CHAPTER 1:  Introduction to Organizational Behaviour

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

• Define Organizational Behaviour (OB) and explain why it matters.
• Describe how OB supports your academic, personal, and professional success.
• Understand why OB is not “just common sense.”
• Explain what evidence-based management means.
• Identify the three major parts of this course and textbook.
• Recognize the habits that will help you succeed in this learning environment.

1. What Is Organizational Behaviour?

Organizational Behaviour (OB) is the study of how people think, feel, and act at work—both as individuals and as members of teams and organizations. It examines topics such as communication, motivation, leadership, decision-making, teamwork, personality, diversity, and culture.

Students often assume OB is “obvious” because it deals with people. But in reality, working with people is one of the most complex and difficult aspects of organizational life. OB helps us understand this complexity and provides tools to navigate it.

Everyday example

Think about a group project where one student does most of the work, another dominates discussions, and others avoid conflict.
This is not a technical problem—it’s a behavioural one.
OB helps explain why it happens and what to do about it.

2. Why Organizational Behaviour Matters

Regardless of your future role—accountant, designer, analyst, entrepreneur, marketer, engineer, consultant—your success will depend on how well you work with others.

OB helps you develop skills such as:

• communicating clearly
• managing stress
• working in diverse teams
• understanding values and motivations
• resolving conflict
• leading without formal authority
• building trust
• thinking critically about people and systems

Why this matters

Organizations often hire for technical skills but promote based on behavioural competence—reliability, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and professionalism. These behavioural competencies consistently predict long-term career success more strongly than technical knowledge alone.
This textbook helps you build these behavioural foundations early so you can excel in team projects, co-op terms, and professional roles.

3. OB Is NOT “Just Common Sense”

One of the biggest misconceptions about OB is that it simply describes things people “already know.” But behavioural science shows that our intuitions are often incomplete or wrong.

Below are well-established findings with real research support:

Myth 1: “Good teams are made of the smartest people.”

Reality: Psychological safety—not intelligence—is the strongest predictor of high team performance.
Source: Amy Edmondson (1999), Administrative Science Quarterly.

Myth 2: “Extroverts make the best leaders.”

Reality: Introverts often lead proactive teams more effectively because they listen and support others’ initiative.
Source: Grant, Gino, & Hofmann (2011), Academy of Management Journal.

Myth 3: “Feedback should always be direct and honest.”

Reality: Without psychological safety, direct feedback reduces learning and harms performance.
Sources:
• Edmondson (1999), ASQ
• Frazier et al. (2017), Journal of Management meta-analysis.

Myth 4: “People mostly leave jobs because of pay.”

Reality: Employees leave because of poor communication, lack of recognition, and weak relationships with supervisors.
Sources:
• Gallup Workplace Report (2023)
• Hom, Lee, Shaw, & Hausknecht (2017), Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior.

OB gives you concepts and evidence—not just intuition—to explain and improve real workplace behaviour.

4. Evidence-Based Management

In this course, we use an evidence-based approach, meaning decisions are guided by:

• peer-reviewed research
• organizational data
• behavioural science
• case evidence
• professional experience

This helps you avoid management myths and develop habits of critical thinking that will serve you throughout your career.

Example:
People often assume multitasking improves productivity.
But research consistently shows that multitasking increases mistakes, slows thinking, and raises stress.
OB helps you replace assumptions with evidence.

5. How This Course and Textbook Are Organized

The course is built around three interconnected levels of behaviour:

Part I — The Self in the Organization

This section helps you understand yourself and how you show up in teams.
Topics include:

• self-awareness
• personality and values
• perceptions
• emotions
• stress and well-being
• interpersonal communication

Example

A student with high conscientiousness may excel at planning and deadlines but struggle with perfectionism.
Understanding this helps them collaborate more effectively.

Part II — The Team in the Organization

This section focuses on working with others.
Topics include:

• team roles
• norms and expectations
• conflict and communication styles
• decision-making
• leadership and influence
• psychological safety

Effective teamwork is not automatic—OB gives you the tools to build it intentionally.

Part III — Organizations and Their Systems

This section looks at how systems shape behaviour.
Topics include:

• organizational communication
• diversity, equity, and inclusion
• culture and socialization
• structure and power
• sensemaking
• change and adaptation

Example

A company may say it values innovation, but if decisions require multiple approvals, the structure contradicts the stated value.
OB helps you interpret these mismatches.

6. How to Succeed in This Course

Success in OB comes from active engagement, not memorization.
You will do well if you:

• read the chapter before class (flipped model)
• participate in discussions and activities
• reflect on your experiences at work, in teams, and in daily life
• practice communication and feedback skills
• stay open to diverse perspectives
• connect course ideas to your co-op or work experience

OB is practical—you improve by doing, not just reading.