Decoding the Workplace: 50 Keys to Understanding People in Organizations

by John Ballard Ph.D.

Overview

There are many key questions about work that most individuals never consider. How can workplace norms affect our careers in powerful ways? How do sex-role stereotypes impact our behaviors? When are "teams" not teams? How does organizational culture profoundly affect your workplace? What questions should you ask yourself about your boss? What factors most affect job satisfaction and success?

Decoding the Workplace: 50 Keys to Understanding People in Organizations is a must-read for anyone wanting to better understand the workplace and become more effective and successful. Written by a former management consultant to the U.S. Air Force and a professor and organizational behavior scholar, this definitive work explains many of the dynamics at play in our organizations. Beyond being informative, insightful, and beneficial to any employee, regardless of job status or experience, it is highly readable, entertaining, and thought-provoking.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440838279
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/12/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	568 KB

About the Author

John Ballard, PhD, is emeritus professor of management at Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Part I First Thoughts 1

Chapter 1 Using Keys to Decode the Workplace 3

Chapter 2 Systems: Everything Is Connected 9

Part II Individual Differences 19

Chapter 3 Perception: Don't Assume That Others See the Workplace as You Do 21

Chapter 4 Motivation: It's Not All about Money 31

Part III Groups 43

Chapter 5 Norms: Beware the Unwritten Rules of the Workplace 45

Chapter 6 Roles: There Is More to a Job Than the Job Description 55

Chapter 7 Organizational Socialization: New Employees Act Differently Than Current Employees 63

Part IV Organization 77

Chapter 8 Groups, Teams, and Organization Structure: When Your Team Should Not Be a Team 79

Chapter 9 Organizational Culture: As Fish Are to Water, People Are to Culture-Unaware 89

Part V Influence 101

Chapter 10 Leaders and Managers: Followers Make Leaders 103

Chapter 11 Power and Influence: Do Favors, Be an Expert, and Understand Perceptions 115

Chapter 12 More about Power and Influence: Choose Activities Carefully and Build 360-Degree Relationships 127

Part VI Outcomes 137

Chapter 13 Job Satisfaction, Conflict, and Stress: What's Good, What's Not, What's Hidden 139

Chapter 14 Meaning: What Is Important to Me Might Not Be Important to You-Making Sense of Our Lives and the Workplace 151

Decoding the Workplace: Concluding Thoughts 163

Acknowledgments 167

Notes 169

Index 179

What People are Saying About This

Jesse Lyn Stoner

“Decoding the Workplace is grounded in solid management and illuminated by interesting stories. If you are new to the workplace or wondering why your career has stalled, it might be because you are missing the signals John Ballard describes. Doing a good job is important, but your ability to advance will depend on your ability to decode the often subtle aspects of organizational life. A great read, with practical applications that will help you navigate the workplace.”

David Burkus

"The organization shapes our behavior and leadership in ways we might not even know. Fortunately, John Ballard can help us shape our organizations. Decoding the Workplace is a practical, but evidence-based, guide to understanding and leading people you work with."

Gregg Popovich

"John Ballard breaks down the workplace into its parts and then shows how the parts work. His fundamental approach is insightful and should help anyone improve his or her 'people IQ.' "

Teri G. Fontenot

“This is a must-read for people entering the workplace and is an insightful, comprehensive yet succinct reminder for those who are moving through their careers. Decoding the Workplace provides useful advice on thriving in the workplace using real-life examples supported by research and theories.”

Stanley Krippner

"Decoding the Workplace is a practical, no-nonsense guide that could not be more timely. It could help anyone better navigate the workplace. Easy to follow, the narrative is sprinkled liberally with real-life examples illustrating situations in which people find themselves while at work. This is a unique book that touches bases that similar books seem to ignore."

Editorial Reviews

Sound advice for interacting with others at work. Ballard covers a lot of territory, addressing such issues as the differences between people, working in groups, organizational structure and culture, how leaders gain power and influence, job satisfaction, and the meaning of work. . . . [S]ome of his observations . . . are sure to be eye-opening, particularly for younger workers . . . sure to be helpful to managers and lower-level workers alike. Astute and keenly observed business advice, yet down-to-earth in its use of real-world workplace examples and everyday language.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[A] thoroughly 'user friendly' career development instructional guide. . . . Simply stated, Decoding the Workplace should be a part of ever MBA program as a curriculum supplement and would prove to be of practical and valuable instruction for anyone seeking to advance their career in a highly competitive corporate environment. Very strongly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business Management and Jobs/Careers reference collections.” —Wisconsin Bookwatch

“Decoding the Workplace: 50 Keys to Understanding People in Organizations is as informed and informative a read as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. . . . An absolute 'must' for community, corporate, and academic library Business Management Studies collections, Decoding the Workplace should be considered critically important reading for anyone working in a corporate environment.” —Midwest Book Review

“For most books discussing current workplace issues, 3 yearsmight mean that a book is dated. But this is not the case with Decoding the Workplace . . . Is this a must-have for managers and would-be managers? Yes.” —Academy of Management Learning & Education

From the Publisher

2015-11-18
Sound advice for interacting with others at work. This debut has all the elements of a useful business book: lots of examples, authoritative advice, highlighted "keys" explaining main concepts, and short, easy-to-read chapters. Ballard covers a lot of territory, addressing such issues as the differences between people, working in groups, organizational structure and culture, how leaders gain power and influence, job satisfaction, and the meaning of work. Although some of his observations might be unsurprising to those experienced with workplace interactions, others are sure to be eye-opening, particularly for younger workers. For example, the author's discussion of how one can be more successful at making decisions by adopting a "systems perspective" contains a valuable lesson: "Thinking of organizations as being systems…can be a strength," Ballard writes. "Too often people see their parts of the organization as fiefdoms or silos separated from the rest of the organization." Just as important are the numerous messages about how perception becomes reality; Ballard suggests that one's perceptions of one's performance are more important than the actual performance itself, as are the impressions one creates. The author shares deep insight into the culture of organizations and dramatizes the impact of the culture on the worker: "Differences between what an organization preaches and what it does could reveal the real core of an organization's culture," he asserts. He's also acutely aware of how personal interactions relate to the quality of one's work: "Even if you are not a manager, your effectiveness can be affected very strongly by your relationships with others." This is the kind of high-level perspective that only a former management consultant and current professor of management could share, and it's sure to be helpful to managers and lower-level workers alike. Astute and keenly observed business advice, yet down-to-earth in its use of real-world workplace examples and everyday language.

Kirkus Reviews