Individual Behavior and CommunicationUniversity of PhoenixKenneth W. WhiteMay 16, 2007In this paper my team will compare and contrast the elements that determine individual behavior. We will also examine how the elements of communication can impact individual behavior in managing organizational behavior in the workplace. Each individual's personality is like a puzzle whose elaborate pieces are characteristics that are placed together to form a distinctive image. Some characteristics are hereditary such as gender, ethnicity, and the way a person looks. Other characteristics are formed by a person's environment like religious affiliation and value or attitude differences. All characteristics work in various combinations to impact human behavior in different situations. The complexity of a person's behavior as seen through his or her actions or reactions in various situations is inconsistent. The same individual may respond completely different to the same situation at different times or places. Difficulties may arise if communicators are unaware of the types of messages they are sending and how the receiver is interpreting those messages.
All parties involved must desire interaction in order for reciprocal communication to occur. Research in non-verbal communication provides awareness and possible solutions to many communication problems.
Diversity and demographic characteristics impact individual behavior in many different ways. The impact can be positive as well as negative. In recent years, as more businesses are moving toward a global marketplace, diversity has changed. Of general consensus is the belief that everyone is of equal importance, and is permitted the same privileges and opportunities, without regard to race, gender, disability, or age. Because of this belief, changes in management practices have altered in the workplace. People have grown to understand workplace diversification and employees' individual behavior. "Diversity management provides a climate where all employees feel that they are valued by and contributing to an organization" (Schermerhorn...