Organizational Communication

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last updated 10/24/2007

Change in Organizations

 

Reactions to Organizational Change (adapted from T. Covin and R. Kilman (1990)  Participant perceptions of positive and negative influences on large-scale change.  Group and Organizational Studies, 15, 223-248.)

  1. Inadequate management support  (Who "owns" the change?)

  2. Top management "forces" change

  3. Inconsistent action in implementation

  4. Unrealistic expectations for the outcomes of change

  5. Lack of general member participation

  6. Poor communication related to change (esp. goals and context setting) -- Uncertainty!

  7. Lack of clear responsibility for managing the change

 

Leadership and Change

  • Traits (leaders are born)

  • Styles (preferred behaviors, e.g. Blake's grid)

  • Contingency (situation approaches will vary)

  • Transformational leadership

    • transactional leadership - an exchange with the followers  versus

    • transformational leadership - exemplification (e.g. Ghandi)

 

Communication and Leadership (Fairhurst and Sarr)  How leaders "frame" their interactions with followers.

Tools:

  1. Metaphors - "We're a blended family."

  2. Jargon/catch phrases - "think outside the box."

  3. Contrast - "Innovate or die"

  4. Spin - "This new meat plant will save a dying town." ["Over" weigh favorable vs unfavorable views]

  5. Stories - "When I started graduate school, coming from Monmouth,  I thought..."
     

last updated 10/24/2007