Jamie Turner - Assignment Example

Module Jamie Turner Discuss the major issues facing Jamie Turner. Specifically identify and address your perception of how Mr.Turner has managed/failed to manage critical aspects of the job a manager.
In the first place, Jamie Turner has to understand that it is unlikely that he will find, in any company, just the right measure of autonomy. Autonomy comes with the added responsibilities that are making him reconsider his current position at MLI. Jamie also has to further develop his leadership skills as well as confidence in his abilities. Jamie Turner’s biggest problem is in finding a way to assert or apply himself to such an extent that he is grudgingly given the respect of the man who is his immediate superior, Pat Cardullo. Jamie also has to find a way of rising above petty dislikes and openly expressed attempts to sabotage his rising star by Cardullo and his minions.
At present, Jamie is feeling the emotional affects of the attacks that Cardullo and the people who work for him like Julie chin are aiming at him. Subtle kinds of sabotage, unfortunately, are quit common in all organizations when new corporate heads are appointed to oversee large divisions. The new candidate, though, ought to remain emotionally mature while navigating the ‘landmines’ that those who are envious of him place in his path. Jamie educational accomplishments, along with his experience, mean that wherever he goes, he is likely to be offered senior positions. This means that he may encounter envy from less accomplished executives wherever he goes. He might as well choose to make the best of his current position at MLI because this is a problem that he will encounter even if he chooses to go to another company.
Jamie Turner should also learn to assert his authority and stand up to people like Cardullo even at the cost of endangering his job. Cardullo is not likely to stop subtly seeking to sabotage Jamie even if Jamie emphasizes on obeying his every law. If a stand-off that requires the intervention of more senior managers like Arthur Lipsky occurs, Jamie’s abilities and accomplishments will speak for him and put him in a good stead. It is also unlikely that Cardullo’s seniors have not recognized his tendency to try and impair the contributions as well as projects of people that he appoints- particularly if they appear to have more skill than he does.
2. Using the "Coaching the Alpha Male", "Courage to Confront", and "Fear of Feedback" readings as well as others we have discussed in this course as a guide, how you advise Jamie Turner to deal with the relationships he is experiencing in the workplace? Be specific to demonstrate that you have identified the interpersonal issues and provide a strategy for him to effectively deal with them.
I would first advise Jamie to develop a thick skin and continue refusing to kow-tow to Cardullo in an effort to please or satiate him so that Alan Oliver would be shown a pleasant company that gets along when he finally arrived. By trying to speak to Cardullo before the arrival of Oliver, it is obvious that Jamie is trying to ‘quiet’ him in order to present an orderly front to the CEO. This kind of supplicating behavior will not only cast him in a bad light in front of his superiors, but also negatively affect the organization. While Jamie, through keeping workers like Tim Kelly in spite of Cardullo’s demand that he be fired, has shown that he is his own person, he is still unsure of himself in the presence of the intimidating Cardullo. This is why he is seriously second-guessing his decision to come to MLI. It is also the reason why he is undergoing so much emotional stress. He should constantly seek to assert himself in front of Cardullo and Oliver and stop letting others’ decision or feelings about his performance affect him.
3. How can Jamie Turner utilize some of the lessons he has learned from his prior work experience and concepts we have discussed in this course develop an action to address the issues facing him and use it to leverage his competitive advantage with this company and his career for the long-term?
When Jamie worked at Wolf River, he was able to assert himself in spite of the constant executive meetings as well as hierarchical structure (Gabarro and Kaftan, 2). At Labowland.com, he felt that he was overqualified and even felt repulsed by the low-class culture of his colleagues (Gabarro and Kaftan, 2). In all these experiences, Jamie did not second-guess his own feelings about the companies he was working for and their workforces. In the same way, he should seek to stop second guessing his feelings and decision at MLI. MLI provides a more challenging environment that will force Jamie to dig deeper into himself for the confidence he requires in order to emerge as a leader. This can only be accomplished by an individual who is not afraid to make mistakes or even argue back to intimidating superiors who overstep their boundaries.
Work Cited
Gabarro, John, & Colleen Kaftan. Jamie Turner at MLI Inc. Massachusetts: Harvard Business Schoool, 2011. Print. Read More