How communication and organizations relate together–A constituitive view

Communication is not just an important aspect of organizational life—communication is organizational life.  An organization is a group of people coordinating their activities.  How do they coordinate?  Through communication.  So communication isn’t just important as a conduit of information, but as a process that defines an organization.  Let me give you an example: think about [...]

How Important Are Ethics in Your Workplace

As I’ve posted before, business ethics is not about finding the right training program—the executives at Enron had all completed ethics training.  It’s about setting up a performance review system that values ethics.  How important is ethics where you work?  What does your organization do to promote ethical decision-making?

Be Careful What You Watch

I’m in the process of analyzing data right now that looks at TV viewing and workplace attitudes.  Part of that project is looking specifically at The Office.  We are finding that identifying with The Office leads to increases in negative workplace behaviors and increases in cynicism.  There were slight effects of just watching the show, [...]

Trust and the Ability to Say “No”

This great post at All Things Workplace presents a wonderful connection between trust and the willingness to disagree.  We trust those people that are willing to disagree with us—an important lesson for all of us to hear.

What People Want When They Dissent

In a research project that I am completing right now, I am looking at the goals that an employee has for a dissent conversation.  One of the things that is emerging from that study, the two most common goals that participants are getting advice and obtaining more information.  Let me repeat that.  When people express [...]

Office Friendships–How close is too close?

In one of the classes that I taught last semester, we discussed workplace friendships.  I am referring to the closer connections, rather than the coworker acquaintanceships that are often a part of jobs or the romantic relationships that are often discouraged in workplaces.  Is it ok to be close friends at work?  Several places in [...]

Speaking up for the Group

One thing that interests me about coalitions is the art of choosing a spokesperson.  I think there are different ideas about who speaks for the group.  If the coalition is organized around a charismatic leader, that person often speaks for the group because he or she may best reflect the coalitions’ values.  But I would [...]

Using Coalitions to be Heard

Strength in numbers is more than just a cliché.  Coalitions involve recruiting people and convincing them to mobilize their resources to support your cause.  In terms of recruiting, you can rally people around common values or convince them that the cause in their best interest.  Either way they will support the cause only until the [...]

How to Make a Good PowerPoint Presentation

Ever suffered through a PowerPoint presentation that almost made you question the will to live?  Many people think they have to use PowerPoint in order to be taken seriously (a myth), and too often, these people make simple bullet points out of what they have to say and then spend far too much time finding [...]

Cynicism and Negative Responses

Cynicism is something that you have to fight.  I’m working on a research project right now with another professor, and we have found strong effects between cynical attitudes and how you respond to difficult circumstances in your workplace.  People who are more cynical report that they are more likely to quit their jobs, neglect their [...]