Rookie

This is a no win situation for not only for the project team and its new manager, but for Driscoll as organization and Hybara the customer due to the lack of leadership toppled with a drastically reduced project timeline with high customer’s expectation that may not be feasible to meet.

Beginning with the project team, although they have been working together and function as team, they have lost a leader who knew the company, its products and processes leave; due to the reorganization of company and new reporting structure. The team is now being managed by one of their peers, Kristen who received the promotion based on her technical abilities. Although Kristen posses the technical abilities and skill sets, she is in the beginning stages transitioning from a peer to manager, which requires establishing a new relationship with the team. As well as, building new leadership and management skill sets,

Kristen needs mentoring either from Tim or another management team member who can work with her on fostering leadership skills. Rather than giving Kristen the direction to address the project team by herself; Tim should have taken the lead to address the project team. In doing so, Tim could have explained Driscoll’s financial position and the need for Hybara project with the shortened timeframe, in addition addressing the holiday schedule and the previously granted vacations. He then would have an opportunity to ask the team for their feedback and recommendations on how to accomplish this project, given the shortened timeframe.

The key factor here is that Tim, the unit head appears to be disconnected from the project team and would prefer to manage from a distance or perhaps he does not want to be perceived as the “bad guy” by the team. Yet, it is obvious that Tim wants to look good in the eyes of the Driscoll senior management team, when he contemplates on whether or not to bring in the former manager of the project team as a consultant for the Hybara project....