Assignment # 3: Technical Definition and Description Overview Technical professionals are often

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022) Case Study Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022)

Case Study

Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Course Name: Principles of Management

Student’s Name:

Course Code: MGT101

Student’s ID Number:

Semester: 1st

CRN:

Academic Year: 1442/1443 H, 1st Term

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructor’s Name:

Students’ Grade: /5

Level of Marks: High/Middle/Low

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

This assignment is an individual assignment.

Due date for Assignment 2 is by the end of Week 11.(20/11/2020)

The Assignment must be submitted only in WORD format via allocated folder.

Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.

Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.

Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.

Late submission will NOT be accepted.

Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.

All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).

Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.

Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes:

After completion of Assignment-2 students will able to understand the

1. Examine management issues and practices in motivation; organizational culture, structure, and behavior; team dynamics; and communication.

2. Relate motivational theories to motivating and demotivating factors.
3. Know and discuss manager’s role in motivating employees.

Assignment-2

Case Study

In September 2018, Mohammed Salim joined KAAF Software Solutions (KAFF) as a Senior Programmer, with a handsome pay. Prior to this job, he worked successfully as an Assistant Programmer in Gant Computers (Gant). Salim felt that working for KAFF, there are better career prospects, as it was growing much faster than Gant, which was a relatively small company.

Although Salim had enjoyed working there (at Gant), he realized that to grow further in his field, he would have to join a bigger company, and preferable one that handled international projects. He was sure he would excel in his position at KAFF, just as he had done in his old job at Gant.

KAFF had international operations and there was more than a slim chance that he would be sent to USA or the UK on a project. Knowing that this would give him a lot of exposure, besides looking good on his resume, Salim was quite excited about his new job.

Salim joined Mrs. Zeenat’s five-member team at KAFF. He had met Mrs. Zeenat during the orientation sessions, and was looking forward to working under her. His team members seemed warm and friendly, and comfortable with their work. He introduced himself to the team members and got to know more about each of them.

Wanting to know more about his boss, he casually asked one of the team members, about Mrs Zeenat. He was told that Mrs. Zeenat does not interfere with our work. Salim was surprised to know this and thought that probably Mrs. Zeenat was leaving them alone to do their work without any guidance, in order to allow them to realize their full potential.

At Gant, Salim had worked under Abdulrahman and had looked up to him as a guide and mentor – always guiding, but never interfering. Abdulrahman had let Salim make his own mistakes and learn from them. He had always encouraged individual ideas, and let the team discover the flaws, if any, through discussion and experience. He rarely held an individual member of his team responsible if the team as a whole failed to deliver – for him the responsibility for any failure was collective. Salim remembered telling his colleagues at Gant that the ideal boss would be someone who did not interfere with his/her subordinate’s work. Salim wanted to believe that Mrs. Zeenat too was the non-interfering type. If that was the case, surely her non-interference would only help him to grow.

In his first week at work, Salim found the atmosphere at the office a bit dull. However, he was quite excited. His team had been assigned a new project and was facing a few glitches with the new software. He had thought about the problem till late in the night and had come up with several possible solutions. He could not wait to discuss them with his team and Mrs. Zeenat. He smiled to himself when he thought of how Mrs. Zeenat would react when he will tell her that he had come up with several possible solutions to the problem. He was sure she would be happy with his having put in so much effort into the project, right from day one.

He was daydreaming about all the praise that he was going to get when Mrs. Zeenat walked into the office. Salim waited for her to go into her cabin, and after five minutes, called her up, asking to see her. She asked him to come in after tem minutes. When he went in, she looked at him blankly and asked, “Yes?” Not sure whether she had recognized him, Salim introduced himself. She said, “Ok, but why did you want to meet me?” He started to tell her about the problems they were having with the software. But before he could even finish, she told him that she was busy with other things, and that she would send an email with the solution to all the members of the team by the end of the day, and that they could then implement it immediately. Salim was somewhat taken aback. However, ever the optimist, he thought that she had perhaps already discussed the matter with the team.

