POSITIVE ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL

Chapter # 7

Chapter Contents

oWhat is Positive Organizational BehavioroPositive PsychologyoSelf-Efficacy/ Confidence ( Theoretical Background And Meaning)oProcess And Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Some SourcesoSelf-Efficacy Implications in the Workplace And POB oOptimism And Its DimensionsoOptimism in WorkplaceoHopeoResiliencyoPsychological Capital ( PSYCAP ) oOther Positive ConstructsoEmotional Intelligence oEI Roles and EI Types

Positive Organizational Behavior

“The study and application of positive oriented human resource strengths and capacities that can be measured , developed and effectively managed for performance improvement in today’s workplace .”

Based on theory and research Valid measures State like and thus open to development Managed for performance improvement

Positive Psychology

The aim of positive psychological is to use scientific methodology to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals, groups, organizations, communities to thrive. It is concerned with optimal human functioning instead of pathological human functioning.

Valued subjective experience Positive individual traits Civic virtues and the instruction

Work Performance from Psychological Capital ( Psycap)

Effective Positive Intensions

Open to one control and Development

HealthPhysicalMental

RelationshipSocial networkFriends/Life partner

The H-R-W Model ( The interaction of health, relationship and work)

Self-Efficacy/ Confidence

In POB we tend to use the term self-efficacy interchangeably with confidence.

“Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s conviction (or confidence) about his or her abilities to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources and courses of action needed to successfully execute a specific task and context.”

Specific versus General Self-Efficacy Differs from Established O.B concepts

The Process and Impact of Self-Efficacy

The self-efficacy process affects human functioning not only directly, but has an indirect impact on other determinants as well. Directly, the self-efficacy process starts before individuals select their choices and initiate their effort. First, people tend to weigh, evaluate, and integrate information about their perceived capabilities.

Choice behaviorsMotivational effort PerseveranceFacilitative thought patterns Vulnerability to stress

Sources of EfficacyIn order of importance, the following briefly summarizes the major sources of information for self-efficacy:

Mastery Experiences orPerformance Attainments

Vicarious Experiencesor Modeling

Social Persuasion

Physiological andPsychological Arousal

SELF-EFFICACY

Implications for Efficacy in the Workplace and POB

Self-efficacy theory was first used over 30 years ago as a clinical framework “for analyzing changes achieved in fearful and avoidant behavior.” However, the scope of efficacy quickly broadened beyond this domain of clinical behavior change to be successfully applied in areas such as:

oThe promotion of health and recovery from physical setbacks, oThe control of eating, oResistance to addictive substances, oEducational achievement, oAthletic performance, and importantly, For the study and application of organizational behavior and performance in work settings.

OPTIMISM And Dimensions of Optimism

Optimism is a major construct in positive psychology and has long been recognized by both psychologists and people in general. The positive impact of optimism on physical and psychological health and the attendant characteristics of perseverance, achievement, and motivation leading to academic, athletic, political, and occupational success are well documented. By the same token, pessimism is known to lead to passivity, failure, social estrangement, and, in its extreme, depression and mortality.

Dimensions of Optimism

Optimism as Human Nature Optimism as an Individual Difference

Optimism in Workplace

As discussed, there is no question that optimism is both motivated and motivating; has the desirable characteristics of perseverance, achievement, and health; makes external, unstable, and specific attributions of personal bad events; and is linked with positive outcomes such as occupational success.

The Downside of Optimism Seligman’s Met Life Studies

HOPE

oMost people think of hope in terms of “hope for the best,” a bit of sunny, optimistic advice offered by friends, relatives, and counselors in times of trouble.

oIn positive psychology, however, hope has taken on a specific meaning. oIn human resource management, hope may play an important role in selection, especially for certain types of jobs and because it is learned and state like (can change) rather than a stable trait, it can be enhanced by training and development to improve on-the-job performance and retention of valuable employees.

Resiliency

o“…a particular pattern of attitudes and skills that helps you to be resilient by surviving and thriving under stress.”

oAs a component of positive organizational behavior, resiliency is viewed “as the capacity to rebound or bounce back from adversity, conflict, failure or even positive events, progress and increased responsibility.

Psychological Capital ( PSYCAP )

This PsyCap goes beyond economic (what you have, physical and financial assets), social (who you know, network of friends), and human capital (knowledge, skills, abilities, experience)

PsyCap DevelopmentBackground and Research on PsyCap

Experiencingsuccess/Modelingothers

Persuasion andarousal

Developmental dimensions Distal outcomes

Proximal outcomes(Psychological

Capital)

Goals andpathways design

Implementingobstacle planning

Building efficacy/Confidence

Developingpositive expectancy

Buildingassets/Avoid risks

Affecting theinfluence process

Hope

Realisticoptimism

Efficacy/Confidence

Resiliency

Sustainableveritableperformanceimpact

Other Positive Constructs

Although self-efficacy/confidence, optimism, hope, and resiliency have been determined to best meet the criteria established for inclusion in POB and PsyCap, as indicated, there are a number of other positive capacities that have potential for also being included.

•The two positive would be happiness/subjective well-being (SWB) and emotional intelligence (EI).

Other Positive Construct cont’dHappiness or Subjective Well-Being (SWB)

The term subjective well-being, or simply SWB, instead of happiness. In practice, subjective well-being is a more scientific-sounding term for what people usually mean by happiness.”

A person who has a high level of satisfaction with their life, and who experiences a greater positive affect and little or less negative affect, would be deemed to have a high level of SWB [or in simpler terms, be very happy].

Subjective Well Being in Work

SWB leads to desired outcomes beyond just job satisfaction in the workplace. Not only have happy employees been found to be more effective and productive, “on average, happy workers make more money, receive more promotions”.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a newly emerging positive approach to organization Behavior.

It consist of two psychological dimension: Emotion and Intelligence.

Positive Emotion: •Love, Affection, Happiness, Surprise

Negative Emotions:•Fear, Sadness, Anger, Disgusted, Shame..

Intelligence:•It is measurable as abilities and skills.•A strength that the person defaulted to when challenged to be creative or solve problem by applying knowledge and skills positively.

EI Roles and EI Types

Emotions are reactions to an object, not a trait. They’re object specific. You show your emotions when you’re “happy about something, angry at someone, afraid of something.”

Moods, on the other hand, aren’t directed at an object. Emotions can turn into moods when you lose focus on the contextual object.

Types of EmotionsLike the meaning of emotion, there is also not total agreement on the primary types ofemotions. Shown in Table:

The Role of IntelligenceIntelligence has played a major role in psychology but a very minor role in organizational behavior.

Nature versus Nurture IntelligenceRecognition of Multiple IntelligencesIntelligence Vs Cognitive Mental Ability

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

Cognitive Abilities Related to Job Performance

Emotional Intelligence

As a point of departure for the important role that emotions have played in psychology over the years and Gardner’s recognition of multiple intelligences has been the recent academic interest and popular appeal of emotional intelligence.

Goleman’s Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

The End