Analysis of a Leader's Performance

1. What are the main issues in the case (underlying causes of problems) 

There are various underlying causes of the problems associated with this case study. The first issue would be inefficiencies in production lines. The lines utilize a mix of older and new equipment, as well as skilled labor. Newer pieces of equipment receive more engineering aid than older pieces, which can cause hindrances in production. Although Lee is a good manufacturing manager, his leadership tactics also lead to some issues. For instance, he focuses primarily on unfavorable outcomes against monthly objectives, instead of positive progression towards goals. Additionally, he allocates less time for aiding experienced managers and focuses mainly on “rookie” hires. Moreover, Lee’s management style results in his involvement mostly occurring given there is an incident or issue. Ed, his area manager, reports that there appears to be a lack of trust between him and Lee; Lee often asks him questions about slight variances, in a way which seems to be questioning his knowledge. This, along with the constant communication of primarily negative feedback, dissuades him from asking questions and continuing correspondences with Lee. The three area managers report that the constant negative feedback could be a nuisance and result in lower morale. Lee also categorizes his managers in terms of “outstanding performers” and “adequate performers.” Although it may not be intended, this characterization can impact the meaningful interactions between him and his managers.

2. What are Lee’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader?

Lee’s strengths as a leader include his creativity, his willingness to solve problems, and his ability to listen to those that he works with. He also manages people differently based on his perceptions of their performance as workers; he is adaptable and can take more of a “hands-on” or “hands-off” approach based on their efficiency, productivity, and ability to complete tasks. However, this adaptability in leadership strategies can also be a weakness: some workers may perceive him as a micromanager, or feel as though he does not give adequate space for workers to come up with their own solutions. Furthermore, Lee is less likely to focus on improvements, instead focusing on unfavorable outcomes, which can decrease morale. One of his workers stated that his solutions can be out of date in terms of how the line runs and how the process works, and that he is often too busy for open discussions. His unavailability towards open discussions can inhibit collaboration among the team members, especially when he relies on spoon-feeding his own solutions to those that he works with.

3. What are the lessons you gleaned from the case that apply to you?

There are valuable lessons to be learned from both Lee and Ed in this case. In many ways, Lee seemed to uphold a bias about a manager's ability before allowing a manager to prove himself. Lee also created an environment that was not conducive to learning or asking questions. Lee shows the errors in management and how not being perceptive to others' opinions and ideas will create a hostile environment for some employees. Effective leaders should have an equitable collaborative approach when working with others. Also, as a leader you need to be a point of reference to answer questions and welcome feedback. Another skill Lee lacked was not providing positive feedback to those he deemed as underachievers. Ed and Don often felt that no matter what they did, it was wrong, with achievements going unnoticed. Not instilling motivation in others can reduce morale and reduce production efficiency. On the other hand, Ed provides insight on how to not handle a situation when you deal with a leader like Lee. Ed decided to stay under the radar in his first 6 months and did not make an effort to excel at his role. Ed could have used this time to establish himself as a reliable and innovative manager to Lee, which could have changed the biases Lee had towards Ed. Leadership requires innovation, willingness to learn, interactive discussion, and positive motivation. As seen in this case, without these qualities, productivity is greatly reduced.