Executive Report: J&J Furnishings Software Upgrade and Leadership

This report examines the J&J Furnishings case study, focusing on leadership styles, motivational techniques, and project management strategies for a software upgrade. As an IT Project Manager, the author advocates for a democratic leadership style, emphasizing collaboration and communication. The report explores the application of Herzberg's two-factor theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs to motivate team members, and discusses various types of power, including reward and expert power. The project timeline, challenges, and recommendations for successful implementation are detailed, including steps to alleviate challenges and a 7-month project schedule. The report concludes with a reflection on the importance of shared communication and the strategic use of reward and expert power to achieve organizational goals.

Organisational Behavior and People Management
Name:
Course:

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Executive summery
This report concerns with the case study of J&J Furnishings, through utilizing the
leadership theories, types of power to be used, the tools and techniques of motivation, ways to
overcome project implementation challenges and project schedule and time frame. As an IT PM,
the leadership style, types of power and motivational tools will be discussed from my viewpoint,
also, the project timeframe and implementation phases will be declared and the best ways to
overcome the challenges will be discussed.

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Introduction
This report discusses the case study of J&J Furnishings, as the company top management
decided to upgrade the software to a more sophisticated in order to minimize the lost sales,
reduce costs and create a more efficient supply chain. As an IT PM, my preferred leadership
style will be discussed over another one, then the types of power available to me as a leader will
be analyzed, the selected types of power will be declared with appropriate reasons for choosing
them, the motivational tools will be discussed, ways to overcome the expected challenges will be
declared, the project time frame and schedule will be clarified and finally recommendations will
be provided.

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Table of contents
First: Democratic and emergent leadership style.............................................................................4
Second: Tools and techniques to influence the project team...........................................................4
Third: Types of power.....................................................................................................................5
Forth: Reasons for selecting these approaches................................................................................6
Fifth: Steps to alleviate challenges faced by the project team.........................................................6
Sixth: Time frame and schedule:.....................................................................................................7
Seventh: Recommendations.............................................................................................................7
Conclusions......................................................................................................................................8
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................9

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First: Democratic and emergent leadership style
As a team leader for the IT project in the J&J Furnishings, that realizes the importance of
the software upgrade to the organization and supervises 15 team members, I choose the
democratic leadership style to act as a sponsor to the change efforts. This type of leadership
enables the management of the necessary change in a democratic manner, as the communication
process matches the leaders' value system. As a result, the actions taken are collaborating, as
challenging conversations lead to personal and organizational learning1. The dialogue should
consider the challenging issue facing the J&J Furnishings to consider the appropriate ways of
order processing at the required time, to ensure the best quality in the shipping process and to
create competitive advantage to avoid competitors' imitation.
I prefer this leadership style over the emergent leadership that influences the team
members significantly without having formal authority2.
Second: Tools and techniques to influence the project team
As a PM, I would like to utilize the motivational tools as discussed by the motivational
theories. Motivation deals with different issues that influence the human behavior, persistence,
and strength. According to Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the job satisfaction could be achieved
by distinguishing between two types of motivators, the first is the intrinsic factors and the second
is the hygiene factors. The intrinsic factors consider intangible tools as recognition, growth,
achievement, and advancement. The hygiene factors or the extrinsic factors involve tangible
1 Joseph Raelin, ‘Dialogue and Deliberation as Expressions of Democratic Leadership in
Participatory Organizational Change’ (2012) 25 OCM 7
2 Julia Hoch and James Dulebohnb ‘Team Personality Composition, Emergent Leadership and
Shared Leadership in Virtual Teams: A Theoretical Framework’ (2017) 27 HRMR 678

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factors as the working conditions, salary and reword, supervision, and relationship3. I prefer to
use a combination of motivational tools either intrinsic or extrinsic.
Also, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, people decides what they need.
He mentioned five levels of needs ranging from basic needs to the self-fulfillment4. Accordingly,
realizing the persons' level on the pyramid of needs gives a sign of what they need to feel job
satisfaction.
Third: Types of power
There are different types that could be used in different contexts. The reward power
provides people with the things they desire or reduces the negative effect of an undesirable
experience. Moreover, there is the expert power, or lead by example. I believe that the leader
should provide the ideal example that he likes people to follow. Also, the legitimate power is the
power to that enables the team leader to guide the team members through what they have to do
and how they will be appraised. In addition, there is the referent power, which enables the leader
to be supported by a powerful person in the organization, and this would be reflected on the team
with benefits and the leader will be admired by them. Finally, there is the punishment power,
which takes place when a team member underperforms and has to be punished for this 5.
3 Diana Dias, and other ‘Working With Cancer: Motivation and Job Satisfaction’ (2016) IJOA 1
4 Mohammad Haque, Mohammad Haque and Md Islam ‘Motivational Theories – A Critical
Analysis’ (2014) 8 ASAUR 62
5 Shivshanker Shenoy, ‘5 Types of Power You Can Use As a Project Manager!’ PM Exam Smart
Notes, 13 May 2013) < http://www.pmexamsmartnotes.com/5-types-of-power-to-a-project-
manager> accessed 13 March 2018

