Dealing With Challenging Employees In Organizations: A Case Of Adam In Kitchen Confidential

This paper covers the following topics:

1. The history of management theory, management models and industrial psychology
2. The principles, terminology and concepts of management and appreciate its application to engineering organizations
3. The different functions of engineering management; planning, organizing, staffing, leading, control, the objectives & tasks
4. Professional ethics & responsibilities for engineering managers
5. Organizational, legal, ethical and behavioural constraints on management decisions
6. Leadership, delegation, motivation, productivity improvement and industrial relations to typical engineering organizations

i. What did managers do or not do that contributed to this accident?
ii. What recommendations would you make to the Board to prevent a repetition of this or similar accidents?
iii. Is there anything about the organisational structure which contributed to the accident?
iv. Is anybody liable either legally or morally or both? Should anybody be personally prosecuted?

a. Where should they start and finish the story?
b. What are the essential things to include in the story?
c. What people must be mentioned and if possible interviewed?
d. Is there any famous film footage (movie and stills) that must be included?
e. What must they film directly and how should it be done?
f. Are there any models or CGI or special effects that you would recommend they use?

Dealing with Employee like Adam

Organizations consider their employees as one of their valuable asset that can propel the company into a highly competitive firm. As such, the human resource department always looks for the best, well-trained, highly skilled, and very ambitious employees to add to their pool of competent workers. However, there has been a challenge when staff is exemplary good in their work yet very indiscipline, unethical, and irresponsible as employees (Fallon & Zgodzinski, 2005). Managers find such employees challenging to fire because they are the real source of success and it is not easy to get one who can match their work. At the same time, they cause management severe pain due to their constant dramas that may risk hurting other employees. Adam real last name unknown is the exact type of an employee who is highly talented in baking bread yet is the most unpolished employee. This paper addresses some of the vital information that best describes Adam based on the description given by Bourdain in the book of 2000 Kitchen Confidential.

An employee as Adam poses a serious challenge to the management who is driven by the desire to compel the organization into an excellent company while at the same time maintains highly professional business culture. It is difficult to lose Adam based on his exemplary work when he bakes yet when I look at his behaviors I would readily think of sending him away. However much he is good at baking, he makes life difficult for the manager for getting into shameful things that have the potential of tainting the image of the company (Ouellette, 2008). In that case, I would always warn him against some of his behaviors both formally and informally and as to get into agreement with him to always deduct his salary when he gets involved in any unbecoming behavior (Leviss, 2005). That way Adam will always work hard to remain professional, ethical, and sober most of his time when working to avoid his salary or bonuses being reduced. This can be the most effective way of ensuring that the company keeps enjoying his extraordinary bakery services while at the same time enhance a business culture that is characterized by high level of professionalism, ethics, and free from behaviors that can impact negatively on the image of the company.

Bourdain hates Adam’s behavior so much and at a given point claims that he may have wanted his death a thousand times over. It shows how much Adam would occasionally be a nuisance and did not like his behavior. Bourdain would have even wished he were torn by rabid dogs, which is a demonstration of the level of hate he had but still seeing his bread out of the oven would change those negative thoughts about her. Additionally, he says that sometimes Adam has his sweet side and that is demonstrated when they go skiing with Steve and Nancy alongside Bourdain. It was clear that other than being an extraordinary baker, Adam is equally a survivor with numerous lows and highs who is capable of remaining on his feet despite the challenges that he faces. He is equally described as someone who is not stupid even though sometimes someone can think that he is aspiring to be one. He is sentimental and can transfer his pride to work, and that has been the reason behind his success in being the extraordinary baker of bread that cannot be easily matched by anyone (Dutta, 2017). It is possible to say that Adam has several terrible things that makes him less attractive employee that anyone would want to associate with in many occasions. However, there are instances where Bourdain can still find some things to admire about Adam.

Bourdain admires some things about Adam

An effective manager always expects to have different types of employees. Some of the workers are supposed to be highly disciplined, professional, and still exemplary in their duty. Such a manager equally knows that some categories of employees who are exemplary good in their job but suffers from issues of self-respect, discipline, and can easily be a nuisance to the company (Leviss, 2005). In that case, Adam may be much of a problem, but effective managers would always find the most effective way to make the best of them. For instance, the manager would always want to understand some of the things that easily irritate Adam that would easily trigger her poor behavior. Moreover, the manager will be expected to find out some of the things that make him happy that can be given to him to motivate behavior change. Sometimes, it may require an effective manager to dig into his past social life to be able to understand why Adam behaves in such a manner (Yoh.com, 2017). Such information will be highly valuable in creating a working environment that will help reduce instances where he behaves in unbecoming ways.

The next thing is to work towards changing the mentality of other employees to who he works within the same department. Since it may not be easy changing Adam’s behavior and his services is equally needed by the company, a manager would want to deal with employees who can be talked to and understand (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). It is more comfortable talking other employees into accepting the behaviors of Adams and work towards helping change for the better. That can only happen when his colleagues are ready to help him change by creating an environment that does not irritate him or promote his bad behaviors (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). It would be challenging to keep Adam in the company when other staff members are not ready to accept his condition. The same way he irritates Bourdain is the same way he annoys other employees. So many may decide to leave for other companies because of Adams unless a working environment and mentality of workers is changed.

Lastly, a competent manager would be required to occasionally show love and continuously appreciate Adam for his high-quality bread (Oliver, 2008). That will make him feel that he is considered a valuable asset to the company. At the same time, there is need to occasionally have accession with him, which can be formal or informal meetings where the manager tries to explain to him how sometimes his behavior affects his workmates and even the entire business. Through such meetings, an agreement can be reached that any conduct that is against the work ethics will be punishable by a reduction in his bonuses and even salary (Armstrong, 2013). This is one way of ensuring that he commits to working his way out of the unbecoming behaviors, as it will be costly to him. These and many more are the initiatives that an effective manager can take to help deal with Adam.