Salim came out of Mrs. Zeenat’s cabin and went straight to where his team members sat. He thought it would still be nice to bounce ideas off them and also to see what solutions others might come up with. He told them of all the solutions he had in mind. He waited for the others to come up with their suggestions but not one of them spoke up. He was surprised, and asked them point-blank why they were so disinterested.

Faisal, one of the team members, said, “What is the point in our discussing these things? Mrs. Zeenat is not going to have time to listen to us on discuss anything. She will just give us the solution she thinks is best, and we will just do what she tells us to do; why waste everyone’s time?”

Salim felt his heart sink. Was this the way things worked over here? However, he refused to lose heart and thought that maybe, he could change things a little. But as the days went by, Salim realized that Mrs. Zeenat was the complete opposite of his old boss.

While she was efficient at what she did and extremely intelligent, she had neither the time nor the inclination to groom her subordinates. Her solutions to problem were always correct, but she was not willing to discuss or debate the merits of any other ideas that her team might have. She did not hold the team down to their deadlines not did she ever interfere. In fact, she rarely said anything at all. If work did not get finished on time, she would just blame her team, and totally disassociate herself from them.

Time and again, Salim found himself thinking of Abdulrahman his old boss, and of how he had been such a positive influence. Mrs. Zeenat, on the other hand, even without actively doing anything, had managed to significantly lower his motivation levels.

Salim gradually began to lose interest in his work – it had become too mechanical for his taste. He didn’t really need to think; his boss had all the answers. He was learning nothing new, and he felt his career was going nowhere. As he became more and more discouraged, his performance suffered. From being someone with immense promise and potential Salim was now in danger of becoming just another mediocre techie.

Questions:

Q1. What, according to you, were the reasons for Salim’s disillusionment? Answer the question using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (2.5 marks)

Q2. What should Salim do to resolve his situation? (1.25 marks)

Q3. What should a team leader do, to ensure high levels of motivation among his/her team members? (1.25 Marks)

Page 1 of 4[supanova_question]

Assignment # 3: Technical Definition and Description Overview Technical professionals are often

Assignment # 3: Technical Definition and Description

Overview

Technical professionals are often required to define or describe a technical object, concept or process to someone who has little knowledge or experience with it.

For example, an engineering firm might write a proposal to bid on a contract to develop a helicopter for the Defense Department; one section of the proposal would be a detailed description of the product the company proposes to develop.

Technical descriptions are used before products and processes are developed (as part of proposals and planning documents), during development (in progress reports, for instance), and afterwards (as part of marketing and promotional literature and technical support documents).

Choosing a Topic

This assignment asks you to select a product or process and write a description of it. There are two different kinds of descriptions to consider. Choose whichever one is appropriate, depending on your topic.

Note: It is a good idea to select something with which you are already familiar, so you can focus on learning how to write the description rather than focusing on both learning how to write the description and learning about the product or process!

A product description explains the features of a specific device, like a scientific instrument or computer program. Possible topics include devices that are specific to your field, or devices you use in everyday life:

Manual grass clippers

Fuel cell

Battery

Catalytic converter

Manual can opener

Your favorite computer or video game

A specific car model

A process description explains how a complex event occurs, including a mechanical process (i.e. how donuts are made) or a natural event (i.e. how lightning is produced). You can choose a process that is specific to your field, or one that people may be curious about:

How a specific drug works

How steel is made

How fuel cells work

How a computer compiles and executes a program

How your microwave works

How food products are irradiated

Note: A product or process description is not an instruction set. An instruction set provides steps a user would take in order to complete a task (for example, steps to change oil in a car). In contrast, product and process descriptions describe how something works (for example, how oil functions to cool an engine). The contrast is between how to use something and how that thing works (e.g., how to use a microwave versus how the microwave heats food). For this assignment, you should focus on how things work, not how to use them. The next assignment will ask you to focus on instructions.

