08 February 2014
EMBA 653: Fletcher Case Study

This study analyzes and discusses three shortcomings that prevented investment portfolio manager David Fletcher of Jenkins, Fletcher Partners (JFP) from realizing his team oriented operational expectations. His failures were attributed to poor personnel management, the inability to effectively select or establish team structure, and the failure to devise the appropriate incentives to motivate and reward employees. After careful review it is recommended that Fletcher must invest in personnel and team management training for himself, take a measured approach to create and sustain team structure and culture, and institute an incentive plan that fosters motivation and rewards the …show more content…

He believed that this reward coupled with each team members’ desire to ultimately manage a piece of the portfolio would suffice. The initiative failed to have an impact on results. As a new manager, Fletcher clearly made mistakes when structuring, motivating, and leading his team. Fletcher failed to recognize that the JFP organizational approach should not be adapted for his purpose; his team needed to work closely together to better accomplish his goals. He did not carefully consider the advice offered by his colleague Jenkins and conclude that he lacked managerial experience. Instead he sought team building concepts and ideas from colleagues. Fletcher appeared to implement the concept of pooled interdependence, but with no direction and managerial guidance, the team failed. Proper training may have given Fletcher the essential skills necessary to handle team conflict in whole as it arose. However, he only addressed issues with Whitney and never met to discuss matters of concern with Doyle. He failed to recognize the importance of listening to and considering all of his team members’ input on level terms when attempting to resolve conflict. From the onset, Fletcher did not understand the need to discuss his plan to staff vacancies with current team members. Fletcher should have set expectations from the beginning and informed team members what the future