COMMUNICATION
As said before, communication is an integral part of any organisation and its success and while countless issues are going to arise, there are strategies that can be put in place to resolve these.
Disney has developed the idea that communication must be a two-way street whereby instead of other organisations where “leaders talk and employees listen” - they increase the use of listening to one another including leaders listening to employees with new ideas (Jones, 2013). Managers of the different divisions at Disney must be aware of the different mediums in communication that will be the most effective towards team members.
The second key issue with communication within the media industry, specifically Disney is the staff member’s resistance to change. Staff members who come from different backgrounds and diverse cultures may have different mindsets and opinions on the way certain things are carried out. This can cause tension and conflict within an organisation and ultimately affect the communication in that organisation. This can be resolved with many strategies including right at the beginning of the employment stage where there are tighter screenings for the right people who fit the culture and opinions of the company; also, the leader in each certain division of the company needs to make the staff members comfortable and aware of the change that is happening. Team members do not want to arrive at work one day and everything has changed – it needs to be notified in advanced, transparent, gradual and put on display so that every individual is aware of it occurring. This can be communicated easily by emails and newsletter and more can be sent out as an update to ensure they are kept informed. (Examples of Communication Problems in the Workplace, n.d.).
Implementation of Communication
As said before, communication is an integral part of any organisation and its success and while countless issues are going to arise, there are strategies that can be put in place to resolve these.
Disney has developed the idea that communication must be a two-way street whereby instead of other organisations where “leaders talk and employees listen” - they increase the use of listening to one another including leaders listening to employees with new ideas (Jones, 2013). Managers of the different divisions at Disney must be aware of the different mediums in communication that will be the most effective towards team members.
The second key issue with communication within the media industry, specifically Disney is the staff member’s resistance to change. Staff members who come from different backgrounds and diverse cultures may have different mindsets and opinions on the way certain things are carried out. This can cause tension and conflict within an organisation and ultimately affect the communication in that organisation. This can be resolved with many strategies including right at the beginning of the employment stage where there are tighter screenings for the right people who fit the culture and opinions of the company; also, the leader in each certain division of the company needs to make the staff members comfortable and aware of the change that is happening. Team members do not want to arrive at work one day and everything has changed – it needs to be notified in advanced, transparent, gradual and put on display so that every individual is aware of it occurring. This can be communicated easily by emails and newsletter and more can be sent out as an update to ensure they are kept informed. (Examples of Communication Problems in the Workplace, n.d.).
Implementation of Communication
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
With flexibility brought by technology being both a blessing and a curse for work life balance, it makes sense for CGI development team and CGI artists alike to create a team based plan to help decrease the sudden ‘shock’ that innovation demands on developers, and subsequently minimise the tiring, nonstop adaptation that artists are forced to face through a use of a “Conveyor Feedback strategy”
The two teams are to work simultaneously to work as one identifiable work unit which can allow the intertwining of tasks, enabling the sharing of workload and reducing stress as a result. By combining the work team, it helps create a sense of shared purpose and help coordinate tasks with immediate and transparent, open and rapid feedback communication channels which can reduce stress, conflict and miscommunications which subsequently improves efficiency (Carlopio, & Andrewartha, 2012, p.122-176).
Implementation of Technological Innovation
With flexibility brought by technology being both a blessing and a curse for work life balance, it makes sense for CGI development team and CGI artists alike to create a team based plan to help decrease the sudden ‘shock’ that innovation demands on developers, and subsequently minimise the tiring, nonstop adaptation that artists are forced to face through a use of a “Conveyor Feedback strategy”
The two teams are to work simultaneously to work as one identifiable work unit which can allow the intertwining of tasks, enabling the sharing of workload and reducing stress as a result. By combining the work team, it helps create a sense of shared purpose and help coordinate tasks with immediate and transparent, open and rapid feedback communication channels which can reduce stress, conflict and miscommunications which subsequently improves efficiency (Carlopio, & Andrewartha, 2012, p.122-176).
