In a case study, Ralph Stayer applied several management strategies to create a culture of confrontation. First, Stayer (1990) ensured maximum employee engagement in all processes in the company. Proactive problem-solving is key to creating a group’s emotional intelligence (Druskat & Wolff, 2001). For example, when some employees began to complain about the quality of work of others, Stayer suggested that they solve this problem on their own, which had more efficiency as a result. In addition, improvements in employee productivity can be obtained “through self-evaluation and by soliciting feedback from others” (Druskat & Wolff, p. 80, 2001). In the case study, employees assessed the quality of their work and the company’s products and responded to letters from customers, which increased engagement and commitment to work. Second, Stayer (1990) made structural changes by dividing employees into teams. At the same time, the leader was chosen by the employees, which ensured their interaction. Moreover, interaction between different groups is necessary “to regulate emotion at the cross-boundary level” (Druskat & Wolff, p. 84, 2001). To do this, Stayer held regular meetings where everyone could express their opinion regarding the company’s work and solve emerging problems.
When hiring a Chief Operation Officer, it is important to consider that the candidate fits into the company’s corporate culture. The first question for a COO job candidate at Johnsonville Sausage would be, ‘How do people make decisions, and what resources do they use to make those decisions?’ Trust is one of the key factors for EI and organizational performance (Druskat & Wolff, 2001). Hence, the COO must trust employees and involve them in decision-making. The second question is ‘How would the candidate ensure effective communication between different departments?’ To ensure productive work, “a team must be particularly aware of the needs and feelings of another group within the organization” (Druskat & Wolff, p. 84, 2001). Therefore, it is important to ensure proper communication and interaction between teams. The third question could be, ‘What would you do if your opinion on the solution to the situation did not agree with the opinion of the CEO?’ The culture of Johnsonville Sausage means that everyone must find solutions to problems on their own, without waiting for instructions from the CEO (Stayer, 1990). Therefore, the COO must be able to argue his position, even if it does not agree with the opinion of the Chief Executive Officer.
References
Druskat, U. V. & Wolff, S. B. (2001). Building the emotional intelligence of groups. HBR 10 must reads on emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Review.
Stayer, R. (1990). How I learned to let my workers lead. Harvard Business Review.