730 Wk 2 DQ 1

Wk3 DQ1

Discussion Question 1 – Standard DQ CLO 4

You have worked as a sales representative for the last three years, and your boss has just quit. You have been asked to take over as manager of your region, and you are going to accept for two reasons. First, you would like to move up and try something different and more challenging. Second, you have been very disappointed with the way your prior manager ran your sales group. He was not a good people manager and he did very little to motivate the sales representatives. More specifically, he let the low performers slide by, while the top performers (which you feel you are) did not seem to be recognized for their contributions. The situation was not horrible; he was not abusive or hostile in any way. But you know the group has some talented people and could do much better—if only they had a motivational spark. So how would you proceed in this situation? Where would you start? What types of things would you do to enhance motivation? What would be the biggest obstacles to getting this group energized? Would there be any predictable traps to avoid?

Provide your explanations and definitions in detail and be precise. Comment on your findings. Provide references for content when necessary. Provide your work in detail and explain in your own words. Support your statements with peer-reviewed in-text citation(s) and reference(s). 

To begin, my main worry in becoming a new manager is that I might alienate myself from my colleagues. It could have been the reason why the previous manager failed to relate to the key players and under performers on the team, but in my view this transformation could disrupt the existing team dynamics. Young managers make many mistakes, such as continuing as an individual contributor rather than become a supervisor. My first step to bridge the gap between the outperforming representatives and the rest should consider the issue of motivation to build the new team with an improved performance and behavior (Rajagopal, 2008).

To become a successful team leader, I will focus on a motivational strategy. This starts with ensuring members of the team know what is expected of everyone as it creates an aligned foundation for future communications and evaluations. Uncovering potential confusions or misunderstanding of targets and responsibilities also helps me establish myself as a teaching leader who is not overbearing and ‘controlling’ and demotivating (Bridges, 1994).

Next, the new manager should outline the team’s tasks and outlooks anew to confirm they are realistic and deliverable, and otherwise redistribute responsibilities. It is important to avoid any unnecessary burdens from team members during the transition to assist me becoming an approachable boss. According Dewettinck and van Ameijde (2011), the attitudes of team members relate closely to their long-term commitment to the company and hence positive messaging is needed to support underperformers.

To improve performance with appropriate rewards the new leader should also engage the team’s feelings, i.e. through giving them personal visions. To keep employees motivated long term motivation must include intrinsic and extrinsic factors for the individual team member to find personal fulfilment on my team (Miao, Evans & Shaoming, 2007). I can lead by example to inspire behavioral change, leading to increased profits. Inspiring leadership drives job satisfaction and long-term engagement to business (Dewettinck & van Ameijde, 2011).

Finally, the new manager should also review communication techniques that demonstrate values that drive the ‘self-efficacy’ for individuals (Ahearne, 2000). Transparency brings trust and avoids challenges within the team. The team should receive its leader’s ongoing direction, professional support and performance evaluations to uphold dedicated and always delivering employees. This approach will establish my new leadership style by avoiding my predecessor’s mistakes – the overbearing rules and orders.

References

Ahearne, M. J. (2000). An examination of the effects of leadership empowerment behaviors and organizational citizenship behaviors on sales team performance. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/304596181?accountid=158986

Bridges, W. (1994). Job Shift How to Prosper in a Workplace without Jobs Reading Mass. Addison Wesley Publications.

Dewettinck, K., & van Ameijde, M. (2011). ‘Linking leadership empowerment behaviour to employee attitudes and behavioural intentions’, Personnel Review, 40(3), 284-305. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00483481111118621

Miao, C. F., Evans, K. R., & Shaoming, Z. (2007). ‘The role of salesperson motivation in sales control systems - intrinsic and extrinsic motivation revisited’, Journal of Business Research, 60(5), 417. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/196327346?accountid=158986

Rajagopal, A. (2008). ‘Team performance and control process in sales organizations’, Team Performance Management, 14(1), 70-85. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13527590810860212