Organizational Change and Personal Leadership Development Plan, Essay Example

Introduction

The PMBOK Guide defines leadership as, “Leadership is the ability to get things done through others and focusing the efforts of a group of people toward a common goal and enabling them to work as a team” (PMBOK, 2008). A project manager or director must possess leadership qualities in order to be successful. These qualities are important because a manager must be able to effectively communicate, inspire workers to perform well, and require the cooperation of all workers.

This paper will discuss the practices and skills needed to ensure successful project managers. The leadership skills and management roles of project managers will be evaluated also. The project manager being examined will be Judy Stockley. We will examine her level of success in developing and transforming culture while implementing her drawdown on the Eglin Air Base’s new Advanced Medium Range Air-toAir Missile (AMRAAM). She is serving as the new program director. This paper will also detail the modification strategies and learning behaviors she used in order to change and create a positive relationship of trust, working together as a team, and the use of a personal leadership development plan.

Practices of Successful Project Managers:

The qualities of a good leader are common knowledge. Some characteristics of an effective leader are detailed below:

1. General Knowledge And Understanding Of Technicalities:

Good leaders are aware of what is taking place within their teams. They are in control of any changes that can affect the team in both short term and long term. Their primary focus is the mission and aims of the overall organization. They should have basic knowledge of the daily operations of the organization, and should be able to effectively complete the task of any employee he/she supervises. They are aware of the roles, duties, and responsibilities of each department within their organization. They are also aware of their competitors and the type of services they provide. Finally, they must be aware of the customers and what they are expecting from the organization. If the lack any of this information, they must be aware of who or where they can obtain this information from. Technical knowledge is very important. They must be aware of how to handle technology, advertising, engineering tasks, rules and regulation guidelines, locating funding, management principles, and other management theories.

2. Skills and Abilities:

All managers are different in the way in which they interact with workers. Those who are most successful form a relationship with their employees on a performance level, and are able to adjust as needed to accommodate each worker. They also use statistical information and findings to make major decisions for the organization. Good managers are also willing to discuss changes with all stakeholders to ensure that common good is met.

However, a good leader must be ready to make difficult decisions, even when 100 percent support has not been met. These decisions must be made through rational thinking techniques. In some instances, he/she will just have to use the pros and cons methods to make decisions. While in other instances, the leader must rely on instincts.

Consequently, the manager must have great interpersonal skills. Being able to effectively communicate with all stakeholders is a must. He/she must be able to resolve conflicts, negotiate, persuade, and sell products and services, and respond to other authority figures appropriately (University of South Carolina, Online).

3. Personal Qualities:

Being a manager or team leader comes along with facing many emotional and tense situations. This is common when working in environments that involve leadership, power clashes, and conflict in personalities. There is also pressure to meet deadlines and making choices when the right choice isn’t always the most obvious one. Therefore, leaders must be resilient and able to regroup his/her feelings quickly. Being resilient means that the leader is able to deal with stressful conditions in a competent, yet emotional way while being aware of all circumstances.

Effective managers operate with a goal in mind, not just by responding to demands. Everything must be planned prior to executing. However, in some circumstances prior notice will not be possible. So, they must be able to make fast decisions that are in line with their overall goals and aims. Understanding that each short term goal is important because it will benefit the long term goals of the organization is imperative. Effective managers must observe every job to ensure it is meeting the goals of the organization. They must be enthusiastic and self-motivated about creating positive change. They must be accountable for their actions and willing to admit when mistakes have been made.

Great leaders are innovative and look at situations from various perspectives. They come up with ways to operate the organization more efficiently by searching for ways to solve problems. They will take risks in order to ensure success for the organization. They are willing to accept ideas and thoughts of other regardless to their title in the organization. Each must possess “mental activeness”, which means they are able to handle any problems that may arise and address it with fidelity.

Judy Stokley’s Success in AMRAAM:

Judy Stockley’s first task after becoming the program director was to meet with all 200 workers of AMRAAM. She wanted to provide them with the details about her plan to turn the organization around. She informed them of how some areas would be downsized and addressed their fears of losing their jobs. She regrettably informed them that about 50 percent of the employees would be lost. However, she convinced them that all of those who would be fired would receive help from the company to find another job. She explained that her total purpose was not to just fire people. The frustrations and emotions of the workers were very intense, but Judy was able to meet their concerns with courteous empathy. In our opinion, this was the first change that affected the culture of the organization-the employees trusted her.

A cost study and its implementation were developed prior to Judy taking the position. They developed a plan on how to save the company money. This information was kept secret by Chief Financial Officer, Dennis Mallik. After she was hired, the information was detailed to her and other members of the team. They believed this would help members to develop a relationship with each other and trust Judy. When Judy disclosed this information to them, a mutual sentiment of “reform” was felt by everyone involved in AMRAAM.

Another example of Judy changing the culture of AMRAMM was during the drawplan reform. This was a difficult transition for all involved. Judy wanted to create one team, rather than have various departments within the organization. She held a meeting with Hughes and Raytheon so members could express their concerns about the upcoming changes. They expressed risks and lack of opportunities. However, many expressed their feelings of trust in her and her plans for the future of the company. She was able to successfully gain trust from members of the group during the downsizing process

Learning and Behavior Modification Strategies:

Judy Stockley adhered to many leaning and behavior accommodations to reach the goals of the AMRAAM project.