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Forth: Reasons for selecting these approaches
The reward power is effective in case of differentiation among people according to their
level of performance. Also, linking the pay to customer satisfaction could be more beneficial and
motivates the team members to avoid any mistakes or delay in the system to ensure a timely
delivery of the J&J Furnishings products. In addition, employee engagement through the intrinsic
reward is very important, as considering the team opinion and delegation of authority provides
higher work flexibility and productivity. Although, implementing benefits depends mainly, on
the design and implementation processes adopted by the HR and requires reward professionals6.
Adopting the expert power does not rely on the formal positions I have, as it originates
from my technical experience and level of knowledge. I believe that I have specific skills and
expertise that others do respect, that is why I was promoted to be the IT PM, as my managers
believe that I can affect others’ behaviors7.
Fifth: Steps to alleviate challenges faced by the project team
Successful project delivery in software development is hard to achieve for different
reasons. For example, the increasing pressures to develop new software. Software development
is seen as unique and complex8.
As an IT PM, I have to acquire new skills that clearly understands the changing process.
To overcome any obstacles, I have to provide clear guidelines and assign roles to the team
members according to their skills. Also, authority delegation to the team members empowers
them and increases their productivity. It is vital to consider the differences between the platforms
6 Duncan Brown ‘The Future of Reward Management: From Total Reward Strategies to Smart
Rewards’ (2014) 46 CBR 47
7 Marcus Goncalves ‘Leadership Styles: The Power to Influence Others’ (2013) 4 IJBSC 1
8 Katie Taylor ‘Adopting Agile Software Development: The Project Manager Experience’ (2016)
29 ITP 670

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of software testing and the live software to avoid unnecessary cost. Moreover, considering the
team members' expectations is necessary to provide them with the appropriate reward9.
Sixth: Time frame and schedule:
The software upgrade project within the J&J Furnishings is expected to take 7 months
according to the following schedule:
1. The needs assessment of the organization should be analyzed so that the appropriate
software can take place. This phase is expected to take one month.
2. The way the new system will be set up depends on the work needed to handle the
software configuration and building. It is expected to last for three months.
3. Providing the necessary training to the employees on the new software is expected to take
three months.
Seventh: Recommendations
 The IT team at J&J Furnishings face disruptions that need to be minimized. Training and
relocation may help them to adapt to the new systems and processes. Also, the employees'
feedback should be considered and incorporated into the project.
 As a project manager, the monetary rewards will be allocated to the most effective and
collaborative people who share their knowledge with others and work hard to fulfill the
organizational goals. Also, classifying people according to the Maslow hierarchy of needs
will facilitate the decision of providing extrinsic rewards to employees seeking to fulfill basic
needs or to provide intrinsic rewards to employees seeking to fulfill self-esteem to ensure
they enjoy a high level of job satisfaction.
9 Satu Rekonen, Tua A. Bjorklund ‘Adapting to the Changing Needs of Innovative Projects’
(2016) 19 EJIM 111

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 Knowledge sharing is very important to update people with the required information to fulfill
their work, it also assists the employees to feel considered and respected.
Conclusions
As a democratic leader, I will not follow the top-down approach, I prefer the shared
communication system with the colleagues and subordinates. I like to involve people in the
change activity by creating dialogue to let people understand each other. I will utilize both the
reward power and the expert power to lead the software upgrade project in the J&J Furnishings.

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Bibliography
Brown, D ‘The Future of Reward Management: From Total Reward Strategies to Smart
Rewards’ (2014) 46 CBR 47
Dias, D, Leite, A, Ramires, A and Bicho, P ‘Working With Cancer: Motivation and Job
Satisfaction’ (2016) IJOA 1
Goncalves, M ‘Leadership Styles: The Power to Influence Others’ (2013) 4 IJBSC 1
Haque, M, Haque, M and Islam, M ‘Motivational Theories – A Critical Analysis’ (2014) 8
ASAUR 62
Hoch, J and Dulebohnb, J ‘Team Personality Composition, Emergent Leadership and Shared
Leadership in Virtual Teams: A Theoretical Framework’ (2017) 27 HRMR 678
Taylor, K ‘Adopting Agile Software Development: The Project Manager Experience’ (2016) 29
ITP 670
Raelin, J ‘Dialogue and Deliberation as Expressions of Democratic Leadership in Participatory
Organizational Change’ (2012) 25 OCM 7
Rekonen, S and Bjorklund, T ‘Adapting to the Changing Needs of Innovative Projects’ (2016) 19
EJIM 111
Shenoy, S ‘5 Types of Power You Can Use As a Project Manager!’ PM Exam Smart Notes, 13
May 2013) < http://www.pmexamsmartnotes.com/5-types-of-power-to-a-project-manager>
accessed 13 March 2018

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