Case

Question 1- Question 1: What mistakes did Chalon make as he took over this large
North Backgr
American division
ound
q Proble
Question 2: What differences in American value systems and French value systems might be at the root
CASE
of the difculties Chalon is facing as he implements a new strategy? (B)
ms:
BACKGROU Lot of challenges are being faced by
Chalon ; Leadership style being
q Olivier
ND Chalon moves to Greenville, South California to lead a FRANCE
• Set up
division of monthly performance reviews for sales team
4,000 people • Professionalism
questioned is the acceptance
and was very critical about poor achievement § Jeff Armstrong, the HR head, conveyed
of outsiders
qFor
Successful
him minimum career
standard of achievement was 110% • Business
him that
peoplecolleagues
are veryand subordinates
formal
thus far:
of capabilities complained
§ Trained as an engineer at one of France’s prestigious • Powerful CEOs – about his management style
Generally
Always upfront and very demanding and didn’t want to
Grandes Ecoles § by
Started at an European oil company centralized Organizations
§ He is having trouble motivating his
encourage complacency praising
• Even§ifLived
100%and
people didn’t
worked foragree to in
6 years histhe
plans
U.Khe took • Meetings : Direct and open
subordinates
it for granted and instead of asking for their views § Chalon need to turn the division around
went§ahead within 2 years
Worked in 6 different countries – Speaks four
• Bluntlanguages
in disapproving if he didn’t get detailed reports
§ Companies
UNITEDare
STATES OF AMERICA?
organized and structured in
q Subordinates see him as § Blunt
or information which he was expecting many different
§ Arrogant § Distant
• Tried to hide his expressions even if he was pleased styles depending upon company History,
§ Demoralising
with results Industry and Management
q Current situation at Michelin: § Lacking People skills
• Gave a feeling of being distant and cold by finding it Business people do not expect formal attitude
§ Trailing behind competitors
inappropriate to discuss about family
§ Poor sales and financial results in past several
quarters
Power Distance : People in US generally do not
§ BCG has recommended change of strategy in accept and expect that leader forces decision on
tyre service business them
Indulgence : US is a society that accepts relatively
§ In 2004, hired Chalon to implement a
turnaround and reinvent the free gratification of basic and natural human
business by dealing with various stakeholders desires related to enjoying life and having fun
compared with France
Question 2Question
Case 5: What specific steps would you recommend that Chalon take in order to turn this situation
around? Backgr Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4
ound Question 5
• Call Up an initial meeting to:

• address the situation; Hall's

Cultural
• let the subordinates know that from now on sincere efforts would be taken from Chalon’s side
Factor Factors
High-context Low-
• Assist: Open theOvertness
Context door to give opinions and solve the big issues
of messages or problems
culture context
Many covert and implicit Many overt and explicit
culture
• Foster a relationship built on mutual trust.
messages, with use of messages that are simple
• metaphor
Once the subordinates feel that Chalon is making and to
efforts to adapt reading and
US scenario, they would clearput efforts from their
probably
side too between themodel lines of
Trompenaars'
• Prioritize & Organize: Don’t overstretch the stretch goals, give them one after the other
national culture diferences
• Dimension
Implement a top-down and bottom-up feedback mechanism
Question 4: Should he try to adapt his style to be more American in the way he provides feedback and leads this
Characteristics
eam? Or should § People
he try to remain authentickeep work andinpersonal
and consistent the way helives separate.
provides feedback in the hope that his
merican team will be able to adjust to his style? What are the risks of using either (or both) approach?
Spec § Believe that relationships don't have much of an impact on work
• ific One of the major
Adaptability: objectives
characteristics of successful leader

• § toGood
Making one person adapt relationships
the culture is easier thanare important
trying but
to impose the they
status quo believe that people can work
on 4000 employees
together
§ People see without having between
an overlap a good relationship
their work and personal life.
• Constructive Criticism: Positives should be highlighted more than negatives

Dif § Believe that good relationships are vital to meeting business objectives,
use and that their relationships with others will be the same, whether they
are at work or meeting socially.
§ People spend time outside work hours with colleagues and clients
• Personal Connection: Ask about employees’ family life

• Praise for hard work & effort rather than pointing small mistakes & enlarging them to reach perfection

• Mutual Misreading: Talk with employees & help them decode his message in the way he wanted to convey

• Socialization beyond work : Get to know the colleagues better

• Associated Risk: To fill the gap between his staffs and him, he needs to share his personal information which is beyond his
comfort zone

• Old style of feedback

• Provided very little or no positive feedback

• Relentless when asked for improvement

• Straightforward with criticism

• Had a direct style

• Three negative remark for every positive work

• Expected counter arguments from sub-ordinates

• Not enquiring whether subordinates actually agreed

• Upfront with disapproval of expectation

• Not showing appreciation

• CONS for old style of feedback

• Subordinates will remain demotivated

• He may lose valuable resources from the team

• Negative feedback will eventually lower team performance

• No relationship would get developed between Chalon & his subordinates

• May hamper to achieve end results

• He wont be able to gain trust and goodwill among his team members
Question 3: Now that Chalon is aware of how his American staf perceive his management style, what steps
would you recommend that he take in order to improve the way he motivates his staf?

• Encourage initiative taking: Three positives for every negative

• Constructive feedback: Appreciate completed task and recognize changes for improvement

• Praises at every stage of work: Address the situations e.g. interaction with subordinates

• Praise in public and criticize in private: Don’t expect counter-argument from subordinates

• Should not mind the amalgamation of personal and professional life

• Foster the friendly environment within the office by indulging with peers and subordinates