Organizational Psychology For Managers

No matter how monolithic it may appear, an organization is a collection of moving parts. Whether we are looking at building teams, providing leadership, hiring and training employees, problem solving, managing time effectively, or setting aggressive, inspiring goals, every decision can easily impact every other decision. The complexity can quickly become overwhelming. Organizational Psychology identifies a framework and offers key methodologies managers need to define behavioral tendencies and navigate complex organizational systems. Each chapter takes a high-level view of a particular aspect of organizational psychology, focusing on elements that shape companies and drive operational efficiency. Senior-level managers and C-Suite executives will benefit from the strategies presented in this book as they clearly indicate how to understand and leverage the psychological underpinnings of any corporate environment. Balzac combines stories of jujitsu, wheat, gorillas, and the Lord of the Rings with very practical advice and hands-on exercises aimed at anyone who cares about management, leadership, and culture. Todd Raphael Editor-in-Chief ERE Media Riveting! Yes, I called a leadership book riveting. I couldn’t wait to finish one chapter so I could begin reading the next. The book’s combination of pop culture references, personal stories, and thought providing insights to illustrate world class leadership principles makes it a must read for business professionals at all management levels. Eric Bloom President Manager Mechanics, LLC Nationally Syndicated Columnist and Author Organizational Psychology for Managers is an insightful book that reminds the business leader of basic principles of leading a successful organization in an engaging style. As a business owner for over 25 years, I am aware of these principles; however, I need reminding of how these principles work together and impact the energy and success of my company. Throughout the book, the author demonstrates these concepts into a clear perspective by citing examples within other companies which is always a helpful technique and is often eye opening . These are situations that I may not have thought about before. This book holds the reader’s interest from start to finish. I look forward to his next book! Elizabeth Brown President Softeach, Inc. "Author Stephen Balzac has written a terrific book that gets into the realpolitik of organizational psychology – the underlying patterns of behavior that create the all important company culture. He doesn't stop at the surface level, explaining things we already know like 'culture beats strategy' - he gets into the deeper drivers and ties everything back to specific, actionable stories. For example he describes different approaches to apparent "insubordination" by a manager; rather then judging them, he shows how each management response is interpreted, and how it then drives response. Balzac preaches real engagement with one's own company and a mindful state of operation, especially by executives – who must remember that culture "just happens" unless and until they learn to recognize that their behaviors play a huge part in creating and cementing it. It covers the full spectrum of corporate life, from challenging bad decisions to hiring, training, motivating teams - and the secrets of keeping people engaged and learning – and/or avoiding actions which do the opposite. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to participate in creating and steering company culture." Sid Probstein Chief Technology Officer Attivio – Active Intelligence I had the privilege of meeting Stephen Balzac at the 2011 International Computer Measurement Group (CMG) Conference. He was one of our keynote speakers at the Conference that year. His presentation was amazing. It was the first presentation I had seen at our Conference in which the speaker not only gave a non-technical presentation that left the audience captivated and hungry for more, but he did it without using PowerPoint, or other visuals and simply with the strength of the story and his oratory skills. As Director of CMG Publications I asked him to contribute some articles for our publications. He has been doing so now for two years and is one of our most popular authors. I was thrilled to learn Steve was having a book, Organizational Psychology for Managers, published, and was honored when he asked me to read it and for my opinion. Organizational Psychology for Managers is phenomenal. Just as his talks at conferences are captivating to his audience, Steve’s book will captivate his readers. In my opinion, this book should be required reading in MBA programs, military leadership courses, and needs to be on the bookshelf of every Fortune 1000 VP of Human Resources. Steve Balzac is the 21st century’s Tom Peters. Stephen R Guendert, PhD CMG Director of Publications

This book examines the intersection of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology). It argues that, whilst OBM and I/O Psychology have developed simultaneously, they have done so with minimal integration. I/O Psychology, a somewhat older field, has evolved to become widely accepted, both influencing management and social sciences and being affected by them. It can be viewed as a research-oriented subject that is closely aligned with human resources functions. With regards to the intersection of I/O Psychology with OBM, some practices are more closely related than others; and of those that are related, some are relatively consistent with OBM practices, while others are very inconsistent. Most I/O Psychology interventions focus on many people simultaneously, seeking to ensure that one intervention affects multiple employees as a cost-efficient way to improve organizations, while OBM is usually better than I/O Psychology at improving the behaviors of individuals and smaller groups or workers. This book provides a framework for understanding differences and similarities between I/O Psychology and OBM, and as such is an innovative compendium for students, scholars, applied psychologists, and human resource specialists. It was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.

Adopting an Evidence-Based Management (EBM) approach, this book provides the best evidence available on a wide range of topics from Industrial and Organizational Psychology to help managers base their decisions on scientific findings. Drawing on principles and methods first developed by Evidence-Based Medicine, EBM aims to promote the use of scientific knowledge in organizational and managerial decision making. Based on this idea, the book seeks to establish a dialogue between researchers and professionals of the Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Management fields, translating scientific knowledge into useful resources that can be used to inform practitioner’s decisions and interventions in topics such as: Creativity in organizations Optimism and hope Engagement at work Life and career planning Entrepreneurship Innovation in organizations Cultural diversity and inclusion in organizations Social networks Ageing at organizational context Work/life balance Positive rule breaking Expatriation Time pressure, Pacing styles and polychronicity

Publisher description

Updates the reader on all the major changes since the book was first published in 1987. This revised and expanded volume examines the psychological underpinnings and management implications of behaviour in organizations. It focuses upon the themes of development and change in organizations.

The Psychology of Effective Management combines basic psychological principles with practical recommendations for building positive and productive manager-employee relations. Each recommendation is based on real-life situations taken from respected scholars in the field, as well as the author’s own professional experiences. With particular attention to the human element of management, the practical advice presented in this book is aimed at helping managers create a positive psychological environment in the workplace and lead their employees into a productive and satisfying professional life. The content is presented in an easy-to-follow format so that any manager can put his or her knowledge immediately into practice. By striking a compelling balance between the science and practice of management, this will be an indispensable resource for managers, administrators, and business owners at all levels as well as students of business and management.

Psychologists have been fascinated by the world of work, and the changing relationship between people, technology and the workplace, since the onset of the industrial revolution. And in providing a complete and contemporary overview of this evolving and fascinating field, the new edition of Work and Organizational Psychology is the perfect textbook, outlining not only the key theoretical ideas, but also how they relate to the role of psychologists advising today’s organizations. The only textbook to integrate the fields of HRM and organizational behaviour, the new edition is thoroughly revised to cover new technological advances such as virtual workplaces and virtual employees. In an era of rapid socio-economic change, there is also expanded coverage of the role of workplace diversity, employee commitment and globalization, as well as updated chapters on key concepts such as motivation, leadership, group behaviour and well-being at work. Also including a chapter on career development, the book is supported by a range of pedagogical features, spotlighting issues of theoretical, ethical or contemporary interest, whilst also enabling students to engage in active learning. Lucid and comprehensive, the second edition of Work and Organizational Psychology will be the cornerstone for any student of this dynamic field.