Date: 20 November 2024, Wednesday
Time: 10.30 – 12.00
Place: MA-330
“Jazzing Through Task Uncertainty: The Improvisation Mindset, Appraisals, and Performance in Uncertain Tasks”
by
Oğuz Gençay
University of Maryland
Abstract
Task uncertainty—the unpredictability of task processes and outcomes—often leads to adverse consequences, such as impaired decision-making and deteriorated task performance. Because uncertainty makes individuals feel as if they are losing control (Matta et al., 2017), individuals usually react to it with control-maintaining strategies, such as engaging in research or planning. In the present research, I draw from arts (jazz music/improv theatre) and improvisation literature, then build on appraisal theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) to propose that an improvisation mindset—an approach that involves giving up active control—can be a counter-intuitive but highly effective strategy to deal with task uncertainty. Specifically, I hypothesize that an improvisation mindset (triggered by situational interventions developed in this research) can help individuals see uncertain tasks as more of a challenge and less of a hindrance, thus improving their task performance. During my talk, I will present three main studies (an online experiment, an in-person lab experiment, and an initial field experiment) that support these expectations. Additionally, I will briefly discuss several additional studies that bring validity evidence for the improvisation mindset construct and support my theoretical and conceptual arguments. Lastly, I will discuss future studies and contributions to the literature on uncertainty, appraisals, and improvisation at the workplace.
Bio
Oğuz Gençay is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Behavior at the University of Maryland, where he currently teaches ethical leadership at the master’s level. He finished his undergraduate degree at Middle East Technical University and University of California Berkeley and received his master’s degree from Boğaziçi University. His research examines the drivers and inhibitors of prosociality and performance at work while developing targeted interventions. He conducts this research in three often intersecting domains: music, social/task context, and self-regulation. In his talk, he will present his dissertation on how an improvisation mindset can help employees navigate task uncertainty.