Management Problem Final Essay

Military Women’s Association Management Solutions

Introduction

Problem solving is a daily practice for all managers. Some managers are naturally effective problem solvers while others require training and experience in various scenarios and the use of resources. According to Hicks (2017), when faced with a problem, there are three things that people tend to do: the wish it would just disappear because they are outside of their comfort zone; they are afraid to decide because it may be wrong; or they try to point the finger on someone so that the blame and focus is shifted to them. Comment by Author: Good inclusion of reference support

As a manager or director of any organization whether a profit or non-profit organization, identification of solutions to problems and challenges facing the organization is key to its success. The Military Women Association has its problems that as a department manager, I need to handle. However, in this situation, I am concentrating on identifying a solution to a single problem. The problem under consideration in this document is an uncooperative employee. The employee in question here has experience to the extent that relieving her of her duty will impact the organization negatively and can even result to collapse of the organization. Before settling on the relieving her of the responsibilities, I need to consider the alternatives that exist for me as a manager. Comment by Author: Be careful of the use of first person, instead simply make it a statement. i.e. there are issues/problems that need to be addressed … Comment by Author: Re previous commetn Comment by Author: Re previous comment

Steps to identifying solution

Problem Identification

Hicks (2017) discusses seven steps for effective problems solving in the workplace: identify the issues; understand everyone’s interests; list the possible solutions; evaluate the options; select an option or options; document the agreement; and agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation. To add to this, Llopis (2013) also includes: transparent communication; break down silos (boundaries); open-minded people; and a solid foundational strategy. Comment by Author: Good foundational statements supported with references, provides a sound basis for the discussion

For this case, the problem is the fact that the person currently in charge of the association history department is not cooperative and makes no proper communication to the organization and the other team members. So the problem, in this case, is communication breakdown and uncooperativeness. When there is a lack of proper communication and timeliness from the history department, it becomes very difficult for the organization to achieve one of its primary functions. As a manager, I need to take this organization forward, and the history department needs to properly function to do that.

Understanding her interest

The next step is to understand her interest. She has been working for two organizations in the same capacity. I need to get an understanding of why she chose to do that. It may be possible that she wants to leave this organization soon, but will not say that; or she wants to have more recognition by working for the other organization as well; or she really loves what she is doing and is unable to see the damage that she is doing to the organization. The next thing to consider is if she wants to leave our association and what could be the possible cause. For example, maybe there is a problem with another member or she is just tired of the organization and wants to change. If she does not want to leave the organization, then what is her interest in the two organizations? If any of these is not the cause of the uncooperativeness and improper communication issue, then what could be the cause? After an interview with her, however, I realized she is not having the intention of leaving the organization. I need to find a solution to the issues of improper communication and uncooperativeness.

Possible solutions to the problem and the analysis

One solution to the problem is relieving her of her duty. This could be a straightforward thing to do if there was an adequate replacement. According to the association’s by-laws, the position needs to be filled by a member of the Association. This implies that there has to be training for one of the selected members to replace her in the position. Again, if the option is considered, it will take a relatively long period for that individual to understand the position fully and more efficiently perform the work. The next option is to train her on interpersonal and communication skills. This can be done through workshops and other social seminars. Training her on the interpersonal and relationship skills will help her understand the effect of her behavior on the other members and the association as a whole. Again, the organization will have maintained all the experience she has, hence the performance will not be affected. During her seminar, she will be leaving the minor responsibilities to her assistant and the assistant will be gaining some experience. It is also through her training that she will learn how to plan her work schedule well so that her work in the other association does not affect her performance in this association (Hicks, 2017). This type of training would most likely cost money and that association would need to approve the budget for it. Comment by Author: Key identification of possible solution Comment by Author: Key identification of possible solution

Another option is to give her the option to choose between this organization and the other one she is working for. This option has its drawbacks. One is there is a possibility her uncooperativeness and improper communication skills are not related to the other job but her nature. Again, she may choose the other organization out of feelings of being dictated or frustrated. Comment by Author: Rephrase for clarity, meaning, sentence structure, etc.

Chosen option/solution to the problem

After the identification of the problem and understanding and evaluating the possible solutions, I am going to go with this third option; remove her position because it is no longer needed and place her in a different position in the history department, if she will settle for this. If she will not, she can choose to leave the organization or just not hold a position in the organization. The position is currently supervised by a person who is new to the department, but does have a background in history and historic item preservation. This person will take the lead and communicate with the older member to ensure that timelines are met and there is communication between the department and the board of directors. If the ladies are able to work together and the older member will share her knowledge, it will benefit the organization in the long term.

References Hicks, T. (2017). Seven Steps for Effective Problem Solving in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.mediate.com/articles/thicks.cfm Llopis, G. (2013). The Four Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/11/04/the-4-most-effective-ways-leaders-solve-problems/#5cb9735a4f97.