Reflecting on Teamwork Assignment: An Analysis of Organisational Behaviour Theory

Institutional Affiliation(S)
Working with others

P a g e | 1
Research essay reflecting on my teamwork assignment
An organisation can be defined as group of individuals who work combinedly to
achieve a common desired goal. Organisational behaviour refers to the set of attitude and
action of individuals in the group. According to Dailey (2012), the grounds of organisational
behaviour (OB) covers knowledge derived from actions and attitudes that helps managers
understand complexity within organisations to determine best ways that could rectify the
issue and establish necessary changes that can make imperative transformation. Team
building is another popular concept of OD technique that attempts to unite individuals to
work together and make plans regarding how the desired objective can be accomplished in
effective way (Kumar, et al., 2014). This research essay will critically analyse my team
working experience while drawing upon OB theory to analyse effectiveness shown in my
team work while working on a group assignment.
The group that was formed to complete an assignment comprised of four members
including myself. On very initial stages of team formation, I divided our work equally among
four members where they readily agreed upon this idea. I found myself adapting towards
leadership style while contributing various skills required for the assignment. I was able to
amend my directive leadership style to accommodate myself as well as others into the group
work and lead more supportive rather than directive leadership like situational leadership
model in OB theory (McCleskey, 2014). According to Prabhakar (2008), it is significant to
adjust our leadership style depending upon skills displayed by every individual present in the
group or teams. Efficient leader will always bring teams together to accomplish desired goals
by implementing process of skills and OB application to create a compact group relationship
for a team work.

P a g e | 2
During the entire journey of group assignment, we faced several challenges not only
due to diversity in ideas and resolutions but majorly because one of our group members
didn’t responded to my emails and failed in providing required efforts for the assignment.
One of the prime characteristics of OB theory is that it encompasses interrelationships among
people (Kondalkar, 2007). Similarly, communication is very important aspect that determines
effectiveness in a group work where each member of the group needs to be connected with
each other via formal or informal communication. Failing to adhere the same, deviation from
the primary objective can even bring a halt to work (Akindele, 2012). Since, no proper
communication standards were followed by our fourth member, the effective communication
within our group faced issues for which we decided to work further while discontinuing to
work with him.
Attribution theory in OB was introduced by Fritz Heider in the year 1950 that
explains how we critic on people diversely according to the meaning we point to a given
behaviour (Dailey, 2012). In other words, this theory suggests that during the times we
observe individual behaviour, we try and determine its internal and external reasons.
Internally caused behavioural attitude are believed to be under self-control of individuals
whereas externally caused behaviour are forced in the individual due to situation.
Nevertheless, both the causes can further depend upon three factors; consensus,
distinctiveness and consistency. If any member or any individual makes mistake in their
attribution or perception, they are judged by others due to their own mistakes (Kondalkar,
2007). Since, our fourth member did not justify with any of the three factors, he can be
judged due to his own mistake for not fulfilling his commitment.
According to Ghosh & Swamy (2014), “The term commitment means engagement or
involvement that restricts freedom of action” (p. 04). Organisational commitment (OC) of OB
theory has outstanding dimension in studies related to OB theory as its findings endorses