Case study

Write a formal report. Identify and Analysis the KEY ISSUES appear in the case and finish questions followed case.

Case Study 4.3 Problems with John John James has worked at one of the world's largest aero Most of the other people in his department who were space firms for more than 15 years. He was hired into the hired at the time had completed their degrees and there division during the "Clinton years" when many people fore began careers as associate engineers. Over the years were being brought onto the payroll. John had not com John has progressed through the ranks to the classification pleted his engineering degree, so he was hired as a drafter. of engineer. Many of the employees hired at the same time Case Study 43 15 as John have advanced more rapidly because the corpora tion recognized their engineering degrees as prerequisites for advancement. Years of service can be substituted, but a substantial number of years is required to offset the lack of a degree John began exhibiting signs of dissatisfaction with the corporation in general several years ago. He would openly vent his feelings against nearly everything the corporation was doing or trying to do. However, he did not complain about his specific situation. The complain ing became progressively worse. John started to exhibit mood swings. He would be extremely productive at times (though still complaining and then swing into peri- ods of near zero productivity. During these times. John would openly surf the Internet for supplies for a new home repair projector for the most recent Dilbert com- ics. His fellow employees were hesitant to point out to management when these episodes occurred. Most of the team members had been working together for the entire 15 years and had become close friends. This is why these nonproductive episodes of John's were such a problem: no one on the team felt comfortable pointing the problem out to higher management. As time progressed and John's friends evolved into his managers, while John remained at lower salary grades. John's mood swings grew more dra- matic and lasted longer During the most recent performance appraisal review process. John's manager (a friend of his) included a paragraph concerning his "lack of concentration at times." This was included because of numerous com- ments made by John's peers. The issue could no longer be swept under the rug John became irate at the review feedback and refused to acknowledge receipt of his per- formance appraisal. His attitude toward his teammates became extremely negative. He demanded to know who had spoken negatively about him, and his work output diminished to virtually nothing. Analysis of the Problem Clearly John has not been happy. To understand why, the history of his employment at this company needs to be looked at in greater detail. The group of coworkers that started together 15 years earlier all had similar back- grounds and capabilities. A group of eight people were all about 22 years old and had just left college John was the only exception to this pattern, as he still needed two years of schooling to finish his engineering degree. All were single and making good money at their jobs. The differ ence in salary levels between an associate engineer and a draftsman was quite small. Figure 4.5 shows the salary grade classifications at this corporation This group played softball together every Wednesday, fished together on the weekends, and hunted elk for a week every winter. Lifelong bonds and friend- ships were formed. One by one, the group started to get married and begin families. They even took turns stand- ing up for each other at the weddings. The wives and the children all became great friends, and the fishing trips were replaced with family backyard barbecues Meanwhile, things at work were going great. All of these friends and coworkers had very strong work ethics and above-average abilities. They all liked their work and did not mind working extra hours. This combination of effort and ability meant rewards and advancement for those involved. However, since John had not yet com- pleted his degree as he had planned, his promotions were more difficult to achieve and did not occur as rapidly as those of his friends. The differences in salary and respon sibility started to expand at a rapid rate. John started to become less satisfied This large corporation was structured as a func- tional organization. All mechanical engineers reported to a functional department manager. This manager was aware of the situation and convinced John to go back Lang Sale GOP DC Geng Man Salied 24 Sergne Employees Ganneer 618 Eng SIA Engineer G14 Ser Su Say Hry Empo G12 Bratis 610 Aceber FIGURE 4,5 Salary Grade Classifications at This Corporation Icon problem Possible Courses of Action solution to present to upper management, the task needs. When John's individual needs could be met the group atmosphere and task completion of and approach upper management with a solution to the fered. It was time for the team leader to act decisively Because of the friendships and personal connection, he The team leader put a lot of thought into his options knew that he could not make this decision lightly. He decided to talk individually to the team members who were lohn's close friends and then determine the best After talking with the team members, the team leader decided on the following list of potential options The option to do nothing would be the easiest way lems. This decision would be the equivalent of burying 152 Chapter 4. Leadership and the Project Manager for his degree during the evenings. Although John had good intentions, he never stayed with it long enough to complete his degree. As John's friends advanced more quickly through the corporation, their cars and houses also became bigger and better John's wife pressured him to keep up with the others, and they also bought a bigger house. This move meant that John was living above his means and his financial security was threatened Until this point. John had justified in his mind that the corporation's policies and his functional manager were the source of all of his problems. John would openly vent his anger about this manager. Then a drastic change took place in the corporation. The corporation switched over to a project team environment and eliminated the functional management. This meant that John was now reporting directly to his friends. 