Have We Got a Communication Problem Here?

HAVE WE GOT A COMMUNICATION PROBLEM HERE?

Introduction

In this case, Leffler (2000) lays out a situation where the leader is a bad one, and his employees recognize they are disrespected, and therefore treat him with no respect either.

Defining the Issue(s)

Jim Tuchman is head of American Airlines operations at Mexico City Airport, and has been transferred there from Dallas. He is 3 months in and thinks all of his employees don’t listen to him and don’t respect him, so he yells at them to do their jobs better. Employees are equally frustrated because Jim turned a peaceful work environment into an unhappy work environment where it’s actually affecting employees at home.

Analyzing the Case Data

Jim has changed not just airports, but he has changed cultures. What worked at an American airport may not work at a Mexico airport. He says he can’t communicate with his employees, so instead of trying better, he just yells and thinks it’ll get stuff done. Though he was brought on to tighten up the operation, he is obviously making it worse by not having any rapport with his new employees.

Generating Alternatives

It seems as the Jim doesn’t listen to his employees. It explains a lot because the case starts off with him yelling about not wanting to hear excuses, but the case never explains what the excuses were. He just yelled. He has to improve actually communication with his employees instead of just complaining about there not being any communication. If he gets to know his employees as people and gets to know the culture and how it works down there, then maybe he can use this as an opportunity to get things done, instead of making things worse.

Selecting Decision Criteria

Jim needs to improve efficiency like he did in Dallas for American Airlines. Employees aren’t efficient and timely when they’re miserable and getting yelled at. And bosses aren’t useful when their employees have a bad opinion about their leader. What needs to happen...