Read the situation provided in the picture and answer the following question. What advice would you give Laura on improving her leadership skills and to the managers on improving their management skills?

Management, Loose-Leaf Version
13th Edition
ISBN:9781305969308
Author:Richard L. Daft
Publisher:Richard L. Daft
Chapter10: Designing Organization Structure
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Read the situation provided in the picture and answer the following question.

What advice would you give Laura on improving her leadership skills and
to the managers on improving their management skills? 

 
Laura is the associate director of a non-profit agency that provides assistance to
children and families. She is the head of a department that focuses on evaluating the
skill-building programs the agency provides to families. She reports directly to the
agency leadership. As a whole, the agency has been cautious in hiring this year
because of increased competition for federal grant funding. However, they have also
suffered high staff turnover. Two directors, three key research staff, and one staff
person from the finance department have left.
Laura has a demanding schedule that requires frequent travel; however, she
supervises two managers who in turn are responsible for five staff members each.
Both managers have been appointed within the last six months.
Manager 1: Kelly has a specific background in research. She manages staff who
provide research support to another department that delivers behavioral health
services to youth. Kelly supports her staff and is very organized; however, she often
takes a very black and white view of issues. Upper level leadership values Kelly's
latest research on the therapeutic division's services. Kelly is very motivated and
driven and expects the same from her staff.
Manager 2: Linda has a strong background in social science research and
evaluation. She manages staff that work on different projects within the agency. She
is known as a problem solver and is extremely supportive of her staff. She is very
organized and has a wealth of experience in evaluation of family services. Linda is
very capable and can sometimes take on too much.
The managers are sensing that staff are becoming overworked as everyone takes on
increased responsibilities due to high staff turnover. Staff have also mentioned that
Laura's "glass half-empty" conversation style leaves them feeling dejected. In
addition, Laura has not shared budgets with her managers, so they are having
difficulty appropriately allocating work to staff. Laura said she has not received
sufficient information from the finance department to complete the budgets. The
finance department said they have sent her all the information they have available.
As staff become distressed, the managers are becoming frustrated. They feel like they
are unable to advocate for their staff or solve problems without key information like
the departmental budget.
Transcribed Image Text:Laura is the associate director of a non-profit agency that provides assistance to children and families. She is the head of a department that focuses on evaluating the skill-building programs the agency provides to families. She reports directly to the agency leadership. As a whole, the agency has been cautious in hiring this year because of increased competition for federal grant funding. However, they have also suffered high staff turnover. Two directors, three key research staff, and one staff person from the finance department have left. Laura has a demanding schedule that requires frequent travel; however, she supervises two managers who in turn are responsible for five staff members each. Both managers have been appointed within the last six months. Manager 1: Kelly has a specific background in research. She manages staff who provide research support to another department that delivers behavioral health services to youth. Kelly supports her staff and is very organized; however, she often takes a very black and white view of issues. Upper level leadership values Kelly's latest research on the therapeutic division's services. Kelly is very motivated and driven and expects the same from her staff. Manager 2: Linda has a strong background in social science research and evaluation. She manages staff that work on different projects within the agency. She is known as a problem solver and is extremely supportive of her staff. She is very organized and has a wealth of experience in evaluation of family services. Linda is very capable and can sometimes take on too much. The managers are sensing that staff are becoming overworked as everyone takes on increased responsibilities due to high staff turnover. Staff have also mentioned that Laura's "glass half-empty" conversation style leaves them feeling dejected. In addition, Laura has not shared budgets with her managers, so they are having difficulty appropriately allocating work to staff. Laura said she has not received sufficient information from the finance department to complete the budgets. The finance department said they have sent her all the information they have available. As staff become distressed, the managers are becoming frustrated. They feel like they are unable to advocate for their staff or solve problems without key information like the departmental budget.
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