5. Case Study: Firm, Fair, and Open? Cree has just been hired as the dining room supervisor on the noon shift in the coffee shop of a large hotel. She came from a similar job in a much smaller hotel, but she feels confi dent that she can handle the larger setting and the larger staff. Because she is eager to start things off right, she asks all the servers to stay for 10 minutes at the end of the shift so that she can say a few words to everyone. She begins by describing her background and experience and then proceeds to her philosophy of management. I expect a lot of my people, she says. I want your best work, and I hope you want it, too, for your own sake. You will not fi nd me easy, but you will fi nd me fair and open with you, and I hope you will feel free to come to me with suggestions or problems. I can t solve them all, but I will do my best for you. She smiles and looks at each one in turn. Now, the fi rst thing I want to do, she continues, is to introduce a system of rotating your stations so that everyone gets a turn at the busiest tables and the best tips and the shortest distance to the kitchen. I ve posted the assignments on the bulletin board, and you will start off that way tomorrow and keep these stations for a week. I will be making some other changes, too, but let s take things one at a time. Are there any questions or comments? Cree pauses for three seconds and then says, I am very particular about being on time, about uniforms and grooming, and about prompt and courteous customer service. I advise you all to start off tomorrow on the right foot and we ll all be much happier during these hours we work together. See you tomorrow at 10:25. Case Study Questions 1. What kind of impression do you think that Cree is making on the workers? 2. What are the good points in her presentation? 3. What mistakes do you think she is making? 4. Why did nobody ask questions or make comments? 5. From this fi rst impression, what would you say is her management style? 6. Do you think that people will feel free to come to her with suggestions and problems? 7. Do you think that she will set a good example? 8. Is she fair in her demands? 9. Do you think that her people will start off on the right foot as she suggests? 10. Do you think that she sees herself clearly? Is she aware of her impact on others?