A Sample Case-Study on Managing Boss
Major Lim, a diploma holder has been working in Mahata Construction S/B for 16 years and has risen to become a Human Resource Manager. He has been working well with his CEO until lately, in a corporate restructure exercise, Datuk Ling took over as CEO of Mahata.
Being people-oriented, Major Lim is quite popular with his colleagues and bosses. He is hardworking and responsible and usually goes home late. Major abide strictly to the labor laws in addressing and resolving human resource problems. He takes pride in his work and gets a sense of achievement for being able to run his department effectively.
Datuk Ling is aggressive and demanding. He expects his managers to follow his instructions strictly. He instills a sense of urgency among his managers to get the job done even if they have to work at odd hours. Datuk Ling is famous at waking up his managers at 3.00 a.m. to solve problems at the construction site. He is a loner and avoids being around with his down-lines unless it is on official matters. Datuk Ling is also good at loading his managers until they have no time to socialize.
The working atmosphere, once easy going and pleasant, soon become busy and tense. Several managers were unhappy and complain to Major Lim about their predicaments.
Major Lim raise this issue to his new CEO who took it quite unpleasantly and eventually chase him out from his room.
From that day onwards, Major could not do anything right for Datuk Ling. Every piece of work is rejected no matter how much effort he puts into it.
The working relationship between Major and Datuk Ling deteriorated and become tense and bitter. Major Lim feels frustrated and unhappy. He begins condemning his CEO’s style of management to his colleagues.
One day while in the midst of a meeting, a nasty remark from Major initiates Datuk Lim to yell at Major and accuses him of working like an office boy. Major Lim loses his cool and uses obscenity on Datuk. He tenders his resignation soon after that incident and was accepted.
- Draw the kyko personality profile of Major and Datuk Ling. Identify what types of managers both are.
- Do a profile compatibility analysis and explain the conflict and why the relationship between Major and Datuk Lim becomes sour?
- Do you agree with Major way of handling his boss? If yes, support your answer with rationales. If no, how would you manage Datuk Ling if you were in Major’s place?
- Do you support Datuk Ling for the way he treats Major? If yes, support your answer with rationales. If no, how would you handle Major if you were in Datuk Ling’s place?
- Is Datuk Ling a good CEO?
- What critical lessons have you learned from this case?
Answers:
Question 1:
Base on the context the five dimensions of major’s Kyko personality are as follow:
High Self Actualizing Self – He is hardworking and responsible and usually goes home late. He takes pride in his work and gets a sense of achievement for his being able to run his department effectively.
High Sociocentric Self – Being people-oriented, Major Lim is quite popular with his colleagues and bosses.
High Egocentric Self – Major Lim loses his cool and uses obscenity on Datuk
High Security Self – Major abide strictly to the labor laws in addressing and resolving human resource problems.
Low Manipulative Self – He begins condemning his CEO’s style of management to his colleagues.
Major Spider Web
SA
M
SU
E
SO
Base on the context the Datuk Ling’s Kyko five dimensional personality are as follow:
High Egocentric – Datuk Ling is aggressive and demanding. Major Lim raise this issue to his new CEO who took it quite unpleasantly and eventually chase him off from his room. Datuk Lim yells at Major and accuses him of working like an office boy.
High Self-Actualizing – He instills a sense of urgency among his managers to get the job done even if they have to work at odd hours. Datuk Ling is famous at waking up his managers at 3.00 a.m. to solve problems at the construction site.
High Security – He expects his managers to follow his instructions strictly.
High Manipulative – Datuk Ling is also good at loading his managers until they have no time to socialize
From that day onwards, Major could not do anything right for Datuk Ling. Every piece of work is rejected no matter how much effort he puts into it.
Low Sociocentric – He is a loner and avoids being around with his down-lines
Datuk Ling Spider Web
SA
M
SU
E
SO
Question 2:
The areas of incompatibility are:
Both have High Egocentric dimensions in their personality profile
Major’s Sociocentric dimension is high while Datuk Lim’s Sociocentric dimension is low
It explains the personality conflicts and the sour relationship between Datuk and Major in the above case.
Question 3:
No, as a subordinate, Major should align his socio-egocentric dimensions to the socio-egocentric dimensions of Datuk Ling to establish and enhance relationship with his boss. Instead of trying to change his boss management style, he should adapt to his way of doing things and encourage his peers to do the same.
Question 4:
No, he should understand that Major is a good Human Resource Manager and is trying very hard to ease the tensions in the working environment. He should explain his management style and consider Major’s suggestion to become more people oriented in managing his people.
Question 5:
Yes, Datuk Ling has a strong dynamic personality, a requirement For CEO to bring his organization to greater height of success. He would become a better CEO if he develops his sociocentric dimension of his Kyko personality profile.
Question 6
Do not fight against your boss or you will be deliberately managed out even though you are a good and effective employee.
Bosses who are insensitive to people well-beings can manage out a good employee.