Planning And Leading A Complex Team Activity Essay

Be adapted to plan a complex squad drillSince Malta joined the European Union in 2004, the free movement of goods and go within the community, brought about through constituentship, has re-defined the roles and alliances between suppliersand retailers. It has whence become show upively common for retailers to bypass importers/suppliers and purchase directly from the source. In the mean season, Malta being a country with express mail natural resources, a favourable climate and foresightful history, Maltas economy has traditionally been highly dep dyingent on tourism. As a direct result of the underway global recession, the number of tourists see our island is expected to decline over the following 5 years. This set glum an alarm to all importation and tourism dependent cable organizativirtuosos causing them to check into their origin strategy and pick out additional business opportunities.My line of business is the importation and dispersal of silver filigree jefo untainheadery to retail outlets, which channelize mainly tourists, and summer accounts for about 80% of my total business. So, after I experienced slower than prior years growth in sales last year, I started giving serious accountation to inauguration a single or chain of retail outlets. My primary intent was to deliver my products to tourists directly and at the same time promoting my products instead of relying on my retail competitors to do it.My greatest concern at premier(prenominal) was how to contend with the re consummation of loyal retail clients to this proposed untested strategy. Will they sboulder clay be resulting to purchase goods form me once they perceive me as a competitor instead of a reliable partner? However, eliminating the middle soul should almost double my gross profit margin as well as supplys me with greater control of my own destiny. In sound out to go down this path I will overly bedevil to consider the capital investment which will be requir ed and the increase in operating costs this change in strategy will set about about.My experience as an entrepreneur has taught me that the competitive analysis of a business plan should be a statement of the business strategy and how this relates to the competition. My objectives therefore includedidentifying the strengths and weaknesses of my competitors within the market, as well as strategies that will provide an spring to develop and prevent my competitors from increasing their market helping, and distributively weakness that tidy sum be exploited through product development.When I discussed my concerns with my monetary consultant he suggested that I should conduct a feasibility stock away out front embarking on a major change in strategy, and to ascertain that it will be bear fruit for at least ten (10) years. When the study was completed it resulted that, not only was it necessary to adopt this strategy, but that it should in addition increase profitability on the gigantic run. I then proceeded to put down together a five year business plan which set the need to open at least quaternary retail outlets during the first two years after implementation. However, in order to implement the unused business strategy without disrupting the ongoing trading operations, a qualified enter palmr had to be identified and recruited in order to malarkey this enter. Once this someone was on board, his or her primary objective would be to create and manage the expansion of my business into retail with minimal negative impact on the existing import/distribution business.A New working class passenger vehicle was indeed recruited and his first recommendation was to operate the saucily retail business through a subsidiary entity in order to insulate the already established import and distribution business. He then also proposed desktop up a special squad, do up of five somebodys already employed in the existing composition, which he would chair, and would be actively pertain in creating an action plan leading to the opening and operations of four retail outlets and an organisational structure for the operations of this modern subsidiary. This included setting up separate sales, marketing, IT and administration divisions with each division head reporting to an operations manager. My own role would be expanded to that of shadow director of the new subsidiary in order to minimise the risk of damaging our relationship with existing retail clients. Therefore, the four individualswho were selected to be part of this new figure group included one person from each of the four divisions of the current business operations.Re-engineering an already profitable business organisation naturally involves risk. However, if mightily managed this will be a calculated one as long as all potential obstacles should be anticipated and properly dealt with. I have learned in the past that whoever is not willing to take risk is not a good lead er. To win without risk is to persist without glory (Pierre Corneille, Pratt, J, J, 2009).One of the cornerstones of the new retail operations is to create consent for all four outlets. This included consistent decor, same opening and cloture times and days and staffed by smartly dressed sales staff. The action plan created by the new bedevil team listed the need to identify the locations of the four stores as top priority and that negotiating leases would be the responsibility of the estimate manager. The plan also called for staffing each store with two sales assistants and one store manager. The marketing department would be staffed by one individual to start and the administration department would require a full time human resources professional and one part-time person. This meant that we needed to recruit 15 new employees to progress up four sales teams and support for these. The set out IT managers role would be expanded to support the requirements of the new subsidiar y. It will be necessary however to out-source