This Document Contains Cases 16 to 21 Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #16 Globalization & Cross-Cultural Communication Introduction This scenario explores the complexities of global and cross-cultural communication. The challenges of communicating in one culture and country can increase exponentially when people communicate across cultures and counties. This case shows how easy conflicts can occur with incongruent personality types and viewpoints on how a project should move forward. Other issues include global and cultural work and communication problems. Learning Objectives To analyze and evaluate approaches to conflict resolution. To recognize cultural differences in nonverbal communication styles. To identify traits of effective meetings. Scenario Description Overview The Director of Communications for Zenith Fine Furnishings, Janet Kassevelli, oversees a special project and must contend with freelancers that essentially speak different languages—a visual artist and database programmer. The problem is that neither party can understand what the other wants or intends and blame the other for work on the project not being completed. The freelancers look to the director to help them articulate their points in a different way. Profile Janet Kassevelli, Director of Communications, Zenith Fine Furnishings Jake Simms, Freelance Fashion Photographer Sangita Chaturvedi, Senior Programmer, New Delhi Code Source Backstory Zenith Fine Furnishings is entering a period of business growth. Research has determined that furniture sales increase dramatically when stores create an online experience that mirrors their product line. Janet Kassevelli turned to two experts to conceive and implement the project with her: Jake Simms and Sangita Chaturvedi. Jake Simms, a reputable local fashion photographer (who used to do product shots for Zenith in his early career) has been hired as a consultant. Since Simms has experience in furniture, works as his own stylist, and is an expert in translating mood and vibe visually, he is directing the creative vision for the online website. Sangita Chaturvedi has handled the customization of Zenith’s manufacturing and operations networks (JIT inventory, etc.) for many years. Chaturvedi and her team also worked with Kassevelli to upgrade the company’s basic website to include a simple shopping cart system and a customer tracking system. Chaturvedi initially requested the manager hire a web designer to interface between the fashion photographer and the programming team, but there was not any money in the budget for it. Simms is angling to get other projects from manager. Scene setup The project is behind schedule and a third milestone has not been met. The programmer and creative director blame the other and cannot agree on how to get the work done. The current disagreement is over the site map. Simms wants everything clickable and accessible from everywhere else; Chaturvedi insists this makes for an impossible user path. Neither is willing to concede. The manager sets up a video conference with Chaturvedi in India, while Simms joins her in her office in the United States. Scene Location Videoconference room at Zenith Fine Furnishing Headquarters. The Meeting—Summary Simms and Chaturvedi argue with one another in front of Kassevelli over how to complete the project. Simms talks about his vision and is upset that Chaturvedi is not following the abstract guidance he has been sending her in emails. Chaturvedi is upset because she wants concrete guidelines on the look of the website so that her team can do the programming. After they argue back and forth for a while, Simms and Chaturvedi are interrupted by Kassevelli who demands to know how they can move forward with the project that is three months behind schedule. She gets Simms to concede that he will send Chaturvedi example photographs of how the site should look; Chaturvedi will be responsible for the buttons and other navigation features of the website. However, the trio reaches another disagreement over the completion date for the mockup. Simms and Kassevelli want to the mockup sooner and do not care that Chaturvedi has a family wedding to attend. Afterthoughts—Summary Kassevelli believes the meeting went really well, but recognizes that outsourcing projects presents new challenges. She sees her role during the meeting as a facilitator and seems optimistic about the project moving forward. She also recognizes that she needs to be more proactive, to be more sensitive to cultural differences, and to hold more video conference calls. This approach will be the only way for the project to get completed. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To analyze and evaluate approaches to conflict resolution. What are techniques for dealing with conflict resolution? Which of these did you see Kassevelli enact during the meeting? Possible steps for conflict resolution include: Make sure the people involved really disagree. Check to see the everyone’s information is correct. Discover the needs each person is trying to meet. Search for alternatives. Repair negative feelings. Discussion will vary somewhat based on what students observed in the video. But in general, Kassevelli made sure that both Simms and Chaturvedi disagreed and tried to understand what each disagreed about. She also attempted to discover each of their needs and suggested alternatives for accomplishing the task at hand. She attempts to repair negative by getting both team members excited about the project again. However, she may have contributed to more negative feelings by demanding that Chaturvedi miss her family’s wedding. Leaning Objective #2 To recognize cultural differences in nonverbal communication styles. Why did Chaturvedi not make direct eye contact with Simms or Kassevelli? Nonverbal communication is an important part of communication in intercultural settings. North Americans typically see eye contact as a sign of attention as well as openness and honesty. In many cultures, however, dropped eyes are a sign of appropriate deference to a superior; direct eye contact can be considered aggressive or show a lack of respect. Chaturvedi may not have made eye contact because of her cultural values. Leaning Objective #3 To identify traits of effective meetings. Kassevelli suggests in the follow-up interview that she believes the meeting “went really really well.” What do you think? How effective or ineffective was the meeting between Kassevelli, Simms, and Chaturvedi? Answers will vary by student discussion. However, be sure to help students see that this scenario had the most important trait of an effective meeting—a clearly defined purpose, that is, how they were going to move forward with the project. When things started getting out of hand with Simms and Chaturvedi arguing with one another, Kassevelli remained impartial and did not get caught up in their squabble. She was able to focus them back on the task at hand. At the end of the meeting, Kassevelli also outlined who is responsible for completing which tasks. The meeting was ineffective when Kassevelli and Simms displayed a lack of cultural understanding for Chaturvedi. Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #17 Cyber-Loafing Introduction The need for organizations to keep their data secure constantly infringes on workers’ electronic privacy rights. In this case, the challenges of internet monitoring are explored when a worker abuses his privileges and shirks his workplace responsibilities. The case also explores how outward sources of conflict may not actually be the real problem. Learning Objectives To recognize the role of electronic privacy in organizational settings. To understand the role of performance appraisals in the workplace. To identify the difference between real and presenting problems. Scenario Description Overview Bryan Dobbs, Director of Marketing at Sarga Inc. has received multiple complaints about Davy Siegler over the past two months. Apparently, he spends his day surfing the net, passes all his own work on to subordinates, and disrupts those around him by dragging them over to view various videos, jokes, and timewaster findings online. Dobbs sets up a meeting with the intention of discovering what issues are causing Siegler's clear lack of motivation and poor production. During the meeting, Siegler is passive-aggressive and displays motivation and resentment issues. He recently received an “above average” performance appraisal but no pay increase. Profile Bryan Dobbs, Director of Marketing, Sarga Inc. Davy Siegler, Product Group Manager, Sarga Inc. Backstory Sarga Inc. is a pharmaceutical company based in Boston, MA. Siegler manages the vaccinations product group. He has been with the company seven years, working his way from sales to management. During his first year as product group manager (3rd year with the company), he increased the amount of hospital and pediatrician 'adoptions' by 40%, a level of success higher than all other product groups except the pulmonary group. The adoptions/sales fell the last two years and are holding steady; the drop is partly attributed to new entries into the market. Siegler supervises a team of 15, all relatively self-sufficient and competent salespeople. Sarga Inc. as a whole is backsliding, with negative growth for the past year. HR dictated no salary increases, except for extraordinary performance. Siegler’s cubicle/office is between the pulmonary product group manager, which is the only group currently excelling and the oncology product group manager, a group suffering even moreso than Siegler’s group. Perplexingly, Siegler received a good performance appraisal 10 weeks ago included below. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Sarga Incorporated
EMPLOYEE NAME DATE COMPLETED BY
Davy Siegler Thursday September 14 R. Dobbs
¬
JOB ACCOMPLISHMENTS
List the employee’s job accomplishments during this review period as compared to your expectations. Provide an overall rating for the period. *Sales levels maintained *Led successful team retreat *Instituted promising mentoring programs and innovative incentive plans *Efficiently managed field sales force *Team morale is high given difficult competitive landscape and overall industry downturn
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [X] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
STRENGTHS
List the key strengths that the employee exhibited during the review period as compared to your expectations. *Excellent customer rapport *Friendly, effective management style *Creative thinking and problem-solving *Energetic presence
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the employee’s communication skills. Provide a rating for the review period. *Thorough sales reports *Clear and open communication with subordinates *Need to improve team problem-solving (rather than assuming responsibility for complex problems)
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [ X] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
List the areas of improvement or development.
TEAM BUILDING SKILLS
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the employee’s team building skills. Provide a rating for the review period. *Friendly, effective management style *Creative approach to building team morale and motivating group *Tendency to take over and fix situations rather than work with group on solutions
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [ ] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENT
[Describe and rate the employee’s degree of success in meeting predetermined goals.] *Implemented new reporting system *Worked toward improving team performance and skill set *Sales accounts steady *Fluent in product data for med upgrades
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [X] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
TIME MANAGEMENT
Does the employee seem to manage his or her time well? Provide a description and a rating. *Schedules travel sales calls across weeks to be available for team *Efficiently divides time between sales list and team management *Punctual, few sick days, vacation scheduled with workflow
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [ ] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
JOB KNOWLEDGE
Describe the level of knowledge that the employee has about his/her job in particular and the company in general. Rate his/her job knowledge. *Thorough knowledge of product line, company mission, market positioning and policies.