Specific Requirements

Audience and Purpose

Select an audience that would be interested in learning about the process or product you explain. For example, you could assume an audience of students reading about your topic in a textbook. You could write a marketing document to persuade people to buy a product. Or, you could write a description that would be part of a proposal being sent to a potential client. In the assignment you should assume that the description is crucial to the work of your audience.

Note: In all cases, your designated audience should know significantly less about your topic than you do. You will be expected to describe clearly and define all terms.

Gathering Information

Take time to learn all you can about the product or process you select, even if you are already familiar with it. Read background information or otherwise inform yourself about the topic. List any sources in either a Works Cited or a Works Consulted section.

Contents/Organization

We will follow the textbook’s four principles of writing descriptions:

Clearly indicate the nature and scope of your description. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to write an informative and specific title. Another might be to explicitly state the nature and scope in your introduction, if appropriate. It should not take long for the reader to understand the purpose and audience for your document.

Include an introduction to your product/process. Most instructions are general—give your reader a broad overview of your topic. Include a sentence (or longer) definition. Many introductions also include a visual.

Provide appropriate detail. This will be the “body” of your description. For products, describe each part in detail, including dimensions, materials, functions and relation to other parts. For processes, describe each step in detail. In either case, remember to make all language/discourse choices based on the audience’s level of interest, experience, and knowledge about the topic.

Write a conclusion. A conclusion will summarize the description. Often a conclusion will describe how all the previously described parts work together. You may also remind your audience how this product or process will ultimately help your audience solve a problem (or enrich their lives!).

Format

Include design features to help the reader locate information and understand the product or process better: diagrams, headings, bulleted/numbered lists and other technical communication conventions you have learned about. Include a cover page, which identifies the title, the writer, the audience, and the date. The final paper should be at least 1000 words and should be single-spaced.

Visuals

You have two options here. First, you can develop your own visuals or you can use a “reference visual,” which is a copy of a published image. If you use a published image, be sure to cite the source and discuss and modifications that image needs to fit your context. (For

example, if you’re describing how a snowblower engine works, you might use an image from the manufacturer’s website rather than drawing your own.)

Evaluation Criteria

I will evaluate the assignment according to these expectations:

Completeness

The description is complete (includes all the information requested). Additionally, the description follows Markel’s four principles for writing descriptions. The description is clear and substantial. The description provides comprehensive, specific, and precise detail. The sentence definition effectively begins the definition, and the visual enhances the description.

Format/Organization

Readers will be able to find the information they need. Design features enhance readability and accessibility. Paragraphs utilize effective topic sentences and are relatively short (125 words or fewer).

Style

The description gives specific information in efficient sentences.

Audience Adaptation

The description clearly addresses a specific audience, and it helps the audience understand the product or process.

Mechanics

Spelling grammar, and punctuation are correct.

Deadlines

Peer Review Workshop: Thursday, 10/21

Final Draft: Tuesday, 10/26

This assignment is worth 15% of your final grade.

Streit 3[supanova_question]

Assignment # 3: Technical Definition and Description Overview Technical professionals are often

Writing Assignment Help Assignment # 3: Technical Definition and Description

Overview

Technical professionals are often required to define or describe a technical object, concept or process to someone who has little knowledge or experience with it.

For example, an engineering firm might write a proposal to bid on a contract to develop a helicopter for the Defense Department; one section of the proposal would be a detailed description of the product the company proposes to develop.

Technical descriptions are used before products and processes are developed (as part of proposals and planning documents), during development (in progress reports, for instance), and afterwards (as part of marketing and promotional literature and technical support documents).

Choosing a Topic

This assignment asks you to select a product or process and write a description of it. There are two different kinds of descriptions to consider. Choose whichever one is appropriate, depending on your topic.

Note: It is a good idea to select something with which you are already familiar, so you can focus on learning how to write the description rather than focusing on both learning how to write the description and learning about the product or process!

