Case Three.

Produce Distribution Company

A large produce distribution company was suffering growing pains with various personnel. Many of the managers had advanced into their leadership positions through their industriousness and skills. These managers had no formal training in management or leadership. They were frustrated with the lack of initiative from their direct reports and were using inappropriate and unacceptable communications with the work force.

Challenge:

Management wanted to preserve the value that each manager brought to the organization and reduce the turmoil between personnel.

Reduce conflicts and comments that were counterproductive to the company's goals.

Encourage team work rather than competition that had spawned among the managers and supervisors.

Stop undermining and derisive behavior amongst staff.

Recommendation:

Improve the manager's interpersonal and management skills through an intensive educational process and provide the management tools they would need to continue to grow with the company.

Educational initiative including classes of Communication, Team Building, and Conflict Resolution.

Follow-on focus group meetings to assist managers in applying these skills to their individual situations.

Individual coaching sessions to develop managers interpersonal abilities to work as team members.

Follow-up assessment showed marked improvement in seven of eight targeted staff.