Assignment 23 Week 2 Case Study 43 Emily Payne 1 As The Team

Assignment 23 Week 2case Study 43emily Payne1 As The Team Leader

As the team leader, you have weighed the pros and cons of the five options and prepared a presentation to management on how to address this problem. What do you suggest? John has been an employee with the company for 15+ years and has developed a strong bond with everyone. Of the five options listed, as team leader I would begin by relocating John to a different project team.

Doing this could separate John from his friends and give him time to focus on his own achievements rather than comparing himself to the other employees. This option will give John the change to become productive again without bypassing the company policy. If John’s behavior does not turn around and he does not become more productive, I would suggest recommending he go back to college. This would allow him to get the qualifications required to be promoted. If John does not want to go back to college and cannot become productive again, at that point I would recommend termination.

Consider each of the options and develop an argument to defend your position for each option.

• Do nothing: This option would be the easier option for me as the team leader. I could keep my relationship with John intact. Also, this is the only option that puts all the responsibility on John. In choosing this option, I hope to give John the time to accept the situation and become productive on his own without any interference from me as the team leader.
• Bypass company policy and promote John: John has been working for the company for over 15 years and in that time, he has gained a lot of valuable experience. Some might say, even more so than he would have gained in college for 4 years. He has worked side-by-side with the other team members and can be a valuable resource. Promoting him would increase his self-worth and self-esteem and will likely result in greater productivity. John believes he is not held in the same light as the other team members and promoting him would solve that issue.
• Talk John into going back to college: This solution would be the best for everyone involved. John could go back to college and get the qualifications required to be promoted. If John went back to college then he would be on the same plane as everyone else.
• Relocate John to a different project team: As discussed above this solution would allow for John to stop comparing himself to his friends. He would be on a new team, with new team members and that would hopefully increase his productivity because he no longer can see what his friends are doing and compare it to himself. This would give him the chance to start clean and prove that he could be productive.
• Terminate John’s employment: In the event that Johns performance did not improve I would recommend termination. His attitude and complaining are deteriorating the team morale and causing stress to the team members. While his productivity is low other members of the team are picking up the slack. If John cannot accept the situation and agree to one of the options listed above, there is little choice left but to terminate.

What specific leadership behaviors mentioned in this chapter are most relevant to addressing and resolving the problems with John? There are a few leadership behaviors that will be most relevant and helpful in resolving the issues with John. One of them is effective communication skills. As the team leader it is important to be able to communicate with your team. Explain what is expected of them and being clear in the direction of the project or any issues that arise. In John’s case, it is important to communicate to him the issues with his performance and what is expected in the future. Organizing under conflict and organizing with cooperation are relevant traits for the project leader in John’s case. The leader must be able to delegate, manage their time, and handle conflict and criticism.

In this case, it is up to the project leader to handle the issues with John. Organizing with cooperation is crucial to a successful project. John’s behavior is hindering the project leader’s ability to create a positive team atmosphere and engage in positive interpersonal contact.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective leadership is paramount in addressing performance challenges within a team, particularly in sensitive situations involving long-standing employees like John. Given the complexities of his long tenure and emotional bonds with colleagues, a nuanced approach is necessary. This paper advocates for a strategic, multi-faceted leadership intervention that balances organizational needs with interpersonal considerations.

Introduction

Workplace performance issues are inevitable, yet managing them effectively requires a combination of tact, strategic decision-making, and skilled leadership. When an employee like John, who has over 15 years with the company and strong relationships, demonstrates declining productivity and attitude, leadership must navigate carefully. This case study explores five options for addressing John's performance issues and advocates for a comprehensive leadership approach that emphasizes communication, empathy, and strategic HR practices.

Analysis of Options and Leadership Strategies

1. Do Nothing

The least interventionist approach involves allowing John to manage his performance independently, hoping he will self-correct over time. From a leadership perspective, this approach relies heavily on trust in the employee's intrinsic motivation. While it preserves harmony and avoids confrontation, it risks prolonging productivity problems that could ultimately impact team morale. Effective leaders recognize that inaction in the face of ongoing performance decline signals neglect of managerial responsibility. Therefore, while maintaining good rapport is important, leadership must also proactively address issues arising from employee performance.

2. Promoting John Bypassing Policy

This approach suggests bypassing organizational policies to promote John based on his experience and tenure. While recognizing his institutional knowledge is valuable, leadership must consider fairness, transparency, and long-term implications. Leaders should ensure that such decisions are justified ethically and aligned with organizational values. Moreover, promoting an employee without meeting current qualification standards could compromise fairness and set a precedent that undermines policy adherence.

3. Encouraging John to Return to College

This strategy aims to support John's professional development, aligning him with future promotion criteria that require formal qualifications. Leadership can facilitate this process via mentorship programs, flexible scheduling, and encouragement. Empathetic and motivational leadership behaviors play a critical role here, fostering a supportive environment where John perceives his growth as a shared goal. Such an approach demonstrates investment in employee development, which can improve motivation and attitudes.

4. Relocating John to a Different Team

This option seeks to remove John from his current environment to reduce negative comparisons and peer influence. Effective leadership requires understanding team dynamics and the potential impact of such a move. Leaders must communicate clearly and transparently to prevent perceptions of punitive action. Additionally, they must ensure that the new team environment is supportive and capable of reinvigorating John's engagement. This strategic move emphasizes organizational agility and individualized leadership to foster renewed productivity.

5. Terminating John's Employment

Termination becomes a last resort when all other measures fail, especially considering John's long tenure and emotional bonds. From a leadership perspective, firing an employee can have ripple effects, affecting team morale and organizational culture. Leaders must handle such decisions with empathy, transparency, and fairness, providing clear explanations and support to ensure dignity. Termination should be grounded in documented performance issues, consistent policy enforcement, and a focus on maintaining team cohesion.

Leadership Behaviors in Addressing the Issue

Key leadership behaviors vital to resolving issues with John include effective communication, empathy, social skills, and motivation. Effective communication involves clear, honest dialogues about performance expectations and providing constructive feedback. Empathy allows leaders to understand emotional and personal dimensions, making interventions more acceptable and less confrontational.

Social skills enable leaders to persuade and influence employees positively while fostering trust and rapport. They are essential in implementing change, whether through coaching, relocation, or discussions about retraining. Motivation is critical for inspiring change, especially when encouraging John to pursue further education or improve performance. Leaders should recognize individual motivations and align organizational goals with personal aspirations.

By practicing these leadership behaviors, managers can create an environment conducive to improvement, foster mutual respect, and facilitate organizational goals.

Conclusion

Managing performance issues of long-serving employees like John requires a delicate balance of strategic decision-making and compassionate leadership. The options explored each have their merits and challenges; however, the most effective approach involves proactive communication, empathetic understanding, strategic HR practices, and organizational fairness. Leaders must view these challenges as opportunities to reinforce a culture of development, accountability, and respect, ultimately fostering a high-performing team capable of overcoming individual obstacles.

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