Not Every Frog Is A Prince: Can You Recognize The Princes (And Princesses) And Lead Them To Success? – Part 5

We are concluding our series on Leading and Motivating Staff with the solutions to the Situational Leadership case studies introduced in Part 4. For those of you who are tuning in just now, here is a brief summary of what we covered in the previous issues. In Part 1 to 4, we talked about some of the pivotal leadership and motivational theories and techniques that have been successfully used over the years and that have helped managers at every level to lead their teams effectively. We talked about Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and his theory that as managers we need to first understand what need level each individual in our team is at on the Hierarchy of Needs before we determine how to motivate them. So, for instance, if a member of your team is going through a tough time due to a personal loss (i.e., the individual is at the Safety Needs level), trying to motivate them to do more or better by giving them challenges to show their ability to be promoted might not work as well as if you used the same motivational technique with someone who is at the Self-Esteem level. We also introduced a series of simple but highly effective strategies to motivate people as well as the notion that no matter how powerful these strategies can be, they don’t always work. One of the reasons why they sometimes fail is that “Not Every Frog is a Prince”, as the title of this series points out. What it means is that not everyone is cut out to be a sales associate, a secretary, a supervisor or for any job, and no amount of effort will change that reality. You need to recognize that as managers you will sometimes have failures and that some of those failures are not your fault. They are caused by people who cannot or will not do the job and therefore cannot be motivated to do it (it is just like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole). We then ended our review of leading strategies with one of the most powerful leadership theories ever introduced, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership. According to Hersey and Blanchard, we lead individuals in the workplace by first understanding their maturity level (how they know/view their job) and then apply a management style that is right for that maturity level.

We left off with a series of case studies that asked you to apply the Situational Leadership approach to solve the cases. Below are our solutions. Take some time to review them and compare them to your answers.

Blanchard Case Studies Solutions
Each of the situations has a clue as to the current level of the associate(s) and each of the solutions has either an M1, M2, M3 or M4 solution. The key is to match the solution to the situation. You may disagree on the answers that we have included here. In two or three cases, that is ok as long as you are able to justify your answer. Hints within the situation are in bold type. The maturity level follows the situation (in brackets) and the correct response is in bold and matches the maturity level.

Scenario #1: You have recently opened a new store. Unfortunately, your new staff appears to be more concerned with social activities than with carrying out their responsibilities. As a result, the staff's performance to date has been poor. Sales have been disappointing. What should you do? (M1 Group)

a. M3 - Discuss the low performance with the staff, but allow them to specify corrective measures.
b. M1 - Define roles and responsibilities and supervise the staff's work closely.
c. M4 - Encourage staff members to define their own responsibilities and tasks.
d. M2 - Discuss the situation with the staff and then take the necessary corrective action yourself.

Scenario #2: The store which you are now managing has not produced the results expected. In the last week, one key individual has called in sick several times. You feel that she has lost interest in her new job. You and your business partner expect results from the store soon, and from this individual in particular. What should you do? (M1 Individual)

a. M2 - Incorporate recommendations the associate made but stress expected results.
b. M4 - Allow more time for her to work out her problems.
c. M1 - Take steps to produce results expected and supervise the individual closely.
d. M3 - Participate in a discussion of the problem with the individual but do not intervene directly.

Scenario #3: One of your direct reports has made a suggestion that makes sense to you. In the past, this individual has been able to implement other helpful suggestions in a productive manner with good interpersonal skills. What should you do? (M4 Individual)

a. M1 - Take charge of the suggestion and direct the individual in its implementation.
b. M3 - Discuss the suggestion with the individual but do not direct its implementation.
c. M2 - Discuss the suggestion with the individual but you set up the implementation for it.
d. M4 - Give the individual the responsibility of implementing the suggestion without any involvement from you.

