Blending Ideas about Change

Here is a link to my assignment 3 http://adamducarme.webs.com/ enjoy!

10-1 - COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY

Communication is at the heart of every organization, and consequently poor communication can hinder any organization it can slow productivity, cost money, and cause disagreements. There are many aspects to communication but the five key points I feel are important are.

1. Be clear
2. Get to the point
3. Listen and be personal
4. Assume positive intent
5. Get feedback and ensure every one is an understanding before the conversation is over

Be clear

Any conversation is useless if you don't know what the other person is trying to get too. I think any conversation should begin by clearly identifying what is to be accomplished by the conversation, for example are you trying to find out why a project was late or why or simply looking for suggestions on upcoming project. If the intent of the conversation is clear than that will eliminate some confusion right from the start, I believe that if you skirt around the intent than you may get the other parties involved to become defencive and question your motives.

Get to the point

We have all got those e-mails that are a page long and most of us lose interest after the first paragraph, so get to the point. This is along the same lines as be clear, tell me you need the files for the smith account don't tell me what will happen if you don't receive them, or how busy you are, most of us are busy this is why you should have respect for other peoples time don't catch someone in the hallway and ramble on and on too then say what you need to say and move on.

Listen and be personal

Just because your time is valuable does not mean you should be abrupt, a smile can go along way or perhaps start the conversation with a greeting "how's it going today Phil". Listening to what the person is saying and not having the body language as if you are ready to bolt will lead to a more effective conversation and less misunderstanding.

Assume positive intent

This is a big one in the day of e-mail, not all of us, myself included are able to type into words exactly what we are trying to say and some times may come off as rude or angry when that was not the intent at all. Assuming positive intent (until proven otherwise) will eliminate unnecessary tension between co-workers or a customer. Give people the benefit of the doubt before you condemn them.

Get feedback and ensure every one is an understanding before the conversation is over

This is in my opinion the only way to finish a conversation, getting feedback from the other parties involved will ensure your message was received and the proper course of action will follow. If there is any confusion as to what was trying to be accomplished by the conversation this is the last chance to correct it. Knowing every one is in an understanding will also allow there tho be some accountability placed on individuals, groups, or even suppliers who do not deliver.

9-2 MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

This post has some real meaning for me right now, as a family we are facing some decisions about some organizational changes being made with my wife's employer, the decision to relocate across the country or to change employers witch would also bring a move much more local of course. Throughout these stressful times I have learnt some things about change when it comes to an organization and some of the ways I would like the change to be presented and how the process takes place. Three essential steps I would take to manage change in an organization would be.

1. Present and receive feedback about the change before any hard decisions are made.
2. Be up-front and honest about the change.
3. Ensure there is a clear process to implement the change.

Present and receive feedback about the change before any hard decisions are made.

I believe this is the most important step and should be the first to happen, I think way to often  decisions are made by one or a group of people without all of the people and the effect on them in mind, these decisions effect both personal and professional lives. If a change is made at the top without asking or receiving feedback there might be unforeseen hurdles or cost that were not identified. Front line workers are often the ones effected by change they are also the ones that have direct contact with customers and could relay concerns customers might have with the purposed change. With out that feedback it might be too late once problems are identified.

Be up-front and honest about the change.

If a problem is identified with and organizational process and the decision for change has been made, after getting feedback of course, be up front about and honest about the change that is taking place. Being clear about what is changing, and why, and who is effected will go along way to ease some of the anxiety felt by employees. If only partial information is presented or held back it will only increase the fear of change and lead to incorrect information being shared among staff.

Ensure there is a clear process to implement the change.

Nothing is worse than deciding on a change in the organization and then fumbling through it for months or years, a clear process must be in place to implement the change. This may take some time to identify the right steps to ensure the change will be successful but there is no point rushing into something and dooming it for failure. A clear process will also help the organization track the progress and allow for targets to be identified, and therefore giving the organization the true picture of weather or not the change will be successful.

