As professionals advance in their careers, they find that effective leadership requires more than just expertise. Many leaders apply psychological concepts to their workplace to help motivate their teams and create environments where productivity and innovation thrive.
Through the online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Organizational Leadership program offered by Arkansas State University (A-State), graduates gain greater understanding of social psychology and discover new strategies to cultivate inclusive work environments and improve employee engagement.
What Is Organizational Leadership?
Organizational psychology, which informs organizational leadership, is the study of workplace interactions and how those relationships affect both employees and the organization’s overall productivity. Often, organizational psychologists closely examine the factors that lead to job satisfaction and the management styles that can create optimal outcomes for the entire workforce.
Concepts from social psychology are fundamental to understanding organizational psychology. These theories examine how social influences affect people’s feelings, actions, self-perception and overall behaviors. Within the social psychology framework, humans understand that individuals use interactions with others to serve their goals or fulfill needs, such as a desire to build social ties, gain insight into our own personalities, improve our social status or find long-term companionship.
Other essential concepts include the idea that people behave differently based on their situations and are deeply affected by the surrounding environment. The field also explores how people decode and respond to social signals around them through a process known as social cognition. This concept, which involves studying how people think about what others feel and do, is at the core of social psychology.
While some social psychologists focus on research and university work, many professionals with organizational psychology and leadership qualifications serve as consultants or human resources professionals.
Their roles can involve hiring and training employees, offering conflict mediation services or reviewing internal programs to see if those resources lead to better work performance or working conditions for employees. A-State’s online B.A. in Organizational Leadership provides graduates with skills that will prepare them for job opportunities ranging from academic institutions and government agencies to nonprofit organizations, hospitals and corporations.
Applying Social Psychology to the Workplace
The dynamics of social psychology are on display in every work environment, especially regarding psychological safety. According to McKinsey & Company, when employees feel psychologically safe at work, they are more likely to voice their opinions and raise issues without fear of reprisal. In other words, they can take risks, admit mistakes and contribute to a workplace that encourages innovation and unique ideas.
Leaders play a crucial role in fostering psychological safety and creating a climate where each individual’s contributions are valued. However, McKinsey & Company researchers found that a minority of employees felt like their managers were demonstrating the traits — humility, vulnerability, curiosity and inclusiveness — necessary to create a safe environment for all employees to express themselves.
Effective organizational leaders understand that in addition to having formal power in the workplace, they should also exercise their social and psychological influence to better respond to employees’ needs. Beyond motivating their teams, they should also participate in professional development to improve their emotional intelligence skills and use what they learn to inform their decision-making and long-term strategies.
The Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology courses are cornerstones of A-State’s online B.A. in Organizational Leadership program, giving graduates a broad base of knowledge for their careers. Organizational Behavior allows students to analyze a blend of managerial concepts alongside psychology, sociology, philosophy and communication theory. In addition, the Social Psychology course examines the concepts of social cognition, attitude theory and intergroup relations.
Pursue Organizational Leadership at Arkansas State University
Upon completing A-State’s online B.A. in Organizational Leadership program, aspiring professionals leave with a greater understanding of the psychological concepts that underlie the positive and negative aspects of workplace environments. Graduates enter their careers with the tools they need to successfully mediate conflict and create work environments that inspire employees to do their best work.
Learn about Arkansas State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership program.