The Developing Manager Report: Thomas Cook Group PLC Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of management practices and skills development within Thomas Cook Group PLC. It begins by comparing various management styles employed by the company, including democratic, affiliative, and laissez-faire approaches, and their impact on employee morale, efficiency, and creativity. The report then examines the leadership characteristics of senior managers, such as future orientation, positive attitude, accountability, and humility. It evaluates the communication process within the organization, outlining the sender-encoding-channel-decoding-receiver-feedback loop. Furthermore, it explores Thomas Cook's organizational culture, which blends people and task-oriented approaches, and the factors driving organizational change. The second part of the report focuses on self-assessment, evaluating the author's management skills and performance, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and establishing objectives for improvement. The final sections address team leadership, decision-making, and career development, including a plan to enhance managerial and personal skills for future career advancement within Thomas Cook. Overall, the report offers a comprehensive overview of management principles and practices within the context of a real-world hospitality company.

THE DEVELOPING
MANAGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................3
TASK 1.............................................................................................................................3
1.1 Comparing different management styles in Thomas Cook Group PLC..................3
1.2 Leadership characteristics possessed by senior managers...................................3
1.3 Evaluating communication process within Thomas Cook.......................................4
1.4 Organizational culture as well as the process of change in Thomas Cook Group..5
TASK 2.............................................................................................................................6
2.1 Evaluating own management skills and performance.............................................6
2.2 Analysing own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats..........................8
2.3 Establishing and ranking objectives and targets to develop own potentials...........9
TASK 3........................................................................................................................... 10
3.1 Leading and encouraging a team to attain agreed goals......................................10
3.2 Justifying the managerial decisions that would be made to achieve agreed goals
and objectives with recommending improvements.....................................................10
TASK 4........................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Own managerial and personal skills supporting the career development.............11
4.2 Producing a development plan by reviewing career and personal development
needs.......................................................................................................................... 12
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................... 13
REFERENCES...............................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario, to provide continuous development to employees is
crucial for firms especially those which are operating in hospitality sector. It is important
to develop the managers in an organisation so that their skills to manage the operations
and functions can be improved which will lead employees to achieve the personal and
professional objectives. In present report, the hospitality firm selected is Thomas Cook
Group PLC which is having its headquarter in London, England, UK and known as one
of the leading tourism companies across world. There will be discussion on
understanding the principles and practices of management behaviour along with
reviewing own potential as prospective manager. Further, managerial skills in context of
Thomas Cook will be studied here with creating a career development plan for
employment within organisation.
TASK 1
1.1 Comparing different management styles in Thomas Cook Group PLC
Various management styles are there that are being used by the firms depending
on their nature of business. Being the management trainee at Thomas Cook Group,
different management styles used by company which I have observed are stated as
below:
 Democratic management style – Most of the time, managers and leaders in
Thomas Cook use democratic management style according to which there is
high involvement of staff in company decisions which increases their morale as
well as boosts efficiency to perform tasks in a better way. In order to make the
long term decisions that affect the running of business, this management style
proves to be highly beneficial (Exploring Different Management Styles, 2018).
However, sometimes, it results in making employees over confident as well as to
take their work for granted.
 Affiliative management style – On the contrary, when there is situation of peak
load in business, affiliative management style is being used which is different in
comparison to unlike democratic management style as in this, managers and
leaders themselves become active team members so that tasks can get
completed effectually and timely delivery of products and services can be met.
This also increases the feeling of respect among employees for managers.
 Laissez-faire management style – On the other hand, when Thomas Cook
Group decides to bring changes at workplace with respect to the working
practices in order to meet changing demands of market, this management style
is being used by managers where they act as more of mentors and guide
employees for the same with showing high trust on them (Perlmutter, 2017). This
helps in increasing the motivation, efficiency as well as creativity of employees.
This style is not same as democratic and affiliative as neither employees are
given chance to take part in decision making nor they are forced to speed up
their work to meet the deadlines as managers here act as the supportive
members of team.
1.2 Leadership characteristics possessed by senior managers
In Thomas Cook Group PLC, senior managers possess many leadership
characteristics based on the situations they are dealing with. Some of the common
characteristics are like:
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 Future oriented – Main characteristic possessed by the senior managers in
Thomas Cook is that they always think about the future to make it better by
assessing where they are going. With this approach, they are able to grab and
take benefit of future opportunities rather wasting time on the problems of past.
 Positive attitude – Also, senior managers in Thomas Cook carry a positive
attitude towards all issues occurring at workplace and act as long term thinkers
so that along with present situation, future can also be improved with immediate
gratification. Senior managers in this organisation always make efforts to create
and exciting future for themselves as well as for their staff (Grenha Teixeira and
et.al., 2017).
