Leadership: organisational behaviour

"Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing." (Warren Bennis, Ph.D. On Becoming a Leader)

Organisational behaviour is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organisations.

This is done by taking a system approach, that is interpreting people-organisation relationships in terms of the whole person, group, organisation, and social system. The aim is to build better relationships by achieving human, organisational and social objectives.

Elements of organisational behaviour

The organisation's base rests on management's philosophy, values, vision and goals. This in turn drives the organisational culture which is composed of the formal and informal organisation, and the social environment. Culture determines the type of leadership communication and group dynamics.

The workers perceive this as the quality of work life which directs their degree of motivation. The final outcomes are performance, individual satisfaction, personal growth and development. All these elements combine to build the model or framework that the organisation operates from.

Models of organisational behaviour

There are four major models or frameworks that organisations operate from:

¤ Autocratic. The basis of this model is power with a managerial orientation of authority. Employees are oriented towards obedience and dependence on the boss.

¤ Custodial. The basis of this model is economic resources with a managerial orientation of money. The employees are oriented towards security, benefits and dependence on the organisation. Employee needs are met in security. The performance result is passive co-operation.

¤ Supportive. The basis of this model is leadership with a managerial orientation of support. The employees are oriented towards job performance and participation. The employee needs that are met are status and recognition. The performance result is awakened drives.

¤ Collegial. The basis of this model is partnership with a managerial orientation of teamwork. Employees are oriented towards responsible behaviour and self-discipline. The employee need that is met is self-actualisation. The perforrnance result is moderate enthusiasm.

The first model has its roots in the industrial revolution. The managers of this type of organisation operate out of McGregor's Theory X. The next three models begin to build on McGregor's Theory Y. They have each evolved over a period of time and there is no one "best" model. The collegial model should not be thought of as the last or best model, but the beginning of a new model or paradigm.

Quality of work life

Quality of Work Life (QWL) is the favourableness or unfavourableness of the job environment. Its purpose is to develop jobs and working conditions that are excellent for both employees and the organisation. One of the ways of accomplishing QWL is achieved through job design. Some of the options available for improving job design are:

¤ Leave the job as is but employ only people who like the rigid environment or routine work. Some people do enjoy the security and task support of these kinds of jobs.

¤ Leave the job as is, but pay the employees more.

¤ Mechanise and automate routine jobs. Let robots handle it.

¤ And the area that OD loves - redesign the job.

When redesigning jobs there are two spectrums to follow, job enlargement and job enrichment. Job enlargement adds a variety of tasks and duties to the job so that it is not as monotonous. This takes in the breadth of the job, that is, the number of different tasks that an employee performs. This can also be accomplished by job rotation.

Job enrichment, on the other hand, adds additional motivators. It adds depth to the job, more control, responsibility, and discretion to how the job is performed. This gives higher order needs to the employee, as opposed to job enlargement which simply gives more variety.

Mr Farrugia, M.I.M., MInst CM (Dip.) UK., Dip. Mgt., Dip. Trib. Eccl. Melit., is the executive secretary of the Mtarfa council.