A product description explains the features of a specific device, like a scientific instrument or computer program. Possible topics include devices that are specific to your field, or devices you use in everyday life:

Manual grass clippers

Fuel cell

Battery

Catalytic converter

Manual can opener

Your favorite computer or video game

A specific car model

A process description explains how a complex event occurs, including a mechanical process (i.e. how donuts are made) or a natural event (i.e. how lightning is produced). You can choose a process that is specific to your field, or one that people may be curious about:

How a specific drug works

How steel is made

How fuel cells work

How a computer compiles and executes a program

How your microwave works

How food products are irradiated

Note: A product or process description is not an instruction set. An instruction set provides steps a user would take in order to complete a task (for example, steps to change oil in a car). In contrast, product and process descriptions describe how something works (for example, how oil functions to cool an engine). The contrast is between how to use something and how that thing works (e.g., how to use a microwave versus how the microwave heats food). For this assignment, you should focus on how things work, not how to use them. The next assignment will ask you to focus on instructions.

Specific Requirements

Audience and Purpose

Select an audience that would be interested in learning about the process or product you explain. For example, you could assume an audience of students reading about your topic in a textbook. You could write a marketing document to persuade people to buy a product. Or, you could write a description that would be part of a proposal being sent to a potential client. In the assignment you should assume that the description is crucial to the work of your audience.

Note: In all cases, your designated audience should know significantly less about your topic than you do. You will be expected to describe clearly and define all terms.

Gathering Information

Take time to learn all you can about the product or process you select, even if you are already familiar with it. Read background information or otherwise inform yourself about the topic. List any sources in either a Works Cited or a Works Consulted section.

Contents/Organization

We will follow the textbook’s four principles of writing descriptions:

Clearly indicate the nature and scope of your description. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to write an informative and specific title. Another might be to explicitly state the nature and scope in your introduction, if appropriate. It should not take long for the reader to understand the purpose and audience for your document.

Include an introduction to your product/process. Most instructions are general—give your reader a broad overview of your topic. Include a sentence (or longer) definition. Many introductions also include a visual.

Provide appropriate detail. This will be the “body” of your description. For products, describe each part in detail, including dimensions, materials, functions and relation to other parts. For processes, describe each step in detail. In either case, remember to make all language/discourse choices based on the audience’s level of interest, experience, and knowledge about the topic.

Write a conclusion. A conclusion will summarize the description. Often a conclusion will describe how all the previously described parts work together. You may also remind your audience how this product or process will ultimately help your audience solve a problem (or enrich their lives!).

Format

Include design features to help the reader locate information and understand the product or process better: diagrams, headings, bulleted/numbered lists and other technical communication conventions you have learned about. Include a cover page, which identifies the title, the writer, the audience, and the date. The final paper should be at least 1000 words and should be single-spaced.

Visuals

You have two options here. First, you can develop your own visuals or you can use a “reference visual,” which is a copy of a published image. If you use a published image, be sure to cite the source and discuss and modifications that image needs to fit your context. (For

example, if you’re describing how a snowblower engine works, you might use an image from the manufacturer’s website rather than drawing your own.)

Evaluation Criteria

I will evaluate the assignment according to these expectations:

Completeness

The description is complete (includes all the information requested). Additionally, the description follows Markel’s four principles for writing descriptions. The description is clear and substantial. The description provides comprehensive, specific, and precise detail. The sentence definition effectively begins the definition, and the visual enhances the description.

Format/Organization

Readers will be able to find the information they need. Design features enhance readability and accessibility. Paragraphs utilize effective topic sentences and are relatively short (125 words or fewer).

Style

The description gives specific information in efficient sentences.

Audience Adaptation

The description clearly addresses a specific audience, and it helps the audience understand the product or process.

Mechanics

Spelling grammar, and punctuation are correct.

Deadlines

Peer Review Workshop: Thursday, 10/21

Final Draft: Tuesday, 10/26

This assignment is worth 15% of your final grade.