Implementation of Technological Innovation
CONFLICT
Cultural dimension is a theory that identifies on which culture a person belongs to rather than identifying them as individuals. According to Hofstede & Minkov (2010), a person's culture can be identified into two groups, the individualistic and collectivist group. Individualistic culture is known for promoting their self benefits rather than group benefits. People that belong to this group put a great amount of importance to the factors that will benefit them such as creativity, initiative, autonomy, and authority in decision making. On the other hand, people that belong to the collectivists group give more importance about the group itself than self interest. Group loyalty and coherence is conserved with the expense of self interest. According to Basu-Zharku (2011), people from the countries of Canada, USA, Western Europe, New Zealand and Australia are known to be influenced by individualistic culture, while the rest of the world is mainly influenced by collectivism culture.
Learning others culture is one of the strategies that could prevent cross cultural conflict between team members. Information about cultures can be learned through general readings, training programs and talking to individuals who are from different cultures. Self awareness plays a big factor in order to learn other peoples culture because individuals who has no idea of other cultures tend to fall in cultural stereotyping (Glaser, 2005).
Team members from individualistic group prefer to talk to a Human Resource representative in order to resolve the conflict compared to people that belongs to collectivism group. Collectivism people prefer talking to other members of their team to resolve the conflict, than talking to outsider such as 3rd party representative. The mediator provides services such as evaluation of strength and weaknesses, advises, and counselling in order to bring back peace and coherence between the conflicting parties (Ford, 2001).
Communication protocol includes a group of policies that are used in informal problem solving established in mediation context and is used for daily communication throughout the company. In order for the protocol to be effective, a full participation must be expected on both managers and staffs (Hoover, 2003).
Implementation of Conflict
Cultural dimension is a theory that identifies on which culture a person belongs to rather than identifying them as individuals. According to Hofstede & Minkov (2010), a person's culture can be identified into two groups, the individualistic and collectivist group. Individualistic culture is known for promoting their self benefits rather than group benefits. People that belong to this group put a great amount of importance to the factors that will benefit them such as creativity, initiative, autonomy, and authority in decision making. On the other hand, people that belong to the collectivists group give more importance about the group itself than self interest. Group loyalty and coherence is conserved with the expense of self interest. According to Basu-Zharku (2011), people from the countries of Canada, USA, Western Europe, New Zealand and Australia are known to be influenced by individualistic culture, while the rest of the world is mainly influenced by collectivism culture.
Learning others culture is one of the strategies that could prevent cross cultural conflict between team members. Information about cultures can be learned through general readings, training programs and talking to individuals who are from different cultures. Self awareness plays a big factor in order to learn other peoples culture because individuals who has no idea of other cultures tend to fall in cultural stereotyping (Glaser, 2005).
Team members from individualistic group prefer to talk to a Human Resource representative in order to resolve the conflict compared to people that belongs to collectivism group. Collectivism people prefer talking to other members of their team to resolve the conflict, than talking to outsider such as 3rd party representative. The mediator provides services such as evaluation of strength and weaknesses, advises, and counselling in order to bring back peace and coherence between the conflicting parties (Ford, 2001).
Communication protocol includes a group of policies that are used in informal problem solving established in mediation context and is used for daily communication throughout the company. In order for the protocol to be effective, a full participation must be expected on both managers and staffs (Hoover, 2003).
Implementation of Conflict
PERSONAL STRESS
Although work related stress can cause some serious health issue there are strategies that can help lessen the stress on an individual. Mixing family life with work life can also have its advantages as the "bring you kid to work day" can be beneficial to not only the worker but also our company as we aim our products primarily at children. Having the flexibility to bring your child to work with you allows employees to be able to manage their time and tasks more effectively.
