Hidden dynamics: how emotions affect business performance & how you can harness their power for positive results

343 Pages·1995·0.83 MB·English

by  Faith Ralston

HIDDEN
DYNAMICS
How Emotions Affect Business Performance
& How You Can Harness Their Power
for Positive Results
Faith Ralston, Ph.D.
American Management Association
New York ·Atlanta · Boston · Chicago · Kansas City · San Francisco ·
Washington,D.C
Brussels · Mexico City · Tokyo · Toronto
Hidden Dynamics : How Emotions Affect
title: Business Performance & How You Can
Harness Their Power for Positive Results
author: Ralston, Faith.
publisher: AMACOM Books
isbn10 | asin: 0814402720
print isbn13: 9780814402726
ebook isbn13: 9780585026039
language: English
Management--Psychological aspects--
Problems, exercises, etc, Personnel
subject
management--Psychological aspects--
Problems, exercises, etc.
publication date: 1995
lcc: HD30.413.R35 1995eb
ddc: 658.3/001/9
Management--Psychological aspects--
Problems, exercises, etc, Personnel
subject:
management--Psychological aspects--
Problems, exercises, etc.
This book is available at a special
discount when ordered in bulk quantities.
For information, contact Special Sales
Department,
AMACOM, a division of American
Management Association,
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative
information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the
understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other
expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional
person should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ralston, Faith.
Hidden dynamics: how emotions affect business performance & how
you can harness their power for positive results / Faith Ralston.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8144-0272-0
1. ManagementPsychological aspectsProblems, exercises, etc.
2. Personnel managementPsychological aspectsProblems, exercises,
etc. I. Title.
HD30.413.R35 1995
658.3'001'9dc20
95-3940
CIP
© 1995 Faith Ralston.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
This publication may not be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in whole or in part,
in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of AMACOM,
a division of American Management Association,
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Printing number
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
To my
father,
who was a minister,
and my dad,
who was a man
Page vii
Contents
List of Action Exercises ix
Acknowledgments xi
Preface xiii
1. Rewriting the Corporate Contract 1
2. Facts About Feelings 15
3. Don't Rock the Boat 33
4. Hidden Agendas in Business Decisions 51
5. Hot Buttons That Trigger Conflicts 65
6. Corporate Craziness 85
7. The Changing Relationship Between
Managers and Employees 101
8. Aligning Organizational Needs and
Individual Talents 121
9. Gaining Commitment to Change 139
10. Revitalizing the Manager's Role 155
Index 171
Page ix
List of Action
Exercises
Chapter 1
Exercise 1: Clarifying Beliefs About Feelings
Exercise 2: Recognizing Changes in Business
Behaviors and Attitudes
Exercise 3: Taking Action to Build Community
Chapter 2
Exercise 1: Clarifying Your Real Feelings
Exercise 2: Discovering What Others See When
You're Upset
Exercise 3: Becoming Aware of Your Beliefs About
Anger
Exercise 4: Learning to Listen
Chapter 3
Exercise 1: Learning From MistakesLevel One
Exercise 2: Learning From MistakesLevel Two
Exercise 3: Unearthing Solutions to Workplace
Problems
Chapter 4
Exercise 1: Addressing Hidden Agendas
Exercise 2: Unraveling Entangled Decision Making
Page x
Chapter 5
Exercise 1: Identifying Hot Buttons
Exercise 2: Defusing Hot Buttons
Exercise 3: Accepting Responsibility for Your Own
Life
Chapter 6
Exercise 1: Identifying Symptoms of Corporate
Craziness
Exercise 2: Defining Workplace Values
Exercise 3: Improving Work Relationships
Chapter 7
Exercise 1: Identifying Changes in Roles and
Expectations
Exercise 2: Understanding the Dynamics of
Manager/
Employee Relationships
Chapter 8
Exercise 1: Making Career Changes
Exercise 2: Finding Your Joy
Exercise 3: Supporting Career Development
Chapter 9
Exercise 1: Troubleshooting When Change Is
Failing
Exercise 2: Dealing With Change
Chapter 10
Exercise 1: Clarifying the Manager's Role
Exercise 2: Receiving Feedback on Management
Style
Exercise 3: Practicing Facilitation Skills
Exercise 4: Applying Facilitation Skills

Page xi
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to the following individuals for their trust,
encouragement, and enthusiasm as I wrote this book:
Janice Siedsma Kennedy, for being my highest jumping cheerleader
Elleva Joy McDonald, for teaching me what I know about emotions
Bill Herbst, without whose help I could not have launched this project
My children, David, Andrew, Stuart, and Peter Ralston, who
encouraged me and stayed out of my way as I worked at the kitchen
table
Cherokee Rose, who led the way by believing in her own abilities
Ruth and Bill Bostock, my aunt and uncle, who have loved me
unconditionally since the moment I was born
Jill Konrath, my friend and colleague, who guided me to AMA and
taught me how to sell
John Macdonald, a friend and mentor who is always there for me at
precisely the right moment
Adrienne Hickey, my editor, who saw the value in what I was writing
and helped me refine it
Martin Marinaro, who delighted in my progress and success every
step of the way
Joanie, Chuck, and Bass Bay Resort, whose nurturing quiet supported
me as I wrote