First, she became an active member of the team, which is the first learning strategy (DMS Online). She examined the success of the team from all aspects. She discussed these aspects with all members of the team from governmental workers, project managers, and Hughes and Raytheon contractors. She held several meetings with all workers and later had meetings with Base Commander and executives of Hughes and Raytheon.

Another great strategy she implored was brainstorming (University of Minnesota, Online). She admitted that maintaining change is a consistent struggle within any organization. Judy paired with Chuck Anderson to use the technique of brainstorming each month. All 80 members of the team participated and seemed to enjoy the technique. The purpose of the meetings was to keep workers aligned with the goals and aims of the organization. This ensured that each department was working diligently to deliver the clients what they wanted and needed. Eventually, the financial concerns were not a concern.

Judy Stockley stated, “In the Air Force, it’s a big deal to meet with a base commander, especially when it occurs in a public forum. By the time I arrived at his conference room, people were already seated all around the table. Suddenly, the commander flung open the door to his private office and strode into the conference room, red in the face and with eyes bulging. He sat down without speaking; making it clear that he felt no need to be civil.” During the meeting, Alistair Cockburn criticized every decision and action Judy had made up until that point. He expressed his displeasure with the fact contractors were making a profit from resources given by the government.  In this case, Judy had to implore her training in behavior modification or cognitive behavior therapy. She controlled the negative thoughts and actions that may have had a negative influence on her leadership abilities (Cherry, Online). Despite the attitude the base commander had towards her, Judy remained positive and addressed him with respect. At the end of the meeting, she thanked him for giving her the time to present her findings and urged him to give it his utmost attention.

Actions to Change the Project Team’s Culture:

Judy was well aware of the uncertainty and apprehensions of the employees about the uncertainty of their positions. She ensured that the members of team felt comfortable enough to express concerns to her. She encouraged feedback from employees and was willing to accept criticism. She explained to the employees that all criticism was constructive. Judy informed the team that successful organizations all worked towards the greatest good of the organization (Hackman & Oldham, 1975). By following this strategy, Judy presented a platform for employees to express their feelings without fear of retaliation. The team members were given note cards that allowed to express their feelings in anonymity. There suggestions and comments were placed in a suggestion box and she examined each. She made changes according to suggestions when possible.  She briefed the group about the complaints she received in previous meetings at the beginning of each new meeting.

Prior to Judy’s position, the person she replaced was asked to complete a financial report for the company in the early 90s. Dennis completed a report that discussed ways to manage project expenses. Dennis was informed not to reveal those findings until after the base manager has left. When Judy took the position, Dennis shared that information with Judy immediately. To his surprise, Judy urged him to show all employees that report. She felt that was necessary to help build a relationship between leadership and employees. The team members considered this a great change for AMRAAM.

When the feedback meetings were opened, the members of Judy’s team gave suggestions about changing the culture of the organization. Later, both executive members and employees share ideas. Each side made suggestions about improvements the other side could implement. The sharing of information between management and employees began a trend of trust and honesty. Judy’s efforts built confidence and trust in the various departments within the group.

Leadership Development Plan:

In order to build loyalty within an organization, the organization must have the same goals and aims (Marken, 1999). To be more effective, Judy should have outlined the organization’s new vision, mission, and statement first. Next, she should have been more diligent in improving employee communication. This could have be done by providing training. This requirement in order to change the mindset of an organization. Both her verbal and written communication skills were relevant to the change. She had a wealth of knowledge about the industry and its operation of missiles and air forces. This allowed her to make timely decisions that were in the best interest of the organization. She was able to make critical and meet mandated deadlines. She was aware of her accountability for the success of the organization and used it as the primary motivation in making decisions and completing tasks

Conclusion

Judy’s decisions were a direct reflection of the guidelines stated in the guide. The decisions she made were to the best of her ability and made under the direct influence of the best interest of the organization. As the project leader, her aims, objectives, and goals were depicted by her actions. In order for any leader to be successful, he/she must be aware of the capabilities of each employee and strive to bring out the best in every member of the organization. All changes that she implemented were positive and supported the overall goal of the organization.

References

PMBOK ® Guide. (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Appendix: G1. 4th Edition. Project Management Institute. Pg. 409

DMS. Deming intermediate School. Instructional Strategies List. Retrieved on September 8, 2013 from – http://dms.demingps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_939760/File/documents/School%20Information/Instructional%20Strategies%20List.pdf

University of Minnesota. Some Basic Active Learning Strategies. Retrieved on September 8, 2013 from – http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/active/strategies/

Cherry, K. What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy? About.com Psychology. Retrieved on September 8, 2013 from – http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/a/cbt.htm

Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1975). Development of the job diagnostic survey. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, 159-170.

Marken, G. A. (1999). Improving your leadership skills. Public Relations Quarterly, 44(1), 40-41.

Personal Development. Qualities of a Successful Manager. Retrieved on September 8, 2013 from http://www.mindshop.com.au/pdsilver.nsf/0/2c8ec13c00f53650ca2568ea007b3455?OpenDocument

University of South Carolina. Employee Performance Management System. Division of Human Resources, Employee Relations Office. Retrieved on September 8, 2013 from – http://hr.sc.edu/relations/epms.html