BUA 325 Final (julia's part)
(ch 15) In the mini-case study, "Adapting Your leadership Style in Other Cultures," the brief discussion centers around how adaptation and flexibility are key to leading in other cultures. Discuss the key points raised.
- be aware of cultural sensitivity - try to acquire cultural knowledge - don't avoid other cultures
(ch 15) Transformational leaders perform certain tasks according to the authors. Discuss what those tasks are and how they relate to agile management?
- raise followers' awareness of organizational issues and their consequences - transformational leaders create a vision of what the organization should be, build commitment to that vision throughout the organization, and facilitate organizational changes that support the vision - transformational leadership is consistent with the strategy developed through an organization's strategic management process
Once you have read the article, a number of key ideas should be remembered. To begin with, note what value means in this article.
- value creators and value enablers - value is created by the customer mostly - value is the motives of the company and also the quality
(ch 18) The authors discuss four different types of organization culture. Discuss the four types: clan culture, adhocracy culture, hierarchy culture, market culture.
1. clan culture - internal focus and integration as well as flexibility and discretion 2. adhocracy culture - flexibility and discretion as well as external focus and differentiation 3. hierarchy culture - stability and control as well as internal focus and integration 4. market culture - external focus and differentiation as well as stability and control
(ch 17) Five strategies for building trust are noted on p. 397.
1. communicate often to team members 2. show respect for team members 3. be fair to team members 4. be predictable 5. demonstrate competence
(ch 15) The CEO of Bain & Company, Bob Bechek, through his training and experience has developed an approach to communication which has successfully been used to build businesses. That approach to leading through effective communication builds upon information discussed in the previous chapters. What are the principles which the CEO uses to strengthen the communication process as stated in the Challenge Case?
1. experience - he uses his experiences of all his previous starting jobs to be able to connect with his employees at lower positions 2. informality - by using imformality it makes it seem like it is not really a traditional work context as "I am your boss" context. by using informality this helps employees come to the CEO and share with him their concerns and questions. This also helps them want to do their work better because you would want to do something with better quality and faster for a friend than a boss who is barking orders at you and does not care about your concerns.
(ch 17) Three elements of what makes up a group were discussed at the top of p. 383. Explain those elements.
1. interact with one another - if you say you are in a group then do all the work yourself that is not being in a group that is being individual 2. are psychologically aware of one another - they are aware of each other and what each other is working on and their needs to get that task done 3. perceive themselves to be a group - you simply cannot be a group if you don't think and act like a group
(ch 15) Three coaching behaviors are listed on p. 344. This is not an exhaustive list, only a sample of behaviors that are viewed by the authors as successful coaching behaviors. Relate each one to the features of emotional intelligence as presented in the previous chapter.
1. listen closely 2. gives emotional support 3. shows by example what constitutes appropriate behavior If you show people that you care more, it make them want to work harder to achieve that goal.
(ch 18) On p. 423, 8 characteristics of a healthy culture are listed.
1. openness and humility from top to bottom of the organization 2. an environment of accountability and personal responsibility 3. freedom for risk-taking within appropriate limits 4. a fierce commitment to "do it right" 5. a willingness to tolerate and learn from mistakes 6. unquestioned integrity and consistence 7. a pursuit of collaboration, integration, and holistic thinking 8. courage and persistence in the face of difficulty
(ch 18) An organization's culture has a variety of functions, according to the textbook's authors. What are they? Discuss.
1. organization culture can enhance organizational productivity 2. organization culture can serve as a component of organizational strategy 3. organization culture provides a rationale for staffing 4. organization culture can act as a guideline for making operational decisions
(ch 17) What are the benefits of informal group membership? Four points are presented on p. 389.
1. perpetuation of social and cultural values that group members consider important 2. status and social satisfaction that people might not enjoy without membership 3. increased ease of communication among group members 4. increased desirability of the overall work environment
(ch 18) By establishing a vision of organization culture, the authors present six different cultures which may influence the vision of a business.
1. quality dimension - an element of organization culture that focuses on making sure a product, in the opinion of the customer, does what it is supposed to do. 2. ethics dimension - a facet of organization culture that focuses on making sure that an organization emphasizes not only what it is good for the organization but also what is good for other human beings. 3. innovation dimension - an aspect of organization culture that encourages the application of new ideas to improve organizational processes, products, or services. 4. spiritual dimension - an aspect of organization culture that encourages organization members to integrate spiritual life and work life. 5. diversity dimension - a component of organization culture that encourages the existence of basic human differences among organization members. 6. customer dimension - a facet of organization culture that focuses on catering to the needs of those individuals who buy the goods or services the organization produces.
(ch 18) Examples of how to use organizational culture as a builder of performance are discussed on pp. 413-414 and in Figure 18.4. In Figure 18.4, three examples: build organizational commitment, hold managers accountable, recognize and reward are noted as part of a high- performance organization culture. Discuss how those three examples build performance.
