Dilemma: Leadingthe team

Peter Drumand is the team leader of a group who were asked to come up with ways of improving customer communication at Walton’s department store.

After three weeks of information gathering and meetings, the team made the following recommendations:

• extend telephone coverage by one hour per week, to answer more enquiries

• update webpage at least once a week

• research further the idea of holding store meetings to answer customer questions directly

Peter feels sure that these are good ideas but fears the management will not approve them because they are costly. He cannot decide whether to present the ideas to the management or not.

TASK 1

Work in pairs. Discuss the following arguments. Which ones do you agree / disagree with?

• Peter should not present the team’s recommendations to the management as final. A team leader should never let his team make an obviously bad decision. He should protect the team and the department’s reputation by asking for more time.

• If cost was a concern, the team ought to have been told in the beginning. Peter is at fault for not briefing the team properly, and he should ask for a new deadline so they can come up with other less expensive proposals.

• On the basis of shared information, the team developed reasonable and specific recommendations for improving customer communication. Peter should present these recommendations and suggest developing a budget for them.

TASK 2

Decide what you think Peter should do.

TASK3

Discuss the conclusions you have reached with another pair. Work together as a team to make a joint decision about what Peter should do and say. How do you think the management will react?