Barrie Super Subs Essay Example

Team leaders were expected to perform at the managers’ expectancy level, with no idea where that was. Unknowingly, management created a fault line between them and team leaders. This reduced team effectiveness by reducing the motivation to communicate and coordinate with each other. This was evident when staff was discouraging friends from even applying to work there.

The fun atmosphere that once was, was no longer. Stress management was not under control at Barrie Super Subs. Interpersonal stressors such as conflict between the team leaders and management and ambiguous expectations and practices about the team leaders’ roles contributed to stress. To work effectively in a team, they must all be willing and able to perform their work in a team environment. Characteristics or behaviors of effective team members are depicted in the “five C’s” model.

Cooperating:

•  Team leaders should be working together towards a common organizational goal instead of actively going against company policies.
•  Management should be more accommodating with team leaders as they are all students Coordinating:
•  Management separates themselves from team leaders, they should align themselves with them.
•  When the manager and assistant manager were on the frontline during a shortage of staff, the team leaders performed with less wastage.

Communicating: Team leaders and managers do not communicate which leaves a gap between them Team leaders need to actively listen to management with the policies set out, as management needs to actively listen to team leaders regarding concerns and questions Comforting:  Management does not show empathy towards team leaders, harsh punishment with removing food allowances. Team leaders do not show confidence in

their work, management does not build confidence in team leaders to effectively lead the organization in a positive light Conflict Resolving: Management did not attempt to diagnose the conflict and its sources, just reacted on the negative outcomes. Management could try to use reinforcement tactics with team leaders, which could boost morale and motivation.

Team leaders did not approach management when they were unhappy with the environment, they simply disobeyed the policies that were set which caused more of a stressful situation for them Barrie Super Subs has been performing at below-average profitability for the past eighteen months with slight changes only when management worked the frontline while here were staff shortages. Instead of noticing the positive change in production during their direct involvement with the team leaders, the manager and assistant manager instead decided to step back once productivity, and their bonus, returned in a slight way; only for the organization to fall short again. In order for team leaders to perform productively, the manager needs to take accountability in the leadership skills that are non-existent amongst staff, get their team morale back up with involvement and goal setting, and then wastage can be properly looked at.

As part of an incentive program at Barrie Super Subs, team leaders were granted a food allowance for working four and a half hours continuously. Team leaders felt that the food allowance was a meager incentive to receive as most of them did not even apply for the incentive as many of the shifts given to them were only three or four hours in length. They would still help themselves to food and drinks when

the managers weren’t around and wastage was still an issue.

The manager thought by initially restricting the food allowance to those who worked six or more hours would correct the wastage problem, however; it worsened, and eventually the food allowance being removed as an incentive for the team leaders altogether was the way the manager thought to implement change. What the manager didn’t suspect was that the wastage would continue even after this punishment was applied.

Team leaders need proper reinforcement to adequately function as a team and for the organization, so the reparation just amplified the team leaders’ low morale and decreased motivation. Team leaders were expected to perform at a level that would earn the manager and assistant manager a bonus for productivity. The manager had no goals set for the team leaders. Effective goal setting motivates employees and clarifies their role perceptions by establishing performance objectives.

While the manager was punishing the team leaders for the wastage that was occurring causing a decrease in the organization's productivity, he could have set SMART goals for them. This would help them to put more effort into a task, decipher what is relevant, create challenging goals to help raise intensity and persistence, work towards commitment, work towards goal participation, and receive feedback. An individual behavior and performance analysis in the form of the MARS Model will distinguish these problems and possibly help in finding ways to salvage and build up the organization.