How Effective Manager can deal with Adam

The term micromanagement is a term that most employees would not be happy to hear about. This is one of the management styles that are characterized by the use of excessive control and having more attention to details to subordinates work (Riordan, 2010). It is mostly associated with a negative connotation as it is considered frustrating, demotivating, and demoralizing at a higher level. Most of the people who are blamed for the cases of micromanaging are rarely aware that they are doing that and whether it occurs (Chambers, 2009). On the other hand, some employees find pleasure in trying to please their bosses when they realize that they are being watched. However, micromanaging employees have always been considered a highly costly management style that is associated with stress and dissatisfaction among employees (Fontes, 2015). It has equally been cited as a style that stifles innovation, which subsequently affects productivity negatively. Micromanaging is similarly associated with numerous incidences of high employee turnover as workers hate being micromanaged (Matuson, 2017). As such, a good manager should always be looking for a win-win situation or at times compromise to ensure that employee’s interest is equally considered when making decisions.  

It is important for any manager to understand their employees to determine when they may want their work to be assessed and when they just want to be left alone to perform their duty. That way, it will be easier for the manager to know when his or her help matters and when to pull back (Hollon, 2016). In that case, it will be possible to cater for the interest of those employees who are for micromanaging and those who are good without their work checked continuously checked. As such, micromanagement is not one of the management styles that current employees would want their managers to have but an active manager can occasionally know when it can be best used.

No manager would want to have an employee who frequently causes trouble. In most cases, such employees would be fired even within the first few weeks of employment without thinking twice (Bourdain, 2000). However, sometimes managers find themselves in a whole dilemma on how to deal with their employees (Horstman, 2016). The case of Adam is one of such situations when a manager is not capable of firing their work even when it is in the public domain that he is always in trouble. Human resource managers strive so hard to get highly qualified employees who are capable of helping the company remain competitive amidst the stiff competition. In this case, Adam’s manager found the most qualified person who can deliver the best quality of bread. It will be difficult to lose such an employee especially when it is not easy to get another one with the similar qualification.

It is notable that the managers of Adam had tried to fire him in several instances and still rehired him. It is nearly impossible for the company to survive without Adam even though the managers know quite well that he is more like a problem. Besides, Bourdain points out that there are several instances where he is a good person other than being an excellent baker (Bourdain, 2000). As such, Adam’s managers are ready to endure his poor behaviors for the sake of high-quality bread that he bakes. Sometimes it is worth tolerating some behaviors of workers when they do not have a ready replacement, and their work is exceedingly exemplary, and that is why Adam's managers would want to continue giving him a job even when they know his negative behaviors.

Adam is a unique type of employee who happens to be excellent in his duty but suffers the problem of poor behavior both when at work and even when outside of work. In an ideal world, people are different, and the reactions vary from one to another. Some have extreme behaviors both to the negative side and to the positive side, and Adam is one of such characters who has been blessed with extraordinary talent in the bakery but suffers from unbecoming behaviors (Weylman, 2013). He is exceedingly good at his work for which he was hired for even though he has challenges. In this case, I would hire him and design the most effective ways of accommodating his behaviors with the aim of improving how he relates to others. It is undoubtedly clear that the productivity of the business will increase significantly and customer satisfaction is met due to the high quality of the bread being baked (Bourdain, 2000). I will then work hard to help him overcome his behavioral challenges and to fellow staff members to help him develop positive attitudes. That way, the business will flourish while at the same time, Adam situation is contained and he grows into an employee that can be accommodated in any institution.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the case of Adam real last name unknown is a typical case of some of the employees that managers encounter. Managers are expected to deal with such situations while at the same time ensure that the productivity and the business culture of the firm are not compromised. It is in this case that managers may be forced to employ micromanagement style to ensure that the behaviors of the employee are contained within the acceptable range. However, micromanagement as already pointed out is not recommended as it comes with several negative outcomes. As a manager, I would say employee Adam and ensure that his positive side is maximized and help him work out the negative behaviors.

References

Armstrong, M., (2013). How to manage people (Vol. 29). Kogan Page Publishers.

Bourdain, A. (2000). Kitchen confidential. A&C Black.

Bradberry, T. and Greaves, J., (2009). Emotional Intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart.

Chambers, H.E. (2009). My Way Or the Highway: The Micromanagement Survival Guide: Easyread Super Large 20pt Edition. ReadHowYouWant. com.

Dutta, P. ( 2017). Systems Thinking for Effective Managers: The Road Less Travelled. SAGE Publishing India.

Fallon, L.F. and Zgodzinski, E.J. eds. (2005). Essentials of public health management. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Fontes, L.A. (2015). Invisible chains: Overcoming coercive control in your intimate relationship. Guilford Publications.

Hollon, J. (2016). Last Word: Jack Welch Says Micromanagement Is Good – and I Believe Him. Retrieved from ERE Media. Available at: https://www.tlnt.com/last-word-jack-welch-says-micromanagement-is-good-and-i-believe-him/

Horstman, M. (2016). The Effective Manager. John Wiley & Sons.

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Riordan, C. (2010). Sometimes Micromanaging Is Good--And Necessary. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/2010/07/29/micromanage-employees-delegate-leadership-managing-staff.html#6713b5742d59.

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Yoh.com. (2017). Management Tips for Dealing with Difficult Employees. Retrieved from https://www.yoh.com/blog/hr-managing-employees-who-dont-want-to-be-managed.