Behavior In A Changing World

Here are the various components of the communication process listed below:

1. An information source. Presumably a person who creates a message.

2. The message, which is both sent by the information source and received by the destination.

3. A transmitter. The mean with which the message is transmitted through.

4. The signal, which flows through a channel.

5. A carrier or channel.

6. Noise, in the form of secondary signals that obscure or confuse the signal carried.

7. A receiver.

8. A destination. Presumably a person who consumes and processes the message.

An example of the process of communication that includes all components would be as below:

(1)

Explaining the above example will be when our tutor Dr. Mishaal (sender of the message) inform us in class (channel - face to face) that in the next tutorial we will have a quiz (message). As one of his student (the receivers), and because two of my classmates were side talking next to me (noise), I could not hear what Dr. Mishaal said, and asked him to repeat it (feedback).

[B]

As individuals we construct our own sense of what is going on, creating mental models which are self-reinforcing. In other words, individuals are active in constructing their own sense of what is going on, based on their past experience, values and goals.

We act upon our beliefs, and are then judged by our actions. So basically behavior is just a set of values and beliefs. Values are usually taught to us from an early age and these also shape how we act, and behave. Values are defined as the attitudes about the worth or importance of people, concepts, or things.

Values & beliefs do change has we go through life through education & knowledge, but there is a saying that nobody likes change, but it is my belief, that to progress through life we have to change & adapt.

There are three sets of value systems that shape individuals behavior at work and how we interpreter other peoples' behavior. These are:

Individual Values:

Individual/Personal values established traits that are representative of an individual's moral character. These may have an order of importance to us such as; honesty, responsibility, loyalty, moral courage and friendliness. The values' people have integrated into their character are made apparent by their attitudes, beliefs and actions. These values usually derived from childhood, the culture we raised in and the things our parents taught us in the early ages. These values usually changes through time and according to the different circumstances. Yet there are some values that never change.

An example illustrating individual value and how it influences our behavior:

As an elder child in my family, I took responsibility about my brothers and sisters in the way of supporting them, helping them and assist them in any kind of situations. This is stayed with me through my work life, as I unconsciously support and assist my work colleagues to the extent that sometimes I do their work if they are unable to do it.

Professional/Occupational Values:

Professional values are those set of rules and laws (normally based on agreed-upon beliefs and values) that members of a group follow to live or work together in harmony. These values are usually more explicit than implicit because they are usually expressed through values statements or codes of ethics. These values are usually associated with specific occupations and in an organization there might be many different sets of values depending on the available groups of professionals. Having different and many sets of values in one organization mean that there is a possibility of conflict between different sets of values.

An example illustrating professional/occupational value and how it influences our behavior:

People who work in the technical dept. have a clear value of innovation as there is no "bad idea" and they have implicit & explicit authority to try new things that will help in their work efficiency. Therefore, they are more effective at solving their problems, and they have less percentage of absenteeism in general.

Group/Team Values:

The group/ team values are the set of values or assumption that is developed from being a member in this group.