B102 Organisational Behaviour

Believe in Yourself

OB02
6th Presentation
 Learning Outcomes

• Identify components of attitude and resulting

influence on behaviour.

• Examine the impact of self-concept on work

attitude and performance.

• Explain strategies to boost self-efficacy as a means

to modify negative self-concept.

• Explain the impact of personal values on behaviour.

 Reason for this Problem
Working with People to Get Things Done

Managing Individuals - Job Performance, Satisfaction & Involvement

Job Fit Job Attitude

Personality Self-concept
Ability Values

Immediate Benefit: For the Workplace:

• The first step to success is believing in Enables you to :-

yourself. Having the confidence that
you can do it. The next is taking
responsibility for it.
• Why do we need to believe in
ourselves? We need find our own
way to survive and prosper, turning
challenge into opportunity.
• Understand why people might have
different outlook towards work &
behave differently.
• Help people improve work
performance that might be limited by
their self-concepts.
 Problem Analysis
Self-esteem - extent to which you respect,
like and are satisfied with yourself
• high self-esteem

Self efficacy - belief about chances of

successfully accomplishing a specific task
• high in soccer
Ken • low for work

Current Behaviour Reason Hope to Achieve

• has low aspirations attitude towards self
• Improve Ken’s
• not committed to work
• I’m just not a creative or self-efficacy for
• avoids challenging tasks
analytical person work
• gets easily discouraged
• I hate myself when I keep • Correct his beliefs
• blames luck for setback
failing despite trying about himself 
• never contributes ideas
• I want to avoid this pain positive attitude
towards himself 
typical of someone with
productive team
low self-efficacy
behaviour
 What is Attitude?
Cognitive Process

Attitude: Things you believe

relatively stable cluster of Beliefs about the object,
whether true or false
beliefs, feelings, intentions
towards a specific object
(e.g. self, people, things, General evaluation of
Assessed the object - like/dislike;
concepts, events, etc.) Feelings feeling good/bad

positive beliefs, feelings and

intentions = positive attitude Behavioural what you are
(vice versa for negative) Intentions motivated to do

influences behaviour - INCLINATION

inclination to evaluate &
Behaviour:
respond in a favourable or Behaviour actual response when
unfavourable manner
presented with object
(A) Ken’s Attitude & Behaviour
Attitude towards his Work Abilities
Current - Negative
(of himself) - “I am just not
a creative or analytical
person”
“I hate myself when I
keep failing”
Want to avoid the pain
of trying and failing
avoids challenges, poor
commitment / contribution,
blames luck for setback, etc.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
I can analyse issues and
generate creative ideas
easily. [High Self-Efficacy]
I feel good when I
contribute actively
I want to share and do
more at work
favourable inclination to
demonstrate abilities
positive work behaviours
 (B) Addressing Ken’s Self-Efficacy
Sources of Self-Efficacy Improving Ken’s Self-Efficacy

Experience in achieving success in similar areas of

work through perseverant effort:
• Assign Ken easier work (e.g. writing descriptions of
Prior characters) first and then gradually more complex
Experience work (e.g. game storyboarding)  create a series
of successes for Ken. [Sharifah]
• Coach Ken in the creative brainstorming process
so that he can succeed with his hard work.
[Sharifah]
Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by
sustained effort:
Behavior • Ask to partner and work with someone in similar
Models position in the department  learn from him/her
on how to analyse and develop creative ideas.
[Ken]
 (B) Addressing Ken’s Self-Efficacy
Sources of Self-Efficacy Improving Ken’s Self-Efficacy

Verbal persuasion from others that one has the

capabilities to master given activities:
• Even if Ken’s ideas are not very creative, look for
Persuasion elements worth praising and acknowledge them
from Others in meetings. [Sharifah]
• Highlight Ken’s strengths and how he can utilise
them to contribute usefully. [Sharifah]

Positive interpretation / assessment of implications of

physical capabilities or emotional states (e.g. mood
Assessment of and stress tensions):
Physical / • See frustration as part of the process  If you are
Emotional not frustrated, you are not pushing yourself. [Ken]
State • Share some stress management techniques with
Ken. [Sharifah]
 Conclusion
• Ken has low self-efficacy for work. His low self-efficacy (poor self-
belief) affects how he feels about himself and his behavioural
intentions about work.