8-2 CRITICAL INCIDENT ANALYSIS

For this post I am to think of the last group or team I was apart of where the experience was dissatisfying or discouraging. The most recent experience like that I can remember was during the relocation of many of our departments due to renovations to our current buildings. A group was put together of the affected departments to discuss possible complications with the sharing of space.  It was put in place to ensure communication was kept up regarding the use of equipment and the need for service and repair to that equipment was communicated effectively. I don't think the group members were that motivated, as many were against the renovations to begin with, and the group was not cohesive as the two main affected groups already have a hard time sharing anything. Social loafing was definitely a problem as many of the processes we put into place for communicating were not being followed and other people were trying to pick up the slack left by a few members. I think the managers of all the departments should have held their employees more accountable, for example one employee had agreed to e-mail the fleet shop at the end of each day if there were any repairs needed to the equipment in their location, I am still waiting for the first e-mail two month later.  Athough the problem has been brought up, nothing has been done.

Critical incident analysis

Why do I view the situation like that? I view the situation as discouraging because the lack of communication has led to some frustrating times, operators are mad that their equipment is not repaired, but their repairs were not reported. The lack of communication causes more down time and less production.
What assumptions have I made about the client or problem or situation? The assumptions I have made about the situation are that no one really cares and if they are not going to follow through with their promises it doesn't apparently matter as there are not going to be any consequences. The other assumption I have made is that most people think the plan as a whole will fail, they think the renovations will be behind schedule and over budget or possibly run out of money and not get finished properly.
How else could I interpret the situation? The other way I could look at the situation is that the other departments are just as frustrated as me, they have had to uproot their work areas and are now crammed in other buildings, with other departments, and are just trying to make the best of it.

What other action could I have taken that might have been more helpful? Instead of reporting the issues to my manager, after the few failed attempts we had to get the message across to the other departments, I could have personally sent out some reminders to those involved of the domino affect that missing one piece can have. Sometimes a personal message, not going through the chains of reporting and being misconstrued can be a more positive way to get information from point A to point B. If I had identied more clearly directly to the person that with out the proper and timely information, I am unable to do my job effectively and in return that effects their operations and productivity.  Then we could, with support of our managers worked together to think of another solution as the arranged plan was not working.
What will I do if I am faced with a similar situation in the future? I think what I will do in the future if I am faced with a similar situation is hold other group members accountable. I would try to make them understand that their effort directly affects the rest of the group, and if someone is not performing their task, it needs to be addressed before it becomes the norm. Also that we can work together to think of new solutions that work best for the people at the ground level who actually perform the tasks, getting their input, instead of deciding for them what will work. Positive communication, accountability and working together will help our next project succeed.

6-2 Controlling for Success

This post focuses on a "recession winning" company, the company I chose to investigate is Ford Motor Co. Ford alone escaped bankruptcy and government bailout as compared to the other North American auto makers, allowing Ford to eclipse GM as the number one American automaker.

I found an article written in 2008 by  Dan Carney on msnbc.com outlining the strategy that Ford used to outlast the recession http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27723139/ns/business-autos/t/ford-better-positioned-ride-out-recession/. It was the work of CEO Alan Mulally who mortgaged the company’s name to build up $24 billion worth of financing just before the recession a move some say was luck, lucky or not this cash nest egg helped Ford ride out the recession.

Another reason Ford was able to come out a winner was identifying the changes in customer demand revamping their product line and introducing smaller more fuel efficient cars from their European lines. While GM and Chrysler were still pumping out big gas guzzlers Ford was looking at other ideas and not relying on their trucks as much. The new line has been a success and has continued to grow as this sales release from ford indicates http://corporate.ford.com/our-company/investors/investor-news/investor-news-detail/pr-ford-motor-company-june-and-36703. Here are some of the highlights from June 2012.

• Ford Motor Company’s year-to-date U.S. sales through June increase 7 percent, totaling 1.14 million vehicles; June sales increase 7 percent from last year at 207,759 vehicles sold
• Ford's Escape sales have increased 28 percent – the vehicle’s best month ever; the all-new 2013 Escape is selling on dealer lots in less than five days
• Ford Fusion sales in June increase 17 percent – the best June sales performance ever
• Ford Explorer sales up 35 percent in June and 15 percent year to date
• Ford F-Series sales top 50,000 – the best June sales performance in five years, with 55,025 pickups sold

Ford was able to see some problems internally and make some very strategic moves to take their place as a "recession winner", their ability to listen to the economy and the consumers sailed them to number one in America and with Alan Mulally as the self proclaimed "pilot" look for more great things from Ford.

