Developing Manager Report: Thomas Cook Case Study Analysis

This report examines the concept of a developing manager, focusing on improving company working styles through effective management. It analyzes various management styles, including directive, authoritative, and participative approaches, and discusses leadership characteristics like consistency, flexibility, and communication. The report evaluates communication processes within organizations, distinguishing between formal and informal methods, and assesses the impact of organizational culture and change initiatives. Furthermore, it includes a self-assessment of management skills using a SWOT analysis, setting objectives for personal development, and exploring strategies for motivating and leading teams. The report also provides recommendations for managerial decisions, career development, and concludes with a review of personal and career goals, alongside a development plan. The case study of Thomas Cook is used throughout the report to illustrate the practical application of the concepts discussed.

THE DEVELOPING
MANAGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1...........................................................................................................................................................................1
A. Compare the different management styles that you may have observed and discuss the leadership
characteristics of the senior managers.................................................................................................................1
B. Evaluate the communication process within the chosen organisation and analyse........................................3
organisational culture as well as the process of change that is taking place in your...........................................3
organisation..........................................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2...........................................................................................................................................................................4
A. Assess your own management skills and performance using the format provided by the tutor.....................4
and analyse your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.............................................................4
B. To Set and prioritise objectives and targets for the development of own potential........................................7
TASK 3...........................................................................................................................................................................8
A. Motivate and lead the team to attain the objectives........................................................................................8
B. Justify the managerial decisions at Thomas Cook and recommendations for the improvement....................9
TASK 4...........................................................................................................................................................................9
A. Managerial and personal skills that support the career development.............................................................9
B. Reviewing career and personal development needs, current performance and the future needs in order to
produce development plan with the career goals and objectives.......................................................................10
M1 Approaches in comparisons of different management styles......................................................................11
M2 Range of methods to be applied for self-analysis.......................................................................................12
D1 Critical evaluation of own work and justification........................................................................................12
D2 Take responsibility for managing and organising activities........................................................................12
D3 Self-evaluation on development of career goals and objectives..................................................................12
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Developing manager is the person who introduces different types of rules which help to
manage the company's working system. It's a way or the step that is taken to improve the
working style of the company in an easy way. In this process, all the economic and social
transformation are based on the complex cultural and their interactions. It's the process in which
the manager learns to improve the skills and how to come over the risks which company is
facing. Developing means to allow the organisation to create a flow of capable persons who can
move into the management position and improve the companies working style. Thomas Cook is
a travel and travel related financial service company which provides travelling guidance. This
company as a range which offers many different services like visa, passport, foreign exchange,
travel insurance and holiday travel. The organisation with the effective management
development program increase the productivity of its employees which increases motivation in
the employees. Its impact stays for the betterment of the working environment of the company
which is very much needed in every organisation. It is the key to training the new employees at
the workplace.
TASK 1
A. Compare the different management styles that you may have observed and discuss the
leadership characteristics of the senior managers
Learning styles is a term which is used to understand or to check the different ways of
others how they learn, comprehends processes. Everyone as their own different styles of
understanding the things. Some understand by listening, reading or watching images. There are
different ways to learn the same thing because everyone is different each other. Individual
learning style depends on the environment, cognitive, emotions and experiences because
everyone is different. The person who trains the students must know the differences in their
trainees and implement the best way to sort their problems (Need, 2006). The purpose of the
learning style is to improve the trainee's talent. Every person as their own way of storing,
converting, processing, retrieving, it is the way through which all are connected to the important
part of learning (Nandula, 2010). There are many different ways of learning styles. The activist is
the person who is involved in the new challenging task and doesn't like to be stopped until the
work is finished because this person is good at every work assigned to them. This person is a
good speaker, at taking action and solving problems. A reflector is a person who doesn't likes
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deadlines and takes the time to think about the things and then performs the task. The reflector is
good at listening and observer. Things take the time to be understood because everyone is not
equal. Theorist takes the time to question and explore the logic behind every task, and this person
is good at comparing, ordering and organising.
