A day in the life of Alex Sander - Case Study Example

?A Day in the Life of Alex Sander Case Table of Contents 1Use of 360-Degree Feedback Used at Landon 3 2 Mode of Using the 360-Degree Feedback 4 2.1 Help Employees to Become More Effective 4 1.2.2 Measure Employee Performance 5 2.1 Behaviors of Alex that had Greater Impact on the Data of 360-Degree 5 2.1.1 Aggressiveness 6 2.1.2 Commitment 6 2.1.3 Arrogance/Entitlement 7 3.1 Conduction of 360-Degree Appraisal for Alex Sander 7 3.1.1 Understanding of the Difference between Purpose and Use 7 3.1.2 Communication 8 3.1.3 Use of Smaller but Relevant Group for Rating 8 3.1.4 Use of a Pilot Group 9 Bibliography 10 Solution to the Question No: 1 1.1 Use of 360-Degree Feedback Used at Landon At Landon, the 360-degree feedback is used as a confidential and anonymous system where the employees receive the feedback from the people who works with them. The people who provide the feedback at Landon consists of the employees in the downward hierarchy, the upward hierarchy and the peer groups and also the outsiders directly involved with the activities at Landon. From the sample of feedback form in the case, it seems that around ten to twelve people are embraced in the entire process of feedback. Every person providing the feedback is required to fill up an anonymous feedback form that involves a number of areas in the competencies at workplace. The anonymous form asks the participants to put their views on the form according to certain rated areas. The areas are the greatest strengths of the employees and those that require further developments in the workplace. The participants are also asked to cite examples of instances that can provide evidence to their comments. The person who receives feedback from the people in the organization is also needed to fill a self-rating form where the rating areas remain the same as that of others. The completely filled feedback forms are handed over to the employees and after the employees go through the form once, they are asked to meet their boss for counseling. 1.2 Mode of Using the 360-Degree Feedback The appraisal system of 360-degree feedback should be primarily used by the companies for fulfilling the following objectives: 1.2.1 Help Employees to Become More Effective The 360-degree feedback should be used as a tool of development for helping the employees in recognizing their strengths and weaknesses so that they can focus more on the strengths and reduce or remove the weaknesses for becoming more effective in achieving their assigned goals. If the appraisal can be done properly, it acts as a highly effective tool for development, both for the employees as well as for the companies as a whole. The process should be used in a way that provides the people an opportunity for citing feedback to the performance of their co-workers. The recipients of the feedback should be accordingly provided proper motivation so that they can excel in their jobs. 1.2.2 Measure Employee Performance The appraisal format should focus more on the competencies and behaviors of the employees rather than on the basic skills, objectives of performance and requirements of the job. This approach should be followed because these attributes of the employees are best observed and addressed by peers and managers as a part of the performance review and appraisal process annually. It is possible through the technique to review the management performance more appropriately. The 360-degree appraisal system should be used with proper and clear communication of the entire process to the employees. Solution to the Question No: 2 2.1 Behaviors of Alex that had Greater Impact on the Data of 360-Degree The people who are working under the supervision of Alex Sander perceived his nature differently. This is because of the fact that Alex was dedicated towards his works and had consistently shown aggression in every job that he performed. But according to his peers, upward colleagues and downward colleagues, at certain times, his dedication takes the form of violence and this is the reason that Alex has received mostly negative feedback on his 360-degree appraisal system. In this section of the case study analysis, three personality traits of Alex will be described although several others traits have been identified by the people who provided feedback. 2.1.1 Aggressiveness The aggressive nature that Alex usually shows in his workplace created problem for him when the time of appraising his performance arrived. Alex is termed as a self-starter who recognizes and implements the measures that are of extreme importance for the sake of efficient performance of the organization. For performing task efficiently with the stipulated cost and assigned budget, Alex showed aggression in his workplace and due to this nature, he received the kind of feedback from the people. 2.1.2 Commitment Alex is known to be a worker who can work tirelessly. But the alleged flaw in this nature is that he also wants others to work in the same way. From the comments that he received on his performance appraisal it is evident that the people were of the view that Alex was ‘too much’ committed towards his job. The people believed that they might not be as committed as Alex but that does not mean that they lack dedication and commitment towards their respective jobs. Such nature of Alex that demands the same level of performance from his subordinates as his own gave rise to negative feedback in his appraisal form. 2.1.3 Arrogance/Entitlement One comment received in the feedback form states that Alex was of the view that he was better than everybody else. He was even termed as “very off-putting”. Such attitude of the people towards Alex has aroused because of the entitlement that he has over his job. The process that Alex follows for getting the things done were offending the work culture as the employees found themselves bound within certain limited obligations. This nature of Alex to assign and complete task on time had a tremendous impact on the feedback of the 360-degree appraisal. Solution to the Question No: 3 3.1 Conduction of 360-Degree Appraisal for Alex Sander The problem with Alex’s receiving mostly negative feedback is his aggressive nature of performing his task. From the review of his nature and other attributes of the performance appraisal, the following measures have been developed that can be utilized for handling the situation with Alex Sander: 3.1.1 Understanding of the Difference between Purpose and Use The entire process of the appraisal system has to be realized according to the purpose of the method. The 360-degree appraisal should be targeted towards Alex’s development in performance and not for disgracing him. The differences between the scores and the ultimate purpose of the process should be evaluated and then the entire process should be set. 3.1.2 Communication Proper communication with Alex is essential for the success of the appraisal process. Sam Glass, during the conversation did not discuss the issues raised from the appraisal system with Alex and Alex too did not bother to go through the forms. If proper communication with effective counseling would have been made, then the problem of development of negative attitude within Alex could have been avoided. 3.1.3 Use of Smaller but Relevant Group for Rating The groups for rating Alex should also be effectively selected. Proper selection of smaller but relevant groups should be undertaken so that inappropriate ratings do not come up. In the appraisal system, use of selected people consisting of those who understand the value of the kind of work Alex displays, would have provided better result. From the appraisal form, it is evident that people who were reluctant in performing their assigned task within the stipulated time period were mostly among the evaluators. Instead of random selection of people to provide ratings, dedicated workers should have been selected. 3.1.4 Use of a Pilot Group To be on the secured side of the results of the appraisal technique, Sam Glass should test the process on a pilot group. The ratings from the pilot group can be taken as a basis of selecting the final group of evaluators. In the future, whenever this form of feedback system will be undertaken, proper selection of the group can be made by the use of the data provided by the pilot group. Bibliography Greiner, Larry, E. & Collins, Elizabeth. A Day in the Life of Alex Sander: Driving in the Fast Lane at Landon Care Products Harvard Business Publishing, 2008. Lepsinger, Richard & Lucia, Anntoinette, D. The Art and Science of 360-Degree Feedback John Wiley and Sons, 2009. Ward, Peter. 360-Degree Feedback CIPD Publishing, 1997. Read More