships:
1. Current relationship
2. Past relationship
3. Social relationship
4. Family relationship
5. Working relationship
Exercise Answer Key:
Exercise: Relationships
Your answers will be unique to you. Here are some tips:
1. A current relationship is one that’s active now. The person you
wrote down could be someone you see once in a while and do
something with/for every so often.
2. A past relationship is one you used to have, but for some reason
you no longer have contact with that person.
3. A social relationship involves someone you're friends with.
4. A family relationship involves someone you're related to.
5. A working relationship builds between people who work together.
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2.2 Compare vertical and horizontal relationships
Working Relationships
READING ASSIGNMENT
What Is a Vertical Relationship?
[Supervisor and Employee]
The supervisor directs
the work of the
employee.
So far, we’ve discussed relationships among equals like family and
friends. Relationships also exist among people with unequal status.
Parents and children are unequal in their relationship, as are teachers
and students. These are called vertical relationships. One person is able
to make decisions and tell the other person what to do.
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Whether you're employed, have ever been employed, or hoping to be
employed in the future, the relationship you have with a supervisor is a
type of vertical relationship. In the supervisor–employee relationship, the
people involved don’t have equal status, control, duties, or earnings.
One member is more dominant and is the leader. The other is the
follower.
The lack of equality in a vertical relationship isn’t a problem. The leader
in the relationship is usually more experienced and has a great deal to
teach the follower. The leader can help the follower perform a job
correctly and learn the skills needed to move into a more high-level
position. The person in the leadership role can guide the follower in the
right direction and give advice.
Building a Good Vertical Relationship
For this discussion, assume that you’re an employee in a vertical
relationship with a supervisor. It might be in your current job or a job you
hope to get. In any case, you want to build a healthy vertical
relationship. What can you do?
The secret to building a good vertical relationship is simple: the same
human relations skills you’ve already learned will work in a vertical
relationship.
Productivity
The goal of the working relationship is unique in that it’s stated more
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clearly than in other relationships. While you’re at work, your goal is to
finish jobs. Given the performance requirements of the workplace, the
most important thing you can do to build a good vertical relationship is to
be productive.
Being productive—accomplishing your goal (effectiveness) by
expending as few resources as possible (efficiency)—means you help
your supervisor do his or her job. Your productivity adds to that of your
supervisor, so both of you gain a strong sense of satisfaction. Moreover,
your productivity will contribute to the financial success of both you and
your supervisor. Clearly, being productive is the best way to build a
successful vertical relationship.
Style
Recognizing and reacting to your supervisor’s style of management is
another factor that will help your relationship. Take some time to think
about how your supervisor works. One way to do this is to ask yourself
these questions:
Does your supervisor like to maintain a great deal of control or let
you work independently and provide help when necessary?
Does your supervisor remain distant or try to build a more personal
relationship?
Does your supervisor follow a strict set of rules or respond flexibly
to situations as they arise?
Does your supervisor focus on long-range or short-range goals?
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Answer the above questions to help you assess your supervisor’s
working style. Then, consider how to work in a manner that’s consistent
with that style. For example, if your supervisor likes to keep a great deal
of control, ask questions or explain what you plan to do before you try
something new. If your supervisor likes you to be independent, don’t ask
more questions than are necessary to make your supervisor feel
informed.
In a vertical relationship, the employee (or follower) must often do most
of the adjusting. This might not seem fair, but when you think about it,
it’s not that bad a deal. Remember, even though you’re adjusting to your
supervisor, you’re also learning a lot from him or her.
Attitude
Your attitude toward your supervisor, and toward life in general, will
greatly affect your relationship. Try as you may to control yourself, a
negative attitude will affect your performance. Eventually your
supervisor will be forced to confront you about it. Even a hidden attitude
from far in the past can hurt your relationship. Perhaps your supervisor
reminds you of a teacher you didn’t like or another supervisor in another
job. This hidden attitude may damage your relationship. If you find that
there’s “just something” about your supervisor that turns you off, you
may want to look inside yourself and see if a past experience is hurting
your current relationship.
To succeed in your job, keep personal feelings and problems separate
from the workplace. Develop a positive attitude toward your supervisor,
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even if it requires much effort. You don’t have to become personal
friends with your supervisor or admire him or her. However, you should
realize that your supervisor deserves respect. He or she is one of the
keys to your success at work.
Loyalty
Being loyal to a supervisor is a small step that goes a long way toward
building your relationship. This isn’t a case of “My supervisor, right or
wrong” loyalty. Instead, it’s just showing that you place your trust in your
supervisor and are willing to support him or her in the job.
How do you show loyalty? Giving your supervisor credit for good ideas
is one way. Showing appreciation is another way, as is giving your
supervisor’s ideas and suggestions a fair shake. Nothing damages the
vertical relationship faster than taking sides against your supervisor or
suggesting that he or she isn’t doing a good job. The following example
demonstrates this point.
One of the employees at a post office, Chris, had just been promoted to
supervisor. She was doing a good job and making many improvements.
Almost all of her employees respected her and knew she did a good job.
Ray, however, didn’t like working for a woman. He always complained
when Chris wanted to change things. He also tried to get the other
employees to work against Chris. The other employees knew Ray was
being unfair and began to dislike him. Soon, even the postmaster knew
that Ray was being disloyal to Chris. Eventually, the other employees
began to ignore Ray. After a while, things got so bad that he had to ask
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for a transfer.
Consideration
Even though your supervisor occupies the leadership role in the vertical
relationship, he or she will still respond well to your being thoughtful.
Lending a hand when your supervisor or coworkers need it and offering
congratulations when they’re successful are just two ways of showing
consideration.
Responding to your supervisor’s needs before your own is another way
to be considerate, as shown in the following example.
Imagine that Eugene is your supervisor. He has just been given a rush
job, and he asks if you’re too busy to give him a hand. You’re almost
through with your task and would like to finish it before you go home.
Instead, you say, “I’m almost finished, but this can wait. How can I
help?” Your willingness to help shows that you recognize and respect
the leadership position of your supervisor. You can bet your supervisor
will remember your thoughtfulness.
Listening
Practicing good listening skills with your supervisor accomplishes two
goals. You learn more quickly because you’re paying closer attention,
and you make it clear that you value what your supervisor has to say.
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[Supervisor Showing Papers
to Employee]
Ideally, both you and
your supervisor should
be good listeners.
How do you show that you’re a good listener? Establish eye contact with
your supervisor and concentrate on what he or she is saying. Nod
occasionally to show you understand. If you aren’t exactly sure what
you’re supposed to do, repeat the instructions to make certain you have
them right. If there’s a physical activity involved, such as changing an
engine part, follow your supervisor’s directions and ask for feedback
using questions such as, “Is this right?” or “Is this what you want me to
do?”
Asking for feedback means you want your supervisor to confirm what
you’ve heard or are doing. It shows that you’ve listened, want to get it
right, and are willing to change if you’re not doing the job correctly.