The communication process is the two-way process in which conveying information between
two or more person is done (Watson, 2008). It's a step which is taken to achieve a successful
communication. It's a type of channel which is used to convey information to each other with
new ideas which are useful for the company. This process is important to transfer the details to
others and if this breaks the process also breaks down the communication falls down.
Communication process includes many ways of conveying the messages like writing, speaking,
texting, emailing, audio and video which makes the process easy to understand.
Comparison of different management styles Directive:This type of management style is effective in crisis conditions and when it is
risky to deviate. It basically used to control employees and motivating them as well. But
it is not useful when workers do not possess useful skills and are underdeveloped. Authoritative: Its main objective is to provide employees long term vision. Feedback is
provided on the basis of performance. It is effective when there are clear set standards
and is not useful when leader in not plausible. Affiliative: It is basically used for creation of harmony between staff members and
managers as well. People are motivated by satisfying them with their needs and
performance appreciation. Participative: It is a kind of democratic style that makes employees participation in
decision making process. For this, it is required to have coordination between employees.
It is not impelling when competency lacks. Pagesetting: Employees are motivated by setting up high standards. Managers do several
tasks by their own. It is effective when people are competent and requires lesser
coordination. Coaching:This type of style has an objective of development of staff members and
managers provide assistance in developing their strengths.
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Characteristics of leadership Consistency: Leader is required to possess consistency in their working which would
inspire other members as well to work in similar way. It will also help in attaining trust
and respect of team. Flexibility:Every problem encountered is not same therefore, each of them demands
different solutions. It is required by the leaders to have open minded approach towards
acceptance of new ideas as it would help in acquiring the best outcomes. Direction:Leader should have clear vision while achieving any target. He should be able
to manage things well. When direction to attain anything is properly set, then things
becomes easy to achieve.
 Communication:Effective interaction capabilities helps in communicating gaols and
targets of the company to the employees. It helps them to provide solutions and work
accordingly in a better way.
B. Evaluate the communication process within the chosen organisation and analyse
organisational culture as well as the process of change that is taking place in your
organisation.
Thomas Cook can use the formal communicating to make it easy to the communicator to
convey the message to others. It is associated with the formal structure of the organisation and
the official status of the communicator and the receiver. This communication is mostly done in
black and white it works according to the organisational structure which makes the
communication flow smooth, accurate and timely (Frost and Wallingford, 2013). Informal
communication is also called a grapevine because it doesn't have any formalities which deal with
the informal relationship between the parties like membership in the same association.
Executives also use this style when their face difficulties to get the information from the workers.
In this type of communication silence, smile, gesture is mostly required to convey the messages.
Communication according to directions are done in two ways are downward and upward
communication. It is widely believed that the culture as a very good impact on the success of
change in management initiative, as there are at high risk. The major problem of the companies
is resistance to change, as this factor is almost essential factor for the companies to stay relevant
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in the markets. The company can develop a single culture of focusing on business development
in order to grow the economic downturns. A change initiative may take into consideration the
present and the future positions of the company, and this can show the organisational cultural.
This cultural should be developed in the present state of the organisation.
TASK 2
A. Assess your own management skills and performance using the format provided by the tutor
and analyse your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
Management skills are very much an important part of for the employee in the
organisation. Management involves planning of personal objectives which implements on the
objectives, tracking progress which ensures that there are taking clear steps to achieve objectives
which use regular performance to evaluate progress. By giving the proper training by the
workshops, coaching, mentoring and by action learning can improve the skills of management.
Engaging high interactive learning process produces the best learning outcome (Kleinrichert,
2005). Motivating and training manager should focus on the training skills of the trainees which
are needed to make the performance management success. In the training management, the tools
and software should be used for the performance management which are very useful in the
training part. It is essential to educate the employees and the managers on the benefits of the
performance management which provides them evidence which brings positive results.
