Multicultural Team management

A leader is someone who can inspire others to give their all at work and guide them in the right direction. On the other side, leadership is the process of directing others. It is a principle that is applied in a variety of contexts, including businesses, educational institutions, and governments. In many situations, effective leadership is a vital talent. Managers, for instance, are expected to set a good example in every way. Despite the fact that not all executives are strong leaders, people generally do as they are told. One more illustration comes from project management. It is necessary to assign duties to the participating parties, staff, subcommittee, or working group when creating a policy. Via effective leadership, duties are allocated according to the expertise needed. Poor leadership frequently results in administrative failures.

The contemporary globe faces numerous challenges when it comes to leadership. For example, in companies that strive to achieve globalization, it is mandatory to embrace diversity. Companies employ individuals drawn from different cultural backgrounds, which at times causes conflicts. Furthermore, people have varying religious beliefs that normally leads to conflicts. Apart from that, language barriers, different ideologies, and ethnical backgrounds can also result in conflicts. Even as modern corporations strive to eliminate these issues, they are still in abundance.

Organization change management is another delicate process that can either hinder or improve a corporation. The change process can be stimulated by various aspects such as new technologies, leadership, or customers. The primary purpose of implementing the alterations revolve around enhancing the company’s profits. As such, corporations have to apply the process carefully by incorporating planning, leading, control, and organizing the procedures. These elements are interrelated and contribute to the overall success or failure of the company.

Managing change while working with teams also faces challenges when coming up with an effective decision-making process. Due to the variances ideologies, some teams cannot agree on the most efficient way of approaching a task. While it is important to involve all the members of the team to contribute in the process, it may be long and tedious, particularly when selecting the most appropriate choice. It is normally compounded with conflicts and thus poses significant threats to the leadership choice. Therefore, in this particular case, managing all the members will be a complex but mandatory task in order to achieve the anticipated targets.

Rationale for Decision Making

Decision making is an essential element in project management. Apart from being crucial in management, the element is paramount to the success of any business or institution. Project managers consistently make decisions at different levels. The decisions vary from strategic all through to managerial or operational ones. In management, decision making entails choosing aspects that seek to meet the objectives of the particular venture. Nonetheless, making decisions does not entail just selecting the compromises or choices. Unless it degenerates into work, then it cannot be regarded as a decision. Efficient decision making can be described as the procedure where alternatives are chosen and managed via implementation to attain the management objectives. It emanates from systematic procedures that are accurately defined and handled uniquely (Project Management Institute, Inc, 2013).

A number of studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of the decision-making process in the success of a project. The research strives to explain the most appropriate decision-making process that boosts the program. Organizations follow different mechanisms to attain the best decision. For instance, some prefer the top management to make all decisions, while others support particular chains incorporating various departments in reaching a decision. In other words, the top management, as well as employees, are involved in the process. In the contemporary globe, competition is primarily dependent on the decision-making process. If a company makes wrong choices, the outcomes lead to limited profits. On the other hand, the right choices result in heightened profits. In that regard, this skill is crucial for a certain project to succeed. Apart from ensuring the success of a particular plan, the skill plays a significant role in the attainment of company goals and objectives (Project Management Institute, Inc, 2013).

In this particular case, the decision-making process can follow the five-step process emphasized in “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (Heffernan, 2015). The five-step process entails problem definition, solution generation, ideas to action, solution evaluation planning, and assessing the results and process. In problem definition, the manager fully explores, clarifies, and defines the problem. This step mandates the institution to broadly highlight the situations that need to be attended as well as the gravity of the issue. The second phase entails problem solution generation. As the name suggests, the procedure entails prolonging the novel idea-generating procedure by outlining multiple solutions and preventing premature decisions. In this phase, the project team goes through several solutions to the problem in a means of establishing the inappropriate measures. The third stage involves ideas to action. It is a crucial juncture that defines the assessment criteria, rate the merits and demerits of the alternatives, before selecting the appropriate solution. In decision making, managers must weigh all the available choices and establish the most effective solution. It is always necessary to avoid premature decisions that are not based on the weight of the matter. As such, this phase ensures managers rate the available solutions and select the best option. Solutions are then evaluated in the fourth stage. Post-implementation assessment and evaluation are done as well as lessons learned to ensure future choices are even better. The final stage entails the assessment of the process and outcome. In other words, the success or failure of the solution is evaluated to establish its effectiveness. It also includes evaluating attainment of the project goals. By following the above steps, it would be easier to implement an action plan that would solve the issues mentioned in this case (Peretomode, 2012).

Action Plan

Issue 1

The conflict between Darius and Tom on the design approach is a common incident in many organizations. It is one aspect of diversity i.e. having different views. Differing in opinion while undertaking a project should not be the end of it. In fact, it is a healthy way of ensuring the ultimate decision is the best. Perhaps, if both of them agreed on one a particular design, it would not be the best choice. As such, disagreeing mandates the two to conduct further research so as to ascertain the most effective approach. Therefore, the first step would be to call the two and ascertain the major problem. In other words, I would listen to both of them and try to comprehend the basis of the conflict. After that, I will derive the possible solutions and ask each one of them to contribute. They have to be comfortable with one another. Treating them as equal partners is also essential i.e. no favoritism will be directed to either Tom or Darius. I would listen to how both designs work and compare the merits and demerits of each. As a mediator, it is easier for them to interact. Furthermore, they are likely to listen what the other has to say. In other words, Tom will listen to Darius and vice versa. I will also offer reasonable suggestions that are driven by attaining the company goals. It is also important that Tom and Darius are afforded adequate lessons on how to handle conflicts as well as communication skills. Even after they agree on one design, I will continue to access their progress to ensure that they are all in accord.

