At&t Dallas Works

Problem Statement

A quick Just-In-Time (JIT) team was formed within AT&T: Dallas Works in order to implement management's new JIT initiatives. Sandy Ward is concerned about the level of commitment and motivation the group displayed during the initial group meeting and the inability of the group to implement change.

Corporate Culture

Prior to the break-up of AT&T, the company was the major player within the communications market. The company was doing well and employee commitment was high due to their sheltered status. Following the break-up of the company that feeling of job safety was diminished when jobs were cut and plants were re-organized in order to remain competitive in the newly opened marketplace. The Dallas Works arm of AT&T specifically experienced a work force reduction of almost fifty percent in just a few short years. As a result, employee morale and commitment is very low.

With all of the change the plant has experienced the VABE's of the employee are being tested. With people, perception is everything. The employees that still remain at the Dallas Works have witnessed a lot of change. The employees are comparing all of the recent events to the current events. This comparison is generating mixed emotions and feelings throughout the work force.

With the recent introduction of Ken Wetherford as a senior manager within the plant, the employee's expectations may be that of more cutbacks or quite possible plant closure. They have witnessed first hand his fast paced style. The employees know Wetherford was put in place to revitalize operations. His style has proven he desires to implement change and do it in rapid fashion. As such, there is a great deal of uncertainty. The stakes are quite high. After all, equity is one the three main goals workers seek from their job. A part of equity includes job security. Due to the external environment that the Dallas Works is operating within, management has not been focused on seeing to meet that need for their employees. They too are concerned for their well being or job security.

The level of commitment being displayed by employees of the Dallas Works is currently at a low. This low commitment can also be tied to the culture that has developed within the plant. The employees at the Dallas Works have little faith in management. This lack of faith may be attributed to Management's lack of engaging in "MBWA"; Management By Walking Around. If management was taking an active role in day-to-day plant operations by mingling throughout the various shops, a sense of trust would develop between the employee and management and eventually relationships develop. MBWA allows management to have a "pulse" on operations. They have an understanding of the employee's motivators and VABEs. If management is not out and making a presence amongst the work force the connection is lost.

Wetherford's failure to encourage management to get a pulse on plant operations may prove to be his downfall. Wetherford is approaching the challenges facing him as if he were a first time manager. He is too eager to implement his plans to improve. This eagerness will not produce a quality product.

With the formation of the Quick JIT Team, Sandy Ward did little to help to ease the concerns of the group members. At the groups first meeting she failed to establish her credibility with the group. This failure created even more unease within the group. They had no clue as to whether or not they could trust her. Ward laid out very few details of what the group was assembled for. In addition, she laid out all of the negative aspects, i.e no pay raise, other than the extra monies associated with over time. This portion of her initial briefing demotivated the members by not playing to the economic model of motivation. If there is no monetary benefit to me being here, then why am I here? The message conveyed by Ward has definitely heightened an emotional response within the members of the team. In addition, the language she chose to use sends a fairly obscure signal to the membersÐ'... what is really happening here?

Change & Effective Leadership

If communication is not effective during times of change, valuable time will be lost attempting to discover what it is we are supposed to be doing.

Wethorford realized the necessity to call together his management team to follow through on the resounding changes he wanted to implement within the Dallas Works. The team came up with a list of valid action areas which required addressing. However, Wethorford still was not happy. He had a good list to use as a starting point to implement change. There was a logical process, there was joint thought utilized to build the program, there was a method provided for feedback and there was morale building events built into the plan. Unfortunately, Wethorford felt he had no time to get people to buy in to his vision. As such, he cast aside the plan laid out by his management team. Wetherford's opting to put aside this plan due to his haste showed poor leadership. He sent a clear messasge to his managers that their input did not matter. He wanted to "get people's attention" in a hurry.

When Wethorford appointed Ward as the Quick JIT Implementation Manager, there was not a clear communication exchange of expectations. Ward did not press Wethorford for details and request more participation from management

...