Question

The situation The large healthcare company in which you serve as a manager has recently begun an initiative to change the organizational culture. The highest ranking officials have publicly endorsed the idea, stressing the importance of building a new kind of culture based on open communication, cross-functional teamwork, and a renewed sense of shared purpose. Your direct supervisor has also endorsed the initiative, sending out a series of memos and giving a presentation to your team. Your team is generally enthusiastic, agreeing that the new initiative has the potential to improve productivity and collaboration considerably—although some long-term employees are cynical about the possibility of real change. Several weeks after the new initiative is launched, your team is tasked with an important and complex new project. After reviewing some of the operational details and having discussions with your team, you decide that this project requires the creation of a cross-functional working group, merging your team's skill set with those from another Division. Your team readily endorses this idea, which will solve some of its problems while supporting the new initiative, but your direct supervisor isn't so enthusiastic. She strongly cautions you, warning that a cross-functional working group is unlikely to receive the support from senior management that it will need to succeed. You are stunned. If your supervisor thinks the proposed cross-functional working group is unlikely to receive support, it probably won't, but the new initiative is specifically designed to encourage this kind of collaboration. What does your supervisor know that you don't know? You're confused. On the one hand, it is likely that your team will fall short of expectations if it tries to go it alone. On the other hand, if your supervisor is right, and you receive no support from senior management, the project is just as likely to flounder.

Questions

What factors will you consider in deciding what to do?

How, if at all, might you prioritize among the factors?

Outline an action plan for addressing the situation.

Outline an alternative action plan.

Answer 1

I would consider the following factors- the company's change mission and the effectiveness of the team. I would prioritize the effectiveness of the team because that action is crucial for the success of the change in organizational culture.

Action plan would be evaluating the skill set of the chosen team members and matching them with the mission. I would consult other senior members of the organization and get their opinions on how to accomplish the task.

Alternative plan would be getting suggestion from the Management of what would be ideal for the change implemention.