Assignment task:
INTECT is a technology marketing company embarking on a significant organisational change. Unfortunately, the senior manager earmarked to lead this change recently quit. Three managers have been shortlisted for this position based on their length of service and understanding of the business operations and vision. Vignettes of their profiles are below.
Adam and his R&D team have pursued and won many awards at innovation showcase events and international conferences. He has good relationships with his team and regularly hangs out after work on Friday to discuss new ideas freely over drinks and dinner. Adam is avoidant of conflicts. He is happy to let others win arguments just to get along. He is convinced that as long as his designs succeed eventually, it mattered not if people had their initial disbeliefs.
Sally manages the sales department, which has consistently generated more sales year after year. She pushes for very challenging goals and works alongside her team personally to close deals with major clientele. She is very eager to mentor her colleagues in sales tactics. Faced with conflicts, she remains composed and turns to rational persuasion tactics for influence. Despite her good relationships with clients, she does not appear to care if people like her, as long as the work gets done. She always excuses herself early from social events, if she even shows up at all.
Jane manages the human relations department that maintains internal HR functions and external relationships with business partners and shareholders. Jane enjoys social events and networking. She brags about being well-connected and is proud of the times she headhunted key talents for the company. She clearly enjoys being "the boss", and seen as being well-liked and influential. She does actively and usually successfully expand her network of influence, but beyond those qualities, her staff describes her as "laid-back".
As with any organisational change, the challenge is to break tradition and achieve high levels of long-term success. The manager must pursue this challenge while negotiating and influencing others to get onboard with change amidst the expectable resistance to change. This leader will frequently need to give clear corrective feedback when employees deviate from the change plan. Leaders of change are usually also subjected to being judged by resistant employees who will question each decision and the leaders' overall competence.
Q1. Describe what implicit motives are, and explain the THREE (3) primary implicit motives according to David McClelland.
Q2. Assess if Adam, Sally, and Jane is 'high' or 'low' on each of the three implicit motives.
Q3. Evaluate who will be most suitable to lead the change based on theory and research evidence about how implicit motives affect leadership behaviors.