Answer

Discussion Board Questions: Leadership (Assignment 1)

Important lessons Learnt regarding Leadership in Relation To project Management

Effective leadership is an important aspect in project management. That is to say, it plays a vital role in determining the success or failure of a project. Project managers with good leadership skills are, often, able to motivate and influence their team members towards a common objective (Horine, 2012). In this regard, they work closely with all key stakeholders to ensure that every member contributes positively towards the successful completion of the project at hand. Moreover, they are able to break down the task into different phases and ensure that resources are distributed efficiently, thus influencing the achievement of the project.

Areas that I feel need to be developed

One of the areas that I need to improve on as a leader is ensuring that all my team members are aware of their key roles and the main objectives of the project. This will ensure that everyone works towards its successful completion.

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Leadership is a set of skills that can be obtained through constant training, experience, and practice.  In other words, it is a form of art that is learned and refined overtime. According to the behavioral theories, individuals can become leaders through observation and continuous learning (Burke, 2013). Additionally, the theories argue that some people posses a set of innate traits, which can be developed and perfected overtime through regular practice, thus making them good leaders. It is in this respect that leaders are not born, but made.

Great Manger vs. Poor Leadership

Being a great manager does not necessarily mean that one is a good leader. In other words, a person can be very good at managing resources, but poor when it comes to leading and directing people. Most managers are, often, responsible for managing and maintaining systems that have already been established (Fan et al., 2014). On the other hand, leaders are innovators, who always come up with new ideas and initiatives to move an organization forward (Horine, 2012). In this case, managers are more concerned with controlling established systems, whilst, leaders focus on people and development. However, a good manager with poor leadership skills can transform through training and practice. That is to say, managers and leaders can identify their areas of weaknesses and work on them through continuous training and practice.

WK5 – Powerful Quality Strategies (Assignment 2)

The Importance of Customer Service

The production and delivery of quality products is a vital element in customer service. In other words, customer service is all about meeting and exceeding customer expectations (Gutek, 2015). Consumer expectations are, often, shaped by their previous experience concerning a particular product or service. In this regard, organizations that meet and satisfy the expectations of their clients are more likely to retain them, and expand in growth or profitability. It is, therefore, important for every business to develop and implement strategies that promote customer satisfaction. This paper uses a case study to illustrate a scenario where quality was not up to par and failed to meet the customers’ expectations. It also highlights some of the factors that influenced the incident, and Powerful Quality Strategies that can be implemented to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

Microsoft Case study: Failure to meet Customer Expectations

Microsoft is a multinational company in America that deals with the production and selling of technological devices such as personal computers, software, and consumer electronics, just to mention. It has a good reputation for quality products and leads the market through its Windows platform (Gutek, 2015). The organization, however, failed to meet its customers’ expectation following its recent launch of Windows Vista.  In this regard, many people felt that the design of the product met the company’s needs rather than that of its clients. That is to say, all new PCs came with Windows Vista pre-installed and made consumers feel like the product was being forced down their thoughts.  In other words, individuals had to consume the product, as long as they bought a PC, even if it was against their will or intentions. As a result, most customers were unhappy with the new product.

Factors that Led to the Incident

There are various factors that led to the Microsoft incident. First, the company made huge promises to its consumers regarding the new product before launching it. As a result, people had very high expectations, which were not met when the final product came out (Gutek, 2015). Secondly, Microsoft did consider the needs and expectations of its customers before manufacturing Windows Vista. In other words, it kept its agenda first and produced a brand that satisfied its own needs, rather, than that of its targeted clients (Horine, 2012). As a result, the company suffered huge financial losses, since many people were not willing to buy the new brand. Lastly, the organization did not conduct enough market research before manufacturing and launching the new product. In this regard, it ended up disappointing most of its clients.

Effective Powerful Quality Strategies

There are two Powerful Quality Strategies that can be implemented to resolve the Microsoft incident and prevent it from reoccurring in the future. One of these strategies is interactive development. It entails engaging the consumers throughout the project lifecycle, such that the final product meets their needs and expectations (Horine, 2012). In other words, the project manager or organization partners with targeted clients to develop a particular brand and collect regular feedback, to ensure that it is tailored according to consumers’ needs. The other approach that can be employed is taking the customers’ perspective (Burke, 2013). That is to say, the product is designed with the end user in mind, from the development of the requirements to the testing approach, thus saving the company unnecessary losses and expenses.

In conclusion, organizations should strive to produce products and services that exceed the needs and expectations of their customers. By doing so, they are more likely to retain their customers and promote their levels of productivity. That is to say, happy clients will always come back with their friends, thus influencing the growth and profitability of business. Moreover, collecting regular feedback and involving consumers in the production process, is an efficient way of ensuring that all goods and services are tailored to their needs. In this regard, many companies will be able to maintain their good reputation and avoid unnecessary loses.(2017) study employed, there are very little room for generalizing the study’s findings.