NUMILL LTD

Numill Ltd.

Numill Ltd.

Problem Definition

The engineering team at Numill Ltd. (NL) is dissatisfied due to the management style of Mr. McGowan (McG). This highly supervised environment is resulting in low productivity within the engineering department. Mr. Sullivan (NL) needs to address these issues with McG immediately.

Problem Analysis

At NL there is a clash in leadership styles. NL would be considered "conventional/polite" while McG has a more "aggressive/argumentative" style. This variation in leadership styles is resulting in decreased satisfaction and productivity of the engineers at NL. McG seems to be unaware of this dissatisfaction amongst the engineering team.

McG has 10 years experience in the military. He practices a theory "X" style of leadership. He uses a domineering approach to ensure NL runs like clockwork. Through his three approaches to management; meetings, memo's and visits, he ensures his systems and procedures are followed. McG's micro-management is ultimately causing a discrepancy between the required and emergent systems at NL.

McG has acceptable informational and decision making abilities but his interpersonal skills need some help. He is highly focused on cost and quality control and less focused on the "soft" skills of management. Rarely does he adapt his leadership style using the same directive method with all employees at NL. He fails to establish relationships with the front line workers and, in turn, appears condescending to some employees.

NL uses a participative management style, practicing what he learned in his training. He is more of a transformational leader, which is clearly a conflicting management style to McG. Because of this, NL is feeling pressure and self-doubt. He is relatively new to his position and is still unsure how to handle the differences he is facing with McG. NL is scared of McG and this intimidation is being reflected to his subordinates.

NL was not hired for fit with the organizational culture. It is possible that with an MBA he's over-qualified for the position. He has recently hired Tobins and Michael who are also not well suited to the NL environment. Tobins and Michael now have high informal influence within the group of engineers. They have gotten the rest of the team together to push Sullivan to confront McG, the common enemy.

McG wants NL to rule with an iron fist, this is not NL's style. McG sees NL's management style as fancy textbook ideas, showing little respect for his training and credentials. Sullivan is quickly losing respect and influence because he doesn't set enough guidelines for his employees. He's a weak leader and is he giving the engineers a lot of freedom. Without the power to give this freedom, he's sending mixed messages to his employees.

The Engineering team doesn't like the military style management of McG. Because of this confining atmosphere, NL is having a hard time keeping and attracting good engineers. The people in engineering positions prefer big donut jobs. Engineers have high job ownership and need more autonomy to perform their required tasks. At NL they design custom made trucks and need some room to be ...