"Mr. [Smith], Thank you for agreeing to introduce me to the New Product Development team.* Effective leadership will bring this product to the market in the next month. As the new project lead, I believe that it is important to establish quickly my credibility, trust, and respect with this high profile team. By clearly defining my role and authority, your support will help ensure our success.

"However, before we meet with the team, I would like to review my action plan with you. First, I intend to triage the situation. I do not need to understand all of the reasons for the team's dysfunction, but it is essential that the team recognizes a problem exists. I want to hear from them, both individually and as a team, that we have hit rock-bottom and it is time to pull together. I want to see their commitment and know they are willing to put forth the extra effort. If necessary, the team members may need to be changed and I will consider that option when I review the project's resource requirements.

"Secondly, I believe that it is vital for everybody to be on the same page with respect to the scope and amount of work that must be completed in the next 30 days. In other words, our expectations must be the same. Since they are the experts with this new product, we will develop a strategy to meet the original deadline as a group. We will define new tasks and due dates. We will reconstruct the original timeline, establish new milestones and determine the critical path necessary for project completion.

"Given the workload, I will review our staffing levels and determine whether additional resources will be required. Assignments will be based on competence and area of expertise; responsibility will be delegated based on experience and performance. Some of the activities niay be channeled to outside services or different teams, but I will try to keep the work m-house and the launch costs to a minimum.

"The re-organization process will take a few days. Once we are re-focused I will establish an improved system of communication. Effective communication can prevent unnecessary delays and stimulate team cohesiveness. Based on my past experiences, a visual system works best. People can quickly identify action items and response dates without spending extra time replying to emails or reading memos. I will develop charts, timelines, and a message board that will be displayed in my office and the team center. These visuals will also serve as good reminders for the team and they will be updated daily.

"Additionally, there will be a weekly review to measure progress and address new issues. The review will be brief, but highly focused. Each team member will be required to update the team on his or her activities, as well as provide feedback for the other team members. I will moderate the discussion to ensure that a healthy measure of creativity and collaboration exists. Often with high profile teams, this meeting becomes very dynamic and stimulating. You are invited to attend any one of the four reviews.

"Finally, throughout the week I will follow up with each team member to provide encouragement, motivation and accountability. I recognize that this action plan borders on micro-management, but until the team proves that they are capable of functioning together, or the deadline is met, I will monitor this project launch closely. You have asked me to bring this new product to market in less than a month. Thank you for your confidence in my abilities and our team. We will not let you down."

* The people and events described in this essay are more real than fiction. [Mr. Smith] is the President/CEO [Smith & Co. ], my current employer, and I was recently hired to coordinate activities between the New Product Development group and several manufacturing locations.

Критика

Отличительной частью этого эссе является то, что оно базирует на настоящих событиях. Оно занимательно тем, что в нем приведены примеры диалогов, что создает впечатление некой драмы. Автор доказал, что умеет ставить цели, выбирать приоритеты, руководить командой. Он умеет создавать культуру командной работы, планировать действия своей группы.