What Impedes Me?

Chapter 4: What Impedes Me?

In Chapter 4, you will address how to handle challenges occurring as a result of internal or external factors. Successful managers are those who are willing to focus both inwardly and outwardly to seek solutions to problems. You will examine those internal and external factors that can influence your ability to manage. In particular, you will focus on both of these factors on two different levels: organizational and personal.

Internal factors within an organization could include working within a reduced budget, facing a reduction in sales, or being asked to cut the number of staff members. Personal internal factors could include personality traits such as having a quick temper or insecurities.

When you consider external factors to an organization, things that cause disruption in daily management could include changes in the stock market, fluctuations in the cost of resources necessary for your business, or perhaps a competitor releasing a new product. External personal factors could include a crisis in your personal life or personal health issues.

As both personal and organizational challenges arise, managers are asked to handle a variety of different types of situations appropriately, while also maintaining the proper perspective. In this chapter you will reflect on specific potential challenges you might face in the future and how you will respond. The goal of this chapter is to analyze personal weaknesses and determine how you can turn them into strengths. Additionally, you will determine strategies for responding to both internal and external challenges you may encounter in your role as manager.

For this chapter you may choose to address the following topics. By answering the following questions.

• Consider the different types of challenges, both internal and external, which you could face as a manager. What can you do now to prepare to meet future, unknown challenges?

• What strategies will you use when you fail to meet expectations or organizational goals? How might that change if it is one of your staff who fails to meet expectations? Compare options that might be available and explain why will you use these strategies over other options?

• What will you do when members of your team fail and you are ultimately responsible for their performance as their manager? What does this say about your character and your management philosophy?
• How will you deal with conflict within your organization and, in particular, among your staff? Is conflict always negative? When should a manager become involved in conflict resolution? How would you handle the situation if the difficult person were someone in authority over you and you were being unjustly blamed?
• How can you balance the demands of your personal and professional life so you can meet goals in both areas?
• What is your approach to time management?
• What is your approach to self-assessment to ensure that you are continually improving as an individual and learning from your failures as well as your success?

This chapter should be 7 pages with at least two references from previous courses and two new references from scholarly resources. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

References:

Conerly, K., & Tripathi, A. (2004). What is your conflict style? Journal for Quality & Participation, 27(2), 16–20.

Lencioni, P. (2008). Team dysfunction. Sales & Service Excellence, 8(4), 6.

Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Business Source Complete database.

Indvik, J., & Johnson, P. (2009). Liar! Liar! Your pants are on fire: Deceptive communication in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications & Conflict, 13(1), 1–8.

McManus, T., & Delaney, D. (2007). Dave Delaney’s useful advice for your development as a manager. Journal of Management Development, 26(5), 468–474.

Dattner, B., & Hogan, R. (2011). Can you handle failure? Harvard Business Review, 89(4), 117–121.