Question

Leading across cultures at Michelin (A). What mistakes did Chalon make as he took over this large North American Division?

Answer 1

Oliver Chalon is Great manager but he is very tough to get satisfied the results that he achieve in his work. Culture in North America is different when comparing with Europe Countries. Each region have different working atmosphere which a manager should master to be successful in that company. I would say that Chalon is more results driven manager with disciplined way. He is demanding person who expects his team efforts to be accountable. Company hired him to apply his talents in the new path to be successful. But he imagined about people working in north America which is seems to be failure. He should know his worker and then he should modify his management style which will be accepted by all worker. Being a Top management person, his results are achieved only when coworker and employee is accepts his management style. Many started to think that he is arrogant, Demoralizing, Blunt, Lacking people skills and distant. In France Professionalism is the key to acceptance of outsiders. But in North America, Companies are organized and structured with many different styles depending on companies industry, history and current leaders. In General, Meetings are informal and relaxed manner- But serious about the content. Chalon failed to analyze the leadership style of the company which can be accepted but he should applied his management in more comfortable way where all workers can accept it. He need to encourage his team continuously which will fade of the negative impression. Many unique Leadership style are learnt from his experience in six regions but he failed to understand that the workers need to be managed based on company history and previous leadership style which is different from what he discovered from other company. A Leader can learn from his mistakes only and he should be open minded to accept to change his way of approach. Chalon is open minded person to accept the negative impression from his colleague and he is planning to change it. His way approach shows that he is a great Leader who wants to learn and modify his leadership style to achieve the goal of the company. In adding to that, following recommendation are given by me: Contingent reward, Transformational Leadership and Hamburger- Style of communication