Key learnings from managing teams class

   a) mystery case: one must compose the team well. We all picked partners sitting next to each other. we all had a fear of what if I dont find a team mate and didnt even think about strengths and weaknesses.

It is necessary to overcome stereotypes in our own brain.

b) desert survival case: make your voice heard in a team. It is on you to make your voice heard.

c) lego case: can we do real team work with all type A people. How do you trust someone else or how do you set up an orgaization 

d) coin transaction: behavior of human beings depending upon which hierarchical level they are in. If you are in top, you define the rules. people in layers below are more friendly. 

e) Build painting exercise: not easy to be in management: making fast decisions and keeping employees engaged/motivated...critical to be open to feedback....

I was playing the role of executive management...disaster until half time off site meeting...hierarchies must be broken...work force must be fluid and goal oriented and not task oriented....information transfer/communication slows down if too many levels...middle management does not convey every information to top layer and its a challenge to get that information without making them feel vulnerable of their position...

career workshop

1. If people are given random choice to pick top ten careers they want (ignore their current commitments); you can learn a lot about them, their thoughts, their internal conflicts. - eg. CEO and housewife



Key points from David Dodson class


Managing Crisis - lecture 4 - JIm prescott case

Never tell: "you are right" or "You are wrong"

In unplanned situations, ask for time and/or different frame

Never spin, because you loose the trust.

"I need you". we got into this mess together. I am the captain, so I share disproportionate responsibility.

"Fair question. I want everybody to know the mechanics of infoirmation for bonus. You guys can share information with each other. And you may anyways want to do that. However, I think bonus must be discussed 1-1."

If sudden answer expected, you say, "I wanst prepared for this kind of meeting. I want to know your thoughts. ...You guys deserve a thoughtful response. I would like to formulate my thoughts and talk to you tomorrow".

three factors
1. reputation   2. Money   3. Trust

In turn around process, liking and effectiveness dont go together.

dialogic leadership

Something to share in your meetings and when u lead a group

There is power in being an opposer, follower and bystander. all are needed.

while giving feedback, always think of action-impact model. what was the action and how did it impact me.

analogies are system 1 responsse and they help in getting a quick response from system 1.

Moral Agents / Moral Patients

o   Moral agents: Have the capacity to do right or wrong

o   Moral patients: Have the capacity to be a target of right or wrong

o   When there is a conflict between a corporation and a person, people intuitively assign the role of agent to the corporation and patient to the person. Important to recognize this especially when we’re managing corporations.

Kids are always assigned the role of moral patient.

Famous Mitt Romney's dialogue: "Corporations are people, my friend"

power of asking through Post-it note - The reciprocity ring

Oct 6, 2014
]In organizational behavior class, we were asked to do a exercise.

each person recieved 1 yellow post it note to write something - ask for help for something. It could be like, " I am looking to carpool for san francisco"  Iam looking to learn guitar" I need help in finding a VC job" they put this on board. Each person recieves 4 blue post it notes. they put theeir solutions to the yellow notes.

This method promotes asking for help, develops connections


This is called reciprocity ring. Price water house coopers adopted this and saw a big difference.