Streit 3 [supanova_question]

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022) Case Study Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022)

Case Study

Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Course Name: Principles of Management

Student’s Name:

Course Code: MGT101

Student’s ID Number:

Semester: 1st

CRN:

Academic Year: 1442/1443 H, 1st Term

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructor’s Name:

Students’ Grade: /5

Level of Marks: High/Middle/Low

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

This assignment is an individual assignment.

Due date for Assignment 2 is by the end of Week 11.(20/11/2020)

The Assignment must be submitted only in WORD format via allocated folder.

Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.

Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.

Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.

Late submission will NOT be accepted.

Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.

All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).

Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.

Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes:

After completion of Assignment-2 students will able to understand the

1. Examine management issues and practices in motivation; organizational culture, structure, and behavior; team dynamics; and communication.

2. Relate motivational theories to motivating and demotivating factors.
3. Know and discuss manager’s role in motivating employees.

Assignment-2

Case Study

In September 2018, Mohammed Salim joined KAAF Software Solutions (KAFF) as a Senior Programmer, with a handsome pay. Prior to this job, he worked successfully as an Assistant Programmer in Gant Computers (Gant). Salim felt that working for KAFF, there are better career prospects, as it was growing much faster than Gant, which was a relatively small company.

Although Salim had enjoyed working there (at Gant), he realized that to grow further in his field, he would have to join a bigger company, and preferable one that handled international projects. He was sure he would excel in his position at KAFF, just as he had done in his old job at Gant.

KAFF had international operations and there was more than a slim chance that he would be sent to USA or the UK on a project. Knowing that this would give him a lot of exposure, besides looking good on his resume, Salim was quite excited about his new job.

Salim joined Mrs. Zeenat’s five-member team at KAFF. He had met Mrs. Zeenat during the orientation sessions, and was looking forward to working under her. His team members seemed warm and friendly, and comfortable with their work. He introduced himself to the team members and got to know more about each of them.

Wanting to know more about his boss, he casually asked one of the team members, about Mrs Zeenat. He was told that Mrs. Zeenat does not interfere with our work. Salim was surprised to know this and thought that probably Mrs. Zeenat was leaving them alone to do their work without any guidance, in order to allow them to realize their full potential.

At Gant, Salim had worked under Abdulrahman and had looked up to him as a guide and mentor – always guiding, but never interfering. Abdulrahman had let Salim make his own mistakes and learn from them. He had always encouraged individual ideas, and let the team discover the flaws, if any, through discussion and experience. He rarely held an individual member of his team responsible if the team as a whole failed to deliver – for him the responsibility for any failure was collective. Salim remembered telling his colleagues at Gant that the ideal boss would be someone who did not interfere with his/her subordinate’s work. Salim wanted to believe that Mrs. Zeenat too was the non-interfering type. If that was the case, surely her non-interference would only help him to grow.

In his first week at work, Salim found the atmosphere at the office a bit dull. However, he was quite excited. His team had been assigned a new project and was facing a few glitches with the new software. He had thought about the problem till late in the night and had come up with several possible solutions. He could not wait to discuss them with his team and Mrs. Zeenat. He smiled to himself when he thought of how Mrs. Zeenat would react when he will tell her that he had come up with several possible solutions to the problem. He was sure she would be happy with his having put in so much effort into the project, right from day one.

He was daydreaming about all the praise that he was going to get when Mrs. Zeenat walked into the office. Salim waited for her to go into her cabin, and after five minutes, called her up, asking to see her. She asked him to come in after tem minutes. When he went in, she looked at him blankly and asked, “Yes?” Not sure whether she had recognized him, Salim introduced himself. She said, “Ok, but why did you want to meet me?” He started to tell her about the problems they were having with the software. But before he could even finish, she told him that she was busy with other things, and that she would send an email with the solution to all the members of the team by the end of the day, and that they could then implement it immediately. Salim was somewhat taken aback. However, ever the optimist, he thought that she had perhaps already discussed the matter with the team.

