Question

You used to be the star manager for Brownies International. But a new manager, Maggie, in the marketing department has been accomplishing everything expected of her and excelling all of her goals. Meanwhile your manager Jacob has been sabotaging you. For example, Jacob moved $60,000 from your budget to Maggie's department. Your team couldn't complete everything within budget even after they had renegotiated prices and worked a ton of overtime. And Jacob has been meticulously chipping away at your staff and budget ever since. Although you've been able to meet most of your goals with less staff and budget, Jacob has continued to slice away resources from your group. Just last week he eliminated two positions in your team of six to make room for a marketer and some extra software for Maggie. Jacob is clearly taking away your resources while giving Maggie whatever she wants and more. You think it's time to do something or soon you won't have any team or resources left.  

Using this assignment prompt below, you have determined that you want to speak with your manager regarding your concerns. In this paper, you will need to write down how you will approach the conversation, what your objective for the conversation is, what your key points will be, and what you believe the benefit to the manager making the changes will be. As there are no right or wrong answers, please take time to consider how you will approach this if you were really in this situation.  

Answer 1

I will approach the conversation with my manager (Jacob) in a matter of fact manner. My approach will be straightforward and I will apprise him of the situation that my team as facing and how the situation is affecting my team’s productivity and efficiency in a negative manner and how this will be detrimental to the overall interest of the company in the long run.

The objective of the conversation will be to inform Jacob that it is increasingly become difficult for the team to function properly in the wake of resource constraints that it is facing. There has been a budget cut and a removal of two positions from the team and although the team has been able to manage somehow till now any further resource cut and constraint being put on the team will derail its efficiency, productivity and capability altogether. The key points will focus on these aspects and the importance of maintaining the required base of manpower and monetary budget for enabling the team to function properly and to achieve the goals and objectives of the company in an optimal manner.

The benefit to the manager from making these changes and implementing them will be that the efficiency and productivity of the team will increase and this will reflect well in the capability of Jacob (the manager) himself. Senior manager will take cognizance of the fact that efficiency of my team has increased as a result of Jacob’s interventions and work. This will help Jacob to showcase is abilities and capabilities to the senior management and this may help to accelerate Jacob’s career progress within the organization.