Creativity
and Technology in Business
WEEK
4 – BLOG
ASSESSMENT – QUESTIONS
Gabriela
Gedeonova
B00239895
A Mini Case Study
Recently, Kathy Smith,
a project manager for a large industrial construction company was assigned to
oversee a multi-million-pound factory in Spain.
Kathy had earned this assignment after completing a number of smaller
assignments in the UK over the past three years. This was her first overseas assignment and
she was eager to make a good impression, particularly given the size and scope
of the project. Successfully completing
this project would increase her visibility within the organisation dramatically
and earmark her as a candidate for upper management. Kathy had good project management skills; in
particular, she was organised and highly self-motivated. Team members at her last two project
assignments used to joke that just trying to keep up with her was a full-time
job!
Kathy wasted no time
settling into oversee the development of the new development. Operating under her normal work approach, Kathy
routinely required her staff and the senior members of the project team to work
long hours, ignoring weekend breaks if important milestones were coming up, and
generally adopting a round-the-clock work approach for the project. Unfortunately, in merely expecting her team,
made up of local residents, to change their work habits to accommodate her
expectations, Kathy completely misread these individuals. They bitterly resented her overbearing style,
unwillingness to consult them on key questions, and aloof nature. Rather than
directly confront her, however, team members began a campaign of passive
resistance to her leadership. They would
purposely drag their feet on important assignments or cite insurmountable
problems when none, in fact, existed.
Kathy’s standard response was to push herself and her project team
harder, barraging subordinates with increasingly urgent communications
demanding faster performance. To her
bewilderment, nothing seemed to work.
The project became quickly bogged down due to poor team performance and
ended up costing the project organisation large financial penalties for late
delivery. Kathy might have many traits
that worked in her favour, but she was seriously lacking in the ability to
recognise the feelings and expectations of others and take them into
consideration.
1
Discuss how Kathy lacked sufficient
emotional intelligence to be effective in her new project manager assignment.
2
Of the various elements of emotional
intelligence, which element(s) did she appear to exhibit successfully? What evidence can you provide to support
this?
Answer:
Kathy
is self aware of her goals and what she wants to achieve within the
company. Her self- motivation and strong
working ethics is benefitting her success in UK as we are culturally driven by
big achievements and wealth. Because she has been with company in UK for 3
years she is fully aware of working ethics and culture she works in, she has
ability to think before she acts and avoid unnecessary behaviour from her
colleagues. Being made to oversee a big project abroad is reflection on her
hard work and motivation within the company and her deduction is believe to
help her to achieve a success of it but also these strong factors can play
against her in the new environment. Working oversee with new culture
background and working ethics with
different employees rights proved to create difficulties to achieve what was expecting
from her as she didn’t manage to develop social skills within this environment
which could be useful in achieving the goal and move people in direction she
thought is desirable.
B IT Question
Management and
leadership of the project management process require good communication.
Given that good communication
plays a key role in the success of any project, the main methods of
communication and how can IT and applications contribute what are? (A
and B – 200 words max in total = 5%)
Answer:
Main methods of communication are oral, written and body language.
But within an organisation we constantly are using some form of communication
or another to send a message across. Using the internet for purpose of sending
or receiving an email, video conferencing, getting the customers reviews and
opinions and many other non direct communication skills through IT and its
application became major role of carry the business in right direction,
avoiding obstacles faster and dealing with situation more efficiently.
C PDP element of you Blog
With reference to each
of the 5 traits of emotional intelligence, give examples of situations where
you have displayed/or could have displayed each of these of traits. This can be
either in personal, academic or career circumstances or a mix of these. (100
words max = 2%)
Answer:
Working
in hospitality for a past 10 years I have learn that being a manager is not
just about giving orders, but also to try and learn the business background and
goals, understand cultural differences within working environment, and also
customers’ and employees needs. Also knowing what you are trying to achieve in
your workplace and improving your skills daily plays a major factor of
developing emotionally. I believe that I
have very strong working ethic so when I was promoted to assistant manager in
restaurant I have been working for 3 years I thought that everybody will be
same but after a few unsuccessful attempts, I was giving a wise advice from a
friend. Not everyone is like you, people are different, and they have a
different needs and qualities. Now I try to understand their strengths and
weaknesses and work with that or around with the best potential outcome I can
get.
