BUS210 Project 1 Speaker Notes PDF

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BUS 210 Speaker Notes Slide 1: SNHU Pet Supply Co. Team Management Plan Good afternoon everyone, and welcome. Today I would like to present to you the team management plan that I have created, with the end goal being to move my new team from last place in satisfaction and productivity to first place. Slide 2: Our Guiding Principles: Mission, Culture, Goals I would like to begin by reviewing our mission and culture statements, as well as our current organizational goals, as these are the basis for all recommendations that I will be proposing today. “For any organization, the mission statement answers the most basic of questions: “what” does our business do, and “why” do we do it” (Soomo Learning, 2020). At SNHU Pet Supply, our mission is to provide highquality pet food, treats, and toys to dogs and cats. That is our overarching objective which governs everything else we do. Our culture “refers to a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that indicate what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior within a given organization” (Soomo Learning, 2020). So who are we? We are a diverse group of over 500 employees who love pets and joy they bring us. We are passionate and friendly, and we take pride in our products and services. Currently the company is focusing on three major goals. First, to decrease production costs by 3%, thereby reducing the cost to the consumer and making our products more obtainable. Second, to increase workplace efficiency, which in turn makes product delivery faster and more effective. Third, to raise employee satisfaction ratings by 4%. For the purpose of this plan, I will be focusing on goal number three, as I strongly feel that a byproduct of satisfied employees is greater efficiency and increased productivity. Slide 3: Team Issues and Concerns In speaking with my new team, their issues and concerns can be grouped into four main areas. First, the management style of the previous supervisor was only results-focused and did little to encourage creative thought or growth. Everything was done by the book and there was little to no regard for individual circumstances or potential variations. Second, the team was actively discouraged from collaborating not only with similarly focused teams at other locations in the company, but also with teams in other areas within their same location. They were expected to be quite isolated and, in effect, to put on blinders to anything outside of their specific tasks. Third, communication from management has been close to nonexistent when it comes to important updates and announcements. Information that they have received has been delayed and is often irrelevant by the time they have received it. Finally, there has been little regard paid to the differing geographic areas of team members when scheduling meetings, which has created some animosity with those people outside of Manchester. Slide 4: Encouraging Open Communication When considering our current communication styles and methods, it is encouraging to note that the team feels that they communicate well with each other, so our goal is to improve the communication between the team, management, and the rest of the company. We will first begin holding weekly team meetings on Monday afternoons. This time slot will allow both the team members on the east coast and the west coast to be present during their traditional workday, which will eliminate the struggle to fit in work calls during personal time. These meetings will be held via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and will essentially be a rundown of projects for the week and any important information that everyone needs to be aware of. I will also maintain an open-door policy for all team members. If they are having a struggle, or need assistance, or have an idea on how we can improve or grow, they can come to me at any time for us to discuss. I will also commit to following up with any individual meeting within one week. Finally, I

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will transition to using mainly information-rich channels of communication. “Research shows that effective managers tend to use more information-rich communication channels than do less effective managers” (Soomo Learning, 2020). Most information will initially be communicated face-to-face or over video conference, with email summary follow ups to ensure understanding and to provide a reference point if any questions arise. Slide 5: Leadership and Management When I consider myself as a leader, I take immense pride in being a servant leader. “At the core of servant leadership is self-sacrifice, which is often displayed by a leader’s need to lead by example. The servant leader makes a conscientious decision to value followers’ needs and respects their contributions no matter their level of responsibility” (Soomo Learning, 2020). I believe that this team in particular, who feels defeated by the actions of their previous manager, needs someone who will support them and make them feel valued and important. When we consider our organizational goal of increasing employee satisfaction, we must acknowledge that while the link is not fully understood, employees are more engaged and productive when their employers are concerned for their welfare and they have highquality working relationships with coworkers and superiors (Suda, 2013). Slide 6: Followership Going hand in hand with leading effectively is ensuring that those who follow are heard and are invested in the company and its goals. “Effective followers have the courage to accept responsibility, challenge authority, participate in change, serve the needs of the organization, and leave the organization when necessary” (Suda, 2013). By utilizing my strengths as a leader, namely operating with empathy and respect at all times and being open-minded enough to hear both critical and positive feedback and suggestions, I know that my team will be inspired to do their best work for me, and in turn the company. Slide 7: Team Decision-Making When considering decision-making for the team, a combination of the rational and intuitive decisionmaking models will work best. Although the rational model is the most common method, “…many organizational leaders utilize a combination of the rational decision-making model and intuitive decision making. Due to technology’s ability to provide numerous data points, charts, graphs, and information, making decisions based on intuition when combined with other methods can be an important part of the leadership toolbox” (Soomo Learning, 2020). In addition, for decisions that do not require an immediate response or confidentiality due to their nature, I will also use a collaborative decision-making process with my team so they have a say in the direction that the team takes. Slide 8: Emotional Intelligence and Encouraging Diverse Perspectives As a leader, I need to ensure that all management practices and decisions are emotionally intelligent. “Emotional intelligence is the ability not only to assess and control your emotions but also to understand the emotions of those around you” (Soomo Learning, 2020). Leading in an emotionally intelligent way means that I am empathetic and compassionate when making decisions that affect the team. In addition, emotionally intelligent leaders are able to consider the different perspectives of all members of their team and adjust practices accordingly. As every member of the team comes from a different background with different experiences, they each bring a uniqueness to the organization. This diversity is a key component to the culture at SNHU Pet Supply. Slide 9: References Soomo Learning. (2020). Managing and leading in business. https://www.webtexts.com.

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Suda, L. (2013). In praise of followers. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013 - North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

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