Management and Wolfgang Keller Essay

1) Who is Wolfgang Keller? What are his key loudnesss and weaknesses?Wolfgang Keller is the Managing Director of Konigsbrau-TAK, which is the Ukranian subsidiary of a major(ip) premium beer brewer. Keller has previous experience in financially distorting or so a German food product manufacturers 2 subsidiaries (relatively small in scale than his current organization). Kellers foremost strength is his ability to turn around an apparently difficult (for example, the economic turn-around of various subsidiaries) and at clock apparent im assertable situations (for instance, resolution of a allocators lawsuit, collection of payment from a near-bankrupt distributor, etc.). He has been successful in managing an organization in a foreign country for which he has do efforts to catch out the language and understand the business culture. He has a active roll in the hayment style and likes to be actively involved in the operating(a) aspects of the business. He has the ability to buil d personal and, if needed, informal relationships with his rung and customers excessively which has been instrumental in the better performance of his company.As Dr Haussler has indicated, many of Kellers weaknesses are the other side of his strengths. For example, his attempts at being hands-on sack up be perceived as over-interference by his sub-ordinates. Also, by trying to mold situations by himself he answers himself open to criticism over his team- running(a) and proper missionary work abilities. Keller himself recognizes that he can be impatient and whitethorn not piddle enough time for his ideas to settle in the headers of others. Another of his weaknesses, again as highlighted by his manager, seems to be his less than cordial relationship with embodied provide and infrequency of inform to the collective headquarters and his marches manager. This is also something that whitethorn be construed as a problem with Kellers working practices as a part of team.2) What important issues does Keller face? What are the most urgent problems he needs to address upon return to Athens? at that place are three important issues which Keller faces and they are as follows. First is to try and emend upon his shortcomings (as highlighted in his annual performance appraisal) vis--vis the corporate staff and his line manager. There welcome been questions raised about his personality and attitude which include his precaution style and his ability to work well in a team. This may not be the most pressing problem but it could turn out to be a hard one to improve upon. This is because it expertness require fundamental changes to how Keller is used to work with and manage his staff.Second, is the issue of his working relationship with Mr. Antonov. Keller has been in-charge of all operational activities with minimal involvement from Antonov in the cosmopolitan solicitude of the subsidiary. This has been noticed by the senior forethought in Germany and Keller has been apprised to try and keep Antonov in the loop more(prenominal) than he is currently. The management recognizes the importance of Antonovs maturity and experience of the local business and Keller has been asked to patch up such use of Antonov.Third, and this is the most pressing issue faced by Keller, is the apparent performance issue of Mr. Brodsky, the commercial director. Keller, over the course of twain years of Brodsky being in the company, has noticed several issues with Brodskys performance. Keller feels that Brodsky is too slow to react to situations and he (Keller) has had to intervene many a times in order to prevent a potential disaster to the company. jibe to Keller, Brodskys formal and distant style is not suited to his romp as a commercial director and moreover does not zephyr in well with Kellers current and future commercial strategy of which an integral part is a close relationship with the companys distributors. Keller does not see Bordsky as a leade r of his sales exponent and considers his management style as more suited to a corporate staff based job than as a line manager.3) What would you recommend to Keller to improve his effectiveness and chances of success?I think, Kellers experience in relatively smaller company previously has influenced strongly his working and management style (as is hinted by his manager and accepted by himself). He tends to verify much on personal contacts with his staff and even his customers and probably dislikes corporate procedures (evident by his apparent errors in interpreting corporate policies) and standard reporting mechanisms (evident by his infrequent communication to his line management). This works for a smaller organization but in a larger, multi-billion dollar, company Keller must learn to respect the importance of formal and frequent communication both upwardly to the senior management and encourage it from his direct reports. If Keller has to succeed and move except up he needs to develop this skill of taking origin of and manage a situation when it may not be possible to be directly involved in that. This I believe is of the essence(p) for Keller.Keller needs to learn the art of suitable delegation. Keller can tend to micro-manage situations and gum olibanum encroach upon his subordinates job responsibilities. Keller has defended this approach by pointing out that he uses the alike(p) approach with all his managers and none have raised a give way except Brodsky. I think this is something that Keller must address he needs to delegate properly and thus build an atmosphere of long-lasting sureness amongst his subordinates. His reports may only joke about it as of now (ref. the scoff organization chart) but in future that may turn into something connatural to whats happening with Brodsky. Keller needs to control his natural inclination to be too hands-on and must try to hold back. A visitation can teach a lesson more than constant lessons from a li ne manager. So depending on the situation it may be wise for Keller to permit his report take a finding which in Kellers belief may not be the best one.About the current issues that Keller is veneer with Brodsky, as Keller himself concedes, firing Brodsky may not be the best decision at this moment. Keller should try and find the middle path with Brodsky use his strengths and make his perceived weaknesses unimportant and make him feel free enough to manage his department. I think Keller should somehow try and get positive feedback from staff (maybe through a round of 360 degree feedback) to verify whether his analysis that Brodsky is not a charismatic leader is really true or unjustified.It could be that Brodskys staff may be too happy to have a leader who delegates rather than someone who is constantly involved in their day-to-day work. Keller, in the short term, should try to have an open mind about Brodskys abilities and try and involve him more in the position of the overal l commercial strategy of the company and let him have more freedom in managing his department. This would not only do well to his trope as a team-worker but may also help in improving relations with Brodsky. Further, if Brodskys performance still does not change, Keller expertness be able to form a stronger case of Brodskys removal from the company.