1. recognize reward: management needs to help employees learn to be high performers. as such appropriate performance behavior needs to be reinforce or rewarded 2. hold managers accountable: the performance of managers should be tracked, with job related progress being communicated to them both formally and informally. maintaining this performance contributes to ensuring the success of a manager's area of responsibility, which turn contributes to the performance and success of the organization as a whole 3. building organizational commitment: can be defined as the dedication of organization members to uphold the values of the organization and to make worthwhile contributes to fulfilling the organization purpose
(ch 17) What are some key points to remember from the mini-case study, "Establishing Trust in International Teams?"
1. team members should recognize that come ways which teams develop, such as by getting acquainted and being assigned roles may not naturally take place when coworkers are dispersed. 2. at the beginning leaders should hold discussions to define roles, responsibilities, and morns, including expectations for when team members should be available 3. team leaders should ask members to describe their strengths and personal values so that leaders can learn how everyone can contribute to the team 4. team leaders should try to bring team members to the same location at lease occasionally so that team members can build relationships face-to-face.
Onpp.6-7, two types of benefits emerge when roles are linked to value creation in this new way of thinking. What are those two types? Discuss.
1. the articulation of value and roles for company x allowed for objective comparisons between candidates across a variety of specific dimensions rather than relying on subjective hunches or a per functionary succession plan. 2. the specificity of role requirements for company x encouraged a more objective view of the incumbent managers
(ch 17) Committees, as a special kind of task group, as noted by the authors, have several uses in organizations. Why are they viewed as useful? Four points are noted by the authors. Discuss.
1. to allow organizations to exchange ideas 2. to generate suggestions and recommendations that can be offered to other organizational units 3. to develop new ideas for solving existing organizational problems 4. to assist in the development of organizational problems
(ch 18) How can an organization's culture be used to help build a competitive advantage?
If an organization's culture, which is their values relating tot heir fountain and existence, is embedded into the organizational strategy, it should be something that comes naturally for the organization, which ultimately creates competitive advantage
Are the executives at the top of an organization's hierarchy the only people who have value? If so, why? If not, why not?
In the traditional approach yes, but in the talent-to-value approach, no. Everyone in the company has and creates value. Everyone is putting something into the product weather it be in the actual project or behind the scenes to make it better and more valuable.
(ch 15) Explain the differences between leading and managing. Use practical examples either from academic or work situations.
Leadership is a subset of management. management is broader. You manage a company but you lead people. You need to be a manager as well as a leader to be truly successful.
(ch 15) In the mini-case study, "How Mary Barra, GM's CEO, Meets the Leadership Challenge," explain how her emerging leadership style has built the near-term future of GM?
Mary Barra is a great leader who was describes as a "calm stability" and a "collaborative style" of leadership. also she deals with problems as they come up and doesn't let them just sit because then will become bigger
(ch 15) Table 15.2 on page 343 outlines ten effective coaching characteristics. Discuss in terms of how these are linked to the authors' definition of leadership.
The author defines leadership as the process of directing the behavior of others toward the accomplishment of n objective. 1. empathy (putting self in other person's shoes) 2. listening skill 3. insight into people (ability to size them up) 4. diplomacy and tact 5. patience toward people 6. concern for welfare of people 7. minimum hostility toward people 8. self-confidence and emotional stability 9. non-competitiveness with team members 10. enthusiasm for people
(ch 18) In Figure 18.2, choose 2 activities managers might perform in each of the four culture types. Discuss why those activities link with the characteristics of the culture type.
The hierarchy culture: Make sure employees know exactly what is expected of them. standardize policies and procedures so employees know exactly how to get work accomplished. include in employee orientation a focus on tradition, values, and vision of the organization. give employees regular feedback on how well they are performing jobs. Establish a monitoring system that shows how well employees are performing jobs. Market culture: Make sure everyone can name their 3 most critical customers. accept only world-class quality in products and services. give customers what they want the first time. understand the keys to your competitors success. The clan culture: establish a clear goal for the work team. Establish specific work targets with deadlines that the team can accomplish. Empower others to perform. coach and counsel employees. celebrate the success of work teams and individual The adhocracy clan: Hold people accountable for generating innovative ideas. Talk to people about their new ideas and what they expect the result of ideas could be. reward those who come up with new ways to perform work. Establish vehicles for trying out new ideas. make continuous improvement a feature of the workplace.
(ch 17) In the Challenge Case, teamwork was an issue until Carla Altepeter addressed the performance issues within the groups. How did she address those issues?
The teams were having problems collaborating and seeing what other people were working on and who needed help and because of that employees were getting overloaded so Carla came up with the idea to incorporate Connections Online into the company which shows all the employees all the projects, who is working on them, and their statuses. This is bringing together employees from different departments to work together.She also brought the recognition program STAR into the company which acknowledges employees who do that the company refers to as good deeds.