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [ ] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
OVERALL PERFORMANCE
Provide a summary of the employee’s overall performance. Rate his/her overall job performance. *Strong performing, valuable asset to the department. *Maintained team sales levels in face of heightened competition (exceptional handling of Roger-Smith account)
[ ] 1–Unsatisfactory [ ] 2–Satisfactory [ ] 3–Average [ ] 4–Above average [ ] 5–Outstanding
AGREED UPON ACTIONS
ACTION BY WHOM DUE DATE
COMMENTS
Accepted and agreed to by:
Employee Signature Manager Signature
Date Date
Despite his “above-average” performance appraisal, there have been some formal complaints lodged against Siegler recently. They are as follows: 1. Duncan, HR Manager – There is an in-house protocol for measuring employees time spent online and tracking what sites are visited. This practice is well understood and accepted by all employees. This month’s report has flagged Davy Siegler as massively abusing the Internet and the employee procedure manual demands the supervisor take action. 2. Sanchez, Pulmonary Group Manager – Sanchez visited Dobbs’ office one afternoon. Here are his written notes on the conversation: “I don’t like to talk trash about my colleagues but Davy is really driving me nuts. He’s on You Tube all day long and every ten minutes wants to show me the stupidest thing he found. I can’t get anything done. When I tell him I’m busy, he finds someone else to distract—not to mention that it’s really hard to resist when you’re in the middle of ten spreadsheets to not sit around and watch stupid stuff online. My to-do list is getting out of hand; I cannot imagine what his looks like.” 3. Raffia, Vaccination Field Salesperson – Raffia requested meeting with HR to discuss difficulty with her manager – HR email flagging the issue for Dobb’s Raffia reports that although she enjoys the challenge, her manager, Siegler, has offloaded work on eight of his accounts. She also reports that when questioned about details pertaining to the accounts, Siegler instructs her to ignore various protocols and to ‘wing it’. Raffia sought advice on how to handle the overburdening of her own workload and how to address Siegler’s direction to shortcut company policies. 4. Puckett, Vaccination Field Salesperson – Dobbs’ notes: Puckett came to me on the 22nd seeking advice to how to handle a client issue—a key competitor has blatantly lied about studies reporting a Sigma drug as dangerous and Puckett was unsure how to handle the distortion and win over the client without taking defense position or engaging in a he-said/she- said battle. When I asked why he didn’t take this up with Siegler, he sheepishly said he was not available to discuss it – Unusual. Scene Setup Dobbs has called Siegler into his office to have a chat about what’s going on in Siegler’s unit. He also wants to address some of the complaints he has recently received about Siegler’s performance, specifically the high internet usage report from HR. Scene Location Dobbs’ office at Sarga Inc. The Meeting—Summary Dobbs brings Siegler into his office to chat about how things are going with his work. Dobbs raises the issues of the complaint from HR about Siegler’s high internet usage. Siegler is somewhat shocked that they are monitoring his internet usage. He tries to deflect the accusation by accusing Dobbs of leaving for smoke breaks. Dobbs argues that the two things are not the same. As the meeting progresses, Dobbs tries to dig deeper as to why Siegler’s performance at Sarga Inc. has changed since his stellar review. He also raises the point that some subordinates have complained about Siegler’s helpfulness. Siegler finally admits that he was upset that he didn’t get a raise after the “above-average” performance appraisal. Dobbs informs him that no one, not even he, received a raise because things have flat-lined for the company. Siegler confesses that he is bored with his job and wants more of a challenge. Dobbs says that he could definitely see him moving up at Sarga, but not until the internet usage concern is resolved. By the end of the meeting, the two reach an agreement that they’ll have bi-weekly meetings to check in on how things are going. Afterthoughts—Summary Dobbs believes the meeting went well, but recognizes that this type of meeting is always difficult to have. Dobbs hopes that Siegler will make a conscious effort to stop the excessive internet usage now. Dobbs has a two-step approach for helping to motivate workers: identify and make it clear to the employee that a problem exists and then give guidance on how to change. Dobbs supports blocking certain internet sites to increase productivity among workers. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To recognize the role of electronic privacy in organizational settings. Siegler seemed surprised to learn that Sarga Inc was monitoring his internet usage. How appropriate is it for Sarga Inc. to monitor their employee’s internet usage? Discussion will vary based on students’ opinions on this topic, but be prepared for a lively discussion. Be sure to raise the point that as organizations respond to growing security concerns, their efforts often encroach on workers’ privacy. The division between the two has become increasingly complex and blurry. Many organizations monitor more than just internet usage; they store and review email, use video surveillance, record time spent on the phone and numbers dialed, and store and review computer files. Leaning Objective #2 To understand the role of performance appraisals in the workplace. Pretend you are in the role of Dobbs and that you have to provide an updated performance appraisal for Siegler. What would you write? Performance appraisals documents are formal ways by which supervisors evaluate, or appraise, the performance of their subordinates. In most organization, employees have access to their appraisals. Appraisals need to both protect the organization and motivate the employee. Sometimes these two purposes are in conflict. Most will see a candid appraisal as negative; employees need praise and reassurance to believe that they are valued and can do better. But the praise that motivates someone to improve can come back to haunt a company if the person does not eventually do acceptable work. An organization is in trouble if it tries to fire someone whose evaluations never mention mistakes. So in the case of Siegler, it’s important that the internet usage concern be included. The writer may want to minimize the issue and say Siegler is already working on it, but it should be mentioned nonetheless. Leaning Objective #3 To identify the difference between real and presenting problems. Dobbs suspected that something else was going on with Siegler beyond increased internet usage. What was the real problem that Siegler confessed to during his meeting with Dobbs? Siegler was upset that he had an excellent performance review and did not receive a pay raise. He also feels like his career has plateaued and that he would like more challenging work. Sometimes when dealing with conflict, the problem that surface may not be the real problem, but just a presenting problem. In Siegler’s case, the presenting problem was using the internet and shirking of responsibilities. The real problem was hurt emotions about not getting a raise and not feeling challenged enough. Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #18 Bullying in the Workplace Introduction This scenario explores the complexities of bullying in the workplace. Bullying is a serious form of workplace violence, though workplace bullies typically use words and actions on their victims. This case shows one example of bullying, while adding a second dimension of nepotism since the one bullying is the boss’s sister. Learning Objectives To analyze approaches for handling a bully. To recognize effective ways to deal with bullying. To understand why threats are ineffective when trying to persuade. Scenario Description Overview Susan Sheppard, Creative Design Manager at Word-of-Mouth Marketing Group, is consistently bullied by her colleague, Alexandra Woodward, the boss's sister. Alexandra has been working at the firm a little over a month, after quitting her job as a Rare Artifacts Curator at the Museum of Indigenous Culture. During her short time at Word-of-Mouth, she has shown a propensity for “self-governance” and defiance. Extra work has been heaped on Sheppard, and she has had to face sarcasm and a constant barrage of inappropriate comments from her newly appointed subordinate. Profile Susan Sheppard, Creative Design Manager, Word-of-Mouth. Sheppard has been at Word-of-Mouth for four and a half years and was appointed manager of the Creative Design Department seven months ago. Alexandra Woodward, Creative Design, Word-of-Mouth. Woodward is the boss’s sister and is the newest and least qualified recruit. Backstory The Word-of-Mouth Marketing Department is eight people strong, including Sheppard and her new colleague Woodward, the newest and least qualified recruit. Woodward shares the boss’s family name, and presumably feels she shares the boss’s default authority, too. She came to the company six months after leaving her job as a museum curator. Only one month into her new career, she is already dictating her own workload and that of others; she dumps work onto Sheppard and is bullying and inappropriate. In the last two weeks, Sheppard’s desk has been littered with unfinished work originally assigned to Woodward, including design layouts, annual report figures, copyright disputes, and print schedules. Twice, Sheppard was left with design layouts to complete within three hours of their deadline. On one of those occasions, Woodward had done barely more than sketch text boxes, leaving Sheppard with more than a day’s work to accomplish within an hour and twenty minutes. When asked to obtain the copyright to publish a particular photograph (featuring a celebrity’s home), Woodward skipped over the details (not even filing the request), almost trashing a print-run of 70,000 brochure covers as well as leaving Word-of-Mouth open to possible legal action. Luckily, Sheppard picked up on Woodward’s oversight and gained permission from the relevant parties before any damage was done. Woodward point-blank refused to write the annual report figures, saying that as an “Artistic Consultant” it was insulting to ask her to file facts and figures. In fact, Woodward doesn’t have a job title, which is something Sheppard cannot address. The print schedules, which Woodward was supposed to deliver a week before the commencement of the Approval Stage, arrived on Sheppard’s desk with one day to spare, and, as with the design layouts, were so incomplete, they required Sheppard to put aside her own work and concentrate on getting the schedules out in time. During a recent meeting with a photographer, Woodward undermined Sheppard continually either by contradicting her suggestions or through disrespectful gestures and sighs. Whenever Sheppard approaches Woodward’s desk, Woodward initially completely ignores her and then does little to engage in conversation, deliberately avoiding eye contact. Just four days ago, when Sheppard issued instructions to another member of the team, Woodward took it upon herself to approach the team member and, on “Sheppard’s behalf”, retract the instructions. When Sheppard initially asked Woodward into her office for a discussion, Woodward created such a scene of angry complaints and accusations of bullying, that Sheppard had to back out of her intention to diffuse the situation. At every opportunity, Woodward has been bad-mouthing Sheppard to other members of the Creative Design Department. Scene Setup Sheppard has scheduled a meeting with Woodward to discuss the completion of one of their big projects—the creation of a new brochure for the home furnishings giant, Soft Landings. More importantly, she hopes to confront Woodward about her bullying behavior. Scene Location Sheppard’s office. The Meeting—Summary Throughout the meeting, Woodward continues her bullying of Sheppard by making verbal threats and complaining she is a bad superior. In addition to the bullying behavior, she also is rude to Sheppard by answering her cellphone and her overall tone of voice. Sheppard tries to level with Woodward to outline what she sees as her position with Word-of-Mouth. However, Woodward refuses to give a direct answer and constantly plays the “my brother is your boss” card. She continues to skirt around taking any responsibility and suggests she is “above” the work that has been assigned to her. The meeting concludes with Sheppard notifying Woodward that she will be notifying human resources and will be talking with the boss. Afterthoughts—Summary Sheppard believes the meeting went poorly. She had a framework in place and Woodward derailed the entire plan. Sheppard is worried about the nepotism issue and notes that she wishes she had recorded the meeting. She concludes by noting that if nothing changes in the firm, she will possibly leave and seek legal action. