Essay: Leadership And Team Building In Maximizing Oil Recovery System.

Challenges and Conflicts in Operational Activities

Question:

Case Study on Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc.
 

Motivation, leadership, and team building are interlinked with each other in determining the business practices. According to Burke and Barron (2014), team motivation is one of the most significant challenges that are associated with many of the changing parameters. The leaders need to keep the focus on maintaining productivity and engage the workers to bring out the skilled outcomes of their performance (Schoemaker, Krupp and Howland 2013). The leaders are appointed to be focused on some changes related to the workplace climate, looming deadlines of the project, and assigned tasks (Lord, Hall and Halpin 2012). The skilled leadership requires the adoption of such qualities to deal with these challenges and maintain the team cooperation through motivating the members. The study is focusing on a case based on the maximisation of oil recovery system by Calgary Oil Shale Technology Inc. The concentration on the problem will be associated with the theoretical perspectives related to the management practices and will be evaluated accordingly.

The case study is reflecting the maximization of the oil recovery by Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc., which is a subsidiary of an international oilfield services. The company provides the data management system and necessary technologies to maximize the oil recovery In Colorado, Alberta, and Utah. The major problem was found in undertaking such oil recovery process is the conflict between the labourers and the scientists. The company usually appoints the highly trained professionals like geophysicists, geologists, and engineers to deal with these advanced technologies. There are three major functional groups associated with the operational activities of Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc. these three groups are operations, equipment maintenance people, and below ground. Many of the articles are published in regards to the conflicts between these groups associated with the business operational activities. The identification of the exact issue is the conflicts between these groups due to the diversified expertises and experiences (Jordan, Healey and Leahy 2016). The lack of communication is also one of the significant reasons behind the occurrence of such situational crisis. Moreover, Algoma Howard believes that this type of the conflicts can only be managed by Debrito, who is a skilled employee of the company. It is much required to build the team efficiency by managing the conflicts and adopting the effective leadership skills. Hence, Debrito can apply the efficient leadership attributes to motivate the employees and formulate the team. The case study based questions will be determining the theoretical application to rectify such issues and establish the skilled procedure of maintaining the organisational activities.

In recognising the potential issues associated in this case study, it has been seen that the conflicts between the diversified groups are much foreseen. The conflict resolution has been considering the frequent communications between the groups and the higher management. The ‘fireside chats’ is considering the arrangements of optional meetings where all the employees will take part (Schoemaker, Krupp and Howland 2013). The meeting shall be organised in the cafeteria on late afternoon. The major objective to arrange such meeting is to engage the employees to sit back in a relax mood and discuss the actual problems that have been faced by them (Prenzel and Vanclay 2014). In the first stage, the discussion should be based on the requirements of their group and the difficulties they have been facing while communicating and dealing with other groups (Dyer and Dyer 2013).  In the second stage of discussion, the employees need to follow the guidelines where it is stated, “Focus on the issue, not the person”. The final stage would be determining the discussions based on the way of resolving the problems. The recognition of these stages is essentially needed to identify and resolve the situational crisis (Riener and Wiederhold 2016). It is also to be noted that the stages included in this meetings would be linked in the next step, while formulating the problem-busting team.

Efficient Leadership Skills for Managing Conflicts

On the other hand, the problem-busting team is specifying another process of resolving the issues occurred between the three groups in Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc. This team is generally created depending on the participants who are willing to participate in Fireside Chats. The formulation of this particular team is considering the temporary involvement of the people to identify the exact issues related to the groups (Montgomery 2012). As per this case study, it has been seen that the three functional groups, such as operations, equipment maintenance people, and below ground are associated with the diversified hierarchy system. One leader is appointed as the first line supervisor and the person is trained in building up a team (Halperin 2013). This particular process includes three more stages. In the first stage, the discussion takes place regarding the maintenance of the responsibilities and decision making process with the lower level of the employees (Song et al. 2013). The next stage considers identification of the problem and enhancements of the commitment level within the group. Another stage is determining the associations of the groups to focus on the chronic problem considering the process leads to success (Hurlburt et al. 2014). The final stage is establishing permanent workforce by organising the cross-functional teams. 

As per this case study, it has been seen that Debrito undertook Socio-emotional role to achieve the success related to the team-based activities. Debrito spent almost 26 years in COST as in line staff. He possesses enormous knowledge based on encouraging the team members, harmonizing the group, especially when the conflicts appear. Moreover, he looks after reducing the stress level by providing enough supports to the team members and following the justified and relevant ideas that will enhance the productivity of the team. As defined by Mole, Baldock and North  (2013), the socio-emotional leader is much concerned with focusing on the imporvment of group morale and by reducing tensions, mediating in arguments, and settling the disagreements. It has been seen that Debrito has the capability of managing such conflicts and improving the morale more significantly. In fact, it is also much important to select a proper leadership attribute to deal with such situational circumstances (Ilgen 2014). Hence, the selection of socio-emotional leadership skill is quite justified in this case.

