Democracy. We hear about it in our governmental systems and we learn about it in history class, but now it is time to incorporate those lessons into our daily lives at work with organizations. Ms. Murray was gracious enough to allow the class some input on what the class wanted more or less of, what we thought was most interesting, what we disliked, etc. We learned about what work place democracy is, “the principles and practices designed to engage and represent as many relevant individuals and groups as possible in the formulation, execution, and modification of work-related activities.” So, really the point of a democracy is not only to vote on ideas, but for the boss (Ms. Murray), to actually listen, implement, and incorporate those ideas into the system. Some students took ownership of this privilege while others stayed silent. The amount that we decide to participate in the democracy of an organization ultimately may decide whether or not we are fully happy with the organization we are involved with. Why did you give your input? Why did you not give any input? Fear of speaking up, or maybe you just do not believe your ideas will really make a difference?
Participation is key when it comes to working in an organization. Well, some may disagree, but why? When we graduate and (hopefully) obtain a job we enjoy, we will be paid to perform tasks and duties throughout the day. If we perform these tasks, it is okay to head home and end your day, right? Now imagine the other employee who does the exact same job but also gets involved, participates in extra social events with other employees, creates new ideas and networks his way with other levels in the organization. That second employee, the employee who participates is more likely to enjoy that 10% raise, a promotion, or simply a more enjoyable work environment. Employee participation means that you would, “exceed minimum coordination efforts normally expected at work”. Also, for the sake of your organization the extra participation means increased productivity, job enrichment, job satisfaction, a greater sense of organizational democracy, and a more equitable society. So, would you change your mind about the amount of effort you put in to participate in the organization you work for?
We also discussed teams versus groups. The difference is that a team is committed to a common purpose while a group may only have something temporarily in common. Usually in a class or an organization, we hear the words, “get into groups”, and probably have a small panic attack, or at least I do. The mix of personalities and interests are usually so different that it may be difficult to finish a task. This was evident when we broke up into two groups and were randomly assigned a certain “role” within the team. The goal was to create a newsletter for our company and when it came down to it, one group was very unsuccessful because there were too many people that would either take control, or do the opposite and be apathetic to the situation. A main point that was made is that the facilitator needs to be a strong leader because of the many conflicting personalities. We found that the most productive situation is when the facilitator can take control and work with all different personalities. Who found it hard to play their role because it was so different than their own personalities? What did you notice was different about others when you took on the different role? Did others respond positively or negatively toward your behavior?
-Lauren N. Brown
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