Leadership and Groups (green River)

Introduction

I have researched Aberdeen’s and Green River’s leadership and communication processes. I will explain if work group and teams will work at Green River. Then I will describe the differences in leadership at both facilities along with an explanation of how to implement the changes at Green River that are needed to match Aberdeen’s leadership skills. Following that I will describe the differences in communication processes at both facilities along with an explanation if the unique communication adopted by Aberdeen can effectively be used in Green River. A conclusion will follow that with my own thoughts and views on the situation.

Background

Aberdeen has simple work groups and teams. They groups are of 3 to 16 people that pick their own leader and deal with every problem that arises in the running of the plant (Clawson, 2005). If there is a problem then the group gets together and solves the problem quickly. The leaders basically facilitate. The leadership in the Aberdeen model is participative leadership who trusts their employees and share authority. They also socialize on a personal level frequently creating a family atmosphere. The way Aberdeen communicates is through face-to-face meetings and through their dbase system. On Monday’s all employees have a meeting to talk about anything personal. On Thursday’s all employees have a meeting to discuss things that are job related. There dbase system fits their demands for information from upper management. It is all ran off the master schedule (Clawson, 2005).

Green River has more managers than they used to with one being in the below and one being in the above surface facilities. The other one looks over the construction at all three new locations and one looking over all the services for the plants. The leader is providing interaction

between employees and authority on decision making. Some of the information is not being shared due to the fact of the limited computer systems.

Analysis of the Situation

In regards to work groups and teams, leadership skills, and the communication process, some things that Dailey will have to consider at Green River are (Clawson, 2005):

1) He has no work groups instead of having formal work groups such as command groups that would help with the accomplishments of the organizations work.

2) His leadership style is tasks oriented instead of relationship oriented which would help the employees feel more important leading to higher levels of performance.

3) His communication system is a chain network instead of an all-channel network that would help every group member communicates with every other group member.

Alternatives & Recommendations

Work groups and teams:

I believe that a self-managed team would work to help solve some of the problems in the processes at Green River. Command groups would have to be in place due to the numerous plant responsibilities. Creating a task force could help to accomplish specific task but it should be kept to a minimum. Tasks forces can have a negative impact on the working environment because people will tend to feel that management is disregarding their input or questions their ability (George & Jones, 2005). Nothing can be accomplished within the work place without team or group interaction. This will help build on relationships within the groups. It will also help prevent social loafing and increase group cohesiveness.

Leadership:

At Aberdeen they have team members that are well known to each other and the atmosphere is goal oriented. If there is a problem then the group gets together and solves the problem quickly. The leaders basically facilitate. The leadership in the Aberdeen model is participative leadership who trusts their employees and share authority. They also socialize on a personal level frequently creating a family atmosphere. As for Green River turnover rates will be higher with so many employees which mean the group members will not have a strong bond to each other.

Effective leadership is very important in any business and at Green River I believe that formal leadership has to be better defined and more relationship oriented. This will help to