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To analyze approaches for handling a bully. How effective was Sheppard in handling the meeting with Woodward? Sheppard made the right choice to host a meeting with Woodward before talking to the boss. She conducted herself professionally most of the time and did not sink to Woodward’s level. Bullies usually look for situations to become escalated, such as yelling or threatening, and they thrive on this type of environment. Sheppard was assertive, yet remained as calm as possible throughout the confrontation. She also refrained from showing weakness and tried to outline how Woodward’s behavior was impacting the work environment. Leaning Objective #2 To recognize effective ways to deal with bullying. Sheppard called a meeting with Woodward to discuss a current project and her bullying. What are others ways Sheppard might handle the bully situation? Calling the meeting with Woodward to confront her as a bully is a good first step. Other effective ways that Sheppard can deal with the bully situation would be to: Keep notes of the bullying behavior. Document all of the bully’s actions (or in this case, inactions). Ask co-workers to observe and/or document the bullying situations. Check company policies related to employee conduct. Seek advice from someone in human resources. Tell the boss (though this situation is tricky given the relationship). Leaning Objective #3 To understand why threats are ineffective when trying to persuade. Throughout the meeting, Woodward constantly threatens Sheppard. Why are threats ineffective? Threats are statements—either implicit or explicit—that suggest someone will be punished for doing (or not doing) something. In general, threats are ineffective for many reasons: 1) they don’t produce permanent change, 2) they won’t necessarily produce the desire action, 3) they make people abandon action, 4) they produce tension, 5) they provoke counter-aggression, and 6) people dislike and avoid anyone who threatens them. Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #19 Work-Life Balance Introduction Many organizations recognize the need for work-life balance. This scenario explores this very issue, as well as prompts discussion about corporate culture. In addition, the case shows one approach for delivering negative news to disgruntled employees. Learning Objectives To recognize the need and importance for employees to balance work and family/life. To analyze the influences of corporate culture. To identify effective approaches for delivering negative news. Scenario Description Overview Samantha Peters, Technical Director at Quantum Gaming, a video-game company, is conducting a scheduling meeting where she must ask employees to put in a serious amount of extra hours to meet a valued customer’s request. In addition to various challenges of her leadership, a discussion of the Quantum Gaming's overall responsibilities to its workers, corporate culture, and work-life balance issues sidetrack the meeting. The employees pressure Samantha to make a decision right then and there; however, she cannot confirm their requests before talking to upper management. Profile Samantha Peters—Technical Director, Quantum Gaming—has been a Technical Director at Quantum Gaming for 12 years, managing a creative force of 40 people. Graham Hulbert—Programmer, Quantum Gaming—has been in the company’s design department for 21 years and is a little resentful of Peters for holding the position of Technical Director, although he hasn’t shown any ambition for the position himself. Miranda Cortez—Animator, Quantum Gaming—started working in the team two years ago after returning from unpaid maternity leave. Before that she had been working for the marketing department’s design team, but found her position too stressful and creatively limited. Tom Anderson—Modeler/Designer, Quantum Gaming—has been at the company since he graduated from university last fall. He’s still a little shell-shocked about being in the working world. Backstory Company culture at Quantum Gaming is falling apart. The employees feel overextended on a regular basis. In the past seven months, there have been no fewer than three projects which have pushed the team beyond capacity: The Back-to-School educational-games project ran over schedule due to “miscommunication” with the client; Quantum Gaming had failed to meet spec requirements. The fall-out from this situation included pushed back deadlines; consequentially, employees lost four full weekends to play catch-up. One of Arcadian’s (Quantum Gaming’s biggest clients) projects expanded in scope and three team members, Linda Kramer, Joe Berry, and Doug Courtier, ended up working two weeks of overtime—late nights and weekends—against a backdrop of inadequate recognition for their efforts. In an attempt to build more business, the Quantum Gaming took on a multi-player online games project, even though their skills in this field were limited. One member of the team, Mat Parsons, was burdened with the entire responsibility of producing a workable product. In the end, the project was abandoned and the client compensated by 150% of money paid. Recently, four employees have quit. Among them, Linda Kramer and Doug Courtier cited stress, exhaustion, and “pathetic recompense” as the key reasons. Mat Parsons checked into rehab for a substance abuse problem after breaking down at the end of the multi-player online games project. Chronic insomnia and a state of hypertension had forced him over the edge. Scene Setup Peters arranges a 10am meeting with one of her teams to discuss working extra hours for two weeks to meet the valued client’s request. The client, Arcadian, has put in a last-minute request to make changes to its new game’s central character before the release date next month. The changes include an overhaul of the design look and a reworking of the character’s special features. In the meeting, the talking points will be: The number of extra hours needed to meet the team’s deadline two weeks from now—Peters will request they work evenings/early mornings and over the weekend. The inflexibility of the deadline. This client is extremely important as their business last year represented more than half of Quantum Gaming’s gross income. They call the shots. The need for each team member to contribute, as significant aspects of program and design will be affected. How the team will be compensated for taking on the extra workload—days in lieu, paid holiday, etc. Rescheduling of other projects to fit around the new deadline. Peters has a tendency to postpone decisions, so the team presses for an immediate response; Peters is also under enormous pressure from the client and upper management. Scene Location Conference room at Quantum Gaming. The Meeting—Summary Samantha begins the meeting by telling her team that they are going to have work extra hard the next two weeks to finish some last minute changes that Arcadian is demanding. The team is immediately outraged and tells her there isn’t enough time. She informs them that they can put other projects on hold to finish this one project. Each of the team members confesses their grievances with Samantha’s management style. In particular, Tom mentions some of the recent injustices that have occurred, which forced two other employees to leave and one to have a breakdown from being overworked. Tom wants to be paid double overtime over the next two weeks; Miranda wants flexible Fridays, and Graham wants a paid vacation and for Quantum Gaming to stop taking on new projects until old ones are finished. All of the employees want Samantha to agree to their requests in the meeting; however, she cannot do so until she talks to her boss, Phil. She informs them that she will try her hardest to get their requests approved and will notify them as soon as possible if they are. Afterthoughts—Summary Samantha recognizes that she has a disgruntled staff and that they have just cause for their concerns. She believes the meeting was somewhat of a success given the circumstances. She recognizes that she should have eased the team into the upcoming project rather than dumping it on them. In other words, she should have consulted with them about the possibility rather than demanding the needed overtime. Samantha found it difficult to promise the staff certain things without knowing if management above her will approve them. She does not want to bear more negative news if the requests are denied. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To recognize the need and importance for workers to balance work and family/life. Why is it important for Quantum Gaming workers to ask for a balance between work demands and their life? Why is it a smart move on the part of Quantum Gaming to help workers strike this balance? Student discussion will vary based on students’ own lives and experiences. Those who have been in the workforce for some time may have different responses than students who are just entering or have only been in school. In general, however, workers should have a balance between work and family/life. The worst case scenario for not finding the balance will be someone like Mat Parson who went over the deep end. In order to reduce turnover and increase employee satisfaction, Quantum Gaming should strive to help employees strike a balance. The cost of constantly hiring new employees and training them far outweighs the small cost of offering current employees flexible work time, telecommuting options, or extended career breaks. Leaning Objective #2 To analyze the influences of corporate culture. What is the corporate culture of Quantum Gaming based on the meeting? Is this a place where you would like to work? Why or why not? Corporate culture is a set of values, attitudes, and philosophies, and it varies from one organization to the next. For Quantum Gaming, the organization clearly values their bottom line more than the mental well-being of their employees. If it didn’t, Quantum would have resolved personnel issues after losing two employees to a competitor and contributing to one employee’s breakdown. The culture of valuing money also comes through in the way projects have been scheduled. Quantum Gaming has taken on more and more projects before current ones are finished in an effort to bring in more business and increase revenues. Finally, Quantum values the bottom line by pandering wholeheartedly to Arcadian’s last minute request to change their game’s central character. The answer to the second question will vary by students’ personalities. While most probably wouldn’t enjoy the working conditions at Quantum Gaming, some will thrive it in. Leaning Objective #3 To identify effective approaches for delivering negative news? How effective was Samantha’s approach in delivering the negative news? One effective approach for delivering negative news is to describe the situation, present a possible alternative or compromise (if available), and then ask for input or action from the audience. Samantha might consider the context of delivering the negative news by asking questions such as whether she has a good relationship with the team or whether the organization treats them well overall. Samantha’s approach wasn’t initially successful. She immediately jumps in with the bad news—that the team will have to put everything aside and work extra-long hours for the next two weeks. In the follow-up interview, even she recognizes that she might have approached the delivery of the bad news in a different way by first asking hypothetically about the extra work and how the team might cope if they were asked to change the project. Samantha also uses negative words (i.e., “unfortunately”) that signal to the team a negative is coming before she even announces it. Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #20 Leadership and Credibility Introduction Teams are at the forefront of most business and organizational settings. This scenario explores what happens when a new leader wants to introduce change and the team is resistant to that change. The case will spark good discussion about leadership and effective and ineffective traits in teams. Learning Objectives To recognize that teams go through development stages before they function at their best. To identify characteristics of ineffective teams. To analyze the dangers of groupthink in team settings. To identify traits of procedural leaders. Scenario Description Overview Malcolm Price has recently transitioned from an IT coordinator with low-level managerial responsibility to a leadership role, heading up the technical side at Schumacker’s Company Formations, a web-based business start-up and support company. Unfortunately, no one is willing or comfortable following his lead as the person in charge. During a small group meeting about revising the company website, the group ignores his direction, and looks to another coworker, Samantha, for guidance. Profile Malcolm Price, Technical Director, joined Schumacker’s IT department a year and a half ago, in which time he showed himself to be an innovative, creative thinker as well as competent technician, prompting the Schumacker’s to promote him to Technical Director. Samantha Kasparoff, Finance Manager and In-house Legal Advisor, came to the company soon after its inception in 1998 and has extensive experience in finance management, company formation, and legal doctrine, as well as being an outstanding negotiator and pathfinder. Steve Olsen, Sales Manager, is a dynamic and productive sales force at Schumacker’s. He enjoys his job, which allows him to make use of his exceptional people skills. Anthony Norton, Product Manager, is Schumacker’s Senior Product Manager, a position he has held for more than six years. He is a solid worker and a stickler for detail, qualities which makes him the perfect overseer of product consistency and strategic development. Lisa Kelly, Marketing Manager, is the youngest member of the team. This position is her first since graduating from business school three years ago. She is enthusiastic about her job and working as part of a team. Backstory The team all know each other well, as they have been working on various projects together for the best part of two years. The only outlier is Malcom, who has come to the team late and whose leadership they don’t trust. Instead, they rely on Samantha, who's been with the company longest and continue to defer to her and solicit her opinion. Scene Setup Malcom, promoted to supervisor role one-month prior, has a small group meeting