OL 500 Discussion 7 Kimberley Woodward
Let me lay the groundwork as to how scary it is when employees know that the possibility the
place where they work is in bankruptcy protection there is going to be a complete changeover
and management to try to save the company. As we learned in our text and dealing with these
situations that whatever power base the leadership subscribes to can either make or break a
situation. The toughest challenge was going and trying to calm people, alleviate their concerns.
This is where I used the charismatic power/personal power as a way in which to start the process
of working with the employees to have enough confidence that we were team and we were all
working for the same goal. Usually when I was brought in to see if I could save the building it
was after companies have tried other people first. I was a bit unconventional as some of the other
managers that they tried and I believe and shifting the power back to the employees where is
appropriate so there is empowerment and control where appropriate. The way I approached the
situation was to be completely honest and ask staff what they felt worked and what did not work
You cannot go into that type of situation as a jackbooted thug as I call it, manipulating coercion
all of the bad things that can really develop mistrust, coercive power from upper management at
times made situations much more difficult than they needed to be I view it as punitive power
because it had the power to punish or manipulate individuals. I did not stand for that at all, and
it was made abundantly clear to management and someone that they had brought and temporarily
from another facility managed to upset the applecart when I was out of the facility I want back in
and employees wound up tighter than an eight-day clock. They explain to me what Joyce had
done. I guess I'm guilty of using coercive power because I called the Chief Executive Officer of
the Company and said get her out of my building, she is upsetting the employees in this is
difficult as it is and I will not have my staff upset for no reason. Sadly, we were not able to save
the group home and I would allow employees to get phone calls about other potential
employment opportunities and Joyce refused to take messengers or let the employees take phone
calls, causing 2 of my employees to miss out on interviews with really great companies. Perhaps
in a skewed manner by assisting the employees once we knew we were closing that they could
get phone calls about potential interviews, it the interview happened on the day that they were
working that I would cover their shift while they did it. Maybe this could be read for to as reward
power. Reward power was also used that if employees stayed until our final day of closing,