Recently,Kathy Smith, a project manager for a large industrial construction organization, was assigned to oversee a multi-million–dollar chemical plant construction project in Southeast Asia. Kathy had earned this assignment after completing a number of smaller construction assignment in North America over the past three years. This was her first overseas assignment and she was eager to make a good impression, particularly given the size and scope of the project .Successfully completing this project would increase her visibility within the organization dramatically and earmark her as a candidate for upper management. Kathy had good project management skills; in particular, she was organized and highly sel –motivated. Team members at her last two project assignment used to joke that just trying to keep up with her was a full-time job! Kathy wasted no time settling in to oversee the development of the chemical plant. Operating under her normal work approach, Kathy routinely required her staff and the senior members of the project team to work long hours , ignoring  weekend breaks if important milestones were coming up ,and generally adopting a round –the –clock work approach for the project .Unfortunately, in merely expecting her team ,made up of local residents, to change their work habits to accommodate her expectations ,Kathy completely misread these individuals. They bitterly resented her overbearing style, unwillingness to consult them on key questions ,and aloof nature. Rather than directly confront her ,however, team members began a campaign of passive resistance to her leadership. They Would purposely drag their feet on important assignment s or cite in insurmountable problems when none, in fact ,existed. Kathy’s standard response was to push herself and her project team harder ,barraging subordinates with increasingly urgent communications demanding faster performance. To her bewilderment, nothing seemed to work. The project quickly became bogged down due to poor team performance and ended up costing the project organizational large penalties for later delivery. Kathy night have had many traits that worked in her favor, but she was seriously lacking in the ability to recognize the feelings and expectations of others and take them into considerations. Discuss how Kathy lacked sufficient emotional intelligence to be effective in her new project manager assignment. Of the various dimensions of emotional intelligence, which dimension(s) did she appear to lack most? What evidence can you cite to support this contention?

Management, Loose-Leaf Version
13th Edition
ISBN:9781305969308
Author:Richard L. Daft
Publisher:Richard L. Daft
Chapter10: Designing Organization Structure
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Recently,Kathy Smith, a project manager for a large industrial construction organization, was assigned to oversee a multi-million–dollar chemical plant construction project in Southeast Asia. Kathy had earned this assignment after completing a number of smaller construction assignment in North America over the past three years. This was her first overseas assignment and she was eager to make a good impression, particularly given the size and scope of the project .Successfully completing this project would increase her visibility within the organization dramatically and earmark her as a candidate for upper management. Kathy had good project management skills; in particular, she was organized and highly sel –motivated. Team members at her last two project assignment used to joke that just trying to keep up with her was a full-time job!

Kathy wasted no time settling in to oversee the development of the chemical plant. Operating under her normal work approach, Kathy routinely required her staff and the senior members of the project team to work long hours , ignoring  weekend breaks if important milestones were coming up ,and generally adopting a round –the –clock work approach for the project .Unfortunately, in merely expecting her team ,made up of local residents, to change their work habits to accommodate her expectations ,Kathy completely misread these individuals. They bitterly resented her overbearing style, unwillingness to consult them on key questions ,and aloof nature. Rather than directly confront her ,however, team members began a campaign of passive resistance to her leadership. They Would purposely drag their feet on important assignment s or cite in insurmountable problems when none, in fact ,existed. Kathy’s standard response was to push herself and her project team harder ,barraging subordinates with increasingly urgent communications demanding faster performance. To her bewilderment, nothing seemed to work. The project quickly became bogged down due to poor team performance and ended up costing the project organizational large penalties for later delivery. Kathy night have had many traits that worked in her favor, but she was seriously lacking in the ability to recognize the feelings and expectations of others and take them into considerations.

  • Discuss how Kathy lacked sufficient emotional intelligence to be effective in her new project manager assignment.
  • Of the various dimensions of emotional intelligence, which dimension(s) did she appear to lack most? What evidence can you cite to support this contention?
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