In: Operations Management
CASE 9-1: THE SHIFT TO TEAM
LEADERSHIP
You work for a company interested in initiating a team leadership
training program, and your plant manager has appointed you to an ad
hoc task force to study the feasibility of implementing such a
program in your plant. In one of the company’s other plants,
however, supervisors resisted team leadership, giving the following
reasons:
1. Lack of time
2. Leader mind-set (“It’s the leader’s job to make the major
decisions.”)
3. Lack of trust in employees
4. Lack of confidence in employees’ abilities or judgment
5. Potential for major negative consequences (“too risky,” “too
costly”)
6. Leader’s belief that the leader knows best
7. Leader’s concern that developed employees will erode leader’s
base of power (“They’re not dependent anymore.”)
8. Leader’s perception that employees don’t desire development
(“They don’t really care; they only want to do the minimum
required.”)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Lack of time
2. Brainstorm ways to overcome supervisors’ predicted resistance to
developmental leadership.
3. Outline an initial training agenda for the developmental
leadership program to present to the plant manager.
4. Present analysis and recommendations to the plant manager
Change is something that is more problematic due to the consequences. In this situation, the following ca is done to overcome the opposition.
(i) Empower supervisors. Managers should motivate supervisors by inspiring them and finding a way to show them how the strategy is feasible. This will help them change their attitude and start looking at the idea as viable and worthwhile to implement. This can be achieved through smashing positive management relationships through engagement that will give the supervisors confidence and allow them to accept the management objectives as planned for the benefit of all the participants.
(ii) Another approach that can be used to reduce the opposition is the supervisors' role in coming up with the program. This is what's called participatory decision-making. It makes it possible to execute the plans, because individuals are more than happy to assist in making the choices they have made individually.
(iii) Offering a backup strategy. Management will ensure that they have a contingency plan to be implemented in the event that this key strategy fails. It increases the managers' trust and is willing to consider the challenge.
(iv) Supervisor training. Management should schedule a exercise or the supervisors to better improve their attitude. The bosses have a pessimistic mindset which needs to be changed and worked on. That is because the staff don't think they can do better than them. Besides, they also believe they are the only people that can make helpful decisions. This is wrong and should be updated. Thus, they can be educated and taught about the value of team leadership.
The Agenda:
The agenda for the initial training would be:-
Analysis of the teams requires a comprehensive strategic examination of the team leadership's consequences. In this situation, after a thorough review of circumstances, our management has decided that the team structure is most suitable for our business for the following reasons. First the idea will bring the management to the level of the team where each individual can be easily reached. Secondly, further collaboration will take place and the organisation will expand thanks to the exchange of new ideas by the staff. Synergy in output will also be created due to the impact of team efforts and ease of task performance. It also leads to roles and managerial tasks being delegated, which will ease the top management work and lead to managerial efficiency.
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