Scenario #4: In the past, you worked closely with your assistant managers. Productivity was high and people got along well. Recognizing their abilities, you felt they could work alone so you redirected your energies to new areas. They have done well working on their own. Now, one person is having difficulties. What should you do? (M3 Individual moving to M2, so either an M2 or an M3 solution is acceptable.)

a. M1 - Redefine goals for the individual and see that objectives are met.
b. M2 - Discuss the situation with the individual, but direct that person's efforts toward solving the problem.
c. M3 - Discuss the difficulties with the individual and support that person's solutions and actions.
d. M4 - Allow the person more time to work out the difficulties alone.

Scenario #5: You have recently been appointed manager of an efficiently run store. The previous manager controlled the situation tightly. You want to maintain productivity but would like to begin getting the store associates more involved in decision-making. (Move an M2 Group to an M3 level so you would use an M3 solution.)

a. M3 - Encourage the associates to set their own goals and timelines but be available to provide verbal encouragement and support.
b. M1 - Emphasize the importance of goals and tasks to the associates.
c. M4 - Do not intervene for at least several months.
d. M2 - Involve the associates in decision making, but continue to monitor sales output.

Scenario #6: Some time ago, you formed a task force to investigate the use of a new receiving management procedure. After the investigation, the associates were so enthusiastic about the procedure that you allowed them to adopt and be responsible for the use of it. Initially, their performance and interest levels were high, but recently the group has seemed disinterested and unmotivated, and the use of the new procedure has been irregular and ineffective. (M3 Group moving back to M2, you should use an M2 strategy because production has declined.)

a. M4 - Do not intervene, since in time the situation is likely to improve.
b. M1 - Intervene quickly, and direct the use of the new procedure.
c. M3 - Get the group involved in a discussion of the procedure, but try not to be directive.
d. M2 - Incorporate all group suggestions and recommendations that are reasonable and then supervise the use of the new procedure.

Scenario #7: You have decided to consider a change in the work schedule in your store. It seems that the present schedule is not working as well as planned. Sales associates are well aware of the problem and are ready to suggest and try an alternate schedule. They are competent and work well together as a group. What should you do? (This is an M3 Group with a potential to fall back to M2, but they are competent so you should treat them as M3.)

a. M3 - Allow group involvement in developing the new schedule and support the suggestions of sales associates.
b. M2 - Incorporate group recommendations, but design and implement the new schedule yourself.
c. M4 - Allow the sales associates to formulate and implement the new schedule on their own.
d. M1 - Design the new schedule yourself. Direct implementation without sales associate input.

Scenario #8: A highly productive and efficient inventory management assistant has asked for you to help in a new project. Project goals are clear but problems have arisen and so the CFO has requested your help. (This is an M4 Individual who has moved to an M3 and is asking to be treated like an M3 because they need help.)

a. M1 - Redefine the inventory management assistant’s goals and set methods to achieve them.
b. M4 - Talk with the inventory management assistant, but take no definite action.
c. M2 - Work with the inventory management assistant in problem solving, but you determine and implement an appropriate solution.
d. M3 - Participate with the inventory management assistant in a discussion of the problems but allow him/her to implement any solutions.

So, how did you do?
I hope I managed to provide you with some ideas to improve your leadership abilities and you now feel more comfortable in your task. Practice the new techniques every day with your staff, your children, your spouse and anyone else you deal with and analyze the outcome to see what works for you and what doesn’t. And if you want to learn more about leadership, here is a list of books that you might want to read. I am not sure I would pack them in my bag on the way to the beach but you never know! They might inspire and energize you and get you ready for when you go back to your store. Enjoy it!

Additional Reading

• One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard (Morrow, 1982) (This is a MUST read for yourself and all your managers!)
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey (Simon and Schuster, 1989)
• On What Leaders Really Do, John P. Kotter (Harvard Business Review Press, 1999)
• Personal Accountability, John G. Miller (Denver Press, 1998)
• The Sixty-Second Motivator (Dog Ear Publishing, 2006)

Jim Dion, founder and president of Chicago-based Dionco Inc., is an internationally known consultant, keynote speaker, trainer, and author of the best-sellers Retail Selling Ain’t Brain Surgery, It’s Twice As Hard, and Start and Run a Retail Business. His newest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store, is available at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.dionco.com

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