Communication competency: definition and applications

Business

Communication Competency

What team dysfunctions appeared to exist at Novartis Brazil when Patrice Zagame arrived as the president?

The team dysfunctions that appeared to exist at Novartis Brazil when Patrice Zagame arrived are avoidance of accountability and fear of conflict. There was a top-down culture with employees who showed very little accountability for the overall results (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2007). This happens when teams don't have a clear plan of action in which to follow. They have yet to figure out where they want to go and how they are going to get there. Also, the members of the leadership team were not accustomed to challenging each other. Teams that just really trust each other often have a problem truly debating things without it escalating to a very personal level.

What norms appeared to exist upon Zagame arrival and what norms did he work on changing and adding?

The norms that existed upon Zagame's arrival that he worked on changing included: closed communication, no accountability, no innovation, no customer focus and no teamwork. Zagame believed that collective decisions had better quality so his leadership style was conducive to open challenge and expression of different opinions. With the head of human resources, Ney Suva, Zagame started a number of initiatives to build speak-up in the company (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2007). He wanted to hear what the employees had to say and he wanted them to feel comfortable in saying it. This helps to foster open communication that moves in both directions -- from the front line to management and from management to the front line. Having open communication often fosters innovation. If people feel comfortable putting their ideas out there then new ways and processes are often discovered. Building an open communication culture also leads to teamwork which can be directed at focusing on customers in order to eventually improve the bottom line.

3. Why is Zagame an effective team leader?

There are several things that make Zagame an effective leader. First off he is a good communicator. Not only does he know how to get his point across but he knows how to listen well which is a big part of communication. The second that that he has that makes him a good leader is that he has a vision. He can see where he wants the company to go and he lays it out for all to know. You can't get to end unless you first know where you are going and how you are going to get there. He believes that this should be a team effort by the entire company and says so. He also has confidence and humility. He is confident that the changes that he is making are going to work. But he also knows that there will be set backs along the way. He knows that failure must be seen as a learning experience for the greater good.

4. How was member diversity valued by Patrice Zagame and Ney Suva, the head of human resources?