Reflex Systems Critical Analysis of Human Behavior Under Stress

Reflex Systems, Critical Analysis of Human Behavior Under Stress Case Study

The scenario presented in the case study titled Reflex Systems concerns an all too common managerial dilemma encountered by Henry Rankin, a project leader in the company's information technology (IT) department responsible for overseeing the implementation of an upgraded system of customer relationship management (CRM) software. With a national sales force of 310 employees and major regional sales offices in both Los Angeles and Chicago, Reflex Systems is a viable enterprise within the wider exercise equipment industry, but the company's inability to provide effective customer service has significantly reduced the rate of follow-up sales. Rankin was directed to achieve the full adoption of new CRM technology within a 10-week timeframe by Nicole Dyer -- who serves as Senior Vice President for Information Technology at Reflex Systems and is Rankin's direct superior -- while the company's CEO ordered the system be installed as promptly as possible, but due to a variety of unforeseen contingencies the project has fallen behind schedule. The case study positions Rankin as exceedingly competent in his capacity as an IT project manager, stating that "he had always been a top performer by driving himself hard & #8230; (and) he loved studying, analyzing and solving technical problems" (Daft & Marcic, 2011), attributes which make his inability to guide the CRM implementation to a successful conclusion all the more vexing for the experienced manager. The following case study analysis of Reflex Systems is intended to apply various tenets of managerial theory -- such as personality type testing and effective communication methods -- to Henry Rankin's unique set of organizational obstacles and project requirements, in an attempt to formulate viable recommendations as to ways in which his management style may have been improved.

Analysis

After a careful review of the variables which have conspired to limit Rankin's progress while overseeing Reflex System's CRM software conversion, it is clear that internal limitations created by his personal management style have served to compound the effect of external risk factors and organizational obstacles to success. Throughout the case study's review of the project's history, evidence of Rankin's inability or unwillingness to communicate effectively with his team members is presented, and as Chapter 14 of the text has demonstrated, genuine leadership in the managerial setting requires the natural ability to inspire, influence, and motivate one's subordinates. For example, when the case study reveals how Rankin "requested that team members work evenings and weekends because there was no extra money in the budget to fill a vacant position & #8230; (and) they agreed to put in the hours though they did not seem enthusiastic" (Daft & Marcic, 2011), the manager is reflecting on this aspect of the project as if it represents a success rather than a setback, mistakenly believing that his willingness to ask team members to compensate for recently departed colleague is evidence of his commitment and dedication. In actuality, the loss of Sally Phillips -- and her daily contributions to the accomplishment of project objectives -- was precipitated largely by Rankin's own lack of empathy during a discussion about Phillips' current status with Reflex Systems. When a member of his project team confided that she had received an offer from a competing firm, Rankin was presented with an opportunity to utilize a combination of common sense and communication skills to allay Phillips' fears over job insecurity, telling her that she was a valued member of the company with a bright future. Whether or not that description of her prospects was entirely accurate should of secondary concern for Rankin -- with his priority being to retain a fully-equipped project team in order to meet his 10-week deadline -- and Rankin's managerial instinct should have informed him to the fact that Phillips simply needed reassurance from a trusted superior. Instead, Rankin elected to denigrate her education and competency, telling Phillips that "she was not as technically gifted as some on the team" while reducing her value to a pure need for manpower, and not surprisingly, "two weeks later, she turned in her letter of resignation" (Daft & Marcic, 2011). Decades of empirical research on leadership within a managerial role has conclusively proven that "good managers must be acute observers and empathetic listeners & #8230; (and) when they sense an employee is distressed, they don't ignore him or her" (Hymowitz, 2007), but Rankin's insistence on maintaining his Type -- A personality left him both incapable of empathizing with Phillips' concerns and indifferent towards the potential loss of a team member.

The concept of personality type is important to apply within the context of this case study, because clearly Rankin's Type -- A personality -- which is typified by highly motivated yet socially withdrawn behavior, a consistently intense work ethic, and an unwillingness to cope with the perceived deficiencies of others -- has led to the fracturing of his project team and the dissolution of their collective morale. According to the text, the Type -- A "behavior pattern includes extreme competitiveness, impatience, aggressiveness and devotion to work" (Daft & Marcic, 2011), and while these personality traits may be conducive to executive positions involving complex decision making, invariably those with Type -- A personalities like Rankin must collaborate with colleagues who are not wired the same way. In these cases, unless people like Rankin are able to balance their own drive and ambition against the more complacent attitudes of other team members, conflicts are sure to arise. This fundamental divide explains why Sally Phillips left the Reflex Systems for a job that paid less, and why Rankin has no knowledge about Bob Finley and Lynne Johnston avoiding each other while working at the Chicago office. Rankin's all-consuming focus on the task at hand has left him unable to properly utilize the resources at his disposal, which is why he has fallen behind on the most important project deadline of his promising career.