(ch 15) Explore the pyramid of Level 5 Leadership as discussed on p. 346 and found in Figure 15.9 on p.348. What can we gain from the style of Leadership?
This figure shows us that all of the levels are needed to become successful but the top tier (level 5 executive) is the most influential to make change.
A key executive, Sandy Ogg, founder of CEOworks and experienced professional in other corporate settings, learned how important placing the right talent in the right place resulted in greater than expected returns on investment. How does his experience link with the need to be agile in the workplace?
You may not know your talent right away or what you really quick with so you need to be able to be agile to move around to different parts of the company to different roles in different departments. This also helps the employees view what the other employees roles are so they will gain more understanding and the importance and value of each role.
(ch 18) In the mini-case study, "P&G's Worldwide Business Conduct Manual" is highlighted. How is that manual linked to company culture?
because they are linking their values into their manual. 1. treat the company's assets as you would your own 2. behave with the company's long-term success in mind 3. always do the right thing (ethical business practices) 4. operate within the letter and spirit of the law
(ch 17) On pp. 397-398, the authors offer advice for building collaboration. Explain how that helps us understand the relevance of collaboration.
by giving us advice, they show us how we can use collaboration to be more successful
(ch 18) What exactly is a code of conduct? Does establishing a code of conduct mean that all will follow it automatically? If not, why not?
code of conduct - a document that reflects the core values of an organization and suggests how organization members should act in relation to those values. This does not mean that everyone will automatically follow it because everyone has different values and morals and ways that they do things, but when coming into a new job or profession, it is important to follow that code of conduct very closely.
(ch 17) Which kind of formal group is best linked to the principles of agile management? Why?
command group - formal group that is outlined in the chain of command on an organization chart task group - formal group of organization members who interact with one another to accomplish most of the organizations non-routine tasks
(ch 18) The textbook authors refer to a number of cultural artifacts that may be used to reinforce values, beliefs and norms. Could Tom Brady be a cultural artifact? If so, which one or ones would he be considered to be-there are seven listed.
cultural artifact - a dimension of an organization that helps to describe and reinforce the culture - or the beliefs, values, norms - in which an artifact exists. 1. values - a person's or social group's belief in which the person or the group has an emotional investment. 2. organizational myth - a popular belief or story that has become associated with a person or institution and illustrates an organization culture ideal. 3. organizational sagas - a narrative describing the adventures of a heroic individual or family significantly linked to an organization's past or present. (tom brady would be considered as an organizational saga) 4. organizational language - indicates the organization's shared values. slogans are an example of this. 5. organizational symbols - an object that has meaning beyond its intrinsic content 6. organizational ceremonies - a formal activity conducted on important organizational occasions 7. organizational rewards - an incentive to have the employees to do the best work they can and embody the company's values
(ch 18) The Challenge Case highlights CEO Tony Hsieh's concept of company culture. Discuss his vision of delivering WOW! What makes his vision work?
embrace and drive change create fun and little weirdness pursue growth and learning determined to avoid repeating his earlier experience to building a company, going far beyond customers' expectations.
(ch 18) Why should managers NOT only focus on the dominant organization's culture?
if managers are only focused on the dominant organization's culture, they will not be able to meet the need and wants or be able to focus on the subculture as well
(ch 18) On p. 410, the authors discuss the purpose of organizational culture. Discuss.
in general terms, organization culture influences the behavior of everyone within an organization and, if carefully crafted, can have a significant, positive impact on organizational success. Organization culture influences the way people carry out organizational processes and can create immense pressure on organization members to act in ways consistent with the culture.
On page 5, the authors use bullet points to further discuss key values needed by Company X. Are these roles always going to be found in senior management only? Explain.
leaders= 20% 3 layers below CEO More than 10% of the critical roles focused on digital priorities, advanced analytics, and other capabilities in very short supply in current organization 5% focused on cross-functional integration 20% were entirely new or greatly evolved in scope
When these roles are determined, meaning when staff are identified with being enablers beyond their stated contractual positions, are these people always in senior management positions, according to the authors?
no these people (about 60%) are two layers below the CEO and 30% are three layers or more below the CEO
(ch 17) What are the differences between a group and a team?
not all groups are teams but all teams are groups. a group qualifies as a team only if its members focus on helping one other accomplish organizational objectives
(ch 18) What is the importance of understanding an organization's subculture?
organization subculture - a mini-culture within an organization that can reflect the values and beliefs of a specific segment of the organization that is formed along lines such as established departments or geographic regions it is very imortant for managers to be aware of the subcultures and how to manage them because subcultures can negatively or positively affect management efforts, such as organizational planning.