Salim came out of Mrs. Zeenat’s cabin and went straight to where his team members sat. He thought it would still be nice to bounce ideas off them and also to see what solutions others might come up with. He told them of all the solutions he had in mind. He waited for the others to come up with their suggestions but not one of them spoke up. He was surprised, and asked them point-blank why they were so disinterested.

Faisal, one of the team members, said, “What is the point in our discussing these things? Mrs. Zeenat is not going to have time to listen to us on discuss anything. She will just give us the solution she thinks is best, and we will just do what she tells us to do; why waste everyone’s time?”

Salim felt his heart sink. Was this the way things worked over here? However, he refused to lose heart and thought that maybe, he could change things a little. But as the days went by, Salim realized that Mrs. Zeenat was the complete opposite of his old boss.

While she was efficient at what she did and extremely intelligent, she had neither the time nor the inclination to groom her subordinates. Her solutions to problem were always correct, but she was not willing to discuss or debate the merits of any other ideas that her team might have. She did not hold the team down to their deadlines not did she ever interfere. In fact, she rarely said anything at all. If work did not get finished on time, she would just blame her team, and totally disassociate herself from them.

Time and again, Salim found himself thinking of Abdulrahman his old boss, and of how he had been such a positive influence. Mrs. Zeenat, on the other hand, even without actively doing anything, had managed to significantly lower his motivation levels.

Salim gradually began to lose interest in his work – it had become too mechanical for his taste. He didn’t really need to think; his boss had all the answers. He was learning nothing new, and he felt his career was going nowhere. As he became more and more discouraged, his performance suffered. From being someone with immense promise and potential Salim was now in danger of becoming just another mediocre techie.

Questions:

Q1. What, according to you, were the reasons for Salim’s disillusionment? Answer the question using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (2.5 marks)

Q2. What should Salim do to resolve his situation? (1.25 marks)

Q3. What should a team leader do, to ensure high levels of motivation among his/her team members? (1.25 Marks)

Page 1 of 4[supanova_question]

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022) Case Study Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Assignment 2 MGT101 (1st Term 2021-2022)

Case Study

Deadline: 20/11/2021 @ 23:59

Course Name: Principles of Management

Student’s Name:

Course Code: MGT101

Student’s ID Number:

Semester: 1st

CRN:

Academic Year: 1442/1443 H, 1st Term

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructor’s Name:

Students’ Grade: /5

Level of Marks: High/Middle/Low

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

This assignment is an individual assignment.

Due date for Assignment 2 is by the end of Week 11.(20/11/2020)

The Assignment must be submitted only in WORD format via allocated folder.

Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.

Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.

Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.

Late submission will NOT be accepted.

Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.

All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).

Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.

Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes:

After completion of Assignment-2 students will able to understand the

1. Examine management issues and practices in motivation; organizational culture, structure, and behavior; team dynamics; and communication.

2. Relate motivational theories to motivating and demotivating factors.
3. Know and discuss manager’s role in motivating employees.

Assignment-2

Case Study

In September 2018, Mohammed Salim joined KAAF Software Solutions (KAFF) as a Senior Programmer, with a handsome pay. Prior to this job, he worked successfully as an Assistant Programmer in Gant Computers (Gant). Salim felt that working for KAFF, there are better career prospects, as it was growing much faster than Gant, which was a relatively small company.

Although Salim had enjoyed working there (at Gant), he realized that to grow further in his field, he would have to join a bigger company, and preferable one that handled international projects. He was sure he would excel in his position at KAFF, just as he had done in his old job at Gant.

KAFF had international operations and there was more than a slim chance that he would be sent to USA or the UK on a project. Knowing that this would give him a lot of exposure, besides looking good on his resume, Salim was quite excited about his new job.

Salim joined Mrs. Zeenat’s five-member team at KAFF. He had met Mrs. Zeenat during the orientation sessions, and was looking forward to working under her. His team members seemed warm and friendly, and comfortable with their work. He introduced himself to the team members and got to know more about each of them.

