Relationship Management Competencies

Question 1

What is the objective of Networking?

Answer 1

To create relationships that offer value to you by expanding your knowledge, perspective, opportunities, and support while at the same time offering the value of your expertise and experience to others.

Question 2

Networking

Answer 2

Can be defined as a process of developing mutually beneficial contacts through the exchange of information.

Question 3

Networks may consist of ______ and _______ contacts

Answer 3

Internal or External

Internal contacts can be people with whom you interact on a regular basis in the course of your work (for example, another HR staff member, a contact in accounting). They may also be internal stakeholders in the organization who share interests and can provide support.

External contacts can be people outside the organization with whom you work regularly (for example, suppliers, community contacts), colleagues in other companies, or connections through professional associations such as SHRM.

Question 4

What different types of value can a balanced network offer?

Answer 4

Colleagues in the HR discipline can build and maintain your awareness of what is happening in the field.

Some individuals can act as career mentors or provide coaching on specific skills.

Some members of your network are effective collaborators, helping you come up with new ideas and working through possible problems. They may think like you, but they may also complement your own cognitive style and life experiences.

A few highly valuable people are what the author Malcolm Gladwell called “connectors” in The Tipping Point. These are the people who seem to know everyone. They can quickly increase the size and scope of your own network through introductions and referrals.

Question 5

What does effective newtorking require?

Answer 5

Finding people who have something you would like to share

Having something yourself that other people would like to share - for example, expertise or experience, referrals, or organizational support

Allocating time to make and maintain connections, even when there is no current need for support

Question 6

How to create a professional network

Answer 6

Give deliberate thought to who you want to include in your network. Networks take time to maintain, so their value should merit the effort. Consider what areas of weakness you want to develop. Identify business areas or groups that you want to know more about or where you want to establish contacts.

In all social situations, introduce yourself, ask about the other person’s work and life, listen, and remember.

Make yourself more visible. Attend conferences and workshops. Present at chapter meetings. Participate actively in meeting discussions.

Develop your own value. Work on becoming an expert in some area or on some topic. Don’t be modest about what you know or can do.

Do favors. Networking is bidirectional; value flows to both ends of the connection. Look for opportunities when you can mentor and coach others.

Question 7

An HR professional’s network should include ___ _________, both inside and outside of the organization

Answer 7

Key Stakeholders

Question 8

What is the stakeholder concept?

Answer 8

The stakeholder concept proposes that any organization operates within a complex environment in which it affects and is affected by a variety of forces or stakeholders who all share in the value of the organization and its activities. Business objectives may be more complex, shaped by the needs of the various groups.

Question 9

Who first offered the stakeholder concept?

Answer 9

R. Edward Freeman - he offered it as an alternative to the shareholder perception of the corporation (which is teh concept that a business is to create as much wealth as possible, which is returned to shareholders, and that a business should be focused on maximizing profit)
The stakeholder concept recognizes the different types of value an organization creates

Each stakeholder defines the value t seeks from its perspective and may prioritize some values over others

Question 10

HR Stakeholders: External Customers

Answer 10

External customers include those receiving or purchasing the organization’s products or services and those who seek a return on their investment in the organization.

Customers tend to define value in terms of their needs, which may include economy, convenience, reliability, responsiveness, or innovation. HR can help communicate customer needs to new employees, recruit the type of workforce that can deliver customer service, and develop customer service skills.

Shareholders may see value as monetary (a dividend or an increase in share value). They may prioritize short-term returns or long-range growth. Some shareholders may also expect results from the organization’s corporate social responsibility strategy in the form of improved environmental and social impacts. HR can help unify the organization behind strategic goals and build organizational competencies.

Donors to nonprofit organizations want to see results and are interested in the proportion of donations that goes directly to the organization’s mission. HR can manage executive compensation and support organizational performance.

Question 11

HR Stakeholders: Internal Customers

Answer 11

Internal customers include a number of roles in the organization.

Senior management needs HR data on workforce capabilities and costs and HR expertise in identifying and managing risks related to human resources, acquiring and retaining talent, developing talent pools, managing relations with third parties (for example, unions and works councils, workforce suppliers), and aligning workforce size and skills to achieve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

Boards of directors rely on HR to attract senior management talent, support succession plans, develop competitive and compliant compensation plans, and support the organization’s ethical environment and governance system.