• His beliefs, assessed feelings and behavioural intentions form his

attitude towards himself and his ability to succeed. His attitude
affects the behaviour he shows when presented with work.

• Ken needs to realise that positive self-belief (high self-efficacy)

can result in better attitude towards himself and work.

• Ken’s self-efficacy can be improved through positive:

– Prior experience
– Behaviour models
– Persuasion from others
– Assessment of physical / emotional state
EXTENDED LEARNING A
 More on Self-Efficacy
• One develops high or low self-efficacy from prior experience, behaviour
models, persuasion from others, and assessment of physical / emotional
state:

Example (Prior Experience):

Failure at performing specific task  reduces self efficacy for that task  try
less hard the next time  failure again  even lower self-efficacy.

Opposite is true for high self-efficacy.

• Research has shown that prior experience most closely correlates with
sense of self-efficacy.

Just because you believe you can accomplish a task

doesn’t mean that you necessarily will but if you
don’t believe you can, you almost certainly will not.
EXTENDED LEARNING B
 Other Belief Components
Locus of Control : General belief about personal control over life
events
External Locus of Control Internal Locus of Control
Success/failure attributed to factors Belief that one controls key events
beyond personal control such as luck, and consequences in one’s life
fate and environment

Example: Ethan and Daniel are both studying for a test next week.

External Locus of Control: Ethan believes that doing well in the test depends on
whether his teacher is lenient or strict. He tries to ‘spot’ questions that his teacher
might ask and prays for the best.

Internal Locus of Control: Daniel believes that only he is responsible for how well
he does in his test. He studies very hard and makes sure that he is fully prepared
for any question that the teacher might pose.

Ethan in Facing Challenges: Daniel in Facing Challenges:

I cannot succeed on my own effort It is my effort that results in my success
(need luck)  lower self-efficacy  higher self-efficacy
 Other Belief Components
Personal Values : Fundamental convictions that a specific mode of
conduct is preferable; ideas as to what is right, good and desirable.

Individuals enter an organisation with preconceived ideas of what ‘ought’ or

what ‘ought not’ to be. Values can cloud objectivity, rationality and generally
influence behaviour.

Examples of values: Freedom, self-respect, honesty, obedience and equality

Example:
Alex holds values such as perseverance and achievement-orientation. When
faced with a tough challenge, he will not give up easily and work hard to do
well in the challenge.

Alex in Facing Challenges:

If I put in persistent effort, I will be able to do well  higher self-efficacy

Source: Fox, W. (2007). Managing Organisational Behaviour. Chapter 5, pp. 54.

Concept Diagram
Self-Esteem

Self-Concept
Locus of Control

Values

Self-Efficacy
 References
• McShane, S. L. & Von Glinow, M. A. (2009). Organizational behavior:
[essentials] (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, A. (2008). Organizational behavior (8th ed.). New

York: McGraw-Hill.

• Bandura, A. (1986). Self-efficacy beliefs in human functioning.

Retrieved September 9, 2013 from the University of Kentucky website:
http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/Pajares/effpassages.html.

• Fox, W. (2007). Managing Organisational Behaviour. Retrieved

September 9, 2013 from
http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=IlKY24Wmaf8C&printsec=front
cover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.
 After Class Activities

Daily Activity (by 2359hrs today)

• Complete the quiz as well as peer and self-evaluations.
• Complete your Reflection Journal .

End-of-Week Activity
• Review the 6th Presentation slides.
• Read the materials given in the Resources (compulsory
reading).

Preparation for Next Week

• Prepare the compulsory pre-class work for Week 3.