Alan Mulally inteview http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2010/01/12/f_sl_mulally_ford.fortune/

4-2 - SUSTAINABLE POLICIES

Sustainable Development is the idea of thinking long term when making decisions. They are decisions that protect the environment, promote social responsibility, respect culture differences, and provide an economic benefit (Essentials of Contemporary Management, Jones,George, Rock, Haddad). With my current employer sustainable development is involved in every decision we make so much that we employ a sustainability coordinator. I have chosen three ideas that I have for our own fleet department.

1. Operating a "Green Fleet".
2. Planning for future building and shop expansion.
3. Fleet purchasing policy.

                                                    Green Fleet Sustainability Policy

Purpose

• To reduce emissions, fuel consumption, and overall cost of operating vehicles and equipment.

Stakeholders

• This policy applies to all staff and departments.

Procedure

• Practice and enforce anti-idling policy, to reduce emissions and reduce fuel usage. Reduced idling time will reduce wear and service intervals on vehicles and equipment.
• Reduce the number of vehicles taken to one job site if applicable. Encourage the use of multi passenger vehicles
• Continue to look for alternatives when purchasing new equipment, more fuel efficient options.
• Have staff participate in Green Fleet driver training. http://www.capilanou.ca/sustainability/Transportation/FleetSmart-Driver-Training/

                                                Future building and expansion policy

Purpose

• To ensure long term use of new buildings and expansions.
• To ensure the right space for the right cost.
• Reduce the environmental impact caused by the building process and the building itself.

Stakeholders

• All staff and departments
• All contractors and sub contractors used in the building process.
• All surrounding communities.

Procedure

• Explore and assess all current and future building needs.
• Encourage staff input on building design and layout.
• Look for contractors with strong ethical and environmental policies.
• Reduce carbon footprint by exploring options in building design, natural lighting and heat sources, collection of rain water for landscaping irrigation for example
• Use low maintenance landscaping to reduce future maintenance cost.

      
                                                       Fleet Shop Purchasing Policy

Purpose

• To look for suppliers that will provide long term support and services for the fleet shop.
• To reduce the number of suppliers, in order to reduce the amount of courier cost
• To purchase more environmentally friendly products.

Stakeholders

• All fleet staff

Procedure

• Identify suppliers that are reputable and have a good service rating with customers.
• Research suppliers that provide a variety of products and will deliver.
• Reduce number of courier trips by ordering multiple parts/supplies at once, when available.
• Look for opportunities to purchase and implement new products that will reduce the environmental impact of shop operations

Sustainability is all about making decisions for the future; the three policies I have created can affect the future of the organization in many different ways. The green fleet policy will affect the environment, the community, and company operations by reducing equipment wear and thus saving money. Future building policy is based on the idea of making a building self-contained and not hearing the statement "we've outgrown it" after one year, this policy will affect all contexts, the community, the environment, company operations, economic health, and of course human beings. With the right building to work out of, employees can be happier in the work space and more productive. The purchasing policy for the fleet shop has a goal of reducing the cost of products and services, and looking for new environment safe products while not reducing the quality of products needed. Sustainability is here to stay and understanding the principles is going to aid in any organizational decision or idea, which I believe is the right step forward.

3-3 - SHORT ESSAY

I am the president and CEO of a major automobile manufacture, or at least for the sake of this post I am. We manufacture and market vehicles for the average, middle class person, most of our parts are outsourced and manufactured in foreign countries with our main assembly plant located in Canada. We have been in business for many years and are well established with hundreds of privately owned dealerships located throughout the world.
Ethical concerns are a very important part of our companies overall decision making process, it is with this high importance to ethics that we weigh every decision and concern evenly. We as a company prefer to use a Utilitarian model of ethics which is defined as - an ethical decision that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.(Essentials of Contemporary Management-Jones, George, Rock, Haddad)  It is difficult task to focus on and compare the benefits and concerns of all stakeholders, however when a decision has to be made regarding the direction of the company, someone is going to lose and we feel having the majorities interest in mind is the right ethical path for our company. A few years ago we were faced with a tough decision to make, we had to look at the cost effectiveness of keeping our main assembly plant in Canada. Union led wages were rising along with company contributions to benefits and pensions were eating away at profits, stockholders were looking for greater return on investment while customers still wanted a reasonably priced vehicle. We were concerned that moving our main plant to a foreign market might compromise the quality of our vehicles and that was a risk as a company that we felt was not a viable plan, we instead looked at a different option. At the time most of our parts were also manufactured in North America, by outsourcing the parts manufacturing to a more cost effective location and setting up quality control systems to monitor the manufacturing, we were able to retrain and relocate some of our employees while cutting cost and improving profits.