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Reinforcement
All these suggestions are meant to reinforce your supervisor so your
relationship will continue. The suggestions will also reduce stress in your
relationship. Stress is the feeling you get when there’s conflict in a
relationship. Your relationship with your supervisor will suffer if it’s
always under stress. Stress is like pumping more and more air into a
tire. Sooner or later, the tire is going to explode. Pumping stress into a
relationship does the same thing. Reinforcing your supervisor can help
to eliminate the stress in your vertical relationship at work.
When you practice human relations skills, stress will be replaced with
comfort. Feeling comfortable is wonderful reinforcement. Think of your
favorite sweater, a pair of old athletic shoes, or a fireplace on a cold
night. These are comfortable, and you enjoy thinking about them.
Comfort does the same thing in a relationship. When your supervisor is
comfortable with you, he or she will want the relationship to continue and
grow stronger, so both of you will benefit.
What Is a Horizontal Relationship?
The relationships you share with your coworkers are called horizontal
relationships. The word horizontal is used here to mean that you and
your coworkers are equals or near equals. This is very different from the
unequal, vertical relationship you have with a supervisor.
Your horizontal working relationships are very important to your
success. You may like your coworkers more than your supervisor, and
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you may feel more comfortable with them. You may even socialize with
them outside of work. But in the work environment, your relationships
with them are secondary to the relationship you have with your
supervisor.
Establishing and maintaining positive horizontal relationships will make
your work day more productive and pleasant. Good horizontal
relationships also lead to successful vertical relationships because your
supervisor has an easier time managing employees who act as a team.
Good human relations skills will help you form constructive horizontal
relationships.
Building a Good Horizontal Relationship
Balance
Establishing and maintaining good horizontal and vertical relationships
at work requires a sense of balance. You must meet your productivity
requirements by working fairly and respecting others. Make sure you
clearly understand your performance goals and efficiency guidelines.
Work productively and share responsibility for the success of the team.
Avoid favoring one or a few coworkers at the expense of others. It’s
natural for you to prefer certain people over others in social situations,
but at work, there just isn’t room for favoritism. When you pay too much
attention to just one person, you might treat that person better than your
other coworkers. You might come to depend on the person too much
and lower everyone’s productivity. This example will point out the
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problem.
Jan works with four editors at a publishing company. All five have equal
importance in the company, but Jan and Sharon are good friends.
Whenever Jan has to deliver a story to an editor, she picks Sharon last
so she won’t be too busy. The other editors see this and dislike Jan’s
actions. They also feel overworked when they see Sharon not doing her
fair share. The worst part is that Sharon feels bad because the others
have so much work and she has so little. She’s even beginning to
wonder if she might lose her job because she’s less productive than the
other employees.
This situation could have been avoided if Jan had simply been fair with
everyone. Jan must realize that she can give Sharon work and still be
her good friend. Jan has forgotten that at work all employees must do
their share of the work. By favoring Sharon over the others, she
disturbed the balance of everyone’s horizontal relationships.
Think of your horizontal relationships at work. Are they all equal? If
they're not, are you doing something that might be a problem?
Carrying Your Own Weight
You’ve probably heard the expression, “carry your own weight,”
meaning to do your fair share of the work. This is more important at
work than anywhere else. The productivity of the work team and the
success of horizontal relationships depend on people carrying their own
weight.
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When you start a new job, find out what your supervisor and coworkers
expect of you. Then do your best to meet their expectations. Every once
in a while, take a look at your own performance. Ask yourself if you’re
carrying your own weight. Do you feel that your coworkers know you’re
doing your fair share? Ask them how you’re doing. Communicate openly
and honestly with them, and when they make suggestions, consider
them seriously.
And don’t be afraid to help others. Of course, you should avoid criticizing
your coworkers, but if someone is struggling, lend them a hand. If
they’re doing something wrong, see if you can teach them the right way
or encourage another coworker to teach them. Again, be sensitive and
use your human relations skills in this situation. No one wants to be
viewed as lazy. If you can help someone get on track without hurting that
person’s feelings, he or she will be grateful and your work team will be
more productive.
Think of someone with whom you've worked who doesn't do a good job.
How might you help this person improve?
Socializing
Coworkers often become friends. It’s normal for friends to enjoy doing
things together, and friends can often work well together. However, a
problem might develop when friends spend too much time socializing in
the workplace.
Positive social feelings can actually increase productivity. However,
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maintaining control over time spent socializing is necessary. Too much
talking and too little working can create productivity problems. Standing
around and discussing your favorite team or a recent shopping
adventure when you should be working keeps you from reaching your
performance goals. Then everyone suffers.
A second problem with socializing is that it can throw your horizontal
relationships out of balance. Developing cliques, or in-crowds that
exclude others, is a natural part of human nature. Certain personalities
are attracted to others. People sharing a natural attraction often feel
more comfortable working together and are very productive. However,
when cliques lead to favoritism and friction in the workplace, productivity
suffers. The following example shows how easy it is for this to happen.
Pedro, Alan, and Henry play basketball together on Saturday mornings.
They also work together at a hospital pharmacy. The hospital employs
10 full-time employees in the pharmacy, and they all fill prescriptions
and deliver medication for patients in the hospital.
Pedro, Alan, and Henry are continually discussing their basketball
games. This makes the other workers feel left out. These three also like
to goof off by playing hoops with medication containers and the trash
can. When they deliver medicine, they sometimes have cart races.
Although their actions appear harmless, Pedro, Alan, and Henry have
formed a clique, which is negatively affecting their coworkers. The
others feel left out, and they resent that the three friends aren’t carrying
their own weight. The pharmacy is a busy place, and by their actions,
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the clique isn’t delivering medications on time. Their coworkers must
work harder to fill more prescriptions.
You shouldn’t allow socializing to decrease productivity in any job. When
at work, make your coworkers feel that you’re treating them fairly by
behaving consistently toward all of them. This consistent treatment will
be a bond that strengthens all of your horizontal relationships.
Can you think of a time at work when a group socialized and didn't get
the job done?
Harmony
Teamwork is special. Groups who respect each other and share ideas
and responsibilities work well together—in harmony. One place to find
harmony is in a musical group. When the members play in harmony,
their music is better. The sound is richer, the music is more appealing,
and the performance is better than the individual members’ sounds
alone. At work, a group that works in harmony is more productive and
members of the group feel better about one another. Their relationships
with one another are richer, they’re able to work without stress, and they
accomplish their goals efficiently.
Harmony develops over time. If you’re able to work in harmony, your
horizontal relationships will be stronger. The way to work in harmony is
to avoid the things that cause its opposite, disharmony. Another word for
disharmony is discord.
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Key Points
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Vertical relationships are those between people with unequal
status.
Asking for feedback shows that you’ve listened, want to get the job
right, and are willing to change if you’re not doing it correctly.
The most important thing you can do to build a good vertical
relationship is to be productive.
Horizontal relationships are those between people with equal
status.
Cliques are in-crowds that exclude others and can decrease
productivity in any job.
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Exercise: Vertical Relationships
Write down the names of two people with whom you have a vertical
relationship. They don't have to be workplace relationships. You can
look to relationships in the family, on a team, or at school instead. These
places offer valuable opportunities to learn human relations skills that
will also benefit you in the workplace.
