No Google Docs please.

Mike's Missed Step Today was going to be a big day for Mike. He finally had a chance to show management that he had some good ideas about how the company could be improved. Because of a new policy allowing employees to submit written suggestions for changes to top management, he planned to send a memo to the president for consideration. Having worked in the stockroom for three years, he had seen the great amount of time wasted by pulling supplies on numerous orders and handing them to individual employees at the front window. He thought that if the departments obtained all supplies at the same time on one order, the company could save stockroom personnel time, speed up distribution of supplies, reduce

paperwork, and lessen the need for overtime.

Knowing that his suggestion had to be received before the 9 a.m. management meeting, Mike hurriedly prepared an e-mail and sent it without proofing it or asking someone else to read it. After he sent it, he called the president's secretary to make sure she gave it to the president before the meeting. The e-mail the president received said, Want to save a lot of money? Have everyone come get their supplies at the same time and not waste so much of my time.

Mike eagerly waited for some response to his recommendation. Finally, he received a brief written memo thanking him for his suggestion and stating that, after consideration, management had decided not to make a change. He later learned that management didn't consider his proposal because they didn't understand it. They thought he was recommending that everyone, including managers, go to the supply room at a certain time to retrieve whatever supplies they needed (rather than, as Mike intended, having one departmental staff member pick up supplies for all department members on one order).

Amazed, Mike said, What? I told them what I thought would work. Why didn't they understand?

1. What happened? Why didn't the managers understand what Mike was recommending?

2. How could he have handled this situation better?

3. Rewrite Mike's message so that it is complete, concise, correct, clear, and courteous

Please submit a Word document fully answering the questions at the end of the case study. No Google Docs please. Mike's Missed Step Today was going to be a big day for Mike. He finally had a chance to show management that he had some good ideas about how the company could be improved. Because of a new policy allowing employees to submit written suggestions for changes to top management, he planned to send a memo to the president for consideration. Having worked in the stockroom for three years, he had seen the great amount of time wasted by pulling supplies on numerous orders and handing them to individual employees at the front window. He thought that if the departments obtained all supplies at the same time on one order, the company could save stockroom personnel time, speed up distribution of supplies, reduce paperwork, and lessen the need for overtime. Knowing that his suggestion had to be received before the 9 a.m. management meeting, Mike hurriedly prepared an e-mail and sent it without proofing it or asking someone else to read it. After he sent it, he called the president's secretary to make sure she gave it to the president before the meeting. The e-mail the president received said, "Want to save a lot of money? Have everyone come get their supplies at the same time and not waste so much of my time." Mike eagerly waited for some response to his recommendation. Finally, he received a brief written memo thanking him for his suggestion and stating that, after consideration, management had decided not to make a change. He later learned that management didn't consider his proposal because they didn't understand it. They thought he was recommending that everyone, including managers, go to the supply room at a certain time to retrieve whatever supplies they needed (rather than, as Mike intended, having one departmental staff member pick up supplies for all department members on one order). Amazed, Mike said, What? I told them what I thought would work. Why didn't they understand?" 1. What happened? Why didn't the managers understand what Mike was recommending? 2. How could he have handled this situation better? 3. Rewrite Mike's message so that it is complete, concise, correct, clear, and courteous