How to Change Management Style - Essay Example

? The most significant challenges facing me as a manager of this store I am a new manager who has to provide new management in an organization which has already undergone recent changes where the staff is composed of two groups who are also new to each other. I have to plan and implement changes that will have positive impact within a short span of time yet I have to be cautious so that I don’t make quick changes without consultation and involvement of the staff. Secondly the shifts have been increased yet the number of staff has not been increased. That means I have to work with an understaffed team. Also half of the staff does not have relevant job experience. Finally the remaining half of the employees has done the work in a given style for as long as 15 years; adapting to new changes may be a problem. The steps I would take during the first 90 days as manager to address these challenges First I will get the employees to agree that there is need for change. I will gather the employees to evaluate their situation, identify what the problem is and set up procedures to correct the situation. Suggested changes will be announced then implemented through my close supervision. I will make sure I don’t impose the change but rather let the employees to manage the process themselves. To do this I will organize a workshop to help gain common understanding, to chart the way forward by coming up with plans, aims, commitments and actions. I will seek through this event to inspire the staff to make relevant and real objectives. I will guide them to make objectives that are easy to attain. Long term objectives shall be divided and be accomplished in stages. I will come up with a guiding team which will comprise of carefully selected supervisors for departments based on their track records.  The team shall compose enough key players such that those who are left do not block any suggested plan of action. They shall be people who command respect because pronouncements of such people are taken seriously. They shall be people with proven leadership capability. These people shall need to have high level of commitment and competence. One of their immediate work shall be to build teams within the areas of their supervision. They shall take advantage of the fact that every human being has a nature of joining a group. The teams they create will have to beware that they are teams that are born to compliment the efforts of each other and not competitors. If they try to compete then we shall have a “win lose” situation whereby one group can try to outdo the other using methods that make your opponent to go down so that you appear on top. It shall be the work of these team leaders to encourage informal relation among the team members in order to create a good working atmosphere and raise their morale. Each team shall handle related activities hence one plan of action shall be developed for them. This will ensure unity, focused efforts and coordinated strength. The changes to be effected must take into consideration that the time in which to realize the change is short, hence actions that will impact on short term performance will be much welcome. In our discussions, all staff shall need to identify priorities so that each one majors on the major and minors on the minor. This will eliminate incidences where an employee is fully preoccupied by a task that is less important leaving undone the most important. There is all possibility that this can happen because this centre suffers from understaffing.     To ensure smooth operations, I will make sure there is proper discipline by among other things ensuring that those who are appointed to any position of authority are properly disciplined. The juniors shall need to observe rules and regulations that they help develop. Incentives will be used to promote discipline. While identified obstacles shall be removed, achievements as well as progress shall be rewarded. I will work at avoiding constant criticisms because this way they won’t lose confidence. Frequent disciplinary action can make one to have this feeling of thinking that a superior around them is out to catch them in mistakes. This will make somebody to try and pretend. It is important that every employee works normally so that even in the absence of a superior, one can trust that they do a good job. It will be upon me to see to it that I open my eyes to the good that the staff does by complimenting and awarding, this will work towards making those who do wrong to automatically correct their mistakes without being followed. Since 20 employees are taking up a job that should be done by 25 employees I will consider pay rise to ensure reasonable and fair pay. This will certainly increase motivation and impact on productivity. I will strive to be just and kind to every employee. None shall be treated unfairly and impartially. In order to motivate them to do extra work willingly, I will consider requests for time out to attend to an issue. This in turn will help to convince them to also agree when called upon to work extra time. New initiatives shall be welcomed and tested. This will make each and every employee to know that they are important and their contributions important. Having placed each one in right area and position there will be need to check against frequent transfers of the employees from one department to another. My management style - how I will lead, communicates, establish a team, etc I have to enable and facilitate change. My style will depend on the situation in the ground, the level of support and guidance needed. Forums shall be provided to collect suggestions from each. This will enable each one to own the proposed changes. This will be a chance to tap from the experience of the old staff and collect new ideas from the college students. In so doing everyone will be part of the “leadership committee.” I will deal with each employee as he/she is. Those who are unwilling or unable to do the work will be given much support and constant guidance. Those who know the job and are willing shall have minimal supervision. I will work closely with those employees who have capability to do the work well but have low morale to provide the support they need. In case an employee doesn’t appear friendly and is not getting the job done properly. I will avail myself for discussion without applying any pressure. I will create rapport and set performance targets for the person. The new changes obviously will need my close attention to new procedures that we shall together propose. I shall be prepared to be patient because new habits call for time to transform to norms. There always is as a tendency for people to do things the old way in the absence of close monitoring. It shall be my duty to be on the lookout because if at any one moment an employee would do things the old way and I seem not to notice then it can be taken to mean it is not important. The supervisors shall likewise do the same so that a new culture develops. I shall need to overcome the temptation to make hasty decisions by giving all the staff time to think. That includes discussing again issues that may already have been passed but on further reflection found to have defect. I will also need to think aloud when meeting the staff or in casual individual meetings. This will help each one to work on any new idea right from its conception. Of course these ideas will receive full support because people feel part of what they have helped to develop. Citation; Kotter, John P. “Eight steps to successful change.”Kotter International. Kotter International 1995- 2002 Dubois, Lou. “How to change your management style” Inc. Inc may 4, 2011 Brounstein, Marty. "Management Styles: Are You a Coach or a Doer?” Coaching and Mentoring For Dummies. Coaching and Mentoring For Dummies, May 4, 2011. Read More