For each name you wrote down, list two things that you can do to
positively reinforce your relationship with that person.
Exercise Answer Key:
Exercise: Vertical Relationships
The secret to building a good vertical relationship is simple. The same
general human relations skills you've already learned also apply to
vertical relationships.
Your answers will be unique to your relationship, but below are several
tips to help reinforce vertical relationships.
1. You could think about what expectations the other person has for
you. Try to be productive to meet those expectations.
2. If the other person is higher up in the vertical relationship, you may
want to consider their style of leadership and try to act in a manner
that's consistent with their style.
3. You might try to maintain a positive attitude, even if it requires
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effort. A negative attitude, even a hidden one, may damage your
relationship and harm productivity.
4. You can think of ways to show loyalty. You don't need to be blindly
loyal, but you should try to show that you trust the other person by
giving their ideas and suggestions a fair chance to succeed.
5. You may find it beneficial to try being considerate. You can show
consideration by lending a hand when the other person needs it
and by congratulating them on their successes.
2.3 Describe the nature of working relationships
The Nature of Working Relationships
READING ASSIGNMENT
You probably already know that relationships vary greatly from situation
to situation. Family relationships, for example, are involuntary. You don’t
choose the people who are in your family. Instead, you’re born, adopted,
or married into it. This adds a high level of acceptance and permanence
to family relationships. Members of a family are more tolerant of each
other than they are of outsiders. They know that the family relationship
will last a long time.
Social relationships among friends are almost completely voluntary. You
can choose your friends, choose when you want to be with them, and
choose what you do with them. The voluntary nature of a social
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relationship means that the people involved control how the relationship
grows.
The working relationship is different from both the family and social
relationship. You’re not born into a job, but neither are you completely
free to choose your coworkers. A working relationship falls somewhere
between family and social relationships.
You’ll learn six major characteristics that affect relationships and focus
on how they apply to the working relationship.
Mutual Reward Theory
We’ve spoken already about reinforcement and how it’s like a reward.
When you try a new restaurant, for instance, and enjoy a wonderful
meal there, you’ll be more likely to return to the restaurant. Going to the
restaurant is the behavior and enjoying a good meal is the
reinforcement or reward. If you’re wise in selecting a restaurant, your
reward is a good meal.
For a relationship to continue in a positive direction, it must be rewarding
to those involved. This is called mutual reward theory (MRT). Mutual
rewards are forms of reinforcement that are exchanged between people.
Mutual reward theory suggests that relationships will grow as long as the
people involved reinforce one another. The following example clarifies
what this means.
Tom and Frank began working in a printing plant at the same time.
Because they were new, they attended the employee training program
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together. They shared their training experiences, and they both did well.
When they started their jobs in the plant, they got together at lunch and
discussed their new jobs and coworkers. Although they worked in
different departments, Tom and Frank found that they could help one
another. When Tom unloaded paper from a truck, he knew that Frank
would have an easier time moving it if the skid faced a certain direction.
Frank learned that when he returned the empty skid, if he pulled the
staples from it, there was less chance that Tom would hurt himself when
he stacked it.
This example shows several different types of reinforcement. When they
started working, Tom and Frank provided one another with emotional
support. Their discussions helped them succeed in the training program.
They continued to support each other when they began working in the
plant and were even able to increase the productivity of their
departments. All of these things generated a good feeling and helped
Tom and Frank succeed at work. Their behavior was mutually
rewarding, so it’s likely that their relationship will grow.
Value Conflicts
In the human relations field, values are those things, especially ideas,
that people believe are important. Some commonly held values are
nurturing family relationships, going to church, emphasis on education,
and other similar situations. People have different values, and
sometimes conflicts can arise as a result.
Noreen worked for Robert in a small business supply store. One of
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Noreen’s values was her strong religious beliefs. Because of these
beliefs, she chose not to work on Sundays.
One of Robert’s jobs was to take inventory. Sometimes, to get the job
done, he worked on Sunday. He asked Noreen if she wanted to work,
and she explained why she couldn’t. The situation had the potential for a
conflict of values. Noreen’s religious beliefs were in conflict with Robert’s
needs.
This conflict could have ended the working relationship between Robert
and Noreen. But with a little consideration, the conflict was solved.
Noreen asked Robert if she could work on Friday night or all day
Saturday to complete her inventory tasks. This would help solve
the problem. Robert was flexible and accepted Noreen’s request. As it
turned out, neither of them had to work on Sunday.
Sooner or later, people involved in a working relationship will experience
value conflicts. When this happens, consideration, flexibility, tolerance,
and honest communication can prevent the conflict from becoming a
serious problem. In fact, it can turn the situation into a positive
experience in which mutual respect develops.
Ethnic Differences
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[People Working Together]
People with different
backgrounds can learn to work
well together.
You might not have much choice about the people with whom you work.
Earning a living is something most of us must do, and it’s likely that we’ll
come into contact with people of different races and backgrounds. For
some people, these differences are a significant problem. Others,
however, have learned that just because someone is different doesn’t
mean he or she is less capable. The following example shows how
people can be surprised by others who are different.
When Ned showed up for his first day at the garage, he was surprised to
learn that one of the mechanics was a woman from a foreign country.
Ned had never worked with a woman mechanic before. Also, he had
never met a person of Tanya’s race. Ned didn’t dislike minorities. It’s
just that he grew up in an area where few people of any minority group
lived. Ned soon noticed that Tanya was a good worker. She had been in
her country’s army and had been trained very well as a mechanic. She
also seemed to get along well with everyone and had a great sense of
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humor. Ned still felt uncomfortable with Tanya, and couldn’t think of
anything to say to her. That morning, at coffee break, Tanya came over
and introduced herself. She told Ned that if he needed any help, she’d
be happy to give it to him. Then, just before lunch, she asked him to
lend her a hand on a car that afternoon.
We don’t know how this situation will end, but it’s getting off to a good
start. Ned felt uncomfortable with Tanya. This is an honest feeling that’s
perfectly understandable, especially with his starting a new job. But Ned
recognized his feelings and was careful not to confuse discomfort with
dislike. He wasn’t comfortable with Tanya, but he didn’t dislike her.
Tanya used positive human relations skills to make Ned feel at home.
She introduced herself and offered to help Ned if he needed it. What’s
even better, she later asked for his help. Her willingness to help Ned
showed him that she was sincere and made it more likely that he would
succeed in his new job. Also, Tanya’s asking for help suggested to Ned
that she knew he was capable, a feeling everyone enjoys.
Ethnic differences between people don’t have to cause problems. You
don’t have to be best friends with everyone. However, by showing
respect for people who are different and spending time with them, you’ll
learn more about them. The more you know, the more likely you’ll be to
get along with them. Your working relationship will grow stronger, even if
you don’t share a social relationship.
Sexual Overtones
When people work together, there’s always a chance for a working
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relationship to develop into romance. This is a natural development, and
no matter what management says about romance on the job, it’s going
to happen anyway. Some working romances end up just fine, while
others bring about problems for everyone involved.
