OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Structural Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the structural frame
2. Apply the structural frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

The situation I am examining occurred where I work. I work for a finance company as an
assistant and data specialist to a financial advisor. Close to the time I started I was left to
work independently quickly, which obviously could lead to mistakes being made. I had
made multiple mistakes that came to light the same day. It was only my second week
there and it led to a stern and slightly insulting conversation with my boss.

2) Describe how the structure of the organization influenced the situation.

I find that the structure of the organization is the reason I experienced what I did. If you
look at a normal company the HR is involved and a write up is generally given. This
could have happened but considering how my organization is structured it did not have to
happen this way. In my organization we are structured like a divisional zed form (Bolman
et al., 2021). Each Financial Advisor has his own business and from his own business he
brings in fees, or revenue, for the company. After the company and the third party takes
there cut this is the Financial Advisors pay. From that income he can choose to hire
assistants. This is where I fall in the puzzle. Even though I am hired by Renaissance
Financial I fall under the supervision of the Financial Advisor. He was the hiring
manager, and he is the one that can fire me. In result he has the right to correct me.

Although we see what happened to be in in line with the structure, the issue is because
this man brings in enough money, he gets to be a finical advisor that is now a boss. He is
not a boss that is a financial advisor. Let me explain, when you look at the structure of
leadership you tend to find those who know how to work well with people be the leaders.
In my company it can be if you bring in enough money. This leads to power struggles,
having a too tight or too loose atmosphere, and a boss who may not know how to correct
and resolve in a positive way.

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 3) Recommend how you would use structure for an alternative course of action
regarding your case.

I think that my company needs to focus more on leadership seminars and not just
meetings on how to become better financial advisors. Although this may see not relevant
to all advisors, I think this would help people grow their business and prepare them to
lead at the same time. My company already host many meetings to help the new and
existing advisors, but it is focused on growing business. There is much more to a business
than revenue. If a company can focus on the personal development of their employees in
all aspects, I believe revenue will follow.

I would suggest starting to hold trainings to all supervisors in every department

leadership courses and how to better lead a team. Take some time and focus on how to
correct employees. Understand how people tick and how to know what response is
necessary. I watch a coworker on my team have a similar experience after making a
mistake. A client was accidentally added to an internal email which breaks compliance.
She felt terrible, but still confronted our boss about the situation. She left the meeting
crying and I can guarantee it was not because of her actions alone. Learning how to
identify where people are and where they are going will help employee retention,
productivity, and it will even help new advisors learn how to understand future clients
and grow their business, which in the end grows the company.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

There has been a lot of discussion on what the company should do or how others can be
better, but let’s focus on the controllable. What can I do, given the circumstances? The
first thing I am trying to implement is to move on. I need to understand that not everyone
knows frame works and leadership skills. I should not gripe but be thankful that I can
recognize others faults and learn from them. This also helps me practice what I have been
preaching about and being able to understand people and working with them where they
are.

The other thing I would do differently is try to promote a healthier, and more effective
work environment. Reconstructing a framework is hard, but not impossible. I do not want
to rewrite the entire thing, because I think it is unnecessary. I am not trying to reinsert the
wheel, just putting the right size tires on. I am a young man compared to those on my
team. The next youngest is 39, but if I can use my youthfulness and influence slight
changes to the culture not only would my situation be made right, I would also be helping
all those on the team now and on the future.

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 Works Cited

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Chapter 4: Structure and Restructuring. In Reframing
organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. essay, Jossey-Bass.