Management and Wolfgang Keller Essay

1) Who is Wolfgang Keller? What are his key strengths and weaknesses?Wolfgang Keller is the Managing Director of Konigsbrau-TAK, which is the Ukranian subsidiary of a major premium beer brewer. Keller has previous vex in financially turning approximately a German food product manufacturers devil subsidiaries (relatively smaller in scale than his current organization). Kellers fore some strength is his ability to turn a refine an apparently difficult (for example, the economic turn-around of various subsidiaries) and at times apparent impossible situations (for instance, resolution of a distributors lawsuit, collection of payment from a near-bankrupt distributor, etc.). He has been successful in managing an organization in a foreign coun examine for which he has shed efforts to scan the language and understand the business culture. He has a hands-on screwment ardour and likes to be actively involved in the running(a) aspects of the business. He has the ability to body-build p ersonal and, if needed, in contriveal relationships with his cater and customers alike which has been instrumental in the better mental process of his company.As Dr Haussler has indicated, many of Kellers weaknesses are the separate side of his strengths. For example, his attempts at being hands-on prat be perceived as over-interference by his sub-ordinates. Also, by trying to make let out situations by himself he makes himself unmannerly to criticism over his team-working and proper delegation abilities. Keller himself recognizes that he can be impatient and whitethorn non give enough time for his ideas to settle in the minds of others. A nonher of his weaknesses, again as highlighted by his annihilater, impinge onms to be his less than cordial relationship with corporate cater and infrequency of reporting to the corporate headquarters and his debate manager. This is also something that may be construed as a problem with Kellers working practices as a part of team.2) W hat all-important(a) go aways does Keller face? What are the most mechanical press problems he ineluctably to address upon eliminate to Athens?There are three important depicted objects which Keller faces and they are as follows. First is to try and mitigate upon his shortcomings (as highlighted in his annual performance appraisal) vis--vis the corporate staff and his line manager. There keep been questions raised rough his personality and attitude which include his focal point 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 purify upon. This is because it major power 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 general management of the subsidiary. This has been noticed by the senior ma nagement in Germany and Keller has been advised to try and keep Antonov in the looping more than he is currently. The management recognizes the splendor of Antonovs maturity and experience of the local business and Keller has been asked to make such use of Antonov.Third, and this is the most pressing issue faced by Keller, is the apparent performance issue of Mr. Brodsky, the commercialised message director. Keller, over the course of two age of Brodsky being in the company, has noticed several issues with Brodskys performance. Keller feels that Brodsky is alike slow to react to situations and he (Keller) has had to put in many a times in indian lodge to pr horizontalt a potential disaster to the company. tally to Keller, Brodskys formal and distant style is not conform to to his project as a commercial director and moreover does not tune in well with Kellers current and future commercial strategy of which an integral part is a wet relationship with the companys distrib utors. Keller does not see Bordsky as a draw of his sales persuasiveness 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 assert 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 up to the senior management and encourage it from his direct reports. If Keller has to succeed and move further up he necessarily to develop this skill of taking stock of and manage a situation when it may not be possible to be directly involved in that. This I believe is crucial for Keller.Keller needs to learn the art of suitable delegation. Keller can tend to micro-manage situations and olibanum encroach upon his subordinates job responsibilities. Keller has defended this approach by pointing out that he uses the same approach with all his managers and none return raised a flag moreover Brodsky. I think this is something that Keller must address he needs to delegate properly and thus build an atmosphere of long-lasting trust amongst his subordinates. His reports may besides joke about it as of now (ref. the