 Accountability – Further, being accountable is one more characteristic of senior
managers in Thomas Cook Group which means that they accept the
responsibility for results gained irrespective of matter whether they are positive or
negative. They never blame others in case if received outcomes are not up to the
standards set and take corrective measures to improve the same.
 Humility – In Thomas Cook, there is one more characteristic that senior
managers possess i.e. humility as they are humble towards employees and seek
out their feedback with giving due emphasis on their needs (Chiu, Balkundi and
Weinberg, 2017). With making sincere efforts to satisfy the needs of employees,
they gain their loyalty and willingness towards work.
1.3 Evaluating communication process within Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook Group PLC uses an effective communication process for the
smooth and timely flow of information from one department to another or from one unit
to the other. The process for communication used by company is given as below:
Figure 1: The Communication Process
(Source: Communication, 2018)
 Sender (source) – Whenever there is some information that is to be
communicated to employees, higher authorities of Thomas Cook Group generate
the message including every important information that is to be transmitted and
which employees need to be aware with (Communication, 2018).
 Encoding – After that, it is encoded before sending in such a manner that can be
easily understandable to another party i.e. the receiver which means managers,
supervisors, team members and workers that are performing their jobs at
different levels of management.
 Channel – Then, the medium is decided through which information is to be sent.
These mediums include the methods like e-mails, meetings and conferences with
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strategic and tactical level of staff and notice boards for the people working at
operational level
 Decoding – Next step in the process is decoding where receiver decodes
message in a manner it is expected to be understood and then it is said to be
received by him (McNulty and Brewster, 2017). Employees working at strategic
and tactical level of management in Thomas Cook Group plc decode the
message through understanding e-mails and attending meetings or conferences
while, people working at operations level understand the message by reading the
information communicated on notice boards.
 Receiver – Finally, when the receiver i.e. employees of company working at
specific levels receive and understand the message in exact way it was
communicated to them and act accordingly, then it is said to be successful
completion of the process.
 Feedback – At last, authority who sent the message or information to staff asks
for the feedback to check whether they have understood what has been
communicated to them or not (Bain and Taylor, 2017). This increases the
effectiveness of process as it allows authority to check the efficacy of information
sent by getting response of employees in return.
1.4 Organizational culture as well as the process of change in Thomas Cook Group
Being a large organisation, Thomas Cook Group plc is having its operations
across world based on the changing needs and trends of target markets. To have an
effective decision making process and proper management of activities, company is
following hierarchical i.e. tall organisational structure where roles and responsibilities of
employees are clearly delegated. Culture which Thomas Cook follows at workplace
highly depends on the locations where it is operating as well as on target customer
groups which proves to be highly supportive in increasing the existing customer base
and improving products and services offered. However, present culture followed in
organisation is a mix of people and task culture depending on the situations it is dealing
with (Rees and Smith, 2017). According to person culture, Thomas Cook has developed
a friendly and supportive working environment at workplace where all departments are
performing their tasks with high coordination. However, as per task culture, company
focuses on making innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities of staff better so that they
can effectually take responsibilities as well as risks at the time when there is high
workload and need to bring changes in business activities.
The process of change which is taking place in Thomas Cook Group plc depends
on various factors that leads firm to bring changes in culture as well as in current
working practices. These factors are like increasing competition in the market, changing
needs and demands of customers, emergence of new technologies, etc. which have
direct impact on the business process. While bringing changes, managers in Thomas
Cook communicate the need, importance and benefits behind the same to employees
so that they can be easily convinced for its implementation. Due to the rapid changes
that are taking place in the market, customer satisfaction is getting more importance in
this company (Maxwell, 2018). Thus, to improve the quality of products and services,
firm has decided to bring new and advanced techniques so that high productivity at low
cost can be gained. Further, due to increased level of competition, company is required
to enhance employee satisfaction as they are now having plenty of opportunities
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outside. Overall, it can be said that managers have the major responsibility in this
situation to make employees agree to adapt the changes effectually and enjoy benefits
from same.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluating own management skills and performance
Presently, I am the management trainee at Thomas Cook Group plc, but to get
hired as a manager in this firm, there are many skills which I already have and some are
that I need to develop to perform my job effectually. These are given as below:
Management
skills
Rating (1 -
5)
Current level of
skill
Strategies for
improvement
Time
duration
(1-6
months)
Interpersonal
skills
4 I am good in this
skill but still not
perfect and can
improve the same to
keep employees
happy.
To further improve
the same, I need to
cultivate a positive
outlook with
practicing effective
listening and
empathy.
1 month
Forward
planning
3 I need to improve
this skill of mine to
utmost level so that
future risks can be
predicted and
corrective measures
can be taken.
