CASE ANALYSIS : The Team That Wasnt

By Erika Paraminda (29110310)

Case Background : Eric Holt : The new Director of Strategy at FireArt, Inc. a regional glass manufacturer in Indiana City. Career History, Eris is a former Vice President in Consulting Firm at New York and successfully manage 3 teams of manufacturing specialist. FireArt, Inc. A family-owned maker of wine goblets, beer steins, ashtrays, and other glass novelties had succeeded over 80 years as a high quality, high price producer, catering to hundred of Midwestern Clients. Revenue is $ 86 Million Dollars and $ 3 Million in earnings, 3 years before Eric arrive.

The Current Situation when Eric Arrives : FireArt, Inc. is in trouble In the last 3 months the sales has been flattened. Large National Glassmaking Industry begun to enter FireArt, Inc. niche market. This competitor has a superior resources and technology and within the time this competitor will dominate FireArt, Inc. market. Erics responsibility in this company is to put together a team of our top people, one person from each division, and have a comprehensive plan in for the companys strategic realignment up, running, winning within six months. Eric held four meetings, hes trying to get his new teams to make it through meeting without the tension level becoming unbearable. The six of top level managers involved seemed determined to change the company around, but the seventh seems equally determined to sabotage the process. The seventh manager is known as Randy Louderback.

Problem Statement : In this case we can see that FireArt, Inc, is having a crisis in the company because of theres no effective teamwork among the top level manager in FireArt, Inc. and every individual inside the top level management seems do not satisfied with their performance that resulted in the business performance where the sales has been flattened.

Actor-actor in this article :

1. Randy Louderback - Charismatic Director of Sales and Marketing in FireArt, Inc. - Has a tendency to dominated the group discussion and or withdrew entirely, (example : tapping his pen on the table to show off his boredom). - Intelligent, Energetic, Humored, Dynamic. - Had the best mind according to Jack Derry. - Hardscrabble, inspirational personal history, live poor when a child and have to struggle to earn education and graduate with top honors. Open his own business that in 1980 have a bankruptcy. - Has a believe that A Brilliant idea never came out of a team. Brilliant Ideas come from Brilliant individuals, who then inspire others in the organization to implement them.

Recommendation for Randy : According to Belbin Model, we can see that Randy is characterized as Shaper. A shaper tend to be challenging, a dynamic person but the negative side of this role Randy tend to offends other people feelings and prone to provocation. He is an important part of the team where sometimes he has a rational point of view and information. Randy need to overcome his negativism toward each member in the teams, he should try to understand that every members has a competency that can turn around the current condition of the company. He should be more open minded and can work in synergy with other members.

2. Eric Holt New person in the FireArt, Inc. His position is Director of Strategy. From the article we can see that Eric feel intimidated by Randy presence. Eric has an experience in consulting firm, but theres no record in management. Eric acts as an observer in the three meetings, observing every top level manager to see their attitudes and their influence to others. Eric as a Director of Strategy do not use much of his authority that come directly from the CEO, he tend to be an observer when in the meeting. He easily get distracted with Randy presence in the meetings that turn out ruining all of the agenda he had plan to be discuss in the meetings.

Recommendation for Eric : Eric has a responsibilities to put together a team that involve the top level manager in FireArt, Inc. in doing that he must start to be a leader in a meetings and lead an agenda

he had set up before. He must understand the triangle of relationship, and concern with three sets of relationship that is relationship to each members as an individuals, relationship to teams as a whole and each individuals relationship to team as a whole.

According to Belbin Model, Eric Holt can be categorized as a Team-worker, he is diplomatic, co-operative and listen to ideas from other members. Being a team-worker make him intent to avert friction. To overcome the situation in the company, Eric should try to discuss with each individual about the business progress, objectives, how this situation if kept by them can hurt the business performance. He should tell what his opinion and his thoughts to all of the members. Problem about Randy attitudes is come from his believe, he do not want to be in a Loser Team, he thinks that all of other members as a Loser. Eric has to make Randy aware that this team can win and overcome the company problems, and he also will get an effect if the strategy do not run well. Eric should improve the commitment of Randy of solving this company problem.

3. Ray LaPierre Do not confident among other top level manager due to his lack of higher formal education. He is a kind person with good jokes and hearty laughs and known among the workers in the factory. Intimidate by the team athmosphere, buthas a good career history that he is a Director of Manufacturing despite he only graduated from High School. Reccomendation for Ray : According to Belbin Model, Ray can be categorized as a Implementor, he is good in turning ideas in to action as we can read from the article that he want to present a cost cutting proposal. Ray should be more confident among the executives, he has a competencies that make him stood in his position now.

4. Maureen Turner A creative person, shes in the Design Division and before that she is an artist in FireArt, Inc. Has a believe that the company do not put any recognition to artist within the company, the company is lack of appreciation.

Recommendation for Maureen : Accordinf to Belbin Model, Maureen can be categorized as Plant, she is good in generating idea, she is a creative person, because her former position as an artist in the

company. But her second category is teamwork that can be seen that she aware of the needs of teamwork to solve this problem, Maureen should keep up her good work in the company.

5. Carl Simmons Has a position in FireArt, Inc. as a Distribution Editor. Carl is a quiet, meticulous man. In the third meeting he explains about the strategy to change the FireArt, Inc. position that near the downfall and the example of the success strategy that has been implemented. New to the company.

Recommendation for Carl : From the Belbin Model, Carl can be categorized as Complete Finisher because of his tendencies to search for an errors, Carl will not presented the same strategy if theres no successful implementation in this strategy. But this bright ideas, this good strategy will be useless if Carl cant motivate and inspire the other members, in order to do that Carl need to communicate with other members.

Recommendation to the Teams (as a whole) : From the article the problems that happening in the FireArt, Inc. according to Managing Teams : Forming a Team that Makes Difference article, can be concluded that the team fails to communicate in the meeting, lack of progress, trouble reaching consensus and unhealthy conflict between members. : 1. The teams need to create group norms for discussions in order to held an effective meeting, where theres no members that presented in the meeting is being interrupt. 2. Actively solicit views. 3. Some of the teams think that theres no need of consensus, so theres need to create an awareness that consist of this importance of consensus and the consequences of no consensus. 4. Eric need to use his authority as a team leader in the meeting and need to improve the team members awareness that all of their commitment are needed to make the strategy and bringing back company in to its competitive position successful. 5. Restate the company goals, objectives and asses what need to be done to achieved it, every members within the teams have commitment to achieve company goald and objectives..