Woody's Veneer Factory Leadership Analysis

Register to read the introduction… The floor workers need to be professional and lay out problems and what the group would like to be done, this could be a raise, better benefits, or simply to be treated with respect and dignity. This management in this company is way too abrasive and has to work together to make this agency run successfully and with efficiency. Workers simply want respect and to be treated fairly. If the management wants workers to be happy and motivated the concerns listed will be addressed and if not, the workers will leave and go elsewhere and that will leave the factory without workers. A factory cannot run without floor staff and management needs to realize that without employees the factory cannot prosper or develop. In the best interest of the company the management needs to realize how important the employees are to this company and make them happier in the work place. Differences between Leadership and Management The employee and management relationship at Woody’s Veneer Factory is tremendously strained. Both parties carry a specific amount of weight as it relates to fault, specifically because floor workers have set up ambushes and lookouts so that they can grind good veneer, which is against company policy. But management’s role of accountability is not adequate either because they blatantly display the ‘us versus them’ attitude. Dave Flores recounted when the team first arrived to perform the professional assessment that the staff bickers and fights occur between floor managers and subordinates. This situation is worsened because senior management knows the problem and has done nothing to rectify the situation. This is unacceptable behavior for the workplace because leaders have constancy between word and action, they “walk the talk.” Managers, like their subordinates, follow the orders of their bosses. Woody’s Veneer Factory requires true leadership, not just managers who have a vested right to instill rules and regulations. …show more content…
The manager’s role at the factory is to exercise administrative, executive, and supervisory objectives the organization. A leader is more than a manager and becoming a leader is a process beyond managerial appointment. The factory managers should be trained to take on more of a leadership role within the organization because “when they want to lead, they have to give up formal authoritarian control, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary act” (Changing Minds, 2002-2011, para. 6). At best, the managers follow a traditional model of receiving compensation in return for working and telling subordinates what to do. Leadership and management do have similarities but Ricketts (2009) states that “there are also some striking differences (i.e. management is often more task-oriented; leadership is often considered more inspirational and visionary)” (para. 2). “The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do” (Changing Minds, 2002-2011, para. 1). Traditionally, the scenario at the factory is that the managers have a reporting structure consisting of subordinates taking work orders. An assessment of their situation shows that leadership is needed to turn things around. Leaders accomplish more than just manage people. They inspire them to reach organizational goals and to buy into the vision of the company through a charismatic and transformational work style. Employees do what they are told not just because they are managed and receive compensation as a reward but also because they want the organization to succeed because leadership compels them to do so. Because leadership is different from management, the factory could employ some relevant leadership styles to improve networking with the floor workers. Management should become more people focused, not using scare tactics and spying techniques to manage. A clear line of transparent communication is paramount to fostering a better relationship between the factory employees and management. Currently, the managers are very abrasive and condescending to the people working on the floor. Intolerance breeds intolerance and certain leadership competencies like sincerity, being visionary, empathic listening skills, inspiring, willingness to share responsibility, and trust would alleviate this tension. Conclusion The management team of Woody’s Veneer Factory was given a full scale assessment of the internal problems including employee and manager relations. Not only should the staff employ a new