Team Management Activity and Reflection

Team Management Activity and Reflection

MGT 330 Management for Organizations

Team Management Activity and Reflection

One of the most critical aspects of a company is its people. Having the right people, doing their best work is imperative to a company and their ability to be successful. There are several levels in a company’s hierarchy; the most important are the managers. While a frontline employee affects a team, it’s the manager’s ability that makes or breaks it. For a manager to be successful, they must be well disciplined in five specific functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling .

Planning

Amazon recently made the top ten on the Fortune 500 list. They have over 566,000 employees and are the second largest private employer in the US. Revenue growth has increased by 4,423% since 2002, the rest of the fortune 500, on average increased revenue by 70% . This type of growth requires stable leadership with the ability to leverage resources and to plan.

Our actions and behaviors must align with Amazon’s mission statement. “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices” . The best way to accomplish this is by creating a culture that provides a safe work environment that supports open communication. We will value ideas and suggestions with a focus on steady improvement. There is no reason to recreate the wheel so we will foster an open dialogue with our peers at other locations. We will learn the best practices and avoid some of the pain they may have experienced.

While we can’t plan for everything, we want to avoid firefighting as much as possible. This will require consistent meetings to look over performance, data trends and company direction. We have to remain flexible, resourceful and open to changing course. We must always plan for the future because the status quo will leave us behind. We need to know our people, know our numbers and have a plan .

Organizing

It is crucial that we are productive and that we operate efficiently and effectively, this will be accomplished by being well organized. Amazon has a hierarchical organization structure and its departmentalized by geographic region. . This structure does suit the needs of our warehouse as it is a reasonably small operation made up of one hundred employees. There are ninety packers that all perform the same duties, ten supervisors oversee them, and they all report to the plant manager. Having clear job designs with specific expectations is essential. This also helps with delegating tasks and responsibilities. There will be several levels within each team. Each team will consist of a junior packer, a lead packer, and a supervisor. Within the peer group of supervisors, there will be a senior supervisor that will help with learning opportunities and when a supervisor is unsure about a potential problem. They will fill in when the manager is not available.

Staffing

Amazon’s human resource talent team will handle all staffing needs. Applicants will be directed to apply at Amazon.jobs. We are well aware that this job is not for everyone. We anticipate actively recruiting quality employees through referrals. I would suggest we implement a referral bonus for any employee that refers an employee that meets minimum working requirements and is employed for at least ninety days. Amazon naturally creates a culture that people gravitate too. With that being said, we won’t just hire anyone. Amazon CEO said, “I’d rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person.” This has resulted in a rigorous hiring process. We will identify several bar raisers that will participate in the hiring process. These will be frontline employees that are tasked with raising the bar. If for any reason they do not feel comfortable with a candidate in the interview process, the candidate will be removed from consideration . Hiring is an ongoing process; we are prepared for positive turnover and internal promotions. We also understand there is the potential for negative turnover resulting from behavioral issues or poor performance. We will hold all employees accountable for job duties, performance, and behavioral expectations.

Developing our staff is key to maintaining a positive culture with a strong work ethic. We anticipate hiring our supervisors and team leads internally. They understand the nuances of the job and people. We would like to develop several leadership programs, one for frontline employees and one for the current leadership. Our junior leadership program will be utilized specifically for high potential frontline employees that have demonstrated the ability to lead and inspire. These candidates will be paired with top performing supervisors to serve as mentors. They will work through the process of becoming a team leader, and then they will continue working and preparing for supervisory roles. Our advanced leadership program will be for the top performing supervisors that are future candidates for managerial positions. They will be paired with a senior leader that will serve as a mentor to help them develop and prepare for future opportunities.

Leading

When it comes to leadership both transactional and transformational styles will be utilized. By using the transactional method, we can ensure order and structure. Employees will be rewarded for positive behaviors and reprimanded for wrongdoing. We will have specific goals and processes for how we do our work. Our employees will comply with expectations, and this will deliver results .

We will also utilize the transformational style of leadership. This style promotes independence and creative thinking. We will be charismatic and passionate; we will lead with enthusiasm and inspire our teams. We will lead by example and serve as role models to high ethical standards. We will trust, and these leadership behaviors will ensure our ability to adapt to the needs of an ever-changing business.

Controls

The four stages in the control process are establishing methods and standards for measuring performance, performance evaluation, verifying whether the performance compares to the standards and deciding the appropriate action to take going forward . It is the responsibility of management to ensure all functions within the warehouse are in place and fully operational.

We will utilize Locke’s goal setting theory when developing goals. From the very start, we will ensure there is a clear understanding of job expectations, leadership’s expectations, and our employee’s expectations. It will be standard practice to discuss both short term and long term aspirations. We will measure performance by developing relevant goals, and we will focus on specific activities while removing unnecessary actions. We will focus on what is truly important. Which are the behaviors needed to be successful in their current roles and the steps necessary for the future opportunity .

Leadership will monitor and review employee output and compare results to the set expectation. Results will be recorded and used in coaching sessions for developmental purposes. Performance evaluations will be conducted monthly, bi-annually and annually. If the criteria for performance standards are not met, a development plan will be put into action for the employee. Goals and expectations will be reviewed annually to ensure objectives and standards meet the need of our ever-changing business .

We will ensure there is a step by step process and a cadence for all work functions and tasks. It is crucial to plan weekly coachings, bi-weekly team meetings, and monthly all-hands meetings. Supervisors should check in daily with their employees to ensure positive relationship building. We will utilize action plans for all employees, where we will focus on strengths and development opportunities.

We know that employee motivation is critical to individual performance and is necessary to drive team success. We will utilize Vroom’s expectancy theory to ensure we are maintaining a highly motivated workforce. Employees will be recognized for hard work and for accomplishing goals, leadership will determine awards by the effort each person puts forth.

Conclusion

For the new warehouse to be successful, leadership must be well disciplined in these five specific functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. To contribute to Amazon’s success, we must be flexible and be able to adapt to change. We must be efficient and effective in everything we do. Hiring highly motivated, hard working dedicated individuals will determine our ability to drive results. There needs to be a balance between process and people, and we all must be held accountable to goals and expectations.