the initial set-up and consolidation of the new subsidiary operations into the existing IT organisation and therefore create a centralised data base for all the silver items for all the surfs to have access to all stocks. This would enable shops to offer customers special high look upon items which they do not typically stock in their outlet.Be able to communicate information on the action mechanism to your team.The new project team was scheduled to meet each Tuesday and Thursday of each week from 8.30am till 10.30am. Minutes of each run into were kept and shared at the set about of each meeting with each team extremity. The team chairperson met with me every Friday from 8.30am till 10.30am to keep meupdated on progress and to obtain my feedback. This helped to set a clear framework for all the activities, roles, tasks and finales set by the team.Each team particle was chosen to fill a specific role in order to achieve our fin al objective based on their expertise and experience. The first team meeting was attended by myself, the New Project theatre director and the five team members. After introducing the New Project Manager to the team I briefed them on the purpose and aims of this new business activity and provided them the opportunity to ask questions, make either comments and even raise any concerns.The team member from the Sales Division was assigned the responsibility to make recommendations relating to the ideal locations and optimal size of the four shops, as well as the desirable qualifications of the retail Sales staff. Recommendations had to be both realistic and achievable, winning into consideration the high cost of retail space on the island and the limited number of applicants which would be available to choose from.The team member from the merchandising Division was assigned the responsibility to create an image of the retail shop network as well as to propose a three year advertisin g plan mainly aimed at tourists. Cost projections were to be presented with these recommendations and these had to be in conformity with the resources budgeted for this activity.A member from Finance was also selected to be included in this team. Finance was to first develop a detailed budget for this project which I had to approve. All expenditures related to this project were to be accounted for separately in the finance system in order to closely monitor the project activities. These costs were to be treated as nonrecurring in order to keep them separate from ongoing operations. The Finance team member was also required to set up a financial system for the new subsidiary, separately from the current financial system. However, the two systems were to be compatible in order to facilitate periodic consolidation.The team member from Administration was also responsible for human resourcematters. This team member was assigned the task of searching for the stores to lease in accordance locale recommendations made by sales team member. Human resources were asked to develop an organisation chart for the new subsidiary, preparing job descriptions for the prospective employees, designing vacancy notifications and interviewing prospective candidates.The IT team member would be responsible for identifying the hardware and software requirements for the integration of the subsidiary into the existing IT system. Input from the Sales and Finance team members were circumstantial in identifying specifications required and preparing requests for quotations from at least three different suppliers for the learning and installation of these services and hardware.Each team member was required to provide a weekly update on their assignments to be presented at each meeting. Every communication needed to be clear and supported by a task chart. Each team member was also wedded the opportunity to ask for more details if they were not clear on some topic or if they felt that one mem bers actions conflicted in any way with their own plans. For example, it was proposed by the Sales team up member that the shop assistants would need to prepare an order at the end of each week to replenish their stocks. The IT team member had proposed an automated system to do this instead.Be able to review own ability to lead a team through a complex activityThis system, though slow to yield results in the beginning, worked well and continued to improve as each member saw how their role and contribution fit into the boilers suit objective. The New Project Manager made sure that each member felt empowered and accountable for his or her role in the project and, as importantly, that the entire team would take credit for the success of the project, not just the team manager. This helped build up team spirit and made every team member feel committed to make the project a complete success.Each team members progress report was matched to the master time chart priorto my weekly meeting with the New Project Manager who also came prepared with proposed solutions to solve any deviation from the plan. Once we agreed on the solutions, these were communicated to the team members at the next Tuesday team meeting.In order to effectively manage a team, such(prenominal) as the one assembled for this complex activity, motivating the team had to be a leaders top priority. This was achieved by encouraging their participation and asking each member to share their ideas during team meetings. A leaders role is that of facilitator and coordinator, allowing each team member to take responsibility for their share of the full task and obtaining their commitment to deliver. A leaders potential is therefore judged by the success of the team in achieving a goal such as the one at hand, namely to set up a chain of four retail outlets to compliment the import and distribution business.BibliographyPratt, J, J, 2009. Turtle on a Fence Post Wisdom Graduates fatality to Make It in the Real World, 365 Days of Life Lessons. 1st ed. UK insurance premium Publishing House, 2009.