Reference no: EM13300179

What do you think? Please answer in positive way
Question #1 How can managers improve their perceptual skills? Provide examples from your own experience or knowledge.
Answer#1. As a manager one of the most dangerous things to do is have preconceived perceptions about individuals you will be conducting business with. The text describes several situations in which as a perceiver you might be influenced when conducting business such as an interview. If you are in a bad mood or have preconceived attitudes toward what you already feel the best candidate might look like, you might not be in the best position to make a hiring decision.

As in the case of perception in an interview, I find that the best way to prepare myself to eliminate any preconceived notions of the person I am interviewing, is to use a tried method of asking questions that involve the candidates specific past experiences as they might relate to the key elements of the job I am interviewing that person for. The STAR method of interviewing is fact based as long as the interviewer has strong skills in asking the questions to eliminate any false or ambiguous answers. Here is some good information about the STAR method for those of you that interview candidates, and for those of you that might be a candidate! https://careerservices.wayne.edu/behavioralinterviewinfo.pdf
Answer#1. I think that one of the best ways in which a manager can improve his or her perceptual skills is to continuously adapt to changes and stay up to date on societal trends. What I mean by this is that there can often be a generational gap between a manager and their employees, and as the gap gets wider, it can become increasingly difficult to share things in common.

A common example in the workplace is cell phone use. For example, an individual in their 50-60's may have strong feelings towards what is considered acceptable cell-phone use, whereas that new twenty year old may have a different understanding of when it is okay for to use phones (i.e. during meetings, presentations, training). The problem here is that an older manager might interpret cell phone use during a meeting as disrespectful even though that younger employee did not see anything wrong with doing it if they were not disturbing anyone. This is why it is key for a manager to continuously adapt to change and be ready to recognize that there was a misunderstanding and mitigate the situation. A good manager could also try to predict problems of this type and be proactive to solve them ahead of time.
Question#2. Define values. Distinguish between instrumental values and terminal values. Are these values generally stable, or do they change over time?
Answer#2. Values are the beliefs or characteristics that each person holds in high importance. Instrumental values are the values used and needed to achieve goals, such as ambition and self-sufficiency. Terminal values are the values that are achieved such as love, happiness, and self-respect.
I think both instrumental and terminal values do change considering they are the values that lead you to achievement and are the result of achievement. Not everyone possesses all the values or prioritizes values in the same way. It's natural that values change as you change. When a person ages and matures their values change as well as life experience that changes perspectives and results in a change in values.
Question#3.What is the relationship between values and ethics? Develop a full answer. There are many contemporary examples of lapse of ethics in business. Feel free to bring in outside references.
Answer#3. Values and ethics are very closely related because both are derived from beliefs and influence behavior. I think of values as being personal distinctions that are to each their own and ethics as being a universal societal standard.
Something immediately came to mind that I feel is relevant to this topic, although it isn't a lapse in ethics. I was reminded of Chick-Fil-A considering the news of the original founder that just passed away this week. I thought of this company because the values of not only the business but also the owner were very public. The business is never open on Sundays because the owner believes that people should rest and have time to spend with family and friends.
The more controversial value and ethical belief, which belongs to the CEO and not the company, is the stance on gay marriage. The CEO was once asked what his position on the matter was and his response sparked outrage. He was anti-gay marriage for personal and religious beliefs. Sharing his personal values caused the public to boycott the business. Just as many people supported the company through the controversy, but the distinction between the values of the CEO and the values of the business were lost on most people.