1. Do nothing Even ough John now worked for his friends, 2. Bypass company policy and promote John. company policy was still restrictive and the promotions 3. Talk John into going back to college. did not come as fast as he hoped. The team leader gave 4. Relocate John to a different project team. John frequent cash spot awards and recognition in an 5. Terminate John's employment attempt to motivate him. John's ego would be soothed for a short time, but this did not address the real problem. John wanted money, power, and respect, and he was not out for the team leader, but this would not solve any prob satisfied because those around him had more. Although he was good at what he did, he was not great at it. He did one's head in the sand and hoping the problem would not appear to have the innate capability to develop into away by itself. Surprisingly, this was a common sugger a leader through expert knowledge or personality traits. tion from the team members. There appeared to be a hope Additionally, due to the lack of an engineering degree, he that the problem could be overlooked, as it had been in could not achieve power through time in grade. By now, the past, and John would just accept the situation. With John's attitude had deteriorated to the point where it was this option, the only person who would have to compro disruptive to the team and something had to be done. The mise was John team leader had to help John, but he also had to look after The second option of bypassing company policy the health of the team. and promoting John to a higher level would be a very dif This detailed history is relevant because it helps to ficult sell to management. John was recently promoted to explain how John's attitude slowly deteriorated over a a salary grade 18 (his friends were now 24s and 26). This period of time. At the start of his career, John was able to promotion was achieved through the concerted efforts of feel on a par with his peers. When everyone was young his friends and the team leader. The chances of convincing and basically equal, he knew that he had the respect of management to approve another promotion so quickly his friends and coworkers. This allowed John to enjoy were extremely low. Furthermore, if the team leader was sense of self-esteem. As time passed and he gave up in successful at convincing management to promote John, his attempt at the college degree, he lost some of his self what would the long term benefits be? John would still esteem. As the gap grew between his friends positions in not be at the same level as his friends and might not be the company and his position in the company, he per satisfied for long. Chances were good that this would ceived that he lost the exteem of other. Finally, when he be only a temporary fix to the problem. After the shine became overextended with the larger home even his basic wore of the promotion, John would again believe that his security was threatened. It is difficult to maintain a level efforts exceeded his rewards. It would be nice to believe of satisfaction in this situation. The problem was now that this solution would eliminate the problem, but his distracting the team and starting to diminish their efforts tory seemed to indicate otherwise, and results. Because of the friendships, undue pressure The third option of trying to talk John into going was being placed on the team as they tried to protect John back to college and finishing his engineering degree from the consequences of his actions would be the best solution to the problem, but prob The team leader had to try to resolve this problem. ably the least likely to occur. If John could complete his The challenge was significant: The leader had to attempt degree, there would be no company policies that could to satisfy the individual's needs, the group's needs, and obstruct his path. He would then be competing on an even Internet Exercises 153 playing field. This would allow him to justifiably receive his advancement and recapture his self-esteem. If he did social relationship while washing their hands of the pro not receive the rewards that he felt he deserved, he would fessional problems. This option offered the opportunity then have to look at his performance and improve on his to make the situation impersonal . It should be clear, how weaknesses, not just fall back on the same old excuse. This ever, that this solution would do nothing to resolve the solution would appear to put John back on the path to job dissatisfaction on someone other than his friends and give true problem. Although it would allow John to focus his satisfaction, but the problem with it was that it had been tried unsuccessfully several times before. Why would it him a fresh start to impress his new coworkers, who is to be different this time? Should the corporation keep try say that the problem would not simply resurface? ing this approach knowing that failure would again lead The fifth option, termination of employment, would be distasteful to all involved. Nothing to this point had to dissatisfaction and produce a severe negative effect on indicated that John would deserve an action this severe. the team? Although this third solution could produce the Also, since this option also would sever the social relation- happy ending that everyone wants to see in a movie, it did not have a very high probability of success. ships for all involved and cause guilt for all of the remain- ing team members, resulting in team output deteriorating The fourth option of relocating John to a differ even further, it would be exercised only if other options ent team would be an attempt to break the ties of com- failed and the situation deteriorated to an unsafe condi- petition that John felt with his friends and teammates. If tion for those involved this option were followed, John could start with a clean slate with a completely different team, and he would be Questions allowed to save face with his friends. He could tell them 1. As the team leader, you have weighed the pros and of his many accomplishments and the great job that he cons of the five options and prepared a presenta- is doing, while complaining that his "new" boss is hold tion to management on how to address this problem. ing him back. Although this could be considered "smoke What do you suggest? and mirrors," it might allow John the opportunity to look 2. Consider each of the options, and develop an argu at himself in a new light. If he performed at his capabili ment to defend your position for each option. ties, he should be able to achieve the esteem of others and 3. What specific leadership behaviors mentioned in this eventually his self-esteem. The team would consider this chapter are most relevant to addressing and resolving a victory because it would allow everyone to maintain the the problems with John