Developing Management Skills - Assignment Example

Developing Management Skills: The Case of the Missing Time What principles (rules) of time and stress management are violated by Chet in this case? Chet Craig does not have a proper scheduling of official responsibilities written explicitly in black and white. His plans were thought of mentally and not clearly written down to identify objectives, procedures and time frame for implementation. Time management is poorly executed as there were no prioritization of tasks and no amount of delegation to other personnel who could assist him in accomplishing his plant’s objectives.

As a manager, he is expected to undertake the basic functions of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. However, although he makes certain creative plans, he never gets the chance to implement them. He fails to organize his tasks and responsibilities in a clear and structured manner. As can be observed, so many people talk to him with various agenda on his daily plant tour. It is as if everyone expects him to solve various responsibilities including staffing, looking for people to take the jobs of those who are absent, inventories, and even personal problems of personnel, among others.

There was absolutely no delegation of tasks and assigning point persons or supervisors to decide on simple routinary work. 2) Based on the facts presented in this case do you think that there are organizational (structural) problems contributing to Chet’s level of stress? Yes, as evident from the organizational chart, there are 15 line foremen (including the office manager and the night supervisor) who directly reports to him. The organizational structure alone manifests problems in the number of people relaying various concerns directed towards Chet and contributing to an increased level of stress. 3) Based on the material in this chapter and in chapter 1, discuss any personal characteristics that you believe may inhibit Chet’s productivity and contribute to his level of stress.

Chet is hardworking and a hands-on personnel whose orientation was to get things done quickly and efficiently. As an expediter, he was accustomed to putting tasks in his own hands and doing as he is told. He does not have the orientation of a manager or a leader who needs to delegate and appoint people to do tasks which are within their scope of responsibilities. Taking matters in his own hands therefore increase his level of stress as he takes accountabilities to even simple tasks which should have been delegated and assigned to various personnel and the only thing he should subsequently do is to manage, monitor and control plans versus accomplishments. 4) If you were advising Chet what strategies/tools, and concepts from the chapter would you suggest to him to increase his effectiveness as a manager.

First of all, Chet should assign point persons or supervisors in major tasks to take action. For example, the office manager should be in charge of looking after staffing, absenteeism, and filling in positions, as required. The Press Group should have a supervisor to overlook the plans and responsibilities of the personnel for all six groups. The stockroom foreman must take care of responsibilities on inventory levels and reorder points. In other words, as a manager, Chet should plan, organize, direct and control.

He should be a leader to oversee the performance of his department through delegation of responsibilities and learn to motivate them to accomplish well defined objectives. He can attend management and leadership training seminars to assess his skills and enhance or focus on those that need to be developed. Through effecting time management (by making clear and well defined goals and objectives which specified time frames), Chet should measure his accomplishments against the goals identified in his plans.

Chet should start acting as a manager by leading and by telling people what to do, and not the other way around.