1. What strategies would you implement with your employees to ensure they are able to adapt and match your contingency leadership style? You mention feedback and goals, is there any training and development which might make a difference?
I would give each member a different task to complete each day until I have accumulated enough information of each team member, I will assign them to the task group that best fits with their work ethics, strengths, and interaction with others. I would have each team member to set short term goals that they could accomplish in a given amount of time. This will give me a more cohesive team that would be more productive. I would meet with them twice a month to get feedback on their progress and to discuss any issues that have occurred, and how they can be fixed. Also, I would set up workshops and/or seminars with certain venders to get the latest innovations and up to date procedures that my team and I would attend to further their training and knowledge. By doing this, it would benefit the organization because the employees will be more productive and moral would be up.
2. Did you all read about the different types of power? The text describes 5 types, Legitimate, coercive, reward, expert and referent (Robbins & Coulter, 2012, ch.17). I think this is very true, and it was the thing I most struggled with when I first became a manager. Up until then, I was able to take my time gaining peoples following. Before people such as technicians were willing to follow, I relied on the manager to enforce it. After some time to get to know them, usually a month or two, I had power even though I did not have legitimate power. When I became a manager, I had legitimate power, I needed to use it, but I didn't know how. I still think the other forms of power are more important, because they are following by their own choice. But, legitimate power is important, and it's difficult for a new manager to wield it and at the same...