Question
Lobos International Scenario:
Over the past few years, you and Cindy have been on the fast track at Lobos International, a multinational company
providing Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) solutions to companies operating in the Pacific Rim. You
were just informed that you have been promoted as Senior VP of Global Affairs, a position that, for the foreseeable
future, has Cindy reporting directly to you.
You received a text message from a colleague congratulating you on the promotion, but she also alerted you that
Cindy and several of her team members were upset and resentful that she failed to receive the position. She had,
after all, been with Lobos a couple years longer than you.
The first project on the table requires you to increase the number of clients in the region by 10% over the next 12
months. To do that, you will need Cindy’s help because she heads the sales and marketing team. Given that you are
new to this position, it is imperative that you demonstrate your ability to lead, regardless of personality differences.
Please provide a response to the following questions:
Please discuss how you will approach Cindy to ensure she is on board with the project objectives?
How will you get the team to the performing stage (stages forming, storming, norming, performing, and
adjourning)?
How will you manage the potential conflict?
Sample paper
Lobos International Scenario Project Management
It is important to ensure that Cindy is on board with the project objectives in order to achieve success in the project. It is right for Cindy and her team members to become resentful or upset that she did not get the promotion. However, it is important that she exercise professionalism in her work. If Cindy continues being upset or behaving unprofessionally, I would call her to a private meeting where we would discuss the issues. In the meeting, I would let her know my expectations of her and how she ought to conduct herself during work. I would also let her know that if she has any personal or job-related issues, then she should not hesitate to bring them forward or to report them to higher authority where they can be discussed. If the problem continues, I would indicate this in her performance report.
Bruce Tuckman identified key stages in his developmental sequence model that depicts the various stages that a team goes through (Nelson & Quick, 2012). The first stage is forming. In this stage, the team members are new to each other. As such, I would let the team members introduce themselves, giving information about their background, experience, and interests. I would also brief about the project ahead, giving information about goals and other general information. In the storming stage, it is important to listen to the different opinions of ideas from the group members. The team members may having different working styles, jostle for positions, or feel overloaded. This may be time to define these three, by establishing criteria for working and defining roles for each team member. It is also important to establish the team rules.
In the norming stage, team members are beginning to work together (Nelson & Quick, 2012). The main role of a Senior VP is to solve problems that may arise, and to ensure everyone is working as part of the team. The Senior VP should also provide coaching to the team. In the performing stage, the entire team focuses on achieving the goals. The main role here is to monitor the team’s progress. As the Senior VP, it is also important to provide motivation by celebrating the milestones achieved. The adjourning stage signifies the end. In this stage, the main role is to evaluate the team’s success and to celebrate its success. It is also important to draw lessons from the project.
Conflicts are bound to arise in situations involving working with teams. The best way to resolve conflicts is to encourage dialogue between the team members. As the Senior VP, I would lead discussions with the team members to solve any contentious issues. As the leader, it is important to know that each persons has different interests (Dew, 2008). The leader should be able to see things from other people’s perspective, and to discuss their benefits or drawbacks. It is also important to give new options or perspectives to the problem. It is also important to use objectiveness. For instance, if the team members have data to back up their point of view, this would make it easier to convince others.
If some Cindy’s team members were sabotaging the success of the project, I would engage them in a meeting and remind them that the success of the project reflects not only my performance, but also their performance. I would explain to them that even though this is a team project, participation of each individual matters a lot, and as such, performance report will detail the contributions of each team member towards the success of the project. If Cindy performs admirably, I would give a positive recommendation for her to be promoted. This is because as a leader, one is supposed to distinguish personal differences and ensure they do not affect relationship with others.
References
Dew, J. R. (2008). Managing in a team environment. New York, NY: IAP Press.
Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. C. (2012). Organizational behavior: Science, the real world, and you. Mason, Ohio: South-Western.
