1. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Melissa Koerner, PhD Westminster College

2. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Agenda  Why courage matters  Components of courage  The experience of courage  The range of courageous acts  Individual and social factors that influence courage  Learning to be courageous Presentation based on research by Melissa Koerner, “The experience and social context of courage at work,” under review by the Academy of Management Journal.

3. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011

4. My Questions 1.What are the components of courage at work? 2.How do people experience at courage at work? 3.What individual characteristics are related to courageous behavior? 4.How does the social situation affect courageous acts?

5. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 “I worked in a call center with a single mom who had three children... This job was the sole income for her and her family... One day she came to me with a very pale face; [she had] caught our floor manager watching child pornography on his computer in his office. He told her that if it got out, he would fire her because her sales numbers were not up to par. She told me she couldn’t sleep at night while she tried to figure out the best thing to do. Obviously she could not lose her job, but she felt she had to say something about the situation... After a couple of days I saw Security come out with our floor manager—they escorted him out of the office. Then I knew she did the right thing” (r10, f, 28). Courage at Work: An Example

6. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Reflecting on Courageous Acts  Think about an act of courage you have experienced personally or observed at work.  Who was involved?  What happened?  What were the consequences? Courageous Acts Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011

7. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Components of Courage Morally worthy goal Intentional action Perceived risk, threat or obstacle—and usually fear 123 Physical Psychological Social Economic

8. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Steven Slater: Courageous?

9. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 How Courage Happens Deliberation Deliberation TriggereventTriggerevent Choice and act Choice Reflection Reflection Defining moment Unacceptable behavior Problem, crisis, error Inappropriate request Unfair treatment or decision

10. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Types of Courageous Acts Reactive Proactive Where do your courageous acts fall? Endure - - - - Respond - - - - Oppose - - - - Create

11. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Individual and Social Factors Influencing Courage Individual factors Individual factors  Occupational, work group, and organization identification  Salient personal values  Self-efficacy Individual factors Individual factors  Occupational, work group, and organization identification  Salient personal values  Self-efficacy Social factors Social factors  Power and status imbalances  Ethical, open culture  Relationship imp act Social factors Social factors  Power and status imbalances  Ethical, open culture  Relationship imp act

12. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Examples of Courage  A young, newly hired administrative assistant with an auditing background discovers that a long-term, well-liked employee has been embezzling $1,000 a month from the company. Should he report the employee?  While accompanying the city inspector on an inspection of his construction firm’s housing units, the superintendent notices a large bore hole in a main structure of a beam. Should he tell the inspector, thereby incurring the wrath of his boss?  A young professional woman begins to receive sexually explicit messages from “the second most powerful man in the company.” Should she report him to the company president?

13. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Why Should Leaders Care?  Some individuals are unlikely to behave courageously:  Low identification with occupation, organization or group  Absence of salient values  Low self-efficacy  Some social situations impede courage:  Power/status imbalances  Secretive/unethical cultures  Important but fragile work relationships It’s unwise to expect people to behave courageously in these circumstances. Courage is a good thing, but…

14. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Courage and Supply Management Professionals 1.Identify a common situation in which supply management professionals could demonstrate courage.  To what degree are social factors that inhibit courage present in this situation?  What can be done to change the situation so that less courage is required? 2.What can purchasing professionals do to learn to be more courageous? Social factors that inhibit courage: Power/status imbalance | Secretive, unethical culture | Poor relationship impact

15. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Learning to Be Courageous  Start small and practice.  Speak up; express differing opinions (others will follow).  Work with courageous people.  Recognize and reward courage when you see others act courageously.

16. Courage at Work Institute of Supply Management March 10, 2011 Go forth and be courageous Encourage courage at work