Business Leadership

Barbara Norris Case Analysis

Section: 6 Group: 4

Q1 How well has Barbara Norris done in her first month as nurse
manager of GSU? Was she a good choice for the position?

Amid her first month as nurse manager of GSU she attempted to understand the
operation of new unit and see how distinctive it is from her old trauma unit.
She was a good choice for the position for the accompanying reasons:
1. She made use of her past experience and learnings from her earlier
manager to begin implementing the necessary changes which were
required.
2. She implemented an open communication channel by running an offsite.
3. She listened to the issues persistently and included the staff again in
coming out with solutions to the problems
4. She assured the staff that she is going to include them in the decision
making process going ahead and they will have more say in the working of
the unit.
5. She took anonymous feedbacks which drew out the real sentiments of the
staff & also read aloud their responses and requested their remarks which
is again including the staff in the whole process
6. She watched each of her staff and had a perspective about every
individual this helped her in keeping track of each individual and assist
whenever necessary
7. She recorded every one of the issues recognized by the staff and began to
work on it and also acknowledged that her ex-incumbent did not keep up
some of the vital management tools like formal review records and
informal check-ins and decided to maintain it to build cohesion and better
resolution of problems going ahead.
8. She also announced the commencement of a monthly best staff this was
to recognize the efforts of the employees and motivate them to perform
better

Q2 What changes is she trying to make and why?

Increase Motivation among staff

Increase interpersonal bonding between peers

Change of performance review procedures

The staff is expected to focus their efforts on those tasks that will provide them
desirable rewards.
Once the
staff achieves the expected performance, there
arent any rewards that motivate them to continue these behaviours and
collaborate with the team. Hence the staff needs to be continuously motivated to
perform their tasks and collaborate.
Another obstacle that Barbara has identified is the lack of intellectual transfer
and training that goes on at GSU. Some staff members perform duties beyond
their job descriptions while others dont even perform their routine tasks. The
more experienced staff should invest time in training the new staff. This should
be included in the performance.
Barbara must find a way to motivate her staff to put forth the effort that she
wants to see. The employees need to view the outcomes or rewards as
something positive for them and not a routine yearly process.
As company is facing economic crisis and shortage in staff, Barbara will probably
need to develop rewards that do not involve financial compensation or time
off. The
staff
is
looking for
some recognition and
constructive feedback, which could build an emotional connection among the
members of the unit and which are within her power to provide even in difficult
financial times.
Q 3 What are the three obstacles that she should anticipate and how
should she address them?
Three obstacles:
1. Performance Review
Nurses are frustrated that the performance review process is not fair and
transparent. Barbara should get in touch with HR department and try to devise a
transparent and fair review process and should communicate to all the nurses.
By this she will regain the trust of all the employees.
2. Training program
Barbara must organise training programs for new recruits and specialised
programs for experienced nurses on how to work with advanced equipment.
Motivational training should be included to keep employees motivated. This will
improve team building and cohesiveness.
3. Goal setting
Because of cost cutting measures in the organisations many changes were made
in the system. Barbara should create new goals for her department. All the
process and operations should align with the goals. A leader must set goals and

directions for sub ordinates. This will create transparent work environment
and employee engagement.
Q4. Please device an action plan for Norris based on the Kotters 8
steps for change.
Action Plan:
1. Create Urgency: Barbara should get in touch with HR department and try to
devise a transparent and fair review process to regain the trust of all the
employees. She should try to create transparent work environment and increase
motivation and interpersonal bonding among staff.
2. Form a powerful coalition: Identify change supporters and committed
people from juniors and experienced staff who would lead the cause of change in
the system. Barbara should motivate them to be face of change in the
organization.
3. Create a vision for change: Find out how the new action plan will help to
achieve the goals of hospital in a better way. Experienced staff has to lead from
the front and motivate junior staff to help in implementing new action plan.
4. Communicate the vision: After implementing all changes in the procedures,
it should be communicated to the staff during a meeting. Also, Barbara should
make one of the experienced nurses supervisor who can check whether the new
action plan is being implemented or not.
5. Remove Obstacles: Barbara has to make sure that the new plan is enforced
strictly and issue warning to those people who are not collaborating or who are
resistant to work according to new rules. If the employees still resist even after
warning, she can take stricter action like termination of the employee to set an
example.
6. Create short term wins: Identify the staff who achieves the targets
according to new action plan and reward them. Publicly announce how their
collaboration and teamwork helped whole staff in achieving their goal. This will
motivate others also to achieve the goal and it will improve overall performances
from the staff.
7. Dont declare victory too early: Barbara should not be satisfied with the
success of action plan in initial stages and should not become complacent. She
should try to maintain the same level of enthusiasm in the employees for long
term.
8. Anchor the changes in your department culture: Make teamwork and
collaboration a part of culture. Every member of staff be it experienced or new
should be willing to sacrifice his own goal for the team goal.