Summary from the 3rd tutorial (1 Feb 2001)

Our 3rd tutorial was postponed to 1 Feb (one week after the originally set date) due to my illness. The agenda was following:

1. Feedback on TMA12
2. Development and Appraisal - GROUP EFFICIENCY Case Study
3. Leadership and Power
4. Preparation for TMA13

As I was ill last 10 days, I had to apologize for not having brought all the TMAs corrected to this tutorial, but I promised to finish the corrections on the weekend and send the TMAs back to students on Monday.

Now, on Monday I already can tell you, that there were 20 TMAs presented, the marking average was 57.6. It 7 points more than in the case of TMA11, so this means that you students received your lessons from TMA11 and could draw upon it. 

Special instructions for TMA13

• basic resources: Coursebook 7 (+ some inputs form Coursebook 6), Writers On Organisation and Effective Manager: Perspectives and Illustrations, audiocassette. Remark: do not be ashamed to use and quote other available resources (web, books and articles on management issues etc.)
• tasks 1b) and 1c) resp. 2a): here it is an exception from a business format. You are expected to tell stories here, which means a narrative style. The stories should be clear (even to an out-sider, see also Note 3), interesting, attractive to read. The stories should describe not only the course of activities, they should also describe the individual contributions (positive as well as negative) by individual team members, their and your feelings, emotions, etc. The stories should provide a clear answer and arguments to the questions: Did I as a leader succeed both in terms of desired output (task completed) as well as in terms of team members satisfaction and motivation? Did I win their hearts, their commitment? If so, how? If not, why? (The answers should be provided and explained in analyses - part 1d) resp. 2b).
• the action plans (1d, 2c) - like in TMA11 - will be marked highly, if they are practical, relevant and realistic (that is, within your competence). Do not propose total reorganisation of your company or dismissal of CEO, if you are a level 6 manager!
• My experience from preceeding groups says that Part 1 is generally easier than Part 2. Why? My theory: people like to analyse their own behaviour, qualities and temperament. On the other hand, they seem to have quite a large distance to their boss - they tend to see him rather impersonally, functionally, as an anonymous wheel in the mechanism. And this is bad. This TMA is a chance to see your boss as a human being like you or anyone in your neighbourhood; to find out, that he/she is a person of flesh and blood, with a heart, with dreams, passions, secrets, doubts, fears.... Once you understand him/her so, you can better meet his expectations and help him/her succeed. And this is the sense of this Part in your TMA.

Last info:

As a part of my apology, I have postponed the deadline for TMA13 to 19 Feb 2001. As I will be in the mountains for a couple of days around that day, do not send your TMAs via courier!!

I hope everyone has already received an invitation to the Residential School and an info on the Final Exam date.

We also discussed our web site - discussion forum. I accepted the suggestion of my raising the issues for discussion, and I can happily say, that it seems to be working now! So take your time (not more than a click on the blue box) to monitor and perhaps join the discussion.

Good luck!

Hynek Kratky, 5-Feb-2001

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