with team leaders to discuss the revision of Schumacker’s company website. On the agenda: The “look and feel” of the website, including changes to design and navigation. Introducing a Company News Hotspot, where Schumacker’s could share information on what’s happening at the firm and on any developments in company law, as well as acting as a “shop window” by offering existing and new clients the latest updates on products and services. The idea of collaborating with search engines, and how that might work to achieve a reciprocal advertising deal. A schedule for carrying out the work. The budget. At the last meeting for a similar project, the updating of the website in 2009, Samantha proposed “The Legal Forum”, a separate page offering clients legal news, updates, and FAQs. This offered more comprehensive legal information than would be available if company law were to be condensed to part of the Company News Hotspot. When this same team (Samantha, Steve, Anthony, and Lisa) had recently reviewed the website, before Price’s promotion, the general consensus had been that the website was working well and that only cosmetic changes needed to be made. However, upper management believes that the whole website would benefit from an overhaul, making it more user friendly, offering a chance to make some product-enhancing changes, and opening a window to attract new customers. Scene Location Conference room at Schumacker’s. The Meeting—Summary Malcom begins the meeting by outlining some mandated changes for the website from the CEO, Investors, and the Board of Directors. The team, who helped build the current website, lashes out at the suggested changes and immediately dismisses them. In the process, they defer to Samantha for guidance. Malcom constantly reminds the rest of the team that he is in charge of this project, and it must be carried out to the wishes of the Schumacker’s upper management so they can attract new clients. The team does not have the choice to not do the work. However, they refuse to listen to what Malcom has to suggest, and there is a general unwillingness to even explore new possibilities. Malcom tries to reign in the group by specifically asking each member to perform a task that will contribute to the new website. By the end of the meeting, the team agrees they will meet in two weeks to discuss their findings. Afterthoughts—Summary Malcom believes the meeting went well and that it was productive. He recognizes that it was the first meeting they have had together under his leadership and that members wanted to support and hear what Samantha wanted rather than him. However, he remains optimistic that the team will evolve and eventually “toe the line” to complete the task at hand. Malcom was intentionally calm and allowed the team to voice their concerns. He is also smart in that he recognizes the importance of valuing Samantha. He will seek her input so that the rest of the team gets on board more easily. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To recognize that teams go through development stages before they function at their best. Teams typically go through three stages—formation, coordination, and formalization—on any given project. Which of these stages is the Schumacker’s team on in the meeting? During the formation stage, members meet and begin to define their tasks, develop some social cohesiveness, and develop procedures for acting. Typically in this stage, conflicts are likely to occur. Successful teams clarify what each member is supposed to do. In the coordination stage, which is the longest, most of the team’s work is completed. Successful teams during this stage consider as many solutions as possible. In the formalization stage, the group seeks consensus and determines how things will be implemented. Typically during this stage, the team forgets earlier conflicts. The Schumacker’s team is in the formation stage. They are just beginning to meet as a new team and define new tasks. By the end of the meeting, Malcom helps the team clarify what each member will complete before the next meeting in two weeks. Leaning Objective #2 To identify characteristics of ineffective teams. What were some of the negative characteristics of the team you watched? Negative roles and actions can hurt a team’s process and product. During the meeting, some member were blocking, that is, they were disagreeing with everything that Malcom proposed. Some members were also overspeaking, that is, taking everyone opportunity to state their negative view of the proposed website changes. At one point, Samantha was also dominating, that is, trying to run the team by ordering what should happen. Leaning Objective #3 To analyze the dangers of groupthink in team settings. Groupthink is the tendency for teams to put such a high premium on agreement that directly (or indirectly) punish dissent. Was the Schumacker’s team guilty of groupthink? Why or why not? Answers will vary by student discussion; however, in general, the team was somewhat guilty of groupthink. The team was so set in their approval and acceptance of the current website that they were reluctant to even explore alternative options. As a result, Malcom was indirectly punished by having his leadership role usurped by Samantha, who supported the view of the rest of the team. Leaning Objective #4 To identify traits of procedural leaders. A procedural leader sets an agenda, makes sure that everyone knows what’s due for the next meeting, and checks to be sure that tasks are carried out. Does Malcom fulfill the role of an effective procedural leader? Why or why not? Answers will vary by student discussion; however, in general, yes, Malcom is a procedural leader. He set an agenda for the team meeting and also made plans for upcoming meetings. He went around the table one-by-one to ask each member if they could handle doing the research for the new website. Finally, he made sure each knew their responsibility for the next meeting in two weeks. Manager’s Hot Seat Teaching Notes Video #21 Workplace Aggression Introduction This case explores the gray area of workplace aggression. The scenario shows an employee reporting possible instances of workplace harassment to her employer. It will prompt great discussions with your students on acceptable and unacceptable workplace behaviors. Learning Objectives To assess the proper channels to follow when filing a workplace harassment claim. To understand that performance and track record do not always equate with appropriate workplace behavior. To identify traits of active listening. Scenario Description Overview Glenn Lamar, Managing Director of PaperKlip Office Supplies, is conducting a grievance meeting with Gloria Westfield, a senior executive who has reported feeling physically threatened by a male subordinate. During the meeting various things occur: the male subordinate, John DiMaggio, knocks on the door and requests permission to