Analyzing Leadership Approaches: Coca-Cola Amatil Case Study Report

This report provides an analysis of the leadership strategies implemented by Terry Davis as managing director of Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA). The report addresses four key questions related to Davis's approach. Davis emphasized teamwork, direct communication, and streamlining procedures to enhance company performance. The report explores the development of a team-based organization, the adoption of a performance-based approach, and Davis's belief in the teamwork skills of Australians and Americans. It critically evaluates these strategies, highlighting the benefits of teamwork while acknowledging potential risks associated with competition among teams. The report concludes by summarizing the various methods Davis employed to foster teamwork, such as direct communication, encouraging social activities, rewarding teamwork, and allowing employee involvement in decision-making, offering a comprehensive overview of leadership practices at CCA.

Running Head: BUSINESS AND CORPORATION LAW 0
Leadership
6/13/2019
Student’s Name

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Question 1........................................................................................................................................2
Question 2........................................................................................................................................3
Question 3........................................................................................................................................5
Question 4........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Leaders are important in every organization as they are the person responsible to manage and
guide other people. Every organization has few leaders in the form of manager or supervisors. In
order to discuss the meaning of leadership, this is to mention that it is an ability of a leader to
guide or influence followers as well as other members of an entity/organization (Rouse, 2019).
Leadership is a very important aspect and it provides guidance and creates confidence for others.
The performance and success of an organization are highly influenced by a leader as he/she
builds a good work environment and can do the opposite too. In the presented report, four
questions related to provided Coca Cola case study will be answered which are based on
leadership skills.
Question 1
In the presented case study, Terry Davis appointed as managing director of Coca-cola Amatil
(hereinafter referred to as CCA) in November 2001. At this time, he already had a work
experience of 14 years. Davis used the teamwork approach in order to make the performance of
the company better. In order to develop this teamwork, he arranged a direct communication
between/among employees and it has been ensured that maximum people are taking each other
by using face-to-face communication method. The further company also streamlined its
procedures and policies. Here the streamlining of policies refers to developing a work
environment where employees do very fewer errors and complete the work without any delay.
Apart from these, Davis also made another effort to build a teamwork environment. He halved
the whole staff from the head office and then makes their diversion into different teams. In this

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manner, he developed the teams. Coke could not develop this team-based organization if such
division was not there.
Davis also developed another team that was given the work of running a call Centre. As
mentioned, the call Centre was developed in the form of team and people used to be work there
by coordinating each other. It enhanced their relationship and employees of the organization
learned to work in teams coordinating with each other. He focused on the value of direct
communication and stated that subjective communication has no replacement. He believed when
people directly talk to each other, trust and harmony between them is developed. They
understand the perspective and behavior of each other and develop a good team. If trust would
not be there then people will not be able to give their most efficient work to who with they work.
All the above-mentioned decisions and actions of Davis were instrumental and contributed to
develop a team-based organization at CCA.
Question 2
Davis has encouraged and adopted a performance-based approach in CCA. In this manner, a
competition among states has been developed. As mentioned in the previous answer, Davis made
its focus on teamwork. All the teams of the organization got their goals and employees of the
team were working for the overall objectives of their teams. He stated that teammates should
communicate with each other and should work for the common objectives of the teams. Further,
every team has been granted some line responsibilities and in this manner, teammates were
dealing with each other in order to fulfill such responsibilities. Where the Call Centre team was
required to report the mangers how customers are dealt with every moment. On the different
side, product innovation team was developing innovative products on a timely basis. In this

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manner, every team was focusing on its particular objectives. As already mentioned,
performance-based approach was there hence it developed competition between two different
teams.
Although the leadership skills of Davis have tried to make sure that, the competition would be in
teams/states and not with other states. Here this is necessary to mention that many risks were
there to use the competition among teams in order to increase the productivity of the
organization. It is to say that not every competition increases productivity (Hedges, 2015). One
of the leading risks was related to productivity only. Due to competition, employees forget
organizational visions and goals and work for their team only. It may disturb the overall
production of the firm. Secondly, employees may feel anxiety due to the competition and this
can affect their health in a negative manner. Poor team morale is also a disadvantage of team
competition where employees of the low performed team feel demotivated. Further, while
working in a team, employees have to be responsible for the works of others and such situations
demotivate employees at a personal level. Therefore, these all dangers were there in using
competition among states.
Question 3
Davis believed that Australians and Americans are one of the best employees in the world.
Australians are very good at working in teams. In his opinion, working in a team makes an
employee more productive and all the people who reach up to the management level has some
involvement in the team at any instance of their lives. He also stated that while selecting the
employees he often check the involvement level of the same in sports teams and if the person
was ever been a part of a sports team he selects him/her. Sport team-teach teamwork to people