The four main codes of ethics our company follows are:

• To produce to a high standard of quality in our manufacturing and assembly plants.
• Continue to advance in environmental manufacturing processes.
• To promote and ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
• Make decisions based on the interest of the company as a whole, not for personnel gain.

Codes of ethics are standards or rules to help our employees and management teams make decisions based on our companies beliefs of right and wrong. Producing high quality vehicles for our customers, protecting the environment and the health of our employees, and making ethical business decisions are what is expected of all employees.
In addition to ethical standards our company will continue to have a proactive approach to social responsibility. We have set in place a program to cross train our workers allowing them to learn new skills, a lost opportunity in one place may open a new opportunity for both the worker and the company. We will continue to operate our Canadian assembly plant to protect Canadian jobs and ensure our high quality standards. Continuing advancements in manufacturing that will reduce pollution will be tested and put into place. Our company will continue to promote the fair treatment of all employees here in Canada and in our foreign markets.
I am going to switch back to being myself now and not the CEO of a major car company, I think many of my views are influenced by my generation and my characteristics. In the case of keeping the plant open in Canada, I have grown up in the generation constantly hearing of companies, one after another, closing in Canada and moving to foreign markets. As far as my characteristics go I have become frustrated with the ignorance that many people show towards the environment. The facts are there but they continue to ignore it, and I'm not talking about one person saving the planet,  just simply doing something, anything. I am also a strong believer in cross training your employees as it would allow companies to fill vacant positions if someone is away and also give the opportunity to promote from with in. Providing these types of opportunities engages your employees and gains retention, which in turn is also a benefit for the employer, this strategy is a must in today's work environment.

blog 2-2 Forces and Competition

After reviewing the website of Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), first I have to say their story is very inspiring. A company of that size operating with a goal not to make money, but to provide high quality products and services to their members. Further to that, they do this while being as environmentally responsible as possible, encouraging an active lifestyle, and giving generously to foundations and environmental causes making them a remarkable organization. MEC is a outdoor retail business in Canada operating as a co-op, you become a member by purchasing a five dollar share. The way MEC manages the environmental forces of customers and suppliers is different than any company I have observed.

The first unique aspect is that their members are their customers. A customer as defined on page thirty four of Essentials of Contemporary Management as individuals and groups that buy the goods and services that organizations produce. Now if your customers are also the ones that vote and elect your board members, who ultimately help make the decisions of what products you sell and the direction of the organization, in my opinion it should not be hard to please your customers. Also by being environmentally responsible and by having operating principles to keep prices low not to profit MEC keeps their customers committed to the cause. (I am sure the possible rebate at the end of the year helps with that as well)

Mountain Equipment Co-op does not only focus that they are operating in a ethical and environmental way, they ensure that their suppliers are up to their standards as well. By using a three-layered approach audit system, MEC ensures that the factories, where the products of the suppliers are being manufactured, are not in violation of human rights or other ethical standards of their supplier code of conduct.

Mountain Equipment Co-op is handling their opportunities well by running a business with not for profit ideals, they are able to provide high quality products at reasonable prices. Good selection and good prices have allowed their company to grow from 6 members to 3.3 million. With this large customer base, it has given MEC the opportunity to be selective in finding ethical suppliers and fund many environmental projects. Some of the challenges Mountain Equipment Co-op faces is that in setting such high standards for their suppliers, they have discovered that no one is perfect and many of the factories of suppliers are still in violation of heath and labour laws. The value of their dollar in developing nations in comparison to here in Canada, partnered with obligation to keep their prices low, has meant MEC is buying most of their products from China. This is a trend that is gaining them a lot of criticism from their members, however as a company they are prioritizing and looking how they can maintain their standard, I hope they can find a happy medium and continue to maintain the loyalty of their members.

Mountain Equipment Co-op is truly an interesting company, their goals for the environment and ethical treatment of factory employees is commendable, and they are faced with many challenges, balancing their mandate while trying to maintain a well priced product to their customers.

