Interpersonal Behavior in

Organizations

L. JibonMIMS

Manipur University

THEORIES OF

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

The Interpersonal Needs Perspective

• Inclusion– Undersocial– Oversocial– Adaptable-social

INCLUSIONExpressed inclusion

Wanted inclusion

I Join with others and ask others to join with me

I want others to ask me to join them

CONTROLExpressed control

Wanted control

I influence and decide for others

I want others to influence and control me

AFFECTIONExpressed affection

Wanted affection

I act toward others in a close and personal way

I want others to be close and personal towards me

Expressed and Wanted Aspects of Three Interpersonal Needs

EGO STATES

ControllingStandard Setting

Nurturing

Parent

Information Processing

Adult

NaturalLittle Professor

Adapted

Child

Eg (1): Complementary Transactions

• Manager: I don’t recall seeing the June report yet

• Staff Member: I’ve just finished it, here it is.

Eg (1): Complementary Transactions

Parent Parent

Adult Adult

Child Child

Eg (2): Complementary Transactions

• Manager: Your reports should never be this late

• Staff Member: Yes, sir. I’ll do my best to be better from now on.

Eg (1): Complementary Transactions

Parent Parent

Adult Adult

Child Child

Eg (1): Crossed Transactions

• Manger: Is the June report finished yet?• You’re always rushing me; how can I work

under all this pressure?

Eg (1): Crossed Transactions

Parent Parent

Adult Adult

Child Child

Eg (2): Crossed Transactions

• Manager: You know, people just don’t seem to work hard the way they used to

• Staff Manager: I’m not so sure. I notice a lot of hard working people today.

Eg (2): Crossed Transactions

Parent Parent

Adult Adult

Child Child

Eg (1): Ulterior Transaction

• Staff Member: Here’s my report. I’ve been working on it hard all weekend

• Manager: Alright.

Eg (1): Ulterior Transaction

Parent Parent

Adult Adult

Child Child

THE TRANSACTIONPERSPECTIVE

Dominance

Submission

AffectionHostility

The Interpersonal Reflex Model

The Interpersonal Reflex

• Affection encourages affection and hostility provokes hostility in return

The Interpersonal Reflex

• Submissive behavior by one person is a bid for dominance by the other, and vice versa.

Communication Rules

• Constructive rules– Tell what a certain behavior means

Communication Rules

• Regulative rules– Tell us what we should and should not do.

Positional Relationships

• Superior-Subordinate Relationships

Positional Relationships

• Peer Relationships

Positional Relationships

• Serial Relationships

Cross Cultural Work Relationship

• Individualism/Collectivism

Cross Cultural Work Relationship

• Power distance

Cross Cultural Work Relationship

• Uncertainty avoidance

Cross Cultural Work Relationship

• Masculinity/feminity

Maladaptive Relationships

Maladaptive Relationships

• Disconfirmation– One or both of the parties feel the relationship to

be unprofitable exchange

Maladaptive Relationships

• Paradox

IGNORE THIS SIGN

Maladaptive Relationships

• Lockstep Reciprocals– Difficult to break out– May prevent development and change

Maladaptive Relationships

• Unstated Contracts– Parties develop assumptions and expectations

about each other