Sara Ibrahim

Sailboat Reflection:

In business leadership, we explored the roles of a manager, a leader, and their

similarities and differences. In groups of four, we were tasked with making seven

long-lasting sailboats, as well as assigning a group manager. The purpose of this

assignment was to put the four functions of management - planning, organising,

leading, and controlling - that we learned to use. My group was comprised of Aurora,

Gabriel, Matthew, and myself. We assigned Gabriel as our manager; his role consisted

of assigning tasks and providing knowledge on the steps needed to complete the task.

In the planning stage, my group took a unique approach. Instead of Googling the

steps of making a paper sailboat, we brainstormed ideas. We decided that all our

sailboats should look the same in order to maintain the same level of quality between

every sailboat. Gabriel came up with the time-efficient and simple idea of making a

raft-like sailboat - using taped-together straws as a base, a straw flagpole, playdough to

keep the flagpole in place, and a paper sail. This idea then came to life, as Gabriel gave

us a little tutorial on how it was going to look, and this first boat became our group’s

prototype. Due to Gabriel’s quick-thinking and clear instructions, we appointed him as

our manager. One flaw in our planning stage was that we did not design our sailboat

with a hypothetical buyer or market in mind, and therefore did not know how to market

it. Rather, we focused on remaking the exact same sailboat with the same colour,

shape, and materials seven times. Overall, while our planning stage did have a flaw, I

think it was successful because we achieved everything we had aimed for when

planning our sailboats.

Sara Ibrahim

The organising stage was crucial in our group’s success. Gabriel made a

prototype of sorts -a first draft- for us to use as a guide. This gave the group a sense of

direction, saved time, and provided us with clear instructions. Gabriel did not assign

roles, we decided as a collective to individually make our own boats. As I stated earlier,

the materials we used were straws, tape, play dough, and paper, as well as scissors.

Once we began making boats, Gabriel saw us struggling to attach the sails, and made

himself in charge of making the sails, leaving the rest of us to continue making the

boats. I believe this decision was key to our success in making seven boats in time.

Although Gabriel did provide assistance at times, he failed in providing a leading

presence. A good leader encourages their team with words of affirmation, shares a

long-term vision/goal, and defines aims and objectives. Gabriel’s approach to not be

overbearing and provide a silent but watchful presence, available to us if we had any

questions, was helpful but did not demonstrate many of the key aspects of being a

leader. While I preferred his method as a manager because it allowed us to work in

silence and remain on track, I understand that a leader is supposed to be outgoing,

vocal, and provide positive commentary for the group. He was slightly reserved and did

not provide enthusiasm. Gabriel was a helpful manager, but he was not a leader as we

learned it in class. Regardless, I enjoyed collaborating with him and found his presence

helpful.

During the controlling stage, our team measured performance by ensuring the

production of 7 functional sailboats that were able to stand upright within the 15 minutes

given. Although we did finish our sailboats in time, we did not have time to consolidate

or discuss the necessary improvements for our group’s future success. Corrective
Sara Ibrahim

action was taken one time, when Gabriel instructed me that in order to make a better

base, I needed to lay the straws flat on the table and then tape them..Corrective action

was not taken in any other regard, but with more time our boats could have been

improved in a few ways. For example, we would be able to test if the boats could float

and/or remain standing in the face of wind. We also would have been able to compare

our individual boats to the prototype in more detail, rather than just a quick glance. I

believe we, as a collective, fell short in the controlling stage.

Working with Gabriel, Aurora, and Matthew to construct seven sailboats was a

positive experience; I learned how the functions of management are connected. In order

for a quality product to be produced, every function must be completed properly. For

example, without our planning stage, we would have spent much too long gathering

which materials to use and organising tasks among one another in the organising stage,

which would have eventually led to our group not finishing in time. Every function is a

necessary stepping stone in achieving final success, especially in a timed environment.

My group’s main weakness was our inability to complete the final stage of management

- the controlling stage. This negatively affected the quality of our boats because we

were not able to test them, which would have been very troublesome if the boats were

expected to float. That said, my group had a key strength all teams need, a positive and

collaborative environment. Any questions were answered in an understanding polite

tone by various members of the group. In conclusion, I believe my group’s performance,

while it lacked in certain areas, was enjoyable to be a part of and given the opportunity, I

would do this activity again.