Functional leaders rely on HR for support in staffing, development, and employee relations.

Employees of the organization and the HR function seek economic stability, fair and transparent treatment, safe conditions, fulfilling work, and opportunities for development. Different employee groups may have unique needs, such as work flexibility, support for diversity, opportunities to affect society and the environment, and so on. HR can help address these perspectives through its policies and programs.

Question 12

HR Stakeholders: Suppliers

Answer 12

Suppliers include short- and long-term staffing suppliers, vendors providing or managing benefits, or internal functions like IT that provide necessary support. Suppliers tend to value economic stability, fair treatment, and control over their businesses.

Question 13

HR Stakeholders: Communities, political groups, religious institutions, and governments

Answer 13

Communities, political groups, religious institutions, and governments focus on shared interests:

Communities see an enterprise’s value as a source of employment and neighborhood enrichment and stability. As part of its portfolio, HR develops and maintains relationships with groups within the community, such as educational institutions that develop future talent and workers or partners in corporate social responsibility programs.

Political groups seek support from the business community in making changes in laws and regulation. HR’s relationships with these stakeholders can improve the success of lobbying efforts on behalf of the organization and the HR profession.

Religious institutions seek support for their own community goals and can benefit from improved employment opportunities and corporate volunteer programs.

Governments value “good corporate citizens” that build communities, strengthen economies, and support the rule of law. HR monitors the expectations of government agencies and fulfills its legal and regulatory obligations (for example, compliance with employment laws and laws on visas and workplace safety).

Question 14

Stakeholder perspectives in global organizations

Answer 14

Local cultures may influence the stakeholder relationship in a distinctive way. For example:

Customers’ expectations of service will vary globally. In China, customers expect special treatment to be given to those who have personal relationships with a service provider. In other cultures, favoritism would anger customers.

In a culture that values long-term relationships, suppliers might not understand being asked to reapply for supplier status periodically, but in a country where short-term results are valued, the request may be expected.

Employees in different countries often value certain kinds of benefits. In China employers are expected to build dwellings for blue-collar employees who come from other cities or the countryside. Employees in countries with high taxation levels may value nontaxable benefits. Certain cultures place greater value on work/life balance.

Question 15

What is the key to networking, creating or working in teams, or negotiating mutually satisfying agreements?

Answer 15

The ability to build and sustain relationships

Question 16

Traits of effective relationships:

Answer 16

Improve the quality of communication. People get the information they need, but they also get an opportunity to develop a broader perspective on an issue.

Increase productivity by supporting collaboration and enabling efficient resolution of disagreements.

Create a positive work environment by fulfilling human needs for socialization and attachment.

Question 17

What are good working relationships characterized by?

Answer 17

Trust and Openness

The individuals in a work relationship may have their own business goals, and they may use the relationship to advance their goals. However, they do not use a relationship to manipulate other people to act against their values or their own interests.

They are also mutual - both sides are benefitting, offering, and learning from each other. Understanding deepens over time and communication and conflict resolution comes more easily.

Question 18

Recommendations for developing good working relationships:

Answer 18

Strive for diversity in the range of your relationships—diversity in age, gender, background, ethnicity, and expertise. This provides an opportunity to expand your understanding of the rest of the world.

Invest time and energy in developing and sustaining relationships. This means attending to others even when you have no specific needs to fulfill. You are building a resource you may need to turn to later.

Develop an ease with “small talk” about non-work matters. Look for openings for conversation, such as photos or references to leisure activities.

Talk about yourself without dominating the conversation.

Learn to ask about others without prying into personal matters.

Be considerate of other people’s time and obligations. Wait for more opportune times for discussions.

Question 19

How is trust built?

Answer 19

Over time through repeated demonstrations

Question 20

What certain characteristics aid in building trust?

Answer 20

How emotional intelligence is used; how relatable, vulnerable, and transparent an individual is; and how they recognize the other individual and their strengths all can help build trust.

