Page 75 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

74 Part 1 • Introduction
Practicing the skill you’re looking to expand your skills and meet a brand-new set
of challenges. However, you want to make sure you “fit” into
After spending your first three years after college graduation the organization where you’re going to be spending more than
as a freelance graphic designer, you’re looking at pursuing eight hours every workday. Write a brief paper describing how
a job as an account executive at a graphic design firm. You you would find a place where you’ll be happy and where your
feel that the scope of assignments and potential for technical style and personality will be appreciated.
training far exceed what you’d be able to do on your own, and

Speedy Car Wash Services, Inc. Experiential Exercise
To: Michelle Bradley, Employee Care Manager
From: Alex Bilyeu, President
Re: Creating a Fun Workplace

Michelle, I saw an article the other day explaining the results of bulleted list of ideas on how we can create a workplace here at
a survey that said only 8 percent of employers use fun to reduce Speedy that’s both fun and yet still focused on work. I’m sure
employee stress at work. That same article said that research you’ll have to do some research on this. And have fun with it!
has shown that people who have fun at work are more cre- This fictionalized company and message were created for educational
ative, more productive, work better with others, and call in sick purposes only, and are not meant to reflect positively or negatively on man-
less often. I’m sold! So how and where do we start? Get me a agement practices by any company that may share this name.

CasE applICatIon 1
#

Getting Back on Target

ou could say the tipping point for Target Corp. was the most exciting merchandisers were downplayed or ignored. For
Y massive credit-card hack in November. example, a plan to use mannequins in stores for the first time
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ever stalled after months of testing and review. Then came
• The biggest retail breach in U.S. history.
• Some 110 million customer records compromised. 41 the data breach, which affected both employee and customer
morale. The workplace culture at the company’s Minneapolis
Even before this major fiasco, however, things were not headquarters, already struggling, deteriorated even further.
good at Target, the nation’s second-largest retailer. The company In early May 2014, an anonymous mid-level employee
had lost its way under the leadership of former CEO Gregg at headquarters let loose a rant on Gawker that was aimed
Steinhafel. Target, a superb marketing machine, had always at the company’s leadership (Steinhafel) and the company’s
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been viewed as hip and “fun, fresh, and energetic.” But that future. The employee rant also described a culture that was
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wasn’t who Steinhafel was. As the former chief financial officer, very insular and resistant to change. Target’s chief market-
Steinhafel’s skills, personality, and demeanor set a tone that was ing officer, Jeff Jones, responded to the post. Although initially
numbers-driven, not people-driven. quite outraged, Jones responded
The culture he fostered at Target Bull’s-eye—Target’s Culture with honesty and openness. He
was one oriented around rigid per- acknowledged that a lot of work
formance measures. Creativity and needed to be done on the com-
quirkiness (remember the fun Target ads with the company’s pany’s cultural approach and a new truth created about what
mascot dog) were no longer rewarded or encouraged. Instead, Target is and what it stands for. Not long after, Target’s board
company buyers were less willing to take risks on the newest and fired Steinhafel. Although the company’s cultural issues and
most unique merchandise items, product vendors were pressured the massive data breach were partly the reason, there was
on costs, and things that used to make the company one of the other ample evidence that the organization’s performance was