HCA 615 Complete the “Can We Finally Talk Case Study” questions on pages 99-100 of Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
HCA 615 Complete the “Can We Finally Talk Case Study” questions on pages 99-100 of Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
HCA 615 Complete the Can We Finally Talk Case Study questions on pages 99-100 of Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
Managing relationships when it comes to public health should be no different than managing relationships in any other organizational setting, one would think. That being said, managing relationships among the highly diverse group of public health professionals requires a complicated journey (Burke & Friedman, 2011). As one can see by the case study, many public health officials are seen as “difficult” due to their seeking of perfection from those that lead them. They want to see someone in a power position that posses a great deal of intelligence and professionalism. Each relationship in the public health sector requires its own specific type of communication and monitoring in order to keep public health and better health care messages clear and concise for community understanding as well as consistency of messages through and within the organization. For instance, managing relationships in a senior management team may require a different technique as say managing relationships within a group such as front line employees. While in many cases, both of these groups share a common goal, their ideals and experiences vary from one another, making it difficult to manage them the same way. A senior management team is normally made up of individuals with great differences. Unfortunately, no matter how much we try, we will never be able to make every person happy with every decision that is made. When it comes to managing relationships within a group such as this, it is important to maintain the involvement of the team members, keeping them active in the process. It is important for the senior management team to feel as though they are supported as well as respected (Burke & Friedman, 2011). A group like front line employees on the other hand may require a different approach than senior management members. The front line workers are just that. They are on the front lines of the organization and it is important to remember that without them, the necessary daily operations of the organization would not get completed. They are an asset to an organization’s mission as well. When a leader is attempting to manage the relationships of these people, it is important to remember that time and appreciation is quite important. For instance, it is important for leaders to truly understand what the front line employees actually accomplish on a day to day basis. It is important to be sympathetic to the challenges that they come to deal with and truly understand what they do (Burke & Friedman,
As a male or a female, when it comes to dealing with an all-male leadership group, I do think that there may be a slight difference in the way that I would choose to manage those relationships. While we would all like to believe that all men and women are created equal and that women serve in the same career fields as men all the time, this isn’t always the truth. Even if it was, there will always be individuals that see the world in one light while others see it in another. Unfortunately, there may never be a way of changing that. While I do believe that men and women are capable of the majority of the same things, the fact remains that at the end of the day, we are different. For many years, many studies have been conducted regarding stereotypic views on leadership, specifically when it comes to gender. In the 1960’s and 70’s, there was much debate about the fact that women were seen as unfit for positions of authority. During those studies, while researchers saw that the leadership behaviors of both genders were quite similar in practice, it was perceived quite differently by each of them, more so, males (Jonsen, Maznevski, & Schneider, 2010). According to the case example in the Essentials of Management and Leadership in Public Health book, Dr. Gerberding felt the wrath of this gender stereotyping quite a bit. Her ideas for reorganization were quite unpopular, even causing several formal directors to write a letter regarding their concerns for the plan as well as several other directors within the group to resign. All of the former directors to resign were male (Burke & Friedman, 2011). It makes me wonder if they truly did not take to the ideas or was it simply because she was a woman bringing forth an idea that nobody else would come up with. Judging from the controversial statement made by Harvard’s President’s statement regarding the very few women that succeed in science and math, I am lead to believe that the gender differences amongst the group may have been the culprit. I think that it would entail maintaining clarity and direction when communicating with the group. Whether they choose to listen will be their own issue when it comes down to it. I also think that a difference may be in the fact that women should not let the stereotypes of some of their colleagues bring them down rather than use them to propel themselves upwards. For example, women are seen more as nurtures and ones that show their feelings often. The way that I see it, perhaps that can give someone a leg up when it comes to commanding a group. Sometimes being more in tune to one’s feelings allows them to read the room a bit better than others.
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Personally, while I believe that she should use her discrimination experience as a way to be professional in a way that others may not be able to, I do believe that maybe she should have thought her statement through prior to making it. It is evident that apparently, she was quite capable and confident in her ideas so riding with those may have been a better option. Hearing the statement from the President of Harvard University should have made her fight back with actions and results rather than words.

Unfortunately, stereotyping exists in society on a variety of levels. How an individual responds to these stereotypes can either confirm them or shut them down completely. In some situations such as this one, stereotyping has a tendency to result in a self-fulfilling prophecy, meaning her comments made regarding her own experiences with gender discrimination seemed to actually confirm some of the stereotypes (Jonsen, Maznevski, & Schneider, 2010). She speaks of these experiences in a negative tone, basically stating that the comments made were able to bring her down for a moment. Instead of focusing on the negative and trying to prove herself to be competent in a man’s world, she should have placed greater focus on the issue at hand rather than the fact that she is capable. In my experiences, actions always speak louder than words.
As it seems it is the foundation for anything successful in this world, effective communication will be the best tool in making all of these relationships work. The Leadership Practices Inventory is a set of standards that allows for the understanding and communicating with all stakeholders that are involved in an organization. These guidelines aid leaders in finding a set of behaviors that will facilitate better understanding and communication amongst team members. These behaviors include modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart (Burke, & Friedman, 2011). Because each group is different in their communication needs, not every behavior listed is suitable for everyone. When it comes to discontented employees, in some instances, there is not way of getting them back. They may stay unhappy forever. In other instances, there may be a way to aid those that are overwhelmed with dissatisfaction. For instance, modeling the way enables the leader to find a way to make their personal values clear and set more examples. Maybe if the employees could see that the leader has their interests at heart and that they truly are on the same page, they may change their minds about the initiative. Inspiration is another good one. Again, a common goal or vision is important. Inspiring others to see that everyone wants the same thing may make them feel differently as well. Another behavior that may be able to change the ideas of some of the dissatisfied employees would be encouraging the heart. It is important to recognize and show appreciation for excellence. It is important to celebrate the values of the group as well as their victories, creating a spirit of community amongst the group (Burke, & Friedman, 2011).
Burke, R. E., & Friedman, L. H. (2011). Essentials of Management and Leadership in Public Health. Retrieved from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/jonesandbartlett/2011/essentials-of-management-and-leadership-in-public-health_ebook_1e.php
Jonsen, K., Maznevski, M. L., & Schneider, S. C. (2010). Gender differences in leadership – believing is seeing: implications for managing diversity. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 29(6), 549-572. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/34a1/483f2726a8253a65b1ca2d5896c68792ccf2.pdf