Sunday, October 5, 2008

Week 7.2 Relational Dialectics

In Chapter 6 page 146 discusses relational dialectics and types of it like connection-autonomy,
openness-closeness, novelty-predictability, equality-inequality, instrumentality-affection and impartiality-favoritism.

The authors explained openness-closeness as the desire to allow information to be disclosed or free flowing versus the desire to maintain privacy. Sometimes at work we get requests for information that are very cryptic and raises a lot of questions in the minds of the team members. Recently, we are asked to provide the list of tasks we own and we work on regularly, describing our duties and responsibilities. This raised a lot of rumors in the team about a possible reorganization etc., The reason for this was when we were asked for such information last time there was a reorganization that followed it soon. To clear the issue after a week we asked the manager in the team meeting why he requested that information. The reason was so that he can enter the tasks in the new time sheet portal we have, he was planning to enter them so that we can enter time cards easily. If he mentioned this in the email when he requested information there would have been no unnecessary discussions about it. I think openness in communication is very important when there are chances for assumptions.

1 comment:

charlemagne said...

the relational dialectic of openness-closeness is an important one. In my company, there are issues relating to this dialectic as well. Information is kept isolated at certain levels, as if the knowledge of these secrets will bring the company down. what is more likely is that sharing information vertically will reduce the importance of certain managerial positions as gate-keepers. the attitude is "need-to-know," a very patronizing approach. On the other hand, team members are expected to know what needs to be done, and when.