Careless conversations, costly mistakes: Coercive managers and organizations in the litigious spotlight

Kouzmin, A; Hase, S; Sankaran, S

Careless conversations, costly mistakes: Coercive managers and organizations in the litigious spotlight

Kouzmin, A Hase, S Sankaran, S

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Publisher:: Common Ground Publishing
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Knowledge Culture and Change Management, 2006, 5 (1), pp. 95 - 102
Issue Date:: 2006-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kouzmin, A	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Hase, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sankaran, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5485-6216	en_US
dc.date.issued	2006-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Knowledge Culture and Change Management, 2006, 5 (1), pp. 95 - 102	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1447-9524	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/1028
dc.description.abstract	Despite what we know about the psychology of human behaviour at work and communication, careless conversations on the part of managers to each other and to other employees have an enormous human resource cost to organisations and, emotionally, to those involved. This paper is based on a number of case studies in which careless conversations by managers have led to: workers compensation claims; sick leave; prolongation of workers compensation and sick leave; staff turnover; organisational ineffectiveness; low morale; and mental and physical illness. These case studies have unearthed several manifestations of careless conversations. These include: inappropriate emotional responses on the part of managers; a failure to recognise the impact of punishment for what are relatively minor breaches of policy on hard working employees; covert punishment; lack of recognition for hard work; job insecurity; favouritism; unresolved conflict; inability to deal with people in distress; ignoring the prompt resolution of work problems; workers compensation paralysis; ignoring issues of justice; and ignorance of individual styles and needs. The reasons for this behaviour are discussed and we argue that this is largely a preventable problem and provide a number of solutions.	en_US
dc.publisher	Common Ground Publishing	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Knowledge Culture and Change Management	en_US
dc.title	Careless conversations, costly mistakes: Coercive managers and organizations in the litigious spotlight	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	5	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
utslib.for	0807 Library and Information Studies	en_US
utslib.for	2002 Cultural Studies	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.volume	5	en_US

Abstract:

Despite what we know about the psychology of human behaviour at work and communication, careless conversations on the part of managers to each other and to other employees have an enormous human resource cost to organisations and, emotionally, to those involved. This paper is based on a number of case studies in which careless conversations by managers have led to: workers compensation claims; sick leave; prolongation of workers compensation and sick leave; staff turnover; organisational ineffectiveness; low morale; and mental and physical illness. These case studies have unearthed several manifestations of careless conversations. These include: inappropriate emotional responses on the part of managers; a failure to recognise the impact of punishment for what are relatively minor breaches of policy on hard working employees; covert punishment; lack of recognition for hard work; job insecurity; favouritism; unresolved conflict; inability to deal with people in distress; ignoring the prompt resolution of work problems; workers compensation paralysis; ignoring issues of justice; and ignorance of individual styles and needs. The reasons for this behaviour are discussed and we argue that this is largely a preventable problem and provide a number of solutions.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/1028