Understanding Behaviour
There are two ways to look at this:
\- When you understand why a person acting in a certain way, then you can better predict what they will do next.
\- To understand behaviour you need to understand the underlying social pressures.
The individual is in charge of what they do and what it means. “Humans are pro-active rather than reactive.� (Huczynski and Buchanan, 1991)
This means that events do not have one fixed meaning, but a number of different interpretations. This is why Eden starting using mental models in 1988.
If we think someone is arrogant before a meeting, this will shape how we interpret what he or she does. -> a vicious cycle.
Behaviour shapes thinking which shapes interpretation of behaviour. In the end this means that people construct events.
Kelly said in 1991 that these constructs actually say nothing about that person but everything about you.
These mental models have a structure, aka, there are higher and lower values.
\- individual values
\- professional or occupational values (code of ethics, value statement)
\- group / team values
Marshalling people, often with very disparate agendas to work towards the overarching goals of the organisation, is at the heard of the managers role.
Next to values we are:
\- aiming at achieving goals – goal directed and purposeful
\- or (as is the purpose of a goal) need driven
Huczynski and Buchanan also said:
“Our society or our culture influences our motives through the values, ideals, standards are modes of behaviour of other people.�
� Behaviour might be seen as a reflection of a role that generates a set of expectations that we try to conform to.
In this case, what is “appropriate� is out of our control.
This is partly right as regulating our behaviour is not only expected, it is absolutely necessary for life to run smoothly.
Common mistakes that people do are:
\- only consider objective facts
\- everyone works for the same goals / values
\- some behaviour does not make sense and can therefore be discounted