Improving team performance

Improving team Performance

2007 Page : 1

Strengths and weaknesses of managers

Dick Wilson has done MBA program and he may have some theoretical insights of how to improve performance of poor performing teams . This may help to overcome poor performance . However he may lack the practical application of theory in contextual manner given the organizational culture of the new pub . As well his experience is in large business and the managerial style may not be compatible with medium to small businesses because the organizational structure is informal and it is

not hierarchical of large companies . As well his career motives may be in conflict with his approach to staff management and there fore his performance measurement system may be too rigid the managers may not implement his systems within the pub because of staff resistance . In addition his phase of change in introducing the change may be too fast which may affect staff morale and it may affect team performance However his insistence in having a performance appraisal system is beneficial to raise the performance of the team if it is

Collaboratively initiated and designed with staff participation with requisite training of staff and managers of pub

The Area manager Jill Jones strength is her experience in the business and there fore she would have legitimacy among managers and staff compared to Dick Wilson . Organizations are social in nature and Jill Jones have social skills and have a down-to-earth approach to staff which is an asset to understand group dynamics than Dick Wilson and she may be able to resolve human relations problems within a group or team than Dick Wilson . That is her managerial style is not authoritarian compared to Dick Wilson and she is people oriented than Dick Wilson , as he is production-oriented manager , which may not be compatible with team structure of organization

Blake does not have any performance appraisal system within the pub This indicates that Blake is a more charismatic leader compared to Dick Wilson . This is a weakness of Blake Page : 2

as he over looks the importance of productivity and cost control in a business and hopes people may achieve organizational goals if they are free to make their own decisions and

Work in teams and set up work processes and practices with little planning and control systems within the pub . However as he is people oriented he may understand staff issues better than Dick Wilson and may have more conflict resolution skills and motivational skills than Dick Wilson

Majorie like Dick Wilson has more production oriented managerial style than other managers in the organization , which may be an asset to improve team performance . However they disregard human dimensions group processes within the organization

May not be able to implement performance assessment system effectively and may increase conflict within a team and may affect staff morale That is they may lack communication and interpersonal and motivational skills compared to other managers like Jones and Blake

Bert is also very relaxed about staff performance and do not believe of having performance appraisal system , this is a weakness of Bert as he disregard productivity

And cost control , which is vital in meeting organizational goals However he is a people oriented manger and he may address human relations issues better than Dick Wilson as well he may motivate staff better than Dick Wilson as he prefer motivational techniques to improve performance than control methods

Information necessary for performance planning and improvement meeting with Majorie and Bert

First of all they must get information on staff level regarding the criteria for determining staff level and how the reduction in staff level will affect staff morale and will the reduction acceptable by the staff and any compensation payments to be paid to redundant Part : 3

staff . As well they also must take information about the motivational impact of staff level reduction . In addition they must be able to get information about how to phase the staff reduction in steps or reduce it immediately and which is more acceptable to staff which minimize resistance of staff of further restructuring . What are the incentives given to staff and what motivates them to improve performance intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors . Information regarding the decision-making processes and communication channels , training methods and systems , level of conflict and interpersonal communicational issues and the process of setting goals and the level of participation of staff in setting goals is vital for evaluating whether the objectives can achievable within the time frame set by the organization for this pub as well the feasibility of implementation and its success of the new performance appraisal system and to

Overcome staff resistance and motivate staff to accept change , which is beneficial for the organization as well as for staff not in conflict with staff interests . In addition they must take stock of adequacy or inadequacy of sales skills of staff to act as sales people so that they can accomplish this task productively and effectively

The way to conduct a meeting with Majorie and Bert regarding the performance issue

First to conduct this meeting Dick Wilson must communicate with Majorie and Bert about the purpose of the meeting and clearly state the benefits of such a performance

appraisal system and the benefits for the pub as well as to staff . He must then state the matters to be raised in the meetings such as staff level , how to improve customer care skills , and the ways to motivate staff to be acting as sales people . the ways to improve attractiveness of food menus offered by pub . In addition how to design a staff appraisal system so that staff knows there responsibilities and the benefits they get meeting objectives of the pub . How to effectively motivate staff so that they use the staff potential to the maximum . Page : 4

The skills important to conduct such meetings

To conduct such meetings they must have communications skills leadership skills , negotiation skills , listening skills , organizational skills , decision making skills , interpersonal skills , awareness of group dynamics and the formation of informal groups within an organization motivational skills , planning skills because without these skills the issues raised by the meeting and message will not be well received as expected and

will not shape the behavior and motivation of the managers of the pub as well as to refine

the appraisal system so that it takes in to account the staff issues and concerns and adjust the objectives and the phase of such implementation of the new appraisal system

The objectives of a meeting

The objectives of the meeting must be to discuss ways to improve team performance , which benefits the organization as well as meeting the interests of staff . As well it must also state the importance and to design an appropriate performance appraisal system which measures performance on a regular basis to improve efficiency and productivity which will address staff issues and acceptable to staff and motivate staff and not negatively affect staff morale

Action plan to resolving the issues and achieving company targets

Designing a training program , which addresses in adequacy of the staff I customer care skills and sales skills . Awareness and consciousness building programs so that managers become aware of the importance of having a staff performance appraisal system . Designing a performance appraisal system which is acceptable to staff and measures

And processes , which are perceived by the staff as equitable and do not hamper staff morale and motivation . Selection of skills and staff with high motivation in small teams Page : 5

And improve quality consciousness in the management culture of the pub and continually innovate new products to become more competitive in a changing market . Have rewarding system which enhances motivational level of staff and related to performance ...