Barbara Norris Case Analysis

Business Leadership

Barbara Norris Case Analysis

Section: 6 Group: 4

Q1 How well has Barbara Norris done in her first month as nurse manager of GSU? Was she a good choice for the position?

Amid her first month as nurse manager of GSU she attempted to understand the operation of new unit and see how distinctive it is from her old trauma unit. She was a good choice for the position for the accompanying reasons: 1. She made use of her past experience and learnings from her earlier manager to begin implementing the necessary changes which were required. 2. She implemented an open communication channel by running an offsite. 3. She listened to the issues persistently and included the staff again in coming out with solutions to the problems 4. She assured the staff that she is going to include them in the decision making process going ahead and they will have more say in the working of the unit. 5. She took anonymous feedbacks which drew out the real sentiments of the staff & also read aloud their responses and requested their remarks which is again including the staff in the whole process 6. She watched each of her staff and had a perspective about every individual this helped her in keeping track of each individual and assist whenever necessary 7. She recorded every one of the issues recognized by the staff and began to work on it and also acknowledged that her ex-incumbent did not keep up some of the vital management tools like formal review records and informal check-ins and decided to maintain it to build cohesion and better resolution of problems going ahead. 8. She also announced the commencement of a monthly best staff this was to recognize the efforts of the employees and motivate them to perform better

Q2 What changes is she trying to make and why? 

Increase Motivation among staff

 

Increase interpersonal bonding between peers Change of performance review procedures

The staff is expected to focus their efforts on those tasks that will provide them desirable rewards. Once the staff achieves the expected performance, there aren’t any rewards that motivate them to continue these behaviours and collaborate with the team. Hence the staff needs to be continuously motivated to perform their tasks and collaborate. Another obstacle that Barbara has identified is the lack of intellectual transfer and training that goes on at GSU. Some staff members perform duties beyond their job descriptions while others don’t even perform their routine tasks. The more experienced staff should invest time in training the new staff. This should be included in the performance. Barbara must find a way to motivate her staff to put forth the effort that she wants to see. The employees need to view the outcomes or rewards as something positive for them and not a routine yearly process. As company is facing economic crisis and shortage in staff, Barbara will probably need to develop rewards that do not involve financial compensation or time off. The staff is looking for some recognition and constructive feedback, which could build an emotional connection among the members of the unit and which are within her power to provide even in difficult financial times. Q 3 What are the three obstacles that she should anticipate and how should she address them? Three obstacles: 1. Performance Review Nurses are frustrated that the performance review process is not fair and transparent. Barbara should get in touch with HR department and try to devise a transparent and fair review process and should communicate to all the nurses. By this she will regain the trust of all the employees. 2. Training program Barbara must organise training programs for new recruits and specialised programs for experienced nurses on how to work with advanced equipment. Motivational training should be included to keep employees motivated. This will improve team building and cohesiveness. 3. Goal setting Because of cost cutting measures in the organisations many changes were made in the system. Barbara should create new goals for her department. All the process and operations should align with the goals. A leader must set goals and

directions for sub ordinates. This will create transparent work environment and employee engagement. Q4. Please device an action plan for Norris based on the Kotter’s 8 steps for change. Action Plan: 1. Create Urgency: Barbara should get in touch with HR department and try to devise a transparent and fair review process to regain the trust of all the employees. She should try to create transparent work environment and increase motivation and interpersonal bonding among staff. 2. Form a powerful coalition: Identify change supporters and committed people from juniors and experienced staff who would lead the cause of change in the system. Barbara should motivate them to be face of change in the organization. 3. Create a vision for change: Find out how the new action plan will help to achieve the goals of hospital in a better way. Experienced staff has to lead from the front and motivate junior staff to help in implementing new action plan. 4. Communicate the vision: After implementing all changes in the procedures, it should be communicated to the staff during a meeting. Also, Barbara should make one of the experienced nurses supervisor who can check whether the new action plan is being implemented or not. 5. Remove Obstacles: Barbara has to make sure that the new plan is enforced strictly and issue warning to those people who are not collaborating or who are resistant to work according to new rules. If the employees still resist even after warning, she can take stricter action like termination of the employee to set an example. 6. Create short term wins: Identify the staff who achieves the targets according to new action plan and reward them. Publicly announce how their collaboration and teamwork helped whole staff in achieving their goal. This will motivate others also to achieve the goal and it will improve overall performances from the staff. 7. Don’t declare victory too early: Barbara should not be satisfied with the success of action plan in initial stages and should not become complacent. She should try to maintain the same level of enthusiasm in the employees for long term. 8. Anchor the changes in your department culture: Make teamwork and collaboration a part of culture. Every member of staff be it experienced or new should be willing to sacrifice his own goal for the team goal.