Question 21

Emotional Intelligence

Answer 21

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the quality of being sensitive to and understanding of one’s own and others’ emotions and the ability to manage one’s own emotions and impulses. It enables people with very different backgrounds and perspectives to work productively with one another. Whether these differences are cultural or intergenerational or are related to class, sex, socioeconomic status, or education, EI can turn differences into an organizational asset rather than a potential liability.

HR should not only develop it’s own EI but the EI of the org as well

Question 22

Without EI, what behaviors needed to support a global mindset or diversity in the workplace are practically impossible?

Answer 22

empathy, cooperation, willingness to learn about and accept differences

Question 22

What qualities in people, from research conducted by Robert Hurley, are found to make building trust more likely?

Answer 22

Common Values - Finding commonalities helps overcome the sense of “otherness.” People trust people who are similar to themselves.

Aligned Interests - When individuals share a common purpose, they can see similarities and often find common ground to work together and to find commitment to stakeholders. Trust is possible to construct across differences in beliefs, experiences, or culture; it simply takes time and communication.

Benevolence - A benevolent person is perceived as having genuine concern about another’s well-being, above or at least equal to his or her own interests.

Capability or Competence - People must feel that an individual can deliver on commitments. People who over-promise or do not follow through do not merit trust.

Predictability and Integrity - A trustworthy person reliably “walks the talk”—there is consistency between values and behavior. Occasional acts of integrity are not enough.

Communication - Trustworthy people communicate often and fully. They listen and respond to what they hear. They reveal things about themselves, and they are open to hearing about how others see them.

Question 23

What can conflict be distinguished by in terms of?

Answer 23

What they are about and who is involved

Question 24

Conflict can derive from...

Answer 24

disagreements over how to do a particular task (task conflict), or it can relate to personal differences (interpersonal conflict), such as culture, cognitive and communication styles, or a need for control or dominance.

Question 25

While task conflict may be time-consuming, it can sometimes lead to...

Answer 25

can sometimes lead to discovering better ways to do things—more efficient approaches that save time and resources or more innovative approaches that produce better results. Task conflict is time consuming because it often requires negotiation or consensus building to establish the best path forward

Question 26

Interpersonal conflicts may sometimes be disguised as _________

Answer 26

Task conflicts

Question 27

Interpersonal conflicts require that at least one of the parties involved

Answer 27

has emotional intelligence and skill in negotiating, or they require the intervention of a leader who can impose ground rules for behavior and refocus the team on the task.

Question 28

Conflicts can occur inside a team or between the team and an outside group. What are these called?

Answer 28

Conflicts can occur inside a team (intragroup conflict) or between the team and an outside group, such as another HR team or another function in the organization (intergroup conflict).

Question 29

What are the five conflict resolution modes based on the work of Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, and what are the two basic concerns they are representing different ways of responding to?

Answer 29

Accomodate (or smooth) Assert/Compete (or force) Avoid Collaborate (or confront) Compromise Responding to: the task that must be accomplished and the relationships between the people in conflict.

Question 30

Accommodate (or smooth)

Answer 30

The leader restores good relations by emphasizing agreement and downplaying disagreement. Useful when there is little time to be lost and movement forward is needed. It does not, however, address the root conflict. If the group continues, the conflict will probably recur.

Question 31

Assert/compete (or force)

Answer 31

The leader imposes a solution. One side wins and the other loses—hence the term “win/lose” conflict resolution. Useful in a crisis because it resolves the issue quickly; also when authority is being challenged or when the impact on future relations with the group is minimal. Like accommodation, it does not permanently address the problem.

Question 32

Avoid

Answer 32

The leader withdraws from the situation or accepts it, leaving the conflict to be resolved by others or remain unresolved. Useful when the conflict will resolve soon without any direct intervention or when the conflict or relationship is not worth the time investment. Leaders should be aware that avoiding conflict can weaken their role in the organization and may damage the group by leaving a problem unresolved or allowing it to be poorly resolved.

Question 33

Collaborate (or confront)

Answer 33

The leader and those in conflict accept the fact that they disagree and look for a “third way,” a new solution to the problem of the conflict. Since both sides contribute to the solution, this may be seen as “win/win” conflict resolution. Useful when the stakes are high, relationships are important, and time allows. (It does require time and strong interpersonal skills.) There is greater chance for an enduring, equitable, mutually satisfying resolution.