Jerry and Cathy worked in a nursing home. They knew each other for a
few years, but never really dated. Both of them ended a relationship at
about the same time, and because they were lonely, they started seeing
one another. Their romance grew, but they didn’t want it to affect their
work. They didn’t hide their relationship from their coworkers or
supervisors, but they did their best to be productive. They also worked
hard to keep positive relationships with their coworkers.
The case of Jerry and Cathy shows that an on-the-job romance can
work out well if the people involved are clear about their feelings and
keep personal or work feelings and roles separate. By being aware of
their feelings and minimizing their expression at work, Jerry and Cathy
were able to maintain good working relationships.
Romance can also occur between a worker and a supervisor. Again,
such a relationship can be positive, but there is also the possibility that it
may negatively affect the work environment. This is especially true
because of the unequal status of the two people.
Kent, the son of the founder of a company, began working in the
company as vice president. Justine, the office manager, had a great
deal of contact with Kent. She was flattered when Kent began paying
attention to her and was overjoyed when he asked her out.
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The other people at work, however, felt that Justine’s relationship with
Kent was unfair. Soon, Justine’s coworkers began to ignore her, and
Justine’s productivity at work began to fall. Kent, who was something of
a ladies’ man, let Justine know he was no longer interested in her. He
began dating some of the other women in the office. Before long, the
whole office was suffering from lack of productivity and many people
had been hurt.
In this situation, Kent was inconsiderate. He used his position to make
advances toward the women at work. He was very thoughtless and
insensitive, and as a result, many people suffered. He also was probably
guilty of sexual harassment, which is why many workplaces have rules
against supervisors dating employees.
Workplace romances are risky. They can result in a happy relationship,
but they can also come to an unpleasant end. As a rule, you should
approach them with great caution. Think about the consequences, both
current and future, and be especially sensitive to your coworkers.
Perhaps the best way to consider a workplace romance is to ask
yourself this question: “Is my job worth it?” There are times when
workplace romances result in one or both people either leaving the job
or moving to another position. You must decide if you’re willing to pay
this price.
Age Differences
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[People of Different Ages Working
Together]
In today's workplace, people of
different ages must learn to
work together.
Today’s workplace includes people of all ages, from late teens through
early seventies. When individuals of different ages work together, there’s
both an opportunity to learn from one another and the possibility of
disharmony. Older workers can offer younger workers a great deal of
experience, knowledge, and patience. Younger workers bring new
ideas, enthusiasm, and high energy. When their efforts combine, the
results can be productive and satisfying for everyone involved, as in the
following situation.
Lynn is the head clerk in a supermarket and has worked there for over
20 years. Ann is much younger than Lynn and has just begun working in
the store as a checker. Lynn and Ann have an OK working relationship,
but Ann doesn’t like being told what to do, so she isn’t learning her job
very quickly. Lynn is disappointed in Ann because she thinks Ann is
lazy.
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One day, Lynn asked Ann if she knew a faster way to find prices for
unmarked items. This chore slowed her checkout speed and often led to
customer complaints. Ann had an idea for solving Lynn’s problem and
shared it with her. Ann’s solution worked and Lynn complimented her.
Later that day, Ann asked Lynn to show her how she bags groceries so
quickly.
The conflict between Lynn and Ann is a typical old-young conflict.
Almost always, a conflict like this is ended when the people involved
take a chance and ask for or accept help from each other. The next step
is that the people begin respecting one another. Soon, the relationship
is moving along smoothly.
The source of conflict between older and younger workers is sometimes
found in the paycheck. An older worker with many years of seniority
earns much more than a younger worker doing similar tasks. The
younger worker may feel the company is being unfair and might resent
the older worker. The older worker may dislike having to train another
rookie who keeps making the same mistakes. Other sources of conflict
between older and younger workers include value conflicts, differences
in lifestyles, and opposing attitudes toward work.
Age-based conflicts can be avoided by following good human relations
skills. Tolerance, consideration, communication, and flexibility will make
it more likely that a positive relationship will develop. Positive self-talk
will also help.
Here's an example of correct self-talk for the older worker: “He’s young
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and inexperienced. I was like that once, and I’m sure he’ll grow into the
job. He has a lot of energy and learns quickly. Perhaps I can teach him
the job and help him mature.”
Here's an example of correct self-talk for the younger worker: “She’s not
so bad. She knows the job well and is trying to help me. So she doesn’t
like my music and the way I joke around. It’s no big deal. I can tone it
down. Maybe I’m old enough to act more mature, at least at work.”
Irritation Threshold
The people in a working relationship spend a lot of time together.
Sometimes this close contact weakens their relationship because of
something called the irritation threshold. The irritation threshold is the
point at which a person notices something and becomes annoyed. The
action that causes the annoyance can be anything from excessive
complaining (Would you stop whining!) to a personal style (Just once
you should do the job my way!).
What makes the irritation threshold so hard to determine is that it’s
always changing. An action that’s acceptable today can be annoying
tomorrow. There are five factors that affect the irritation threshold:
1. The behavior itself. Some things are just more annoying than
others. Bragging, being negative, and acting like a bully, for
example, can be more irritating than coughing, speaking too loudly,
or acting shy.
2. The frequency of the behavior. How often something happens
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determines how annoying it is. Someone who coughs once in a
while isn’t annoying. Someone who sits beside you on a plane from
New York to San Francisco and coughs for six hours straight can
test your patience.
3. The strength of the behavior. A strong behavior or attitude is more
annoying than a weaker one. If you don’t like the mayor of your
town and say so once after the election, very few people will be
annoyed. If you direct all your conversations so you have a chance
to criticize the mayor, your friends will consider you annoying.
4. How long the behavior lasts. If your favorite team loses the big
game, you might be down for an hour or two. The next day, you
might even talk the game over with your friends and express your
disappointment. This isn’t annoying. If you continue to replay the
big game for six months and remain depressed about it, there’s no
doubt that you’ll annoy people.
5. The attitude of the people around you. People who are in a good
mood are more tolerant of things that might otherwise be annoying.
The irritation threshold is a greater problem in working relationships than
in the family or among friends. Fortunately, you can avoid crossing the
irritation threshold by considering these five simple questions.
Is there an action I do that’s annoying in general?
Is there an action I do too often?
Is there an action I do that involves strong feelings that others
might not share?
Is there an action I do over and over for a long time?
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What is the mood of the people around me?
If you answer these questions honestly and are willing to change your
behavior, you can prevent yourself from crossing the irritation threshold.
Key Points
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Mutual reward theory suggests that relationships will grow as long
as the people involved reinforce one another.
Values are those things, especially ideas, that people believe are
important.
The irritation threshold is the point at which a person notices
something and becomes annoyed.
The supervisory role includes teaching, leading, counseling, and
advocating for employees.
Exercise: Age Differences
How do you think age differences might affect working relationships?
Give three examples of possible age-based conflicts in the workplace. If
you have work experience, try to use examples from your own life. If you
don't have work experience, think about some of the examples provided
in your reading assignment.