Managers are needed to get involved in the organisational goals to know the success measures
for the performance management. Training and coaching are the effective tools for the
improvement which helps employees succeed and increase the skills, potential opportunities for
the promotions in the interesting position. The manager must be must have confidence in the
abilities of the employee and the willingness to solve the problems. The manager must ask the
employees to join the goals which will increase the effectiveness of the organisation. Employees
must be told to improve the behaviour but not the individual.
Personal development is the important step which is essential to make the employees get skilled
and improve the talent in different aspects which will be useful for them and the firm also. It's
necessary to improve the talent so that the person can give good performance in work of different
talent (Murray, 2009). SWOT analysis plays a great role in the employee's life. It shows the
employees strength, weakness, opportunities and threats too; this simple analysis will provide a
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proper guidance which will help in improving the organisation's employees. As its know, that
self-analysis is the most complicated thing which also plays a significant role in personal
progress to improve the personal skills. SWOT provides the person to think wisely and take a
proper step towards every action. The person should know the benefits of self like skills and
education, so if there is any weakness, then it can be improved for the betterment. It,s a good tool
to assess self for the betterment. It makes the person more confident and clear about the career
promotions (Murray, 2009). Weakness is the second part which as to be checked and needs an
improvement. Weakness is the point which is needed to be improved. It helps to identify the
opportunities in the current job. When the person knows the weakness, it must improve it by
learning different ways. Also, an employee may have the opportunity to improve the computer
skills through company paid training because these skills will potentially make the person more
valuable to the company (Stewart, 2009). All the negative work habits should be avoided at the
workplace. Opportunities are the way to get close to the career. One should always choose the
work according to the interest. Otherwise, the work will not be done properly. The person should
stick to one job, and if the person is changing the job, continuously it will be the negative point
in his or her career. Changing of a job are the negative points.
Self assessment of management skills and performance Communication skills:I possess good interaction skills which would be helpful in
managing employees and teams. Effective communication helps in communicating goals
and set targets of the project to the members impressively. Motivating qualities: I always try to inspire others by appreciating their work and
providing feedback so that members could identify their weak points and area of
improvement. Creativity: Innovation is key to success. Thereby, I always make efforts to bring out
something creative and productive to bring distinctiveness in work. Decision making capabilities: I lack in this area. I always require time to rethink again
and again to reach on certain solutions. I am always in a state where I get confused to opt
single option.
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 Self Knowledge: I believe in learning which makes me exploring new things so that I
could gather knowledge and information to be utilized in work.
Self analysis
Mintzberg's theory could be utilized for analysis of managerial skills. It breaks down
tasks to be performed by manager into three categories that are interpersonal which constitutes
manager's roles and responsibilities and qualities that are required to be possessed by him,
informational that confines areas from necessary information could be collected for effective
working and functioning of organisation and decisional that constitutes abilities to handle risks
and take appropriate decisions. By using this theory I did self assessment and following are the
outcomes mentioned below:
Strengths
 Happy temper
 Socially connected with many people.
 Good technical knowledge.
 Leadership qualities. Positive attitude towards work.
Weaknesses
 Not self-motivated.
 Work experience lacking. Low management skills.
Opportunities
 Managers seeks advice on varied information.
 Advancement in technology could bring new growth opportunity.
 Location is advantageous.
 Current marketing trends demands my strong skills. Acquisition of new traits and skills would help me to grow.
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Threats
 Off trends in chosen sector.
 Lack of decision making capabilities.
 High capable competitors.
 Lack of training required for enhancement of skills.
 Tough competition in market.
B. To Set and prioritise objectives and targets for the development of own potential
It is essential for me to create my potential in an effective manner so that targets cab be achieved
by me. Moreover, the goals which are set by me require considering the different aspects that
are related to the SMART objectives. However, for the purpose of developing my own potential,
there are various priorities and objectives can be outlined for the nest years which are described
below:
Set objectives for developing own potential are mentioned below:
 To acquire good decision making capabilities.
 Meeting deadlines of the tasks assigned.
 Acquiring strong technical knowledge for management operations.
 Developing work management skills.