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and this is the reason that people who take part in sports team further becomes efficient
employees.
In order to discuss the statement made by Davis in a critical way, this is to state that the same
seems to be correct. Here this is to state that teamwork is not all about sports team but a sports
team is all about teamwork. Such teams let the people know about their true objectives and teach
them that by focusing on common objectives, individual goals can be achieved. It would not be
wrong to say that a person who takes part in sports activities under a team learns many skills and
teamwork is one of them. Sports activities bring them together with other teammates (Hoy,
2018). In such a manner a person, learn to hear others. He/she understand the behavior of others
and tackle their problems. Further, a person learns good habits of others and start being
responsible for his/her conduct as a part of the team. A sport team-teach its members the manner
in which they may support the others in the team. All these features and qualities are important
for an employee too. Teamwork plays an important role in each organization. First of all, it
increases the efficiency of employees. When an employee performs business activities in a team,
they complete their work fastly. In addition to this, teamwork also motivates employees as they
timely get professional and emotional support of teammate. It enhances their work performance.
In a manner, it is far clear that a sports team prepare productive employees for the future.
Question 4
Davis has used many methods to improve and develop teamwork at CCA. The main method,
which he used, was direct communication, as he believed that while communicating with each
other, employees will be able to understand the situation of each other and relationship among
teammates would be improved. Encouragement of social activities is one of the very general

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ways to improve teamwork in the organization. The teamwork of an organization enhances when
workers share many issues with each other. Informal activities bring the employees together in
an informal way and they get to know each other personally (Capozzi and Thompson, 2019).
Reward excellent teamwork is another important way in which teamwork can be improved. By
giving formal recognition to the best team, the same can happen. When employees are aware that
they may get reward by doing the best work in a team, they coordinate with other team members
and provide their best efforts.
Individuality is an aspect that an employee does not want to lose even while working in a group.
It is a well-established principle that there is no “I” in the team and every credit goes to the team
and not to an individual while following a teamwork approach. In this manner, by giving rewards
and recognition to the best individual in a team can encourage them to work in an effective and
efficient manner (Biz30.timedoctor.com, 2019). At last, by allowing employees to take part in
decision-making also seems to be a good option for Davis. By doing so, the employee often feels
important and work more effectively in a team. Hence, to say, that Davis might adopt all the
above-mentioned options (Saasicorn.com, 2019).
Conclusion
By having a look at the four questions, it is very clear that leadership plays an important role in
the organization. Davis here believed that by using teamwork, the performance of the CCA could
enhance and probably he was right as proven by results. Nevertheless, he could do much better
by adopting other practices as suggested under the answer to question 4.

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References
Biz30.timedoctor.com. (2019) 10 Surefire Tips to Improve Teamwork In The Workplace.
[online] Available from:https://biz30.timedoctor.com/teamwork-in-the-workplace/
Capozzi, C., and Thompson, J. (2019) Five Ways to Improve Teamwork in Workplace. [online]
Available from:https://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-ways-improve-teamwork-workplace-
13766.html [Accessed on 13/06/2019]
Hedges, K. (2015) Competition At Work: Positive Or Positively Awful? [online] Available
from:https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2015/07/08/competition-at-work-positive-
or-positively-awful/#ab3ee662da84 [Accessed on 13/06/2019]
Hoy, T. (2018) Importance Of Teamwork In Relationships And Business. [online] Available
from:https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/teamwork/importance-of-teamwork-in-relationships-
and-business/ [Accessed on 13/06/2019]
Rouse, M. (2019) Leadership. [online] Available
from:https://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/leadership [Accessed on 13/06/2019]
Saasicorn.com. (2019) 20 Strategies Startups Can Implement Today To Improve Teamwork.
[online] Available from:https://saasicorn.com/teamwork/ [Accessed on 13/06/2019]