Question 34

Compromise

Answer 34

The leader asks those in conflict to bargain—altering positions on different issues until a mutually acceptable solution is defined. The solution relies on concessions. For this reason, it is often referred to as “lose/lose” conflict resolution. Useful for complex issues, when both sides are determined to win, and when time doesn’t allow for true problem solving. Solutions may be temporary and only partially effective, but when strong personalities are involved, it does preserve the egos of all parties.

Question 35

Taking an assertive or competitive approach typically means:

Answer 35

Rejecting compromise - a win/lose tactic that aims to maximize your goals (win) at the expense of the other party's (lose). The important thing is to ensure that competitiveness doesn't change into something destructive or become the default.

Question 36

By understanding why others choose the tactics and strategies they do:

Answer 36

Conflict managers can defuse the negative aspects and consequences of competition and can work toward achieving a collaborative, mutually beneficial approach

Question 37

When relationships are ongoing, a collaborative approach has more enduring results because all sides have participated in creating a solution. What are the key characteristics in a collaborative approach?

Answer 37

Both sides express their own perspectives of the disagreement. They then paraphrase each other’s positions to confirm their understanding. Both sides (and the facilitator) brainstorm solutions in a positive manner and focus on solutions that both sides believe are workable. All parties agree on next steps. The facilitator works to end the meeting in a positive manner, emphasizing the advantages of the new solution to each side and to the organization and the benefits of the collaborative approach.

Question 38

Because of the potential costs of conflic, HR professionals should consider approaching conflict

Answer 38

Proactively

Question 39

Many sources of conflict can be eliminated through

Answer 39

Clarity and Communication - by establishing ground rules for conduct, clarifying authority and responsibility, setting objectives with input from all stakeholders and team members, considering the possible effects of decisions and actions on others, creating avenues for communication, and monitoring and checking in on team members periodically.

Question 40

How can team leaders reduce levels of conflict on their team?

Answer 40

By acting fairly and consistently - by being positive and unifying team members behind a common goal, paying attention to group stress levels, being attentive to group differences and the potential for interpersonal conflict, distributing opportunities among team members, treating all team members respectfully, and avoiding favoritism.

Question 41

Negotiation is most effective when:

Answer 41

collaboration is used to create a solution that satisfies key needs of both sides

Question 42

Conflict resolution may include ________, or ________ may involve conflict

Answer 42

Negotiation - Conflict resolution may involve negotiation (as in collaboration and compromise), or negotiation may involve conflict (as in internal struggles over resources or objectives or external relations with suppliers). Negotiation methods are similar to some of those used in conflict resolution.

Question 43

Negotiation

Answer 43

Negotiation is a process in which two or more parties work together to reach agreement on a matter. It involves distinguishing between needs and wants. Needs are essential to a leader’s goals. Wants are attractive but not really essential. Note that the type of negotiation described here does not take the place of rules used in negotiating labor contracts. Such rules may be defined in existing contracts and in local labor laws. While the concept of win-win negotiation is often applied in collective bargaining situations, negotiating grievances and contract interpretations must be conducted within the existing legal frameworks.

Question 44

While there are different negotiating styles, what are the 3 types commonly considered?

Answer 44

Soft, hard, or principled

Question 45

Soft Negotiation

Answer 45

Soft negotiators value the relationship more than the outcome and will back down on issues in the interest of reaching agreement—even if they are no longer getting what they need.

Question 46

Hard Negotiation

Answer 46

Hard negotiators are committed to winning, even at the cost of the relationship. These negotiators may pursue position-based bargaining, which views negotiation as a zero-sum exercise and relies on parties staking out opposite positions and slowly making concessions until an agreement is made (or negotiations break off entirely).

Question 47

Principled Negotiation

Answer 47

In principled negotiation, the negotiators aim for mutual gain. Principled negotiators can separate people from positions. They identify common interests and make them a goal of the negotiation. They are also creative: They come to the negotiation prepared with different options that may satisfy both sides. In principled negotiation, the goal is a win-win solution, requiring some sacrifice of position from each side in order to gain meaningful points.

