Mini-case analysis paper

In my previous company, I was responsible for an operation function, totally more than 80 people in this function in my charge. The function is divided into four teams to cover 7*24 operation, one team for morning shift, one for noon shift, and two for night shift. The four team leaders report to me directly, Bruce and Roc are the two team leaders of night shift (one for D135, and the other for D246). Because of the same working flow and responsibility, the KPI setting for them is the same, and it’s very easy to compare and evaluate between them.
Bruce was a trainer before he joined the company, so he is very talkative and good at motivating people, but his professional skill is so-so. On the contrary, Roc was promoted from front-line agent, attributed the success to his excellent professional skill and proactive working attitude, but he is not good at coaching and sharing.
The actual team performance was very clear that Roc’s was much worse than Bruce’s, and most of the operation mistakes were made by Roc’s team. In working time, Bruce looks leisurely and often walking around, meanwhile his team members are busy doing their work. In Roc’s working shift, the situation is totally different. Roc looks so busy to handle too many tasks by himself, while his team members seem a little leisurely and even chatting with others. Also, Roc is always the first one to come and the last to leave, and many times he volunteered to drive to the company in peak season to help other team to finish the work.
As Roc’s team performance was poorer and poorer, even has been a drag on the whole function. As a supervisor, I have to find some ways to help Roc to improve his leadership and the working performance. While I doing that, I found that it’s not a easy job, because Roc has a strong sense of self-respect, maybe that’s the reason why he was working so hard, and his proactive working attitude was praiseworthy and even could be a good sample to all the team member. His personality seems the major reason for his poor team performance, and it’s difficult to change.

Four years ago, I was promoted to be the supervisor of this function from other department, and the four teams were in my charge. The personalities of the four team leaders are totally different, and the difference is much obvious between Bruce and Roc.
Bruce is extraverted and judging. He always spent a lot of time on training and motivating people, share failure cases to all the team members. He also built team relationship after work, playing or dining together. And his team members are willing to listen to him, and even be criticized by him. The team spirit in his team is very high; this personality is a very important element to his higher teamwork performance.
However, Roc is introverted and perceiving, and he prefers harmony within his team, no conflict and no criticize. So he is willing to do more, even takes part of his team member’s work. If some mistake made by his team member, Roc will only to emphasis the standard procedure calmly to him, and ask him to be careful next time. His team members will not be fully aware of the importance and not find some way to improve in the future. And also, his team members have been used to Roc’s hard working, and relax themselves.
Due to the difference of personality between the two, the relationship between them and me seems a little different. Bruce was always complaining for the lack of human resource to me, and applying to add more headcount to his team. Even if I have criticized him for his aggressive personality and quibble for several times, he is still willing to talk to me, continue to complain and fight. Therefore, I always share my own point of view, and point out his shortage during our frequent communication. But for Roc, he seldom complains to me or fights for something. He seems very humble and patient. So, besides the face-to-face talk, the most common communication between Roc and me is email, while between Bruce and me is phone call. Unconsciously, more trust and relationship has been built for Bruce, seems like in-group. But for Roc, we are just leader-follower relations, seems like out-group.
Incentive setting is important to motivate all team members to contribute more and stick together. More detailed KPI target setting for each individual is necessary, and incentive follows. Organization justice is critical in setting incentive.
Roc’s leadership style currently seems passive and ineffective, and it’s necessary to enhance his ability to lead team more passive and effective.

To solve the current leadership problem in the function, following actions are required. 1. Spend more time on motivating Roc to build up the leadership spirit.
Roc’s good working attitude deserves praise, but the most important responsibility is to lead a good team. Practice all three justices and reach the organizational justice. For the distributive justice, I will set clear and measurable KPI for the team performance, and it will directly affect the year-end evaluation, which linked the bonus. And the criteria are fair to all team leaders. For the procedural justice, team sprite and all team members’ working attitude is the main key to reach the target, and it’s the most critical process for all team members to pay attention to. For interactional justice, I will review their performance every week and help them to achieve the target, to ensure all their work on the right track.
So all the team members will fell they are working in a competitive environment, and all the criteria to judge their performance is fair and reasonable.

2. Help Roc to switch the leadership from passive to active.
Empower the subordinates to take more responsibilities is one way to encourage them self-management and to be working proactively. Instead of routine management and work assignment, we can try to inspire all team members to do what they are interested in or good at. And also build internal help and competition mechanism. Roc can spend more time on quality control and people management, and I can focus on procedure management and team motivation. Thus, Roc will be a real team leader, rather than a “star” doer. And the teamwork performance will be improved and working spirit will be raised.

3. Paternalistic leadership is also suitable in my working.
Authoritarian and benevolent are both important in my management. I need to re-build the relationship to my subordinates, no difference for in-group and out-group. Assert strong authority and control to all of them during work, and also give individualized, holistic concern for all their personal and familial well-being. Everyone will feel fair, trust, cooperative. I can also suggest Roc to deploy this leadership style within his team. All team members will feel warm and be willing to help each other.

4. Enhance internal communication
To improve the working attitude for all the team members is not easy, so communication is very important. Face-to-face is the best effective way to express and influence others. More frequent group meeting and discussion is needed. By means of that, I can be fully aware of their difficulties and any support they needed. Experience sharing is very useful for everyone, including professional skills and leadership. Many good methods they can refer from other peers.

When I left the company three months ago, the performance for all teams has been improved a lot. During the process, motivating and experience sharing contributes are the most important elements attributed to the success. Roc has become a little strict to his team members, and more and more his subordinates are willing to set him as a sample to work hard and stick together. I also dominated Bruce to be a candidate of my successor. And I trust he can do the good job.