Integrated Concept Exercise (ICE) 3 - Supervisory Humour

The question here is how supervisors communicate in a diverse organization facing challenging economic times. What are the challenges faced by supervisors in making changes in todays dynamic environment? While it may help to have humour in supervision, but there is a line beyond which humour can be insulting or offensive to others.

Even if you agree that management should lighten up or not take themselves so seriously, recognize that managers can be threatened by perceived attacks on their authority. (Perception is in the eye of the beholder.) Moreover, what is said about a company or its management in private is very different from what is said in a public, written format. Public statements can bring about very different consequences.

This exercise looks at the dilemma of personal communication styles. It is based on case 2-3 on page 322 of your textbook. Be sure to read this case thoroughly before you answer the questions below.

Questions

After disussing this situation with your group, answer the following questions:

• What are the challenges facing the leadership of Software-n-More?
• Evaluate the alternatives available to Chandler Mane
• If you were Chandler Mane, what would you recommend to President Swan, and why?
• In a troubled economy what can managers do motivate their employees to continuously improve?