Issue 2

Job satisfaction is another key element that contributes to the enhancement of productivity in the workplace. Majority of employees in the modern world are not satisfied with their occupations due to various reasons. The reasons include being in the wrong profession, hostile working environment, or insufficient employee benefits. A demotivated employee is not productive; hence does not help in attaining the company goals. In this case, John and Julie are not comfortable working in this company as illustrated by their job hunting expedition. Since they have unique skills, it is imperative that they stay and contribute to the company’s success.

Just like the previous case, the first step, in this case, is to determine the origin of their disillusionment i.e. why are they unhappy? As such, I will meet with both of them and let them speak freely as to why they feel dissatisfied. A friendly chat with John and Julie would help to establish the root of the problem. I will also assure them that there are no repercussions for their sentiments in order for them to provide factual information. I will then commend them for previous performances and let them know how valuable they are to the company. When an employee feels important to the company, he/she becomes more comfortable; hence, motivated. My task, in this case, is to help them realize how crucial they are to the company’s success and attainment of the project goals. I will also address their source of unhappiness to ensure that they become even more comfortable. For instance, if they are disillusioned due to insufficient benefits, I will indulge the top management to assess the current package. By making them feel valuable, they will be motivated to undertake their duties. I will also offer them more training to improve their skills.

Issue 3

As elucidated above, a company encompasses individuals with different behaviors and lifestyles. While some workers face issues as they come, others tend to isolate themselves from such incidents. As such, it is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that such conflicts do not harm any member. In this case, Jinsoo has the propensity to detach from the group when any conflict arises. Evidently, it is a personal trait that may be having reasons behind it. For instance, Jinsoo may be short-tempered; therefore, moves from the situation to avoid further problems that involve him. As the manager, the first step would be to ascertain why Jinsoo isolates himself whenever there is a conflict. I would address him in a friendly manner to ensure the chat is fruitful. Since the conflicts affect his productivity, I will also strive to ascertain whether Jinsoo has a history revolving around conflicts. Perhaps, it is caused by family background or childhood experience. Once I have established the issue, I will try to provide the necessary assistance depending on the type of problem. Furthermore, since the issue emanates from the group, I will try to reduce the conflicts by introducing a conflict resolution framework. During conflicts, people are affected, primarily due to the manner in which the arguments are handled. For instance, if the members only argue without listening to each other, the scene is unfavorable. This is because they all tend to be noisy. Moreover, the members may be abusing each other using vulgar terms that are not suitable to some of them. As such, introducing a conflict resolution framework will make the process more orderly. In other words, each member will be given time to talk separately without interruptions from other members. The long-term solution to this issue is to ensure all members undergo a communication training.

Issue 4

In the modern business world, technology has eased the mode of operation significantly. However, as some workers embrace the technological advancements, others are left behind, particularly due to the age gap. Evidently, the technology that was used even ten years ago has undergone some form of transformation. As a 63-year-old, it is possible that Tom is not acclimatized to some current technologies. However, the current law protects employees against discriminations of any kind including age discrimination. Therefore, Tom has a right to associate with the rest provided he offers the necessary skills and delivers the anticipated outcomes. The first step would be to establish how the group isolates Tom. I would listen and ask him to give instances that he has been isolated. After that, as the manager, I ought to ensure that all the members contribute to the project according maximally. Therefore, I will establish why Tom is not interested in using Google among other current technologies. I will also establish whether his methods are ineffective and if they deter the team from attaining the prospected targets. I will then ensure Tom undergoes some training on the current technologies that are necessary for the project to continue. I will also ensure all the members undergo a communication training to limit such issues. Evidently, some projects fail due to the breakdown in communication. Therefore, the training will strive to eliminate such issues for the benefit of the project.

Conclusion

Project managers and executives across the globe would consent to the fact that, inept communication contributes immensely to unsuccessfulness of a project. They would also agree that leadership plays a significant role in the success of a project. The leadership technique portrayed in the above cases is affiliative. As an affiliative leader, I listen to the various issues affecting the team members and offer adequate guidance on the same. Through this technique, all the members were able to raise their concerns and offered fair treatment to address the issues.

In the first scenario, the steps involved in decision making i.e. problem definition, solution generation, ideas to action, solution evaluation planning, and assessing the results and process were followed. Through this steps, Darius and Tom would interact cordially and work in harmony in order to attain the prospected goals. The process also ensures that the best design is chosen with consent from both Darius and Tom. In the second scenario, the aim of leadership was to address the issues making both Julie and John unhappy. As a leader, I also ensured the two felt valued by the company. Even if it involves performance rewards, as a leader, I ought to make the employees feel comfortable in their area of specialization.

A leader is a symbol of unity as exemplified by scenario 3 and 4. First, in Jinsoo’s case, I have to create an effective conflict resolution process that allows all the members to contribute independently. The work of a leader is also to upgrade and bring uniformity in a group as typified by Tom’s case. Planning, leading, controlling, and organizing the team is the primary responsibility of a manager. All these aspects are embodied in the four scenarios. Furthermore, the elements cannot be achieved without effective communication. Lack of proper communication is the main contributor towards conflicts within the corporations. As such, leadership and communication go hand in hand in ensuring the success of a project.



References

Heffernan, M. (2015). Capturing the Value of Project Management through Decision Making. Pulse of the Profession, 1-22.

Peretomode, O. (2012). Situational And Contingency Theories of Leadership: Are They The Same? Journal of Business and Management, 13-17.

Project Management Institute, Inc. (2013). Communication. 1-13.