For each conflict you listed, write an example of positive self-talk that
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might help avoid or resolve those conflicts.
Exercise Answer Key:
Exercise: Age Differences
Your answers might look different, but below are a few common sources
of conflict between younger and older workers.
Paychecks are a common source of conflict. Due to seniority, older
workers often make more than younger workers, who may find it
unfair that they’re paid less for the same work. On the other hand,
sometimes the minimum wage at a company increases, allowing
younger workers to make as much as older workers, who may be
upset at others making as much money as them without putting in
as much time.
Another source of conflict comes from different levels of
experience. Older workers may feel resentful at having to train
rookies. They may get frustrated when younger workers make what
they think are obvious mistakes, or make the same mistakes
multiple times.
Conflict may arise between younger and older employees when
young workers bring new ideas with them. Older workers may
sometimes feel insecure about changes to the way their job is
done, especially if they’ve done things the same way for many
years.
Other sources of conflict between older and younger workers
include value conflicts, differences in lifestyles, and opposing
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attitudes toward work.
Next are a few examples of using positive self-talk to overcome agebased conflicts. What’s important is that workers use tolerance,
consideration, communication, and flexibility to improve working
relationships.
Here’s an example of positive self-talk for an older worker: “He is
young and inexperienced. I was like that once, and I’m sure he’ll
grow into the job. He has a lot of energy and learns quickly.
Perhaps I can teach him the job and help him mature.”
Here’s an example of positive self-talk for a younger worker: “She
isn’t so bad. She knows the job well and is trying to help me. So
she doesn’t like my music and the way I joke around. It’s no big
deal. I can tone it down. Maybe I’m old enough to act more mature,
at least at work.”
2.4 Define leadership and followership in the workplace
You and Your Supervisors
READING ASSIGNMENT
The most important working relationship you have is with your
supervisor. Your coworkers might be closer to you personally, but your
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supervisor is your guide to a successful career. You should know as
much as you can about the role of supervisors so you can build positive
relationships with them at work.
Characteristics of Supervisors
The main reason a person becomes a supervisor is work-related
knowledge. Supervisors have learned about their own job and the jobs
of their employees through experience. They have gained experience in
their present company or while working for another company.
Supervisors have confidence in their abilities. They believe they can get
the job done and that they can help others work better. They also
believe they have the personnel skills necessary to get the most out of
their employees.
A third characteristic of supervisors is strength of personality.
Supervisors must be strong enough to motivate themselves and other
people. They want to get the job done and are able to overcome
problems when they arise.
Finally, you must remember that supervisors each have a unique style.
They have many similar characteristics, but they’re also very different
from one another. You should keep this in mind so you don’t always
respond to all supervisors in the same way.
The Supervisory Role
Supervisors do much more than check on you once in a while. They
actually play many different roles that affect you and your career. These
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roles greatly affect your relationships with them.
Teacher
First and foremost, supervisors are teachers. They teach you how to do
a job. If you know the job already, they should help you improve your
performance. Supervisors are also expected to teach you new skills
when they become necessary, as the following example shows.
Brandon works for an overnight delivery company. The company has
just started using a new hand-held computer to schedule deliveries. Two
weeks before issuing the computers, Brandon’s supervisor Janice spent
a few days with him. She showed him how to use the computer and how
to solve problems when they arose. She also spent some time
explaining how the computer would make Brandon’s job easier and
would help him serve his customers better.
Leader
In the example about Brandon and Janice, Janice did more than just
explain how to use the computer. She also helped Brandon understand
how it would help him provide better service to his customers. By doing
this, she showed leadership. She strengthened their relationship by
leading him to do a better job and to feel better about his job.
Counselor
At times in the vertical relationship, the employee might need more than
job knowledge. A personal problem might arise that the employee can’t
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handle alone. When this happens, the supervisor may become a
counselor. A counselor is a person who helps someone see a situation
or problem clearly, so they can decide what to do.
Counselors don’t really give advice. Instead, they help people make a
wise decision by providing information to clarify feelings. The following
example shows how Janice helped Brandon by counseling him.
Janice trained Brandon by teaching him how to use the handheld
computer to schedule deliveries. During that time, Brandon asked Janice
if she thought it would be wise for him to take a night school course
about computers. Instead of saying, “Yes,” or “No,” Janice asked
Brandon why he wanted to take the course, if he anticipated any
problems getting to school, and if he was willing to make the
commitment to complete the course once he started. Following the
conversation, Brandon decided that he did indeed want to take the
course. He would work hard to succeed, and he would finish.
This situation makes an important point about the counseling role
supervisors play. They don’t make decisions for people or push them
into something. Janice helped Brandon clarify his thinking. Then, he was
able to make the right choice on his own.
Advocate
Supervisors also act as advocates. An advocate is a person who
supports your efforts and who looks out for your best interests.
Supervisors usually serve as advocates for employees when it’s time for
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a promotion, salary increase, or solution to a job-related problem.
After deciding that he wanted to take the computer course at night,
Brandon learned that it started at 6:00 P.M. This was a problem, because
he didn’t finish work until 5:30, and the school was 45 minutes from his
workplace. He discussed his situation with Janice.
Janice went to her boss, the district manager. She explained the
situation to him and suggested that Brandon could come to work half an
hour early and leave at 5:00. Her boss agreed and Brandon was very
pleased.
The advocacy role of the supervisor is essential to your career.
Supervisors stand between the employee and the upper levels of
management. You communicate with upper management through your
supervisor. If your supervisor is also your advocate, you can be sure the
communication is in your best interest.
Working with Your Supervisor
The roles of the supervisor suggest some things you can do to work well
with your supervisor:
Be a good learner. Because supervisors have considerable
knowledge, you should try to learn as much as you can from them. You
can learn by watching, by listening, and by asking questions.
Remember, if you work at being a good learner, your supervisor will
have an easier time being a good teacher.
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Be a good follower. Leaders need good followers, so you should trust
that your supervisor is moving you in the right direction. Cooperate with
him or her, so you can work together as a team. You’ll find that your
work is more pleasant and that you’re more productive.
Seek counsel when you need it. When you have questions you can’t
answer or problems you can’t solve alone, turn to your supervisor. He or
she can help you organize your thoughts to lead you to the correct
decision.
Depend on your supervisor as an advocate. When it’s time for you to
communicate with upper-level management, go through your supervisor.
Along with demonstrating trust, you’re also avoiding the problem of
going over your supervisor’s head. Bypassing your supervisor and
contacting management directly may cause serious problems.
Understanding Leadership and Followership
In the productive workplace, there are leaders (supervisors) and
followers (employees). Both are necessary, and neither can exist without
the other. To be productive and move up the career ladder, you must
know why leadership is so important and how to be a good follower.
The Need for Supervision
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[Supervisor Providing Direction to
Auto Repair Technicians]
Supervisors help to solve
problems and provide quality
control.
To achieve a goal, you must have direction. Action is necessary, of
course, but if action isn’t aimed in the right direction, it’s wasted.
Supervisors provide the direction that’s necessary to reach goals.