participate having learned the meeting was about him. Profile Glenn Lamar, Managing Director, has been with PaperKlip Office Supplies for 23 years and has been the Managing Director of North American Operations for seven years. Gloria Westfield, Senior Executive, was made a senior executive at the Company after being poached from a competitor four years ago. Her recruitment was the first senior-level appointment of a woman from outside the firm. John DiMaggio, Middle Manager, is a middle manager who has been with the Company for almost eight years. Although not particularly ambitious, John was not impressed by the appointment of an “unknown” woman above him. Backstory In the last month, there have been four instances of what Westfield describes as threatening behavior from DiMaggio: On multiple occasions, DiMaggio has entered Westfield’s office without knocking, walked right up to her desk, and hovered closely over her computer monitor before even uttering a word. In response, she has expressed her dislike of being interrupted in this way, and reminded him of common etiquette and company procedures, which require employees first to knock and then to request entry. DiMaggio’s response has been that office protocol doesn’t apply and there is no need to pull rank. Three weeks ago, Westfield was on her way to an important meeting, when DiMaggio blocked her progress down the corridor under the pretext of quizzing her about a sales report. She suggested if it were dire, DiMaggio should come to her office later, as she had an important meeting to attend at that moment. DiMaggio wouldn’t budge his intimidating frame, so, to avoid a confrontation, Westfield back-tracked towards the stairway rather use the elevators. In another instance, when Westfield tried to circumvent DiMaggio who was blocking her way down the hall, pressing her for details about bonus schedules, he grabbed her by the arm and glared, “You can’t brush me off. Answer the question and then you can go.” By luck, another colleague passed by and DiMaggio let go. Westfield has received a barrage of anonymous phone calls, where the caller calls incessantly but hangs up after two rings or, when Westfield has picked up, slammed the receiver down at the other end. Westfield feels convinced that the phone calls are coming from DiMaggio, but without proof she has done nothing to confront him and has held off, until this meeting, telling a superior. Overall, PaperKlip Office Supplies is male-dominated, and Westfield feels sexism is prevalent. At times, it has been suggested that she looks far too feminine for the workplace (although her way of dressing is always businesslike), with the intimation that it detracts from her professionalism. In meetings, her voice is not so readily heard as those of her male counterparts and reference is often made to her superior “homemaking abilities” such as pouring water or organizing schedules. Most conspicuous, in its absence, has been the company’s willingness to recognize Westfield’s considerable merit to the firm by way of promotion or bonuses. In fact, she has continually been passed over for promotion in favor of her male colleagues. Scene Setup Lamar has a scheduled grievance meeting with Westfield, who reports being physically threatened by DiMaggio. During the meeting, DiMaggio requests permission to join the conversation. Scene Location Lamar’s office. The Meeting—Summary Westfield has asked Lamar for a grievance meeting to report her concerns with her subordinate, John DiMaggio. Westfield outlines for Lamar some of the behaviors she has experience with DiMaggio such as office intrusions and hallway confrontations. During the meeting, Lamar takes notes, compliments Westfield on her work for the company, and tries to understand the situation completely by asking follow-up questions. He presents possible outcomes to Westfield that DiMaggio may face. However, during the meeting DiMaggio, knocks on the door and barges in since he learned they were having a meeting about him. Westfield gets even more upset, while Lamar pleads for him to leave. Eventually, he leaves and Westfield and Lamar plan the next course of action. Afterthoughts—Summary Lamar believes the meeting went well. However, he recognizes that even he was uncomfortable when DiMaggio intruded. He respects DiMaggio as a worker, yet thinks his actions were out of line. Lamar is not clear on why DiMaggio has an issue with Westfield, but plans to document the situation. He may also bring up the scenario for discussion at the next meeting of managers. Discussion Questions Leaning Objective #1 To assess the proper channels to follow when filing a workplace harassment claim. Since Westfield is DiMaggio’s boss, why doesn’t she just directly confront him about her feelings? Workplace harassment situations are no time to be a vigilante, especially given the added layers of complexity in this case—superior vs. subordinate, male vs. female, old employee vs. new employee. Westfield made the right decision to contact HR first. They recommended that she ask for the grievance meeting with Lamar to officially document the situation. Without documentation, there would be no evidence for DiMaggio’s termination if the situation escalates and gets worse. Policies and channels for reporting concerns of workplace harassment will vary by company; talk with HR for the proper channels. Leaning Objective #2 To understand that performance and track record do not always equate with appropriate workplace behavior. Westfield admits that DiMaggio has had excellent performance with his clients. Lamar also recognizes that DiMaggio has a great track record. Since he is such a good worker, should the possible workplace harassment issue be swept under the rug? Why or why not? No, issues of workplace harassment should never be ignored. Westfield will continue to feel threatened in her position. Moreover, if DiMaggio is permitted to continue his behavior, he may start acting inappropriately to other (female) workers in the office. Leaning Objective #3 To identify traits of active listening. Listening is crucial to building trust. What traits of active listening did Lamar use in the meeting with Westfield? Answers will vary somewhat by student discussion. Listening errors can easily result by being distracted by your own emotional response, especially when the topic is controversial, like workplace harassment. Lamar used the following traits of active listening: Made acknowledgement responses such as nods, uh-huhs, frowns, etc. Paraphrased Westfield’s content by feeding back the meaning in his own words. Took handwritten notes. Identified the feelings he thought he heard. Asked for information or clarification on some of her points. Offered to help solve the problem. Solution Manual Case for Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach Ian Palmer, Richard Dunford, David A. Buchanan 9780073530536, 9780073404998
