Undercover Boss: Episode 1: Waste Management

Leaders are perhaps uncovered at many different levels and situations (Simmons, 2011). However, leaders in many organizations lead when forced into the spotlight and find out they are not equipped to function effectively. Becoming a leader can be as simple as leading a small team, a group or a community organization (Jennings, 2012). The truth of the matter

These rewards come in the form of salary increment, bonus and recognition (Gill 2011). Employees who fail to perform well are punished (Bass 2008). Howell and Avolio (1993) study confirms that the contingent rewards leadership has a negative effect on follower’s performance (Gill 2011). Similarly, transactional leadership is based on a contingent reward and punishment system, it does not offer much in term of motivating and inspiring people (Bach and Ellis 2011).

Dean Buntrock established Waste Management, Inc. in 1968. Its main purpose is to pick recycling and garbage up from residential housing and businesses. WM also disposes of the garbage in landfills. It has grown to be the largest garbage disposal company in the U.S. today. This company has managed to survive “one of the most egregious accounting frauds we have seen” said Thomas C. Newkirk of the SEC.

Usually, most corporate espionage schemes are conducted by business insiders or people who have legitimate access to a company’s computer networks, for example, employees, information technology personnel, or corporate executives. Mostly, such schemes are carried out by these insiders, whose motivations might be lack of loyalty or job dissatisfaction.

As mentioned, a key L.L. Bean response to their strengths and weaknesses was to provide a mixture of traditional and non-traditional rewards to the employees. In conjunction with base compensation, the organization provided performance-based bonuses, profit sharing, and healthcare benefits as forms of traditional rewards. These traditional awards are closely aligned to monetary awards since these benefits are commonly used and expected in today’s business environment. Although the effectiveness of monetary rewards is questionable, at minimum these rewards provide a direct reciprocity to the employee for their

Lars Eighner “On Dumpster Diving” originally published in The Threepenny review in fall 1990. Eighner’s arranges his essay into 3 main ideas to all tie into his overall theme. He ties it all into the idea that our society is wasteful by nature. Eighner uses his own experiences to show how wasteful people really are. Although he has not always been homeless, it has taught him a way of life he had never dreamed imaginable. If he doesn’t discover the hidden treasure of the dumpster’s then who will.

People in organizations are tempted to sabotage the organization due to their ego, self-interest and the incentive of becoming higher in the organization’s hierarchy (JJCOB1964, 2012). Furthermore, people in these organizations can create small groups within the organization that can destroy the organization (JJCOB1964, 2012). According to O’Hara organizations must be quick to stop environmental challenges (JJCOB1964, 2012). Only a few organizations can keep up with these challenges and that is another reason why organizations fail (JJCOB1964, 2012). To illuminate, we can look at Robert Hanssen who betrayed the FBI by giving Russian U.S secrets (O'Hara, 2012, p. 5). Hanssen who was described as an arrogant loner was reported by his FBI agent brother for being a security risk (O'Hara, 2012, p. 5). Despite being reported, Hanssen was able to climb the hierarchy in the organization, which increased his ability to spy (O'Hara, 2012, p. 5). Here we see a slow response from the FBI to rid the organization of a threat. Although the FBI has many downturns the people of the United States still heavily supports the organization (O'Hara, 2012, p. 6).

Every group, team, or organization has a leader. That leader has to have certain qualities to be well respected and followed by his or her following. Not only does the leader have qualities and responsibilities to maintain but also the group’s members. Both the leader and individuals in the group must have respect, fear, and honesty among each other to be a productive group.

Good performance is rewarded through timely job promotions, special recognition and in some cases monetary rewards and incentives.

Reward power is often common in the workplace when employees are praised from meeting goals or deadlines, or just having doing something special for another coworker. Rewards can range from gift cards, commission, pay raises or even promotions depending on the case. Everyone likes being praised for their accomplishments, so this power is usually one of the common powers in large organizations with a large amount of employees. (Abudi, 2011)

Reward Management (RM) has been defined as the distribution of monetary and non-monetary rewards to employees in an effort to align the interests of the employees, the organisation, and its shareholders (O’Neil, 1998). In addition O’Neil (1998) also suggests that a RM system can serve the purpose of attracting prospective job applicants, retaining valuable employees, motivating employees, ensuring legal requirements relating to direct and indirect rewards are not violated, assisting the company in achieving human resource and business objectives, and ultimately assisting the organisation in obtaining a competitive advantage.

In corporate America the term used to describe a person in a position of power is “Manager”. A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. Leaders motivate, challenge, and influence others to achieve goals. Great leaders have the necessary skills and attributes which allow them to connect with the team and organization. Being a leader is not the same as managing an organization. Leader’s posses the interpersonal skills needed to influence others to achieve a goal willingly. Leading is a major part of a manager’s job. Leaders do not need to be a manager to lead people, but managers must know how to lead as well as manage.

There are stories around the world about corruption and unethical leadership; these stories often make headlines in newspapers, magazines, and televised news programming. There is an abundance of immorality in the workplace; at the scale is at, it should be considered a plague. It runs rampant in all forms of business, in white collar crime and blue collar crime. White collar crime itself is the practice and history of unethical and inauthentic leadership in the professional world. Thus, while the direct and superficial focus is authentic leadership and behavioral integrity, the

Recognize & Reward Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Waste Management, Inc., incorporated in 1968, had become a leader in the industry of waste management services ranging from industrial operations to curbside collection. This company had become synonymous with many different kinds of disposal services that allowed for the company to grow and grow with a solid base over the course of twenty-eight years. Finally in 1996, the company reported total assets of almost $20 billion with net income close to $200 million. However, even with this growth and solid base, the company was feeling competitive pressures and net income was on the decline.