Background

You have been assigned to manage a new team that consists of 8 direct reports. The team has been together for many years and they are described as very good at what they do. In the past 5 years, they have had 3 managers. All three of these managers, although competent have been fired. This team is one of several in a medium-sized insurance company. The team is responsible for providing insurance services to the Manitoba/ Saskatchewan region. The team has not met their collective financial targets in over 5 years. You report to the director.

The team functioning is not very strong, although they do generally support one another. One individual on the team (Sally) has been passed over for the manager position 3 times.

The following dynamics exist within the team.

1. Sally is highly competent, but the director has not felt that Sally was ready to take on the manager position. The team tends to turn to Sally for direction as opposed to the person in the manager’s role. You are now that manager.
2. One member of the team (Bill) has a personal relationship with the director. As such, the remainder of the team tends to be cautious about discussing issues around Bill for fear that concerns or issues will get back to the director.
3. The director is an action-oriented individual who is quick to make decisions and at times will jump in to address issues and challenges that rightfully belong to the manager.
4. The team members believe that as long as they individually get their job done and meet their financial targets, it is irrelevant whether other team members reach theirs. As a team, they have never met the team’s overall financial targets.
5. When they get together someone usually misses due to client commitments, people usually show up late and they describe the meetings as a waste of time.
6. The team members indicate they are uncertain as to how they are doing and no one on the team has been successful when applying to other positions within the company.
7. Morale and engagement on the team is low and has been such for a number of years.
8. Jim, as viewed by the Director, is a problem employee who has, over his 7 years on the job, never made his sales target. The director tells you that Jim has been a thorn in the side of past managers, and it is time for you to deal with this problem knowing that you have inherited the problem.

Question

As you begin the challenge of managing this seemingly dysfunctional team, apply the concepts and techniques learned in the class and discussed in the books to your new position. Describe how you would approach the challenge and the steps you would take to create a successful team that is meeting its financial targets.

The case study paper should subscribe to APA style guidelines, be 6 -7 pages using 1.5 line spacing and incorporate a minimum of 5 concepts/ strategies discussed through the course lectures and readings. Employing these concepts/strategies, you will need to address the challenges you have inherited as the new manager. The concepts and how they would address the specific issues/challenges must be clearly stated along with the rationale as to why you would use that approach and how it would address the challenge.

Writing the Case Study Guidelines for the 8 challenges

Introduction

You can include a short introduction but not necessary. This would discuss some general approaches you might take.

1. Sally is highly competent, but the director has not felt that Sally was ready to take on the manager position. The team tends to turn to Sally for direction as opposed to the person in the manager’s role. You are now that manager.

Concepts I will use:

one or more if required from our list (developed at the last class)

My Approach:

Describe how you will use the concept(s) in addressing this challenge and indicate how using this (these) concept(s) will create the outcome you are looking for. This should require a paragraph or two at most.

Do not define the concept just explain how you would apply it in this situation. Remember you are the manager so the first person (I) can be used. This is a narrative so no references should be required as you are indicating how you will use the concept.

1. One member of the team (Bill) has a personal relationship with the director. As such, the remainder of the team tends to be cautious about discussing issues around Bill for fear that concerns or issues will get back to the director.

Concepts I will use:

one or more if required from our list

My Approach:

Describe how you will use the concept(s) in addressing this challenge and indicate how using this (these) concept(s) will great the outcome you are looking for. This should require a paragraph or two at most.

Do not define the concept just explain how you would apply it in this situation. Remember you are the manager so the first person (I) can be used. This is a narrative so no references should be required as you are indicating how you will use the concept.

Continue in the same manner with all 8 challenges

This assignment is worth 25% of your final grade.

Use formal business language and APA formatting.