Wanting to know more about his boss, he casually asked one of the team members, about Mrs Zeenat. He was told that Mrs. Zeenat does not interfere with our work. Salim was surprised to know this and thought that probably Mrs. Zeenat was leaving them alone to do their work without any guidance, in order to allow them to realize their full potential.

At Gant, Salim had worked under Abdulrahman and had looked up to him as a guide and mentor – always guiding, but never interfering. Abdulrahman had let Salim make his own mistakes and learn from them. He had always encouraged individual ideas, and let the team discover the flaws, if any, through discussion and experience. He rarely held an individual member of his team responsible if the team as a whole failed to deliver – for him the responsibility for any failure was collective. Salim remembered telling his colleagues at Gant that the ideal boss would be someone who did not interfere with his/her subordinate’s work. Salim wanted to believe that Mrs. Zeenat too was the non-interfering type. If that was the case, surely her non-interference would only help him to grow.

In his first week at work, Salim found the atmosphere at the office a bit dull. However, he was quite excited. His team had been assigned a new project and was facing a few glitches with the new software. He had thought about the problem till late in the night and had come up with several possible solutions. He could not wait to discuss them with his team and Mrs. Zeenat. He smiled to himself when he thought of how Mrs. Zeenat would react when he will tell her that he had come up with several possible solutions to the problem. He was sure she would be happy with his having put in so much effort into the project, right from day one.

He was daydreaming about all the praise that he was going to get when Mrs. Zeenat walked into the office. Salim waited for her to go into her cabin, and after five minutes, called her up, asking to see her. She asked him to come in after tem minutes. When he went in, she looked at him blankly and asked, “Yes?” Not sure whether she had recognized him, Salim introduced himself. She said, “Ok, but why did you want to meet me?” He started to tell her about the problems they were having with the software. But before he could even finish, she told him that she was busy with other things, and that she would send an email with the solution to all the members of the team by the end of the day, and that they could then implement it immediately. Salim was somewhat taken aback. However, ever the optimist, he thought that she had perhaps already discussed the matter with the team.

Salim came out of Mrs. Zeenat’s cabin and went straight to where his team members sat. He thought it would still be nice to bounce ideas off them and also to see what solutions others might come up with. He told them of all the solutions he had in mind. He waited for the others to come up with their suggestions but not one of them spoke up. He was surprised, and asked them point-blank why they were so disinterested.

Faisal, one of the team members, said, “What is the point in our discussing these things? Mrs. Zeenat is not going to have time to listen to us on discuss anything. She will just give us the solution she thinks is best, and we will just do what she tells us to do; why waste everyone’s time?”

Salim felt his heart sink. Was this the way things worked over here? However, he refused to lose heart and thought that maybe, he could change things a little. But as the days went by, Salim realized that Mrs. Zeenat was the complete opposite of his old boss.

While she was efficient at what she did and extremely intelligent, she had neither the time nor the inclination to groom her subordinates. Her solutions to problem were always correct, but she was not willing to discuss or debate the merits of any other ideas that her team might have. She did not hold the team down to their deadlines not did she ever interfere. In fact, she rarely said anything at all. If work did not get finished on time, she would just blame her team, and totally disassociate herself from them.

Time and again, Salim found himself thinking of Abdulrahman his old boss, and of how he had been such a positive influence. Mrs. Zeenat, on the other hand, even without actively doing anything, had managed to significantly lower his motivation levels.

Salim gradually began to lose interest in his work – it had become too mechanical for his taste. He didn’t really need to think; his boss had all the answers. He was learning nothing new, and he felt his career was going nowhere. As he became more and more discouraged, his performance suffered. From being someone with immense promise and potential Salim was now in danger of becoming just another mediocre techie.

Questions:

Q1. What, according to you, were the reasons for Salim’s disillusionment? Answer the question using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (2.5 marks)

Q2. What should Salim do to resolve his situation? (1.25 marks)

Q3. What should a team leader do, to ensure high levels of motivation among his/her team members? (1.25 Marks)

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