LDR 711A Week 2 Discussion 1 | Assignment Help | University Of Phoenix
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- 21 Sep 2019
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LDR 711A Week 2 Discussion 1 |
Assignment Help | University Of Phoenix
Week 2 Discussion 1
Discussion Topic
Students need to contribute three
substantive posts in this discussion by the due date indicated. The substantive
posts must include a 150+ word response to the discussion question and a 150+
word response to 2 additional [separate] students. Late discussion posts do not
earn credit. A response to the discussion activity must be posted on time in
order to receive credit for posts to additional students.
Read Case 4.3: We are Family, page 86.
Reply to the three questions at the end of
the case, 150+ words.
Ensure you cite and reference your
replies appropriately, per the examples provided in the Week, 1 APA Citing and
Reference Examples document.
Reply to 2 additional students, 150
plus words each.
CASE 4.3
We Are Family
Betsy Moore has been hired as the
director of marketing and communications for a medium-sized college in the
Midwest. With a long history of success as marketing and public relations
professional, she was the unanimous choice of the hiring committee. Betsy is
excited to be working for Marianne, the vice president of college advancement,
who comes from a similar background to Betsy’s. In a meeting with Marianne,
Betsy is told the college needs an aggressive plan to revamp and energize the
school’s marketing and communications efforts. Betsy and Marianne seem in
perfect sync with the direction they believe is right for the college’s
program. Marianne also explains that she has established a departmental culture
of teamwork and empowerment and that she is a strong advocate of being a mentor
to her team members rather than a manager.
Betsy has four direct reports: two
writers, Bridget and Suzanne, who are young women in their 20s; and Carol and
Francine, graphic designers who are in their 50s. In her first month, Betsy
puts together a meeting with her direct reports to develop a new communications
plan for the college, presenting the desired goals to the team and asking for
their ideas on initiatives and improvements to meet those goals. Bridget and
Suzanne provide little in the way of suggested changes, with Bridget asking
pointedly, “Why do we need to change anything?”
p.87
In her weekly meeting with the vice
president, Betsy talks about the resistance to change she encountered from the
team. Marianne nods, saying she heard some of the team members’ concerns when
she went to lunch with them earlier in the week. When Betsy looks surprised,
Marianne gives her a knowing smile. “We are like a family here; we have close
relationships outside of work. I go to lunch or the movies with Suzanne and
Bridget at least once a week. But don’t worry; I am only a sounding board for
them, and encourage them to come to you to resolve their issues. They know you
are their boss.”
But they don’t come to Betsy. Soon,
Bridget stops coming to work at 8 a.m., showing up at 10 a.m. daily. As a
result, she misses the weekly planning meetings. When Betsy approaches her
about it, Bridget tells her, “It’s OK with Marianne; she says as long as I am
using the time to exercise and improve my health she supports it.”
Betsy meets with Suzanne to implement
some changes to Suzanne’s pet project, the internal newsletter. Suzanne gets
blustery and tearful, accusing Betsy of insulting her work. Later, Betsy
watches Suzanne and Marianne leave the office together for lunch. A few hours
later, Marianne comes into Betsy’s office and tells her, “Go easy on the
newsletter changes. Suzanne is an insecure person, and she is feeling
criticized and put down by you right now.”
Betsy’s relationship with the other two
staff members is better. Neither seems to have the close contact with Marianne
that the younger team members have. They seem enthusiastic and supportive of
the new direction Betsy wants to take the program in.
As the weeks go by, Marianne begins
having regular “Mentor Meetings” with Bridget and Suzanne, going to lunch with
both women at least twice a week. After watching the three walk out together
one day, Francine asks Betsy if it troubles her. Betsy replies, as calmly as
she can, “It is part of Marianne’s mentoring program.”
Francine rolls her eyes and says,
“Marianne’s not mentoring anyone; she just wants someone to go to lunch with
every day.”
After four months on the job, Betsy
goes to Marianne and outlines the challenges that the vice president’s close
relationships with Bridget and Suzanne have presented to the progress of the
marketing and communications program. She asks her directly, “Please stop.”
Marianne gives her the knowing,
motherly smile again. “I see a lot of potential in Bridget and Suzanne and want
to help foster that,” she explains. “They are still young in their careers, and
my relationship with them is important because I can provide the mentoring and
guidance to develop their abilities.”
p.88
“But it’s creating problems between
them and me,” Betsy points out. “I can’t manage them if they can circumvent me
every time they disagree with me. We aren’t getting any work done. You and I
have to be on the same team.”
Marianne shakes her head. “The problem
is that we have very different leadership styles. I like to empower people, and
you like to boss them around.”
Questions
1. Marianne and Betsy
do indeed have different leadership styles. What style would you ascribe to
Betsy? To Marianne?
2. Does Betsy need to
change her leadership style to improve the situation with Bridget and Suzanne?
Does Marianne need to change her style of leadership?
3. How can Marianne
and Betsy work together?
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