For improving this
skill, I need to stop
procrastinating and
stay focused with
making to-do list
and focusing on
priorities (Bell,
2018).
3 months
6

Problem
solving
1 I am very weak in
this skill and unable
to solve the issues
of employees due to
lack of experience.
For improving my
problem solving
skills, I will first
define the problem
and then identify
all its alternatives
to resolve the
same. Also, I will
take assistance of
my seniors and will
ask for their
suggestions.
6 months
Organisation
and delegation
4 I am good in
delegating the roles
and responsibilities
based on the
experience, skills
and interests of
people. But still
sometimes, in
situation of peak
workload, to do
proper organisation
becomes difficult for
me (Delaney and
et.al., 2017).
In order to improve
this skill, I will lead
a team and will
make efforts to
manage the team
members with
proper
organisation and
delegation of work.
Also, I will attend
the workshops
based on same.
2 months
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Communication 5 My communication
skills are very strong
and I do not think
that I need to
improve the same.
However, still to
get it updated, I’ll
keep on interacting
with people
working at all
levels in Thomas
Cook Group plc.
1 month
Decision
making
2 I am very poor at
decision making skill
which is crucial to
have to be a
manager.
To improve this
skill, I will solve the
case studies,
follow the
judgements of
other well-known
leaders, attend
seminars on same
as well as observe
what my seniors
way of making
decisions (Cook,
2017).
4 months
2.2 Analysing own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
For analysing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to work on
the position of manager, conducting SWOT analysis will prove to be best which is given
as below:
Strengths
 My biggest strength is my
interpersonal skill through I am
able to maintain strong and healthy
relations with team members as
well as to influence and convince
people.
 Also, my communication skill is
very good and I can effectually
interact with people working at any
level of Thomas Cook Group plc.
 I am good at delegating the tasks
Weaknesses
 One of my major weaknesses is
that my problem solving skill is
good and I am unable to solve the
complex situations if arise at
workplace like in case of conflicts.
 Decision making is another
weakness of mine as sometimes,
when it requires to make
judgements on immediate basis, I
used to become panic and unable
to make the decision.
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to people based on their skills,
abilities, knowledge, experience
and interest equally (Peach, 2017).
 I am also weak at forward planning
as I can handle the current
situations well but unable to plan in
advance for the future.
Opportunities
 With effective leadership skills, I
will be able to lead a team
effectually that would result in
strengthening my position in the
firm.
 Also, to deal with changes
effectually would also prove to be
beneficial for me to get adjusted in
any altered situation.
Threats
 Major threat being working in travel
and tourism organisation is that of
competition as with increased job
opportunities, people keep on
trying to get hired in Thomas Cook
which might take my job at risk if I
would not perform well (Maxwell,
2018).
2.3 Establishing and ranking objectives and targets to develop own potentials
In order to develop own potentials to be an effective manager in Thomas Cook,
many objectives and targets are there which I need to establish and rank accordingly so
that priority wise, they can be attained. These objectives with their ranks are given as
below:
Setting
objectives
Ranking the
objectives
(1-5)
Ways to achieve the targets Time
duration
(1-6
months)
Team working
and team
building
3 As per my priority list, this objectives
comes at the third position as after
making employees satisfied with their
job and motivated, next task is to
inculcate team spirit to them which is
important for gaining quality work and
timely delivery of products and services
in Thomas Cook (Rees and Smith,
2017).
4-5
months
To work under
pressure
4 Then comes the target to be able to
work under pressure even in complex
situations so that deadlines can be
effectually met and chances of delay in
results can be minimised.
6 months
To solve the
conflicts
5 After fulfilling objective to work under
pressure, based on priority, then comes
problem solving which is needed to
maintain a healthy working environment
at workplace and to make team work
with highest potential without any
conflicts with each other (Chiu, Balkundi
and Weinberg, 2017).
3-4
months
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Providing job
satisfaction
1 This is the top most objective which I
need to achieve on priority as if
employees would not be satisfied with
their job, for Thomas Cook, to run their
business would become impossible. For
the same, I will provide a healthy, safe
and positive working culture to them
with timely appraisals.
6 months
Employee
motivation
2 To keep employees motivated is my
second objective based on priority for
which, I will offer various monetary and
non-monetary rewards to them based
on their performance.
2-3
months
TASK 3
3.1 Leading and encouraging a team to attain agreed goals
As in the future I will be working as a manager in Thomas Cook Group plc, to
lead and encourage my team so that agreed objectives can be effectually and timely
attained, I will use the theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which is stated as below:
Figure 2: The Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
1. Physiological needs – At first, I will first ensure to fulfil the basic needs of
employees by making them earn for their livelihood. These needs include the
basic necessities of people for living their life like food, shelter, cloths, etc. This
need can be fulfil by providing appropriate wages to employees that are enough
for their survival.
