Professional Communication

The Activity

In this task you will evaluate the effectiveness of a Deputy Branch Manager in a company that sells kitchen equipment to sales showrooms up and down the country. The company prides itself publicly on its commitment to clear procedures and equal opportunities. Today the Deputy Manager has been instructed by her Branch Manager to give a formal spoken warning to Mark, one of the staff in the regional branch, who is coming to the end of his probation period (a trial period of three months working for the company). Marks contract of employment seems unlikely to be extended.

The background information and instructions given by the Branch Manager:

Please make sure you cover the following points at the meeting. Express the points clearly - however you think best suited to the situation but in a way that reflects the companys image. Keep it fairly short. But ask Mark at the end if he has any questions, then deal with them in a way thats consistent with what Im telling you now. But dont go beyond the information given; this situation may become sensitive!

• No final decision has yet been made about Marks future at the company. Thats not a decision you or even I, as Branch Manager, have authority to make (we will need to consult Head Office). But the Branch is formally recording that we are not happy with Lucianos performance or level of commitment.

• In company procedure, the warning you are giving has a formal status. Its a stage in a process which may end up terminating Lucianos contract. A written warning would be issued before someone is actually sacked. But dont be too specific about details on this: were not sure, even from our own procedures handbook, exactly how and when such a written warning would be triggered, or whether the written warning has to be cleared with Head Office. Nobody in Human Resources has been able to give a definitive answer on this, and the Head of HR is away on a golf holiday this week.

• Marks attendance has been faultless; and everyone knows hes really popular with clients and with colleagues.

• Mark has failed to meet his sales-into-showroom targets. Hes also missed three out of five training sessions held at Head Office which were set up to help staff with sales promotion in relation to a new line of kitchens (called Shineline) that isnt selling well. Shineline has in fact been returned by some customers, including some of Marks, because of faults. On the training days, Mark came into work at the branch as usual, and nobody noticed or said anything. Not even you!

• Mark was given a mentor (Jo) when he was appointed (an experienced colleague to help him settle in and get to know how things work). Jo tells you she spent a lot of time giving Mark guidance, including several friendly warnings about appearing not to take work very seriously. But she says her advice wasnt heeded and Mark treated some of her points as if they were trivial or even funny. Jo also says she more than once offered Mark confidential advice, as his mentor, that if things didnt improve she thought his employment might not be extended after probation.

• At this meeting you must get Mark to agree to attend regular, weekly employment review meetings with you, standing in for me as Branch Manager. Those meetings will also be attended by a representative from Human Resources (from Head Office!). Each meeting will check on what Mark has been doing during the week and formulate targets for improvement.

Use the SCARF model to evaluate the deputy managers performance in the meeting:

• Status is about relative importance to others.
  • Does the deputy manager threaten Marks status during the meeting?
• Certainty concerns being able to predict the future.
  • Does the general manager give Mark clear and concise information regarding his future in the company?
• Autonomy provides a sense of control over events.
  • Does the deputy manager give Mark a sense of control over the situation?
• Relatedness is a sense of safety with others
  • Does the deputy manager create good rapport with Mark to make him feel part of the team?
• Fairness is a perception of fair exchanges between people.
  • Does the deputy manager seem to be acting fairly with Mark?