The Walt Disney Company developed four core concepts: to Dream, to Believe, to Dare and to Do (McGinn-Cardwell, 2003). These were stipulated from our’s 10 management principles: 1. Make Everyone’s Dreams Come True, 2. You Better Believe It, 3. Never a Customer, Always a Guest, 4. All for One and One for All, 5. Share the Spotlight, 6. Dare to Dare, 7. Practice, Practice, Practice, 8. Make Your Elephant Fly, 9. Capture the Magic with Storyboards, 10. Give Details Top Billing (McGinn-Cardwell, 2003). Make Your Elephant Fly refers to the importance of planning, ensuring that your long term visions align with the short term executions (McGinn-Cardwell, 2003), this is particularly important with the stress of time pressure and performance pressures. Along with this Capture the Magic with Storyboards is another useful tip to ensure that employees do not get overwhelmed with time and quality restraints (McGinn-Cardwell, 2003). Storyboards are a method used to create solutions and increase communication as it establishes a mission statement, breaks the work down to smaller more manageable parts (McGinn-Cardwell, 2003).
Simple methods of using an organiser and setting priorities by making lists, deciding on time frames and setting goals allows employees to take control over stress management (Lipp, 2013). Lastly another stress management technique is realising that you cannot make everyone happy all of the time, choosing what needs to be done and ensuring that your boss or you as an individual do not ask for an unreasonable amount of work to be completed in an unrealistic time frame (Lipp, 2013). This can be avoided by the above strategies or by speaking to the person in charge, having a stay/leave interview or explaining the issue to overcome these stresses (Lipp, 2013).
Implementation of Personal Stress
Bibliography:
Basu-Zharku, I. (2011). Effects of Collectivistic and Individualistic Cultures on Imagination Inflation in Easter and Western Cultures. Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/385/effects-of-collectivistic-and-individualistic-cultures-on-imagination-inflation-in-eastern-and-western-cultures
Examples of Communication Problems in the Workplace. [n.d.]. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-communication-problems-workplace-11243.html
Ford, J. (2001). Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution in Teams. Retrieved from http://www.mediate.com/articles/ford5.cfm
Glaser, T. (2005). Resolving Conflict in a Multi Cultural Environment. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/example/will5746.htm
Hofstede, G., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organisations: Software of the Mind, Third Edition. USA: McGraw-Hill.
Hoover, L. (2003). Developing Departmental Communication Protocols. Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, 4. Retrieved from http://www.campus-adr.org/CMHER/print/hoover4_1.pdf
Jones, B. (2013). Two-Way Communication: How Disney Intentionally Listens. Retrieved from https://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2013/12/two-way-communication-how-disney-intentionally-listens/224/
Lipp, D. (2013). Smart Supervision. Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most
Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees, 8(7), 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.douglipp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SmartSupervision-article.pdf
McGinn-Cardwell, C. (2003). Management and Accounting Web. Retrieved from
http://maaw.info/ArticleSummaries/ArtSumCapodagliJackson99.htm
Basu-Zharku, I. (2011). Effects of Collectivistic and Individualistic Cultures on Imagination Inflation in Easter and Western Cultures. Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/385/effects-of-collectivistic-and-individualistic-cultures-on-imagination-inflation-in-eastern-and-western-cultures
Examples of Communication Problems in the Workplace. [n.d.]. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-communication-problems-workplace-11243.html
Ford, J. (2001). Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution in Teams. Retrieved from http://www.mediate.com/articles/ford5.cfm
Glaser, T. (2005). Resolving Conflict in a Multi Cultural Environment. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/example/will5746.htm
Hofstede, G., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organisations: Software of the Mind, Third Edition. USA: McGraw-Hill.
Hoover, L. (2003). Developing Departmental Communication Protocols. Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, 4. Retrieved from http://www.campus-adr.org/CMHER/print/hoover4_1.pdf
Jones, B. (2013). Two-Way Communication: How Disney Intentionally Listens. Retrieved from https://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2013/12/two-way-communication-how-disney-intentionally-listens/224/
Lipp, D. (2013). Smart Supervision. Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most
Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees, 8(7), 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.douglipp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SmartSupervision-article.pdf
McGinn-Cardwell, C. (2003). Management and Accounting Web. Retrieved from
http://maaw.info/ArticleSummaries/ArtSumCapodagliJackson99.htm