Chapter 14 Review

• Our workplace relationships are shaped by many forces. Two of the most powerful are organizational culture and organizational networks. Most workers learn their organization’s culture during new employee socialization and by interacting with members of various networks.

• Organizational networks are the principal source of workplace information for most employees. Virtual networks also exist, particularly for workers who telecommute from home.

• When members of networks share common beliefs and personal values, they sometimes form workplace cliques. Cliques can provide useful insider information to new employees, but they can also be disruptive.

• The overall emotional tone of your organization, known as the organizational climate, can be rigid and cold in a defensive climate, open and warm in a supportive climate, or somewhere in between.

• While technology in the workplace connects workers in a relational fashion, it also creates opportunities for cyberslacking.

• Our closest workplace relationships are with our professional peers. Friendships between peers evolve from frequent interaction and common interests. The same is true for virtual peers.

• The primary interpersonal dynamic in mixed-status relationships is power. The difference in power makes forming friendships across status lines challenging.

• Much of upward communication is designed to gain influence. Although people use different tactics, the most effective is advocacy—designing a message that is specifically tailored to the viewpoints of your superior.

• When engaging in downward communication, it’s important to communicate in positive, empathic, respectful, and open ways.

• Workplace bullying can occur in a variety of ways, including cyberbullying. Such bullying affects the target’s physical and psychological health.

• Even though romances in the workplace are common, they offer both positives and challenges.

• Sexual harassment has devastating effects on victims.