1-3 Reflective Blog Assessment

Wow one module is over and I have to be honest, after being out of school for a number of years this is working my brain harder than it has in awhile. I was going to write this post last night but realised I was still a little unsure what traits I thought were important to be a good manager and leader.  I spent the day looking at the managers in my organization to find the traits I liked and disliked about them. I started with my front line manager and his role of fleet coordinator. The first trait I felt was important in this role is work ethic. He is the one who sets the example for the rest of us in the shop and as the leader if you allow your work ethic to slip then you know your employees will as well. Another trait I believe is important as a front line manager is respect, not playing favourites and treating everyone equal. As a mechanic, let me tell you, there are a lot of jobs on vehicles and equipment that are not enjoyable to do and by not enjoyable, I mean I hate them. If one person was always getting the tough jobs there is going to be some animosity amongst employees. A third trait I recognised was clarity, tell me how you want the job done and when, even if it is giving me free reign of the project, make sure that detail is known to me.

After looking at my front line manager I went to the next level, middle manager or in our organization, team leader. The trait of communication stood out to me as she is the one that brings our directors ideas and goals to us and in return takes our ideas to them. Having employees engaged in their work is imperative to achieving your organizations goals, so having a manager with the ability to keep employees engaged by challenging them will keep the organization moving forward.  A couple of days ago I received recognition from my team leader for a task I had completed, it was amazing how a ten dollar gift card felt like so much more when the support was genuine. I think you have to have a supportive trait as a manager to help employees enjoy their jobs and gain confidence in their work.

Finally, I went all the way to the top and reviewed the traits of our city manager.  Although there are only a hand full of times when I have had direct interaction with him, it was not hard to identify some of his traits because they are evident in all our policies and organizational goals.  The integrity he shows is obvious in the way he owns the decisions and direction of the organization while still maintaining a work life balance commitment to employees. I strongly believe you could not be at the top of an organization without focus, you need focus to have a strong sense of where your going and to lead your people to that spot. Finally to be a great leader I think you need passion, whatever the direction is, you need to go for it all in. This was recently displayed to me when our city was bidding for the Alberta summer games, our city manager gave every employee the opportunity to take time away from their jobs, participate in the events and he was the first one there waving the flag. 

1-1 Evolving Management Positions

One week into this course has already changed the way I view my current employment and the way I see myself. I had never put much into the type of thinker I am, "opposable or oppositional" as described by Roger Martin, but as an automotive mechanic I use the style of opposable everyday. You have to keep in mind that there can be more than one answer to a problem, you have to trust your training and your skills. To take a chance when the answer is not always clear, and yes there are consequences equipment downtime, loss production, or the worst thing in an municipal environment wasted money. I was able to use this style of thinking in a recent pilot project for a shift change in the shop. The shift was changing to a ten hour shift four days a week, it was not the shift that was the problem it was everyone getting the days off they wanted. It was a quiet week in the shop other than a few arguments over who should get the Friday and who should get the Monday off.  We were able to solve the problem (I know this sounds crazy) by talking to each other. In actually listening to one another, we realized that one of our techs had been saying he would just like a day off in the middle of the week, thus allowing all others to have a long weekend. Simple listening skills solved what was becoming a major issue.

I began my working career in the year 2000 and I believe management roles have changed in a lot of ways. When I began my career, the manager was the boss, they said stuff and you did it. I am sure that sounds simple but that's the way it was. Recently I have notice a huge shift in the culture of our corporation, this includes training opportunities for all employees. Employees are writing accountability agreements, no longer having job descriptions, these agreements are holding themselves accountable for their own jobs and goals. This change in style has definitely made me look at my role as an employee differently.

When I started to work, I worked because I needed money for things like beer, and gas to get to the store to get beer. Twelve years later, as far as beer and gas goes, my concerns are how many calories are in the beer and how expensive is the gas. I am now accountable for what I put in my body and the way we spend our money as a family.  This change in style, allowing accountability, has allowed me expand my role in the corporation. There is more trust and responsibility put on me, and this in turn is a way managing myself. One of the reasons I believe management roles are changing, in looking at my own team, our manager is in charge of four different departments, the time and resources are simply not there for her to make every decision. We all have to be accountable.

I have begun to prepare to be a future manager by first and foremost, taking advantage of the opportunities given to me. By jumping on every training course available, being engaged and more importantly gaining any experience I can get.  I believe that for my situation the toughest obstacles is gaining the experience and so I never pass at the chance. Over my career I believe have developed many of the soft skills needed, but my weak point at the moment are the hard skills. A prime example would be the mathematics of the business, but with courses like this one and others like it, I will continue to develop those skills.