Week 2 Case Study – Leadership Andrew River

Week 2 Case Study – Leadership 

Read the following case study and answer the questions that follow. Analyse the case study in small groups and brainstorm on all possible answers. Full answers to the questions should be written individually. This is the second piece of writing for your assessment portfolio.

The Recreation Centre

Andrew Rivers, aged 36, has been the manager of a local government-owned recreation centre for about six months. Prior to this, he resigned from the British army after serving for 18 years, his last posting being a company commander on operational duties in Northern Ireland. He enjoyed his military career. He successfully completed the military staff college course and his superior officers considered that he would have eventually reached general rank. His decision to leave the army was largely a response to pressure from his wife and children, who had become unhappy with service life.

Andrew’s predecessor at the recreation centre, a former full-time tennis coach, had managed the centre for 12 years before moving to become the manager of a large leisure complex. For eight months between departure of the former manager and the arrival of Andrew, the 56-year-old deputy manager had been in charge. The deputy had managed in the informal style of the previous manager, allowing great freedom of action to the five assistant managers, who supervised the day-to-day activities of the centre.

The centre opens seven days a week between 9 am and 9 pm from March to October, and 10 am to 6 pm from November to February. At least two assistant managers are always on duty: one in charge of the swimming pool and the other are responsible to other activities. Each assistant manager learned all the tasks to be carried out and they organised themselves to ensure proper management coverage at all times. Although they were free to come and go as they pleased, the system worked well because on the few occasions when an assistant manager did not arrive for work, a colleague would readily substitute.

Morale at the centre has been low since Andrew became manager. In conversations with colleagues, all the managerial staff profess to being dissatisfied with the manner in which the centre is run. 

Andrew’s working relationship with the deputy manager got off to a bad start. In preparation for Andrew’s arrival, the deputy had the manager’s office redecorated and had a plate bearing his name. ‘ANDREW RIVERS’ attached to the office door. He arranged a wine and cheese lunch party, to welcome Andrew and to enable him to meet all the staff. Andrew cancelled the party because ‘he did not think it a good idea’ and told the deputy that he wished that he had thought to consult him about the colour of the office décor as he did not like the cream paint on the wall. Andrew had the nameplate removed and replaced by a plate bearing the inscription ‘MAJOR A D RIVERS, RA Retd’. The deputy who had worked amicably with the former manager, avoids Andrew and, when asked a direct question, his answers are always brief and sometimes hostile.

Andrew told the assistant managers that he was shocked by the informality and lack of discipline in their attitude towards their work and the lack of proper procedures for maintaining a roster showing which assistant managers were on duty. The assistant mangers pointed out that the informal arrangements worked well, as evidenced by the fact that there had never been an occasion on which the centre was inadequately staffed. Andrew disregarded this evidence and informed the assistant managers that in the future he would prepare a roster detailing them for duty and they were not to exchange duties without his authority. The assistant managers ignored Andrew’s instructions and made informal changes to his work roster. When Andrew inevitably realised that his instructions were no being carried out, he began to make periodic checks of which assistant manager was on duty. Andrew became angry when he discovered unauthorised changes, and heated conversations with the assistant mangers followed. The assistant managers began to refer to Andrew as ‘The Fuhrer’.

Ms Jean Morris, the county recreation manager, became aware of the problems that had arisen at Andrew’s centre. During a coffee break at a routine meeting of managers of recreation centres in the county, she drew Andrew aside and explained that she had heard through the grapevine that the staff at the centre were dissatisfied with the way in which Andrew made all the decisions for the centre. Andrew was noticeably surprised, ‘But I get paid to make the decisions’, he replied, ‘it’s my responsibility to decide how things should be done. I know morale is a bit low at the moment, but this is an initial reaction which will improve when the staff get used to the professional standards I insist on.’

Written Task 2: Case Study (400 words)

This piece of writing is based on the second formative task which assess student's understanding of suitable approaches to leadership and the traits of effective leaders. Written Task 2 requires student to complete 2 directed questions related to the case study material that build upon the formative task completed.

Questions

Evaluate the effectiveness of Mr. River's leadership approach in the con- text of the Recreation Centre.
Given what we know about gender differences in approach to leadership and management, should gender be a consideration in selecting leaders in the Recreation Centre? Justify your stance.