Some employees ask, “Why is a supervisor necessary once I’ve learned
how to do the job?” This is a fair question, and there are several
answers.
Most employees can quickly learn how to do a job if everything is
running smoothly. When a problem arises, however, an employee might
not have the experience necessary to solve the problem. This is where
supervision comes in. Because of their experience and job knowledge,
supervisors can often solve problems before they get out of hand.
Consider the following:
Kim worked for a landscaping company driving a riding lawn mower.
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She had been doing this job for several summers and knew it well. She
began to think that the supervisor of her crew wasn’t necessary.
One day she was driving the mower when it just stopped. The motor
was still running, but she couldn’t get it to move. She didn’t know what
to do, so she called to her supervisor. Kim was afraid she had damaged
the mower. Her supervisor smiled when he came over and told her not
to worry. He explained that the drive belt had broken. Then he shut the
mower off and began teaching her how to replace the belt. That day,
Kim learned two important lessons.
Kim’s supervisor was there when she needed him to solve a problem.
He also showed her how to solve it herself in the future. He had
confidence in her, and by teaching her how to fix the mower, he
prepared her for the day when she would be a supervisor herself.
Supervision is necessary to provide motivation. Jobs, even the very best
ones, can sometimes become boring. Supervisors can lift the spirits of
their employees so they overcome boredom and do the best job they
can.
Kate supervised three employees who cleaned houses. She received
some complaints from her clients about the houses not being cleaned
as well as they had been in the past. Her employees also seemed to be
bored and didn’t work as well as they had when she started the
business.
Kate solved the problem by changing the system so that each employee
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learned a new part of the job each week. She taught them what to do
and worked with them until they learned how to do it. They began to
change cleaning tasks each month. The employees were happier
because they weren’t bored with always doing the same work. Kate’s
clients were also happier because their houses were cleaner.
Supervision is necessary to provide training. Remember the example
concerning Brandon and his supervisor Janice? Janice taught Brandon
how to use a new handheld computer. The computer would make
Brandon’s job easier and help him to provide his clients with better
service. She trained him how to be more productive, which is just what
supervisors should do.
LEADERSHIP
Read the following scenario.
Shanisha runs a home health company. Two of her new employees
constantly call her about how to set up the IV bag in relationship to the
patient.
How do you think a good leader would handle this situation?
Supervision is necessary to guarantee quality control. Quality control
ensures that the goods or services provided to customers are of high
quality. This is one of the most vital parts of any job. Without quality
control, a business can fail and you can lose your job.
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The Acme Brass Company manufactured doorknobs of the highest
quality for many years. Recently, a number of their customers
complained about the knobs becoming discolored after a few months.
The customers weren’t very happy. Fritz and Linda, two supervisors at
the factory, asked their employees if there was a problem. The
employees all said no. Fritz and Linda decided to spend several days
with their employees to see if they could discover the source of the
problem.
After three days, they had found nothing. The employees seemed to be
doing the job correctly and the machines seemed to be operating just
fine. While discussing the problem, Fritz and Linda thought of a
possibility; the brass itself could be the problem. They checked the
stock they were using and found that a new supplier had been giving
them poor quality brass. They contacted the supplier and explained the
situation. He checked it out and found that one of his machines was
working incorrectly. He was able to repair it and give them better brass.
The problem was solved.
This example shows that supervisors, because of their experience, can
often solve quality problems others can’t. They know the job, the
employees, the equipment, and the raw materials. Their knowledge,
plus the help of their employees, will go far in ensuring that the highest
quality products or services are provided to the customers.
Working through your supervisor is the best way to communicate with
management. Employees sometimes feel that “the bosses never listen
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to us.” They often develop a bad attitude, their work suffers, and they
might even quit their jobs or be fired. Good supervisors, however, can
avoid this problem by acting as a channel for employees to
communicate with management.
The employees in the Centerville Auto Supply store were not happy.
The shelves in the store were too close together and they couldn’t move
around easily when they had to get parts. The shelves were also poorly
organized, and it was hard to find parts. Because the employees were
slow in finding the correct parts, customers became angry.
The employees complained to the supervisor, Gary. He couldn’t solve
the problem himself, so he asked the employees for some ideas. Then
he took their ideas to the store owners. They liked some of the ideas
and made the changes the employees suggested. The employees felt
proud that the owners had listened to their suggestions. They also
worked more efficiently, sold more parts, and had happier customers.
A supervisor can maintain good communication between employees
and managers. Good communication, as you know, contributes to
employee satisfaction and productivity. When a supervisor can keep the
channels of communication open between employees and managers,
everyone, including customers, will benefit.
Learning How to Follow
Most people know that being a leader requires effort, training, and
experience. Not many people realize that being a good follower also
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requires effort, training, and experience. Good followers are made, not
born. If you want to succeed in your job—and eventually become a
leader—you must first learn to be a follower.
In learning to be a follower, you must make a commitment to do the best
job you possibly can. You’ll strive to meet your productivity requirements
and achieve your goals. If problems arise, you’ll work to overcome them
rather than just giving up. Doing your best shows your supervisor and
other managers that you accept your role as a team member. When it
comes time for promotion to better jobs, the people who make the
decisions will be more likely to consider you because you’ve shown
loyalty and have worked hard. In fact, doing your best and being a good
follower are necessary steps to becoming a good leader.
When you make a mistake (as everyone does) accept responsibility for
what you’ve done. Learn from the experience and do better next time.
The following example shows how a mistake can become a successful
learning experience.
EJ is a carpenter’s helper. He was given the job of driving nails into
wood trim and filling the holes with putty. He liked the job and worked for
an hour before the carpenter came to examine his work.
The carpenter looked at the work and said that EJ was doing a good
job. He added, though, that EJ had forgotten to sand the covered nail
holes before they dried. This method, he explained, takes a little more
time but makes the job look a lot better.
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EJ admitted that he knew better. He had simply forgotten and would be
more careful during the rest of the job. Then he asked the carpenter
how he could correct what he had done already. The carpenter taught
him how, and EJ caught on quickly. In about 15 minutes, he had sanded
all the trim on which he had worked. Then he continued working, doing
the job right the first time.
When the carpenter noticed the mistake, EJ accepted responsibility. He
admitted his mistake and showed a willingness to correct it. His positive
attitude impressed the carpenter, and a learning experience occurred.
The carpenter was pleased with EJ and would continue to teach him.
Respect yourself and your work. It’s hard to be a good follower if you’re
unhappy with yourself or your work. If you know your capabilities and
limitations and understand your value, you’ll work productively and be
respected for your efforts.
Jill delivers meals to older people who can’t leave the house. The job
isn’t very exciting and doesn’t pay well, but Jill knows how important it is
to the clients. When she delivers the meals, she makes sure they’re hot
and look appealing. She helps the clients set up their table and does a
few small chores before she leaves.
One day, Jill was called into her supervisor’s office. When she got there,
she was surprised to see the town mayor and news reporters. They
presented her with an award and wrote a story about her for the
newspaper. Everyone was proud of the wonderful job Jill was doing.
