real business

Real Business

It can be difficult for a business to improve how it operates from
inside the organization. Sometimes, an outside perspective is needed.
The large discount retail store you work for wants to improve its
in-store restaurant management team.

Your Role

Companies like Target and Walmart often work with outside
consultants—people who are not employees of the company but who are
hired on a contract basis to help with a specific project. As a
Leadership Consultant, you’ve been hired by a large discount retail
company to help the company improve its leadership structure and
approach to management.

WHAT IS A LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT

A leadership consultant is a person called in to a company, be it a
large corporation or a small business, to evaluate how it operates and
make recommendations for improvement. Leadership consultants are
typically hired when a business is struggling and needs to make changes
in order to remain profitable. Such consultants are often highly
educated in the field of business and have experience in managerial
roles.

INSTRUCTIONS

Step1: Organizational Structure

Take a look at the Organization Chart provided by the company.

• Based on your knowledge of hierarchies, would you say that this team
  has tall structure or flat structure? Explain your answer in 1-3
  sentences.

Step 2: Human Resources

The company would like to improve the culture of its team and the
quality of its work. Its leadership has provided you with a Process
Chart detailing how it currently applies Human Resources best practices.

• What step of the Human Resources Cycle is missing? In 2-5 sentences,
  explain why it is important to include this part of the process.

Note: You should complete Step 3 after reading the material in Week 9.

Step 3: Leadership Style

You have been asked to help improve the leadership style of the team
leader in order to meet the team’s performance goals. The team leader
has given you a description of what is most comfortable in terms of
leading others.

• Identify this leader’s style of leadership, and list two benefits and
  two drawbacks to that style as it relates to the performance of the
  team.