MGMT2100 Study Guide - Final Guide: Fundamental Attribution Error, Selective Perception
Delivering Bad News
Difficult Conversations
Types of Difficult Conversations
• Negative performance appraisals
• Disciplinary actions
• Layoffs
• Pay cuts
• Denying requests
• Introduction of organisational policies that are perceived negatively by employees
Why is it hard to deliver bad news?
• Anticipated unpleasantness
• Emotions: fear, guilt, shame, anger
• Defensive behaviour
• High levels of stress
• Lack of communication skills
• Demanding and stressful work conditions (leads to win-lose framing of issues)
Common Mistake when Communicating in Difficult Situations
• Framing the situation or decision in a way that is too narrow (not considering alternative) and binary
(win-lose).
• Refusing to change the frame during interaction.
• Not listening and/or selective perception.
• Not paying attention to non-verbal cues.
• Fundamental Attribution Error (correspondence bias) – desies the tede fo osees to
attiute othe peoples ehaiou to iteal o dispositioal fatos ad to dopla situatioal
causes.
Why do we commit errors in framing?
• Fundamental attribution error (leads to overly simplistic interpretations).
• Subconscious mindsets that lead to binary framing.
• False consensus effect (assuming that others see a situation as we see it).
• Stress
What
to
do?
Erasing in
• The manager recognises a situation/problem, crafts a solution, and then asks the
employee a set of carefully crafted questions to help them reach the same conclusions.
• Problem:
o The manager might not get the answers he/she seeks.
o The manager is only prepared fo the oet ases.
Actionable Feedback
• Think about the other side – why might they have said/done something.
• Consider alternate explanations
• While its easy to complain/state there is a problem you should try to offer up a solution
and steps on how this could be done.
• What may be the consequences of your suggestion/advice if they really did it.
What
not
to
to?
What ot to do…
• Avoid
• Go ehid a pesos ak
• Behave in a way that suggests everything is ok and then suddenly give a negative message.
• Use social media to deliver bad news.
Crafting Negative Messages
• Consider your purpose thoroughly.
• Identify and gather information your audience requires in order to understand and accept the
message.
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Document Summary
Types of difficult conversations: negative performance appraisals, disciplinary actions, denying requests. Introduction of organisational policies that are perceived negatively by employees. Why is it hard to deliver bad news: anticipated unpleasantness, defensive behaviour, high levels of stress, demanding and stressful work conditions (leads to win-lose framing of issues) Framing the situation or decision in a way that is too narrow (not considering alternative) and binary (win-lose): refusing to change the frame during interaction, not listening and/or selective perception, not paying attention to non-verbal cues. Fundamental attribution error (correspondence bias) des(cid:272)(cid:396)i(cid:271)es the te(cid:374)de(cid:374)(cid:272)(cid:455) fo(cid:396) o(cid:271)se(cid:396)(cid:448)e(cid:396)(cid:859)s to att(cid:396)i(cid:271)ute othe(cid:396) people(cid:859)s (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iou(cid:396) to i(cid:374)te(cid:396)(cid:374)al o(cid:396) dispositio(cid:374)al fa(cid:272)to(cid:396)s a(cid:374)d to do(cid:449)(cid:374)pla(cid:455) situatio(cid:374)al causes. Fundamental attribution error (leads to overly simplistic interpretations). False consensus effect (assuming that others see a situation as we see it). The manager recognises a situation/problem, crafts a solution, and then asks the employee a set of carefully crafted questions to help them reach the same conclusions.