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In the many years Jill had worked, she never once thought her efforts
would receive recognition. Still, she knew the value of her work and the
happiness it brought to those she served. Much to Jill’s surprise, the
older people and her supervisors were all paying careful attention.
Because of her excellent work, she had earned their respect.
The Productivity Equation
You've already learned so much about human relations, productivity,
being a leader, and being a follower. Now you'll learn how to apply your
knowledge to reach your potential on the job.
In arithmetic, an equation shows when numbers are equal. An arithmetic
equation we all know is that 2 + 2 = 4. There’s another equation that we
all know, which exists in the workplace. It’s called the productivity
equation.
Happy Employees + Good Supervision = Productivity
When employees have a positive attitude and are guided by a good
supervisor, they’re very productive. Moreover, they enjoy their work and
feel that they’re doing their best. They’re productive as individuals, they
work well together as a team, and they reach their goals without wasting
time, materials, or effort. The example below shows a group that’s
extremely productive.
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[Emergency Responders Working
Together]
Advance planning and training
prepares workers to act as a
team.
A car skidded on an icy patch of Main Street and swerved into a tree.
The passengers were seriously injured. Within minutes, the ambulance
team was on the scene. The team leader jumped out of the ambulance
and took a quick look at the situation. While he was looking it over, his
team began unloading their equipment. They moved into action at once,
with the leader shouting orders and the rest of the team carrying them
out precisely.
Because of advance planning, everything they needed was at their
fingertips. Not a step was wasted as the team got the people out of the
car and onto stretchers. Within 15 minutes, the injured people had
received emergency care and were on their way to the hospital.
This ambulance crew is the perfect example of the productive team.
They enjoyed their jobs and knew how important they were. They had
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prepared for their job by having all the tools and equipment they needed
ready. They were productive because they were well trained and worked
well as a team. At the scene of the accident, they followed the team
leader’s directions and went right to work. They achieved their goal and
saved the injured people without any wasted effort.
The example of the ambulance crew points out an additional benefit of
productivity. When you do your job well, many people benefit. It’s not
just ambulance crews or doctors who contribute to society. Everyone
who performs honest work to the best of their ability is directly or
indirectly helping others live a better life. The following example shows
this.
Tom works in a store that sells men’s and women’s clothing. This is his
tenth year at the store. He has always done a good job and tries his
hardest to help his customers find what they want and get a good price.
Even so, Tom sometimes feels disappointed in himself. He feels that his
job is unimportant and that his friends’ jobs are so much better.
One day near Christmas, Bernice came in to buy gifts. Everyone in town
knows Bernice. She’s 85 years old and has been involved in community
affairs for her whole life. She’s one of Tom’s favorite customers. With
Bernice was her son Eric, a famous writer.
When Tom went to wait on Bernice, she stopped him and introduced
him to Eric. Tom was surprised when Eric said, “Mom speaks so well of
you, Tom, and it’s a pleasure to meet you. You’ve helped her pick out
gifts for the whole family for many years and have brought so much joy
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into our lives. I wish everyone could do such a wonderful job.”
The lesson Tom learned is extremely important. Success should be
measured not by what you do, but by how well you do it. All of us are
contributing to the common good, and the better we do our jobs, the
better everyone will enjoy life.
There’s another important idea you should keep in mind. The world has
changed in the last 25 years, and international business competition has
increased. Doing the best job you can is helping to keep our country
strong. If everybody is effective (reaching goals) and efficient (wasting
as little as possible), then our country can produce high-quality goods at
fair prices and remain competitive on the world market.
Think about the different ways that the work you do affects the common
good.
Standing Out in the Crowd
Did you ever get the feeling that nobody notices or cares what you do at
work? This is a feeling that many people have. Believe it or not, they’re
wrong. In almost every job, supervisors, managers, owners, and
customers really do care about you and your work. The problem is that
they can’t always find the time to express their feelings, or they might
not know how.
Communicating with them shouldn’t be much of a problem for you,
because by now, you know about human relations, positive attitudes,
and productivity. But just in case it’s a problem, here are two more
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suggestions to help you “stand out in the crowd” at work.
First, always do your best no matter how those around you are working.
It sometimes happens that a worker does just enough to get by. Other
workers realize that the person gets away with it and decide to try it
themselves. Soon all the workers are being lazy and unproductive. But
as the following example shows, this isn’t the way to be.
Manuel is a “car jockey.” He parks cars at a big hotel near a famous
university campus. This weekend, there’s a football game at the nearby
stadium and the hotel is crowded. One of the other car jockeys, Adam,
decides that he’s not going to hurry to get customers’ cars. He tells the
others, “We still get paid if we work slowly, and these people don’t tip
very much anyway.”
Soon, the other car jockeys are taking more time than is necessary to
get customers’ cars. But not Manuel. He says to himself, “I wouldn’t like
waiting for my car, and I know that other people feel the same way.” He
runs to get every car and always says something nice to the people who
own it.
The other car jockeys notice Manuel is working hard and begin to feel
bad. They also see that Manuel is earning more tips. They’re not the
only ones who notice. The hotel manager sees how well Manuel is
working and sends for him. He thanks Manuel for doing such a fine job
and tells him that many of the customers have praised his work. He
adds that when the supervisor’s job becomes available, he will certainly
consider Manuel.
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Manuel did the right thing by working hard even though others weren’t.
He also showed loyalty to his employer because he put the hotel’s
customers ahead of his coworkers. This is the second way to stand out
in the crowd.
Key Points
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Supervision is necessary to provide motivation and training and to
guarantee quality control.
Quality control ensures that the goods or services provided to
customers are of high quality.
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Because of their experience, supervisors can often solve problems
that others can’t.
Working through your supervisor is the best way to communicate
with upper-level management.
Becoming a good follower requires training and experience.
To become a follower, you must make a commitment to do the best
job you possibly can.
The productivity equation states that happy employees + good
supervision = productivity.
Being a good employee can even help to keep our country strong.
With good employees our country can produce high-quality goods
at fair prices and remain competitive on the world market.
Supervisors care about you and your work even if they don’t take
the time to express their feelings.
To stand out in a crowd, (1) always do your best no matter what
those around you are doing and (2) show loyalty to your employer.
Exercise: Supervisor Characteristics
Think of a leader you've worked with. It can be a supervisor from a past
or current job. It could also be someone acting as a leader in a sport,
club, or any other activity. This could even include a parent or teacher.
Write answers to the following questions:
What was their position?
What was required or expected of them?
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Did that person understand their position?
Did they appear confident?
How did they show strength of personality?
What was their unique style of leadership?
Exercise Answer Key:
Exercise: Supervisor Characteristics
Your answers will be unique to you. Remember, leaders do much more
than check on you once in a while. They actually play many different
roles that affect you and your success, whether it’s a coach affecting the
outcome of the season or a supervisor affecting your career.
Lesson 2 Review
Self-Check
1. Which one of the following is an important ingredient in a
relationship?
a. It will be influenced by its purpose.
b. Strong emotions or feelings are necessary.
c. It must be voluntary.
d. No more than two persons can be involved.
