Question

Kaitlin is the sales manager at a lumber supply company, so successful in its geographic region that it employs 250 full-time workers and 50 part-time workers. In addition to selling lumber to builders, the company also makes steps, doors, deck material, and molding. Kurt, the CEO, asked Kaitlin if she would mentor Misty, a newly hired marketing researcher. Kurt explained to Kaitlin that the marketing research position is vital to the future of the company. He believes that the market for the company’s main product line is leveling off, and that a market researcher might be able to explore new markets and product expansion for the company.

Kaitlin said that she was eager to mentor Misty because she thinks that the new market researcher has considerable potential to help the company. Kaitlin said, “I’ve already begun mentoring Misty, and she seems receptive.” Three days later, Kaitlin met with Misty for the first mentoring session. The session included the following comments by Kaitlin:

“Misty, as your official mentor, I want you to do the following things. First, dress more professionally. It looks like you outfit yourself at stores for low-income people. I will recommend a few better stores for you in an e-mail. Second, I have a list of websites I want you to track every day. I have sent you an e-mail listing these sites because they are excellent for picking up marketing trends. Third, I want you to spend at least one day a week out in field speaking to new potential users of our products.”

Three weeks later, Kaitlin sent Misty a text message saying, “Report back to me immediately on your progress. Send me a summary of your website searches. Also, send me a few photos of any new office clothing you have bought.”

Later that day, Kaitlin sent Misty a brief text message that stated, “Remember to focus on your daily work tasks. Don’t be a dreamer.”

During lunch with Pete, the company information systems administrator, he asked Misty how she enjoyed being mentored by Kaitlin. Misty responded, “Did you say being mentored or being smothered?”

(3 Part Question)

1. What is your evaluation of the most likely effectiveness of Kaitlin's approach to mentoring?

2. What recommendations would you make to Kaitlin to improve her mentoring effectiveness?

3. What do you recommend Misty do to profit more from the mentoring and leadership provided by Kaitlin?

Answer 1

Please give a positive rating.

1. Kaitlin is following the ”autocratic leadership style” in which a leader forms the policies and procedures in order to direct the subordinates without having any advice from them.

From my point of view, this is an ineffective way of mentoring misty as the autocratic leadership style/attitude restricts the leader to get innovative ideas from the subordinates or the co-workers and this may also lead to conflicts in the workplace.

As this type of autocratic approach restricts approachability and also affects the working behavior of the subordinates which also negatively affects the performance of the newly hired workers.

2. I would recommend Kaitlin to adopt the ”Democratic leadership approach” as this will help in strengthening the Manager-subordinate relation. As better communication helps the newly hired workers to understand the work environment as well as enables the manager to express themselves and the organization’s goal in the correct way.

Better communication will also help Misty to approach Kaitlin whenever necessary which will help her to share her grievances at an early stage.

3. I would recommend Misty to understand the marketing trends from Kaitlin and in order to do so Misty have to go through the list of websites Kaitlin shared with her as they are excellent for picking up marketing trends.

From my point of view, I believe that even though Kaitlin follows the autocratic approach but still she is more experienced than Misty and knows the business environment and marketing strategies and market trends better than her and following her instructions may help Misty to become a better and skillful market researcher.