2. Safety needs – After that, I will check if safety needs of employees in Thomas
Cook are not fulfilled and in case if these are not met, I’ll ensure that they will feel
their jobs to be secured and safe so that they can perform their tasks willingly.
For this, healthy and safe workplace should be providing to employees.
3. Social needs – After ensuring that safety needs of employees have been
fulfilled, later I’ll make them ensure to get satisfied in terms of having intimate
relationships, friend circle inside the firm and feeling of belongingness as this will
lead to increase their productivity and so profits of organisation (Peach, 2017).
This can be done by promoting team work within Thomas Cook.
4. Esteem needs – Next is to satisfy the esteem needs of employees where they
desire to have high prestige, status and feeling of accomplishment. For the
same, based on their performance, I will provide them promotion, increment,
bonus, etc.
5. Self-actualisation needs – Last is the stage where all needs of employees get
fulfilled and they get included in creative activities with full potential.
3.2 Justifying the managerial decisions that would be made to achieve agreed goals
and objectives with recommending improvements
Being working as a manager in Thomas Cook Group plc, I would have to make
many decisions to attain the set targets like:
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 Strategic planning – For having systematic and effective working in
organisation, I will make and execute operational plan to have improved results
for which I would assign roles and responsibilities to my team members on the
basis of their past performance and issues they have faced. Accordingly, I will
make decision to amend the process of communication as well as delivery of
products and services improved. Later, I’ll take feedback of employees and
customers both to check the efficacy of plan.
 Building strong relations – In Thomas Cook Group plc, being manager I will
make efforts to maintain healthy relation between staff and management so that
they can perform their tasks with high efficiency that will lead to firm to attain
higher productivity and growth in business (Grenha Teixeira and et.al., 2017). For
the same, I will organise various meetings to make team members aware with
what exactly they have to do and so that with their coordination, desired
outcomes can be gained by the firm.
Recommendations
For improving the managerial tactics so that set targets can be effectually
achieved, it can be recommended to focus on the customer needs and provide timely
training sessions to staff so that they would become able to satisfy the market demands
with enhanced skills, knowledge and abilities. The current working environment of
Thomas Cook Group plc is healthy and positive but the management still requires strict
control and proper delegation of authorities based on skills, experience and interest to
the right person. For the same, I will take feedback from customers as well as
employees to identify the areas requiring improvement and would make plans
accordingly (Dixon, 2017).
TASK 4
4.1 Own managerial and personal skills supporting the career development
To work as a manager in Thomas Cook, it is crucial for me to have specific
managerial and personal skills that would help in my career development as well as to
set an agenda for the future. These skills are like:
 Leadership – To work effectually as a manager, having leadership skill is of
utmost importance as this will help me to guide, direct and lead the team
members in a way that they will get influenced with same and perform their tasks
efficiently.
 Adaptability – I need to explore my personality to grab prevailing opportunities
in Thomas Cook Group as the firm is operating in highly competitive
environment. Thus, with changing needs of market, I have to learn to be
adaptable to the changes occurring on continuous basis to save my job and
capture further opportunities (Smith, 2018).
 Time Management – To work in a large organisation like Thomas Cook and
handling lots of responsibilities at a time being the manager, it is crucial to have
time management skill without which performing tasks in a timely manner would
not be possible that will hamper the goodwill of organisation.
All the above mentioned skills help me in my career development and leads me
towards growth and success in future.
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4.2 Producing a development plan by reviewing career and personal development
needs
For the purpose of meeting personal and professional objectives, producing
development plan will prove to be helpful based on managerial and personal skills
which is given as below:
Career and
personal
development
needs
Current
performance
Future needs Actions taken Timeline
Leadership Average I know how to
lead people
but still require
improvement
to convince
and influence
them with what
I want from my
team.
I have
observed the
leadership of
well-known
leaders and
read books as
well as online
articles on
improving
leadership
skills
2 months
Adaptability Poor It is crucial to
be adaptable
to all situations
that occur in
Thomas Cook
Group plc so
that changes
can be brought
and
implemented
effectually
(Dixon, 2017).
To improve
adaptability, I
have worked in
different
situations of
organisation
like in
workload,
when there is
no work, at the
time of
bringing
changes in
working
practices, etc.
3-5 months
Time
Management
Good To improve
time
management
skill is
important
being the
manager to
attain own and
team’s targets
on time.
I have made
to-do lists and
prepared
schedule for
activities
based on their
priorities.
2-3 months
Technical Skills Average To work in I have joined 6 months
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