Question

Question 1 - Delegation

Document an experience you have had with either being delegated a task or the one who delegated the task and tell us what went right and what did not.

Question 2 - Empowerment

Document two examples you have experienced either as the employee or the manager with respect to empowerment.

Question 3 - Influence

Document four examples on how you would influence someone and the reason for your choices.

Answer 1

Question 1 – Delegation

I worked for a multinational publishing company and I was delegated with problem solving for a publication issue as part of CI (Continuous Improvement). The right thing that happened was that I was appreciated for solving the cumbersome task efficiently. The bad thing about was that the person who delegated the task literally used the ‘carrot and stick’ approach to complete my task. The task was delegated by my Team Manager. However, I was later shifted to another team which had a hard task master as the Team Manager! She instructed me to complete the project and did not freedom to perform as per my working style.

Question 2 – Empowerment

- As an employee- I was the team member in a multinational publishing company. The Team Manager was highly efficient and empowered me and other team mates to perform their tasks as per their working style. We had the freedom of judgment and this enhanced the team’s cohesiveness. I was noted by the management for my performance as I preferred working my style by taking up more responsibilities and new roles.

- As a manager- I was the Lead for the Rewards and Recognition Committee. I managed a team of 12 members who were representatives from 12 different teams. I empowered them to finish the entire process of collecting, recording and analyzing the data to select the deserved candidate for the rewards. The team’s efficiency was increased. They had increased morale and increased the effectiveness of the team.

Question 3 – Influence

- I would make other team members feel important as a manager because it gains trust and respect. I respect others as well and hence giving them importance satisfies their self-realization needs. This was how I implemented my team in the rewards committee.

- I would connect with emotions just like my Team Manager who was able to understand the team members concerns and issues and handle them effectively. I was an aspiring Team Lead and this helped me greatly to influence others.

- I would be strategic to meet the needs of my peers and employees. This would help me to gain their trust and acceptance. When I took up the leadership role for the committee, it was not accepted by the employees because it lacked transparency and had biased selection critiera. My strategic decision to overcome these obstacles led to creating a new process flowchart which received great acceptance rate.

- I would communicate effectively to make my team to understand the purpose of my actions. I was able to influence the employees the purpose of creating the new flowchart (transparency and unbiased selection critiera). I shared this to the whole department as a departmental presentation and it received many appreciations.