Affecting Change
Lachundra Ingram
LDR 531
March 17, 2010
Paul Frankenhauser
Affecting Change The Smith &Falmouth Company (S&F) hired a new COO to address the challenges of streamlining the online operations increasing the reach of the Online Sales Channel and expanding S&F wealth in the strategic world of business. The new COO of the company the role is, determine the methods of control and the current departmental and organizational cultures. Her role is restructuring a plan to improve the culture and empower employees. Research the appropriate management practices best effective. Present to CEO Irene Seagraves how the new size and structure will influence the company, and employee’s future in the organization.
Current Culture The Leadership in Action simulation reflects on Smith & Falmouth organization. The CEO Irene Seagraves selected a new COO to endure the challenges surrounding an obstinate group of individuals unreceptive to change. As the COO of S&F the goal is build and influence employee’s motivation for managers and direct reports to increase job performance and achieve goals. Several leaders performing in different organization experience challenges of supporting employees to accept the change in organization culture and structures. Gary Yukl (2006) notes, “Influence is the essence of leadership. To be effective as a leader, it is necessary to influence people to carry out requests, support proposals, and implement decisions. In large organizations, the effectiveness of managers depends on influence over superiors and peers as well as influence over subordinates. Influence in one direction tends to enhance influence in other directions” (p. 145). According to Edgar Schein (1993), “The culture of a group can now be defined as a pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of