Can You Think of Ways Barbara Could Have Avoided the Problems Her Team Faced in the Meeting with Department Heads?

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We should always keep in mind that improvement initiatives fail when consultants lead them. Therefore I shall not make the mistaking by leading the initiative as Barbara did. The initiative should be made by CEO under the reference of the detailed report given by the Consultant (Barbara). The reason for this is that because when a CEO and Department Heads work together they could build a strong foundation for a change.

Consultants must help their clients understand and carry out their leadership roles. Creating that foundation includes developing a consensus about the initiative’s purpose, scope, and process. Barbara should build up a better rapport with the functional heads and guide them through the Leadership programme.

Another important fact which I should realize is that the implementation of empowerment in Elektra is not about increasing the power of the employees, it is about releasing the knowledge and motivation that employees already have.

Barbara’s team was far from a self-managed team when it presented its report. Self-managed teams are capable of making and implementing their decisions, and they are held accountable for results. In order to develop a self-managed team you need time, if I was Barbara I would have never taken a project in a short notice. I would take some reasonable time for the development of the courage of my team. With proper guidance and support, the team moves on to self-management. At this stage, team members support and encourage one another, believe fully in their recommendations, work together to overcome obstacles, and effectively make decisions and take action.

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