Joe and Henry have worked for Bernie Jones (founder) at Temple Air Conditioning and Heating for over twenty years. The last fifteen of which, as a team in the installation division without any supervision.
They have built a reputation for quality work and fast service for Temple, however they do not interact with the other installation teams nor have any desire to do so. Joe & Henry have always had a good personal and professional relationship with Bernie, and felt betrayed when Bernie announced that a college educated person was being brought in to supervise the installation teams. Disillusioned by this surprise decision, Joe & Henry contemplate appropriate retaliatory action(s).Problem Identification - Knowledge The communication approach adopted by Bernie was informal and autocratic. His lack of consideration for the negative impact his choice of communication channel would have had on Joe and Henry, speaks to a top down or functional communication approach.
This choice is shown to have an alienating effect on both Joe and Henry, and the message of organisational growth is distorted by the interpersonal noise. A formal organizational approach would have ensured focus on the communication objective and mitigated any opportunity for noise.Problem Identification - Sensitivity Bernie’s failure to engage his long standing employees, on the decision to hire the new resource, before the Monday meeting, resulted in Joe and Henry feeling hurt. This insensitivity, has resulted in Joe and Henry focusing on the perceived trivialization of their interpersonal relationship shared with Bernie, as opposed to the possible benefits of having better qualified resources managing the business. Without explanation of the business need, Joe and Henry remain ignorant of the changing requirements for business sustainability, and continue to believe their long years of service equate to efficient processes and profitability.
Problem Identification - SkillsBernie demonstrated a lack of skill in not being able to effectively communicate change messages to the team, as well as not being able to anticipate the staff reaction and how the message would be interpreted. Bernie did not analyse the socio-hierarchy within his organisation and hence failed to achieve staff acceptance of the reasons for the sudden staff change. This closed approach has now caused a hurdle in establishing a shared reality throughout the organisation. Problem Identification - ValuesBernie, as well as the self reliant team of Joe and Henry, seem to exist in closed systems, which prevents a fluid passage of messages across the organisation.
Joe and Henry have been in the company from inception, and Bernie should acknowledge this contribution, and in turn adjusted the channel of his communication message. Joe and Henry have chosen not to take personal responsibility for establishing effective communication between themselves and Bernie, even though it is possible Bernie is unaware of the effect his communication has had on this particular team.Organisation Structure The organisation structure seems to be based in the functional approach. There appears to be gaps in the relationship function which is complicated by the existence of both formal and informal networks. Without the opportunity for staff to provide feedback, the organisation operates a closed communication system. This top-down approach is not best for preserving employee morale.
The communication channel employed (Team meeting) in disseminating information to the team was not the most effective method in implementing change.Q1 – What should Joe and Henry Do?Joe and Henry should meet with Bernie to allow for objective dialogue on the appointment of the supervisor. They should seek clarification on the purpose of the new role, rules of engagement and expected deliverables to be achieved. They should then meet with the new supervisor, and allow him to share his expectations and what new skills, ideas and advantages his appointment can benefit them, and by extension all installation teams.
As the longest serving installation team they should leverage this opportunity with the new supervisor to establish relations with the other teams and ensure there is equity going forward.Q2 – Could Bernie have handled the announcement in a manner that would not have alienated Joe and Henry? Yes. Bernie could have engaged Joe and Henry in a formal meeting prior to the new appointment, to sensitize them to the business need for a new qualified supervisor, and to reassure them that their long service and experience was recognised and would not be devalued. Bernie could have then called all the installers to a meeting (Skill) and outline his expectations (Knowledge), and obtain responses or suggestions from the installers on the issues (Sensitivity/Feedback).Q3 – What do you think is going to happen? Joe and Henry may show resistance and direct retaliation to the new hire.
They may also try to influence the other teams to follow suit. Joe and Henry will perform slower, provide misinformation to customers and reduce the overall quality of their work. This will impact on company sales, customer satisfaction, and potential future business. There is a significant risk of sabotage internally with respect to equipment, the work environment, and at customer work sites.
The new arrangement may work, however not without heavy oversight and continuous intervention from Bernie.