 Deadlines – I required developing the effective strategies of time management for
meeting the set deadlines. In order to attain the objectives in the proper time frame so that
all the tasks can be done in an appropriate way. It is necessary for me to development in
the potential which helps me to plan the different events with proper time. Thus, it helps
me to develop as a person so that I able to work on the appropriate time frame and helps
in achieving the goals and objectives of the organisation.
 Information technology- Further, it is also important for me to enhance the technical
skills which include that surfing on the internet and for collecting knowledge and
information. It helps me to understand the views of authors for the different events helps
to get information what is happening outside.
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 Practising- This is also one of the important priority by which I can carry out the different
ideas for attaining the goals. In addition to this, to achieve the target goals I required to
do practice session and develop the skills and various abilities for attaining the objectives
set by me.
 Research- With the help of appropriate research I required to manage the different tasks
which help me in setting the objectives for future to increase the capabilities and skills.
Thus, these are some of the major priorities which I required to follow as I can attain the
different goals and objectives.
TASK 3
A. Motivate and lead the team to attain the objectives
It is important for the company to enhance and motivate the team which helps them to carry out
the operations effectively and to achieve the objectives. Further, at Thomas Cook, it is required
to motivate and lead the team so that it helps in achieving the goals of the organisation. There are
some of the motivational theories which are adopted by the organisation such as Maslow's
Hierarchy need that helps to satisfy the basic needs of the various employees according to the
requirement and motivate them to achieve the goals and objectives of the company. Moreover,
with the adoption of Herzberg's theory of motivation that helps in the business for determining
the satisfactory and dis-satisfactory factors. In order to avoid the dis-satisfactory factors which
are not required and gives benefits to the organisation.
However, it is necessary for the company to adopt the various motivating factors which include
financial benefits to the employees for attracting and retain them so that they can contribute more
of them to the organisation. This also includes the adoption of various techniques so that they
can promote the tour operator and attract the people for their services. Furthermore, with the
adoption of participative leadership styles it helps the employees of an organisation to involve in
the process of decision making. It helps to enhancement in the skills and capabilities for
achieving the desired objectives. Thus, with the help of motivation, the employees work in an
efficient manner for an increase in the tourism activity.
B. Justify the managerial decisions at Thomas Cook and recommendations for the improvement
There are different complexities in an organisation so that it is required to take appropriate
decisions by which they can achieve the goals in an effective manner. There is a requirement to
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focus on the appropriate listening that is the best way by which the senior management can take
the decisions and develop the informal communication among the staff members. To enhance the
people for the purpose of tourism, the manager of the company has to take the decisions. There is
one of the best decisions is to involve the employees in the process of decision making which is
an essential part of the organisation. It also an important aspect of motivating the employees to
achieve the goals and objectives as they can provide the high-quality services to the various
tourists. Moreover, the manager must adopt the various sessions of brainstorming with the
employees which help to increase the profit with the help of promotion and increase in the
visitors.
In addition to this, there are some of the recommendations so that the manager of the
organisation can attain the objectives and helps in the appropriate running of the business. There
is a requirement to improvement in the system of performance management for the purpose of
review of the employee's performance on a daily basis. Therefore, it can be done with the help of
setting the targets on a weekly basis so that the employees can meet the set targets and achieve
the various objectives. Thus, there is one more recommendation that the employees must follow
appropriate legislation and ethics for surviving in the market.
TASK 4
A. Managerial and personal skills that support the career development
For career development it is required to possess several skills that could be beneficial for
acquisition of several opportunities. Time management skills: It is very essential to complete tasks within given deadlines.
Therefore, it is needed to be possessed by everyone for efficiently managing work. I am
good in managing work to get finished in given time duration. Decision making skills: I lack in this sector. I am required to develop my abilities to take
decisions effectively for the betterment of organisation. As a manager it is essential that
you have strong skills for taking decisions on given time because one cannot ask every
time to the head of the department for every little thing.
 Communication skills: I possess good interaction skills which is required for a manager to
communicate targets of the company to employees.
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