Good Boss and Good Worker - Case Study Example

The management was concerned about the developments in the kitchen and Mr. Min was called for a meeting with the management. Separate interviews were also conducted with the kitchen staff to identify the source of the problems. It was identified by the management that, the position of Chief Chef is a job that requires more leadership and interpersonal skills than culinary skills. A Chief Chef should know culinary but the knowledge of culinary alone does not make a Chief. Mr. Min was a very good chef but when it came to leading a department it was very difficult for him because his ability to lead the department in a positive manner was very less.

As the Chief of a department, it is very essential that a person understands the need to motivate the staff in a positive way. Identification of the strengths and problems faced by the department, clear idea about the nature of resources needed for performance, planning of the activities that are essential to satisfy the customers, and fixing measurable outcomes that the department has to accomplish are some of the basic requirements of leading a department in the positive manner which he was not very effective.

There were huge gaps in communication and the staff was confused about the expectations. This created conflicts and a drain of positive energy. The position of the Chief requires leadership skills to motivate the staff to perform on the job. He has to possess all the qualities of a leader who can make the staff feel valued and appreciated. On the other hand, the position of a worker requires skill on the job only. The requirements of a good worker are different from the requirements of a good chief.

For example, the former requires technical knowledge, intelligence on the job, the ability to learn quickly, and so on. But the person who is going to be the Chief requires more interpersonal skills, leadership skills, negotiation skills, and so on. He should be able to create a vision for the organization, generate commitment among the staff members and create irreversible momentum within the team. (Whetten, 514). Hence, it can be concluded that the expectations from the boss and the worker are different.

Their roles are different, job requirements are different. It is essential that the boss has knowledge about the fieldwork to be able to lead his organization and not necessarily vice versa. Good leadership is the most frequently provided explanation for an organization's success and leadership is one of the most important influences in helping organizations perform better. (Pfeffer, 223)