In this scenario, imagine that you manage a work team of 10 people in a global information technology consulting firm. The team is diverse, with individuals who reflect different beliefs, ethnicities, and ages. By completing this assignment, you will better understand why effectively managing a team can encourage high levels of participation and innovation. You will also recommend strategies for role modeling by the leaders and team members to influence greater commitment, accountability, and trust. You should address budget and resource allocation, as appropriate, to support your recommended strategies. One of the goals of a manager and leader is to find ways to minimize the potential threat of conflict within the team, which could affect team performance.

Review the three employee scenarios below to begin this assignment:

· Rae is 45 years old and working on a team with two other people—Lance and Tress. The two are friends and in their 40s. The team works on the project until late at night. The next day, Lance presents the team project to the supervisor, saying that she stayed up late at night and this is what she came up with all by herself. After the presentation, Rae tells the supervisor that it was a team effort, not just Lance’s ideas. The supervisor asks Lance about this, and she confirms that she did not do it all by herself. The supervisor does not reprimand Lance. Tress confirms that it was a team effort. Rae now does not want to work with Lance or Tress on the team project.

· Lance is 31 years old and relatively new to your company and the team. Team members consider him an asset to both. Lance is very talented, works hard, and shows great potential. Managers believe there is an opportunity for him to have a great future with the company. He completes his work on time and at a high level of quality and contributes to team goals. He often completes some of his work off-site, then arrives at the office later than other team members and often leaves early. This behavior has caused complaints among his fellow team members, who see Lance’s actions as a lack of commitment to the company and a disregard for the understood working hours.

· Tress is in her 40s and tells everyone she is just using this job as a steppingstone to become CEO of this company—or any company—one day. She participates very little in the group. She spends a lot of time telling supervisors what she has accomplished in her career and says she should not have to be part of a team because she is very knowledgeable. She believes that teams slow her down.

Instructions

Consider what strategies you would use to help these three workers understand each other and work together as a team. Create an action plan to bring your team members together as a cohesive and productive unit. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation to present your plan. Avoid cluttering your slides with multiple lines of information—the details should be included in your speaker notes and voice narration. Add graphics or animations to make your points clear. Remember to be specific.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing Assignment 2

Step 1: Clarify the Objective of the Assignment
This assignment requires you to justify leadership strategies that promote team cohesion within a diverse IT consulting team. You are expected to analyze three employee scenarios, identify potential sources of conflict, and propose actionable strategies that improve trust, accountability, and collaboration—while considering budget and resource allocation.

Step 2: Analyze Each Employee Scenario Individually
Begin by reviewing Rae, Lance, and Tress separately. Identify the core issue in each case:

• Trust and credit-sharing concerns (Rae)

• Perceived commitment and fairness issues (Lance)

• Individualism and resistance to teamwork (Tress)

Understanding these dynamics will help you design targeted, realistic strategies.

Step 3: Identify Leadership and Role-Modeling Strategies
Outline how leaders and team members should model behaviors such as transparency, accountability, respect, and collaboration. Explain how leaders can set expectations around communication, recognition, and performance standards to minimize conflict.

Step 4: Develop a Cohesive Action Plan
Your action plan should include:

• Clear behavioral expectations

• Conflict resolution strategies

• Team-building initiatives

• Communication norms

• Accountability measures
  Be sure to explain how these strategies support innovation and participation.

Step 5: Address Budget and Resource Allocation
Briefly justify any costs associated with your strategies (e.g., training sessions, team workshops, collaboration tools). Demonstrate that your plan is realistic and aligned with organizational resources.

Step 6: Structure Your PowerPoint Presentation
Limit each slide to key points only. Use:

• Bullet points for clarity

• Graphics or simple animations to reinforce ideas
  Place all explanations, examples, and justifications in the speaker notes, not on the slides.

Step 7: Use Professional Tone and Specific Examples
Be clear and specific when explaining how your strategies apply to each employee scenario. Avoid vague solutions and focus on practical leadership actions.

Step 8: Review and Refine
Ensure your presentation flows logically, maintains an academic tone, and clearly demonstrates how your leadership strategies create a cohesive, productive team.

Recommended Academic & Professional Resources

• Harvard Business Review – Team Management and Leadership
  https://hbr.org/topic/teams

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – Team Cohesion & Conflict Resolution
  https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools

• McKinsey & Company – Diversity, Inclusion, and Team Performance
  https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance

• MindTools – Team Building and Conflict Management Tools
  https://www.mindtools.com

• National University Library (Leadership & Management Databases):
  https://www.nu.edu/library/