2. A relationship between you and a friend you see every day is a
_______ relationship.
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a. current
b. past
c. professional
d. familial
3. Consideration, flexibility, tolerance, and honest communication
a. can’t turn negative situations into positive situations.
b. are factors determining the irritation threshold.
c. are types of mutual reward theory.
d. can help in overcoming value conflicts among workers.
4. Before becoming romantically involved with a coworker, you should
a. apply for another job at another place.
b. get your boss’s permission first.
c. find out if it would bother your coworkers.
d. carefully consider possible present and future consequences.
5. The chief reason a person becomes a supervisor is his or her
a. unique style.
b. work-related knowledge.
c. confidence.
d. strength of personality.
6. What do supervisors do in their capacity as counselors?
a. They check up on workers while they’re working.
b. They help workers to make good decisions.
c. They tell workers which decisions are best.
d. They teach workers how to do their jobs.
7. Communication in a healthy relationship
a. needs to be positive.
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b. should avoid strong feelings.
c. should be characterized by honesty.
d. doesn’t need to be open.
8. Treating one coworker better than others is called
a. harmony.
b. socializing.
c. favoritism.
d. vertical relationship.
9. Which of the following statements is true of expectations as an
element of relationships?
a. They don’t differ much from one relationship to another.
b. They may be a satisfactory substitute for contact.
c. They must be clearly stated, not simply understood.
d. When realistic, they contribute to a relationship’s success.
10. Saying that relationships need “exercise” to survive means
a. varied expectations will strengthen it.
b. there should be a mix of positive and negative communication.
c. the persons involved must maintain contact with one another.
d. the persons involved must get something out of it.
Self-Check Answer Key
1. It will be influenced by its purpose.
Explanation: A relationship is influenced by its purpose. For
example, a relationship can be personal, social, business related,
based on religious beliefs, or have other purposes.
Reference: Section 2.1
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2. current
Explanation: A current relationship is one that’s active now. You
see the person once in a while and do something together every so
often.
Reference: Section 2.1
3. can help in overcoming value conflicts among workers.
Explanation: Sooner or later, people involved in a working
relationship will experience value conflicts. When this happens,
consideration, flexibility, tolerance, and honest communication can
prevent the conflict from becoming a serious problem. In fact, it can
turn the situation into a positive experience in which mutual respect
develops.
Reference: Section 2.3
4. carefully consider possible present and future consequences.
Explanation: Workplace romances are risky. They can result in a
happy relationship, but they can also come to an unpleasant end.
As a rule, you should approach them with great caution. Think
about the consequences, both current and future, and be especially
sensitive to your coworkers. Perhaps the best way to consider a
workplace romance is to ask yourself this question: “Is my job worth
it?” There are times when workplace romances result in one or both
people either leaving the job or moving to another position. You
must decide if you’re willing to pay this price.
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Reference: Section 2.3
5. work-related knowledge.
Explanation: The main reason a person becomes a supervisor is
work-related knowledge. Supervisors have learned about their own
job and the jobs of their employees through experience. They have
gained experience in their present company or while working for
another company.
Reference: Section 2.4
6. They help workers to make good decisions.
Explanation: At times in the vertical relationship, the employee
might need more than job knowledge. A personal problem might
arise that the employee can’t handle alone. When this happens, the
supervisor may become a counselor. A counselor is a person who
helps someone see a situation or problem clearly, so they can
decide what to do. Counselors don’t really give advice. Instead,
they help people make a wise decision by providing information to
clarify feelings.
Reference: Section 2.4
7. should be characterized by honesty.
Explanation: Open communication is important to a relationship.
You should communicate clearly and honestly with all people
involved. The communication needn’t always be positive, but it
should be honest. If someone hurts your feelings, it’s much better
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to let him or her know than to pretend that everything is just fine.
Reference: Section 2.1
8. favoritism.
Explanation: Avoid favoring one or a few coworkers at the expense
of others. It’s natural for you to prefer certain people over others in
social situations, but at work, there just isn’t room for favoritism.
When you pay too much attention to just one person, you might
treat that person better than your other coworkers. You might come
to depend on the person too much and lower everyone’s
productivity.
Reference: Section 2.2
9. When realistic, they contribute to a relationship’s success.
Explanation: Expectations are also part of relationships. The people
in a relationship expect certain things of one another. These
expectations vary widely from relationship to relationship. Some
people might expect a deep emotional bond. For others, a casual
activity, such as jogging together at a pace you both enjoy, is
enough. When people’s expectations are met by their behavior
toward one another, relationships grow.
Reference: Section 2.1
10. the persons involved must maintain contact with one another.
Explanation: Relationships need “exercise” to survive. They get it
when people have contact with one another. Ideally, people in a
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relationship will have time to spend together. If they don’t, calling or
texting and writing emails will often help. The important thing is that
they strengthen their relationship through quality time together.
Reference: Section 2.1
Flash Cards
1. Term: Current Relationship
Definition: A relationship that’s active now, in which you see the person
once in a while and do something together every so often
2. Term: Past Relationship
Definition: A relationship you used to have, but for some reason you no
longer have contact with that person
3. Term: Social Relationship
Definition: A relationship you have with friends
4. Term: Family Relationship
Definition: A relationship between people who are related to one
another
5. Term: Working Relationship
Definition: A relationship between people who work together
6. Term: Quality Time
Definition: Time that’s meaningful, productive, or simply relaxing
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7. Term: Expectations
Definition: The things people expect of one another
8. Term: Positive Reinforcement
Definition: A reward
9. Term: Negative Reinforcement
Definition: A bad experience or punishment
10. Term: Vertical Relationship
Definition: A relationship that exists between people with unequal
status
11. Term: Horizontal Relationship
Definition: A relationship between equals or near equals
12. Term: Harmony
Definition: Mutual respect for each other
13. Term: Mutual Reward Theory
Definition: The theory that relationships will grow as long as the people
involved reinforce one another
14. Term: Values
Definition: Those things, especially ideas, that people believe are
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important
15. Term: Irritation Threshold
Definition: The point at which a person notices something and becomes
annoyed
16. Term: Counselor
Definition: A person who helps you see a situation or problem clearly
so you can decide what to do
17. Term: Advocate
Definition: A person who supports your efforts and who looks out for
your best interests
18. Term: Leadership
Definition: Guidance from leaders and supervisors
19. Term: Followership
Definition: Commitment from followers to do the best job they possibly
can
20. Term: Productivity Equation
Definition: Happy Employees + Good Supervision = Productivity
21. Term: Relationship
Definition: The way that two or more people are connected
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Exercise
1. Review Exercise: Irritation Threshold
List two actions that other people do that annoy you. Then list
any behaviors you have that might annoy others.
Exercise Answer Key:
Review Exercise: Irritation Threshold
Your answers to this exercise will be personal, but the purpose of this
exercise is to recognize any irritation thresholds you may have. While
you may be annoyed by a coworker's behaviors, that coworker could
also be annoyed by one of your behaviors. Learning to cope with and
ignore behaviors that could weaken your relationships is one of the skills
you need to have good human relations.
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