Question

imagine you have graduated from UCD, you have been hired by a business as a Manager over a specific function. You have six direct reports assigned to you. Today is your first day on the job. Your Manager has asked to meet with you late today – she has stated that in your meeting late this afternoon she would like to have you review your plan with her on how you will lead and manage your department. You know that getting off to a strong start is very important. You have only briefly met your direct reports, but have gained a strong sense that they are eager to get to know you and provide direction going forward. You know that their last manager was as one of them stated to you, “a real disaster!”

Consider the following questions and use them as you build the plan you will review with your manager later today:

• What will you do today – day one on the job?
• What will you do over the next 30 days?
• What will you do over the next 6 months?
• How will you assure that your manager, your directs, your peers are aligned and supportive of your approach?
• What management approach will you take to ‘enable’ strong team success?
• How will you measure your managerial success over the first 6 months?

Answer 1

I take the position of sales manager in the company. On my day one, i would introduce myself to my department and know about my direct reports so that i can create a good relationship in the start. I also ask them to provide me the past reports on sales and practices done by the last sales manager.

Over the next 30 days, i would be reviewing all the sales report and conditions how is our company doing in sales. I would look over the mistakes done by the last sales manager and try to solve the issues. I would be focusing on creating leadership image of mine in the department that i can lead the sales department to success.I would analyze the strengths and weakness in my department and its each employees working in the department so that i can make strategic decisions to achieve departmental as well as organizational goals.

In six months time, I would start to do the actual work in which i would set strategic and SMART goals. These would be short term as well as long term goals. I would set monthly targets to all sales personnnel to achieve. I also set goals like increase 20% increase in sales, 80% decrease in customer complaints and 90% increase in customer satisfaction within 6 months of time.

I will organize meetings 2-3 times a week with my peers so that i can keep knowing and providing the status. It would also help me to create mutual relationship between me and them. I will show stronger leadership and trust in them that if they are supportive then i am also supportive and ready to help them.

Transformational leadership approach i would take in which i would focus on development and growth of my team. I would lead by example so that they can see that i am not just talk the things but also do them. I would try to create an environment where they would feel valued and respected.

I would measure my success in terms of increament in sales within the first 6 months. I would also use metric like employee turnover rate means if employees are not leaving in my management then they are satified with their job and my leadership. Third i would see customer satisfaction increament and reduction in customer complaint within 6 months to see if i am achieveing managerial success of not.