Communication In Organizational Setting Essay, Research Paper

Nicholas Thomas

Prof. Bloom

Comm. In Org. Setting

One particular thing forms the foundation of all our work, is the glue that holds our efforts together, and is a necessary ingredient for our success. That one thing is trust. The role of trust is fairly easy to describe, and its contribution toward an organizations? efforts can be easy to identify. Yet, trust remains one of the more elusive elements of organizational management.

Therefore, change within an organization has to be fueled by trust. For some people change means uncertainty and skepticism. According to Richmond and McCroskey, ?People resist change for numerous reasons. Probably the most significant reason people resist change is that they are fearful that their position or status in the organization might change ? for the worse?The possibility of making things significantly better is not worth the risk of making them significantly worse.?

For others, change can be looked upon as influential and beneficial. These people are classified as ?bridges.? ?A bridge is an individual who links two or more cliques in a system from his or her position as a member of one of the cliques.? Bridges play a vital part in incorporating change within an organization because of their communication connections and influence within their primary circle. ?This is an individual who should be sought out to assist with introducing a change or diffusion of an innovation. If a bridge can be influenced to accept a change, then he or she might persuade the primary group and possibly influence other groups in a positive manner about change.?

When there is a need for effective change; concurrently, there is a need for effective leadership. As stated in Take It From The Top, ?Never is leadership more sought after than in times of change and uncertainty. Effective change leadership is the key to shifting people?s perceptions from seeing change as a threat to seeing it is an exciting challenge.?

Likewise, Garrett Cuneo started as executive vice president for American Chiropractic Association (ACA) with an exciting challenge of solving its problems. From the very first board meeting, Cuneo made a strong impression displaying his leadership abilities. ?At my first board meeting, the outgoing EVP did not sit at the same table with the board members,? says Cuneo, ?My impression was that, other than answering a question or two, he sat in the back???

Unlike the outgoing EVP, Cuneo seized every opportunity to implement his skills. Immediately after that meeting Cuneo made it clear that arrangement would prove to be counterproductive. ?A ?seating change was made,? says Cuneo, noting that the gesture created a whole new atmosphere. I?ve been able to offer my opinions, and the interchanges of differing perspectives are much more open and conductive to generating new ideas.?? (Making Correct Change) Strengthening relationships between the board and the staff is a critical function for many association executives. Other than the chief staff executive, staffs often have infrequent interaction with board members. Board members and staff need to know each other as individuals. They need an understanding of their respective work styles and strengths and weaknesses. And they need agreement on how they will work effectively with each other. ??This distinction of roles has led to a big attitude change?, explains Cuneo, in that ?obviously the board needs to tell us what it wants done, but they are now coming to us for our expertise and feedback rather than saying, ?Just do it.??

Cuneo displayed the essential characteristic that Hooper and Potter address in Take It From The Top, ??the ability of the leader to unlock the potential of their people.? Moreover, Hooper and Potter point to seven leadership competencies as their tool of measurement, which are: ?setting direction; setting an example; effective communication; creating emotional alignment; bringing the best out of people; the leader as a change agent; and making decision in crisis or uncertainty.?

Like Hooper and Potter, Cuneo approaches his task with ACA using four steps. These steps consist of: clearly identifying the problem and putting together a business plan to implement solutions; conducting an unemotional analysis of the skill sets needed to staff organization successfully; hiring the right people; and increasing productivity by empowering staff, allowing an element of risk, and making sure you?re working on the right task. Although the numbers of steps do not match those of Hooper & Potter, the ideas and intentions all coincide with one another.

Like the respective leadership styles Cuneo and Hooper & Potter express, their responses of properly implementing such coincide with one another as well. ACA witnessed great change when Cuneo focused on making the organization easier to manage by developing services most important to members by creating additional positions. ?By creating vice president positions in this and other areas, we gained both professional expertise and coordination of departmental activities so fewer people report directly to me,? exclaimed Cuneo. Not only did Cuneo instill an easier management technique, but he was refreshed with his employees? performances; in addition, he conquered one of Hooper & Potter stages on releasing people?s potential. ??The most rewarding aspect of leading an organization through change is seeing the dawning understanding of everyone involved in the process.?

Despite the many comparing characteristics and styles discussed in Take It From the Top and Making Correct Change, the two articles still have certain aspects of leadership and organizational behavior that contrast one another.

Garrett Cuneo is the lone savior of ACA. He has successfully implemented tremendous change throughout the organization. Many have brought into his system and grasped his style. However, they are still those individuals who view change as incompetence. Cuneo expresses that those who support his philosophy will have a wonderful career, whereas others who do not support will be less off. ??Those who subscribe to my philosophy ? sleeves-up participation, new ideas, and taking risk and responsibility ? have a greater time here. Others sometimes feel uncomfortable enough to leave.?

Whether those who leave are truly inspired by discomfort or not is debatable; however, Hooper & Potter believe it may be more a matter of the leader inefficacious of getting the people to feel that their contribution is both worthwhile and valued. As stated in Take It From the Top, ?In too many organizations people are underperforming simply because their leaders have not taken the trouble to identify there potential and then encourage it.? Almost to say that Cuneo was not aware or susceptible to the perception of those who didn?t quite grasp his philosophy. Rather than having an attitude of ?if you don?t get it ?it?s your fault,? Cuneo probably should have displayed a more impressionable disposition. Meanwhile, Hooper & Potter go on to state: ?Good leaders adopt flexibility to the rate of change, matching it to the capabilities of their people so that, ideally, they are able to take the transformation in their stride. This skill is the mark of a proficient leader, and it requires sensitivity.?

Furthermore, Hooper & Potter list self-pacing as their final characteristic of ideal leadership. They go on to illustrate the difficulty of coping with uncertainty and instituting change along with the exhausting toll the entire process takes upon an individual or group. ?It is one of the reasons why the average age of chief executives on appointment has dropped from early fifties to early forties within a decade.? Of the many ideas and innovations Garret Cuneo implemented at ACA, the article did not mention any type of method or technique used by him or the organization in terms of pacing changing on a individual or collective basis. The importance of living a discipline life means controlling the pressure of time rather than time controlling the pressures of life.

This proves to be extremely significant in the business world and society in general. ACA is very reluctant and fortunate to have a Garett Cuneo at helm of their leadership throne. The key, however, in making a successful change is not how well you do the first time but, more importantly, making sure there is not a second, third and so forth. Having the luxury to claim the services Cuneo is a gem in itself; yet, burning him out and not having another replacement to perform of equal or greater effectiveness can prove to be highly detrimental.

In conclusion, ?there is no reason for change to be a feared concept in organizations. The primary reason changes fail is that someone failed to plan and communicate the plan in an appropriate manner.? An organization is as good as its personnel. The ability of each member to work and establish a collective effort will only enhance the organization as a whole. That effort has one main ingredient. One particular thing that forms the foundation of all achievement; that which is the glue that holds all efforts together; and that which is undoubtedly necessary for all success. That one thing is trust. The role of trust is fairly easy to describe, and its contribution toward organizations? efforts can be easy to identify.

Yet, trust remains one of the more elusive elements of organizational management.