(ch 17) Team effectiveness is discussed, with Figure 17.7 showing people-related factors, organization factors and task-related factors which contribute to that effectiveness.
people related factors - personal work satisfaction; mutual trust and team spirit; good communication; low unresolved conflict and power struggle; low threat, fail-safe, good job security organization related factors - organizational stability and job security; involved, interested, supportive management; proper rewards and recognition of accomplishments; stable goals and priorities task related factors - clear objectives, directions, and project plans; proper technical direction and leadership; autonomy and professionally challenging work; experienced and qualified project/team personnel; team involvement and project visibility
(ch 17) Three types of teams are discussed. What are key features of each? Discuss.
problem solving teams - a team set up to help eliminate a specified problem within an organization self managed teams - a team that plans, organizes, influences, and controls its own work situation with only minimal intervention and direction from management cross functional teams - a work team composed of people of different functional areas of the organization - marketing, finance, human resources, and operations, for example - who are all focused on a specified objective
(ch 17) The authors also note two different points which contribute to the success of committees. Choose characteristics from each point and discuss.
procedural steps - goals should be clearly defined, committees authority should be specified, size of committee (5-10), selected chairperson, appoint a permanant secretary, agenda for the meeting should be distributed prior to meeting, meetings should start and end on time people-oriented guidelines - rephrasing ideas already expressed, bringing all members into active participation, stimulating further thought by members
(ch 15) Artificial Intelligence is affecting today's organizations in ways previously unknown. As a result, an emerging leadership style is required to address this impact on our organizations and address issues stated at the top of p. 345. Explain how the adoption of servant leadership, Level 5 leadership and authentic leadership techniques might strengthen an individual's attempt to develop a strong leadership style in these changing work environments.
servant leadership - an approach to leading in which leaders view their primary role as helping followers in their quests to satisfy personal needs, aspirations, and interests. level 5 leadership - an approach to leadership that blends personal humility with an intense will to build long-range organizational success authentic leadership - leadership conducted by leaders who are deeply aware of their own and others' moral perspectives and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and of high moral character.
At the end of the article. the CEO of Company X now knows that talent and overall strategic planning are linked. What are examples of their importance? p. 9
talent management must become a frequent, agile process in which the CEO and executive- leadership team participate actively as they do in the financial- investment decisions
Agile management begins with senior management understanding what will create value. In this artcle, the authors used a similar strategy on pp. 3-4 of "Company X" needing to link talent to value. What were the senior managers at Company X trying to do? What came out of that strategic discussion?
the seniors of company x were trying to dramatically grow the revenue by 150 percent within next 5 years of the company and if they grow they would have to become international. - Strategic discussion: about which roles mattered most and about the skills and attributes needed by the talent who would fill those roles and drive future growth.
(ch 18) How do the 7 questions help define culture? (p. 409)
these questions help narrow the almost endless list of considerations and help the managers keep calm and not frustrated when trying to define their organization's cultures accurately. 1. do people innovate and take risks? 2. are people attentive to detail? 3. are people focused on the outcomes of what they do? 4. is the organization sensitive to people? 5. do people function as a team? 6. are people in the organization aggressive? 7. are people focused on maintaining the status quo?
(ch 18) In the mini-case study, "Southwest Airlines Celebrates Its Organization Culture," culture begins for SW Airlines with the hiring process. Explain why this is important to the organization.
they look for candidates who embody the firm's values, such as hard work, a fun attitude, perseverance and great customer service. Southwest Airlines is "hire for attitude, train for skill." The candidate will not be hired simply if they have a great credentials on their resume but shares no values of the company.
(ch 15) What is the importance of Transformational leadership? How do hope, optimism and resiliency fit into the authors' views of transformational leadership?
transformational leadership is leadership that inspires organizational success by profoundly affecting follower's beliefs in what an organization should be as well as their values, such as justice and integrity. This kind of leadership creates a sense of duty, encourages new ways of handling problems, and promotes learning for all of the organization's members. The authors state that "recent studies have found evidence linking certain traits - hope, optimism, and resiliency - to the successor transformational leaders".
What are some of the benefits from viewing people talent differently? pp.7-8
understanding the requirements of key roles throughout a company helps give the CEO the agility to respond to questions with alacrity concept of matching talent to value often a precursor to breakthroughs corning's goal of easing "barriers to creativity and serendipitous advances". these cultural priorities into value are often related to R&D(chief tech officer, chief design officer) and filled with talented, creative people, who thrive in the freedom of those particular roles - also leads to company's top executives to a deeper understanding of their business
What were TWO critical roles that the authors highlighted which were needed by Company X. Discuss them.
value creators - they directly generate revenue, lower operating costs, and increase capital efficiency value enablers - such as leaders of support functions like cybersecurity or risk management, perform indispensable work that enables the creators