It is to be noted that in this emerging scenario of conflicts among the groups need clear vision and more interactive sessions. Hence, the justified selection of proper leadership approaches is essentially needed to manage such circumstances (Foss and Lindenberg 2012). In managing such conflict based scenario, Debrito has kept his concentration on maintaining the interactive or participative leadership style by considering contingency approach. It is to be indicated that the leadership style adopted by him is specifically characterized through the acceptable values. The signified values indicate the collaborations, inclusion, caring, and team building aspects (Barsky 2014). The approach signifies the leadership trait of a leader who usually shares the ideas with the subordinates before making any relevant decision regarding the organisational practices (Hu and Liden 2015). The participative method is considering the assimilations of the people in the group and participation in a group-based conversation. The suggestions derived from them would be beneficial for undertaking the relevant decision related to the organisational welfare. In fact, the frequent conversation and communication resolve the conflicts.

Building Effective Teams for Maintaining Team Efficiency

Algoma Howard believed that if Debrito would be there in Colorado, it would have been better to resolve the problem sooner. The idea is quite impressive and justified. Having a partner like Debrito would be beneficial for achieving the organisational success by eliminating the situational conflicts among the groups. It is noticed that Debrito has been playing the key role in the horizontal team structure during the arrangements of the group meetings. According to Hon and Chan (2013), the Horizontal Team is formulated with the employees who belong to groups of diversified expertises and skills. This group maintains the similar hierarchal level while performing any organisational tasks, but people associated in this group signify the diversified skilled and their experiences (Hon and Chan 2013). Hence, while these people would be associated together, it would enhance the team efficiency and diversified background people would be able to communicate with each other. The increasing level of the communication is quite helpful in making the participative decisions and team engagement. In fact, it is to be stated, the employees get to know the perceptions of others in a significant manner (Crowfoot and Wondolleck 2012). Hence, the proper communication or interaction with each other is necessary to minimise the conflicts and enhance the work productivity. Since, Debrito can follow such procedure in an effective way; it would be easier for him to deal with such crucial condition. 

The above discussion has been reflecting the situational conflict occurred among the groups associated with the organisational activities. In keeping the focus on the situations, some of the suitable recommendations are needed to be raised. Firstly, it is important to facilitate some of the changes in the organisational practices. These recommendations are discussed further:

1) The first initiative needs to consider the realistic talk with the top management to inform that the team efficiencies will be increased if the members will be monitored more significantly. However, it is to be indicated that each of the situations need the close concentration on the issue to eliminate the contradictory factors. Determining these concerns, each of the situations will be resolved by the application of diversified approaches.

2) Depending on one person is not justified in determining the organisational practices. It is possible that the company will not get a skilled worker like Debrito every time of needs. In such situation, the company will require other people with the similar leadership attributes. The person needs to be skilled with the team communication and interactions. The leader happens to be skilled with the transparent communication skills to identify the underlying issues. This specified attribute of the leader would be helpful for the team members to gain recognition sooner than the expectations.

3) Another most prominent aspect of resolving such conflict situation is related to the arrangements of the “fire chats”. It is to be suggested that while arranging the ‘fire chats’, the leaders should not persuade the employees to participate and make the full attendance. The arrangements of ‘fire chats’ should be free from compulsory attendance. If the employees feel that they are persuaded to attend such meetings, the voluntary purposes will be refused and accordingly, the problems will remain the same. The purpose of the meeting is to gather the employees and interact with them to identify the exact occurrence of the issues. If they will be forced to attend the meeting, they might feel hesitated to communicate about the issues they have been facing with other groups. The general interactive session would b helpful in such circumstances.  

The application of such recommendation would be beneficial for considering the establishment of the skilled leadership traits and resolving the conflicts. More specifically, it can be inferred that the establishing the transparent communicational activities is necessary to recognise the underlying issues faced by the employees in different groups. The maintenance of such structured procedure would also help in understanding the current scenario of the organisation more clearly. The specified process will lead towards achieving the pre-determined objectives as well. 

Conclusion    

The study has been focusing on the situational conflicts occurred between the group communication in Calgary Oil Shale Technologies Inc. The identification of the issue is needed to be monitored at the initial stage. The group discussion through arranging team meetings and interacting with the team members would be beneficial. It is to be indicated that the effective leadership skills are required for managing the teams and motivating them to resolve the emerging conflicts. The transparent communications are essential to recognise the underpinning issues, which may affect the organisational scenario as well as the productivity. However, the interactive session thus would be beneficial and can eliminate the situation crisis.  

References

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