Implementing organizational change at River Woods plant: challenges and strategies

Leadership and Management: Management Effectiveness

As the new River Woods plant manager, I first had to implement some structural changes because the previous organizational structure had a negative effect on the organization's performance. I have also strived to utilize my experience and expertise in engineering to come up with new ideas and to foster cooperation among the entire management team. However, many of these new ideas are not being implemented accordingly and the management is beginning to cast doubt on my management abilities. Unprofessional relations at the workplace have also started to encourage absenteeism, which may compromise the quality of products. It is evident that some changes have to be made and that new management strategies need to be applied. This text presents problems that are present in the company and the strategies that need to be applied to solve them.

What do you feel are the causes of lack of management effectiveness you are experiencing?

The ineffectiveness on the part of the managers can be blamed on their resistance to change, their lack of proper communication, and disregard for seniority. Despite the new structures put in place, they are still using the old chains of command. Managers appear supportive and cooperative during meetings, but in the real sense, they have some concerns with the new changes. Instead of voicing their opinions and communicating them in the right manner, they keep them to themselves, which greatly affects their performance. Their close unprofessional relations with the production workers should be discouraged -- amongst other things, it is promoting absenteeism and reducing their productivity. They should recognize the seniority of their position and use it to guide the staff in the right direction.

2. Based on your qualifications and experience, what power and influence, weaknesses and/or strengths do you bring to your new plant manager position?

My experience and vast knowledge enables me to identify problems easily and make the right decisions. It was clear the organizational structure had not been effective and the focus needed to change to plant level management. My expertise also gives me power because there are a lot of decisions to be made and multiple choices to choose from, which require objectivity particularly because the information that supports each alternative has to be thoroughly analyzed. My qualifications and level of professionalism makes the employees trust me more as they feel that I am more enlightened and in a better position to solve the organization's problems.

The management team, however, is intimidated by my qualifications. They are not willing to share their opinions and they tend to gravitate towards the old reporting structures. Although I do my best to make them feel included in the decisions I make, I am afraid that my short tenure at Heritage Appliance Company has not enabled me to interact with them as much as I should. They tend to feel unappreciated, which would explain why they are forming closer ties with the production workers. Since the management team and the employees in general are still not conversant with my new ideas, they are becoming dissatisfied with their jobs, something that is affecting their performance and the product quality.

3. Based on the current situation, how might you use the three influencing techniques to be most effective in getting your management team on board with you? What can you do to quickly turn the new plant and this career threatening situation around?

The three techniques that can be applied to get the management team on board are retribution, reciprocity, and reason. In order to correct the poor performance, retribution will be useful in putting a stop to managers' unproductive interactions with the production workers. I will threaten to dismiss managers colluding with the staff to encourage absenteeism, and I will require the entire management team to punish absent employees. This will help restore the management team's credibility and the workers' faith in their leadership. Reciprocity will come into play in addressing employees' dissatisfaction with their jobs. They will be encouraged to point out the changes they are not comfortable with and bargains will be made to ensure they are happier. To enhance their esteem, I will also explain how valuable they are to the organization and the important role they play in its success. They also need to understand that they are obligated to work hard because they made a commitment to the organization at the time of being hired.

In my opinion, the most effective strategy will be to reason with both the management team and employees and to present them with the facts as they are. To avoid intimidating them, I will explain in detail all the problems that are prevalent in the company, the role they all play in contributing to these problems, and the ideas behind the changes I implemented. I will provide evidence of the company's poor performance and make them understand that we all share a common goal: personal and organizational development. Once they comprehend the problems, their contribution, and what they need to do to correct the situation; they will be able to respect my decisions and work with a better attitude.

4. What specific ideas do you have for the immediate actions you might take before your next weekly managers meeting to improve communication and cooperation with your management team?