Question 48

In principled negotation, what process developed by who (2 individuals) is being applied?

Answer 48

They are aiming for mutual gain - applying a process developed by Roger Fisher and William Ury called interest-based relational negotiating or integrative bargaining. Fisher and Ury emphasize the need to focus on the problem instead of personal differences and on mutually beneficial outcomes rather than hard positions.

Question 49

Negotiating tactics relying on what are very risky, especially when the negotiation involves an ongoing relationship, as they destroy trust?

Answer 49

Negotiating tactics that rely on bullying, manipulation, or deception, such as deadlines (“this is a one-time offer”), brinksmanship (“take it or leave it”), or low-/high-balling (making ridiculous, probably unacceptable demands). When faced with a negotiator who engages in these negative tactics, HR professionals persist in their commitment to win-win principles. They maintain a quiet and professional tone. They do not retreat and concede the core points of their negotiating position. They continue to focus on mutual needs. If they must, they walk away from the negotiation.

Question 50

What are the six phases to the negotiating process?

Answer 50

Preparation Relationship building Information exchange Persuasion Concessions Agreement

Question 51

Negotiation Process: Preparation

Answer 51

The negotiator should identify critical needs, wants that could be concessions, and possible demands from the other side.

Question 52

BATNA

Answer 52

An important tactic described by Fisher and Ury is defining your “BATNA”—your best alternative to a negotiated agreement. Knowing your possible alternatives if negotiation fails helps in establishing a more accurate value and creating proposals you can live with. Effective negotiators also try to perform a BATNA analysis for the other side so they can anticipate reactions.

Question 53

Negotiation Process: Relationship Building

Answer 53

Trust is built with the exchange of personal information that reveals character. Many negotiating tactics focus on creating an atmosphere that encourages comfort and openness.

Question 54

Negotiation Process: Information Exchange

Answer 54

Positions and needs are explained by both sides. A more thorough understanding of positions usually leads to more-balanced agreements. This tactic is referred to as perspective taking—seeing the issue from the other side. In a negotiation, perspective taking helps negotiators anticipate reactions to proposals and overcome negotiating obstacles. Understanding the other side’s constraints and desires can help a negotiator approach the problem from a different angle, expand the options on the table to increase value for the other side, and propose win-win solutions. Making the first offer is usually considered an advantage, since it “anchors” or defines the negotiating point. Unless the first offer is completely unacceptable, it can set a reasonable range for negotiation.

Question 55

Negotiation Process: Persuasion

Answer 55

Negotiators seek mutually beneficial options rather than trying to win the other side to their own position. This is possible since both sides have a broader understanding of each other’s divergent interests and can find solutions that satisfy needs on both sides. Fisher and Ury recommend that negotiators focus on discovering interests rather than staking out—and clinging to—distinct positions. Understanding the other side’s underlying interest can help both sides discover a third way.

Question 56

Negotiation Process: Concessions

Answer 56

Both sides find wants that are not essential to agreement. Some negotiators plan to make small concessions, while others never make concessions—at least formally. In a multi-party negotiation, one can try to get the other participants to bid against each other in the manner of an auction.

Question 57

Negotiation Process: Agreement

Answer 57

Agreements may be legal instruments or verbally expressed understandings. The requirement of a legal contract may itself be offensive to some cultures, who view it as a sign of lack of trust in the relationship. Negotiators must also be alert to agreement that is only apparent and may result from a desire to avoid conflict.

Question 58

Negotiatiors should be aware of the influence of culture on negotiating styles - in international dimensions of organizational behavior, who argues what?

Answer 58

Nancy Adler argues that leaders who find themselves engaged in cross-cultural negotiations should consider a “synergistic approach” that recognizes the differences in negotiating styles across cultures and uses those differences to craft agreements that allow both sides to win. To do this, individuals should begin by taking the cultural perspective of the other side in the negotiation—trying to understand the values the other side brings to negotiations and what they hope to achieve through negotiation. It is possible that, by understanding differences, negotiators can avoid having to compromise their desires. Since each side may want different things, it may be possible to reach win-win agreements more easily. By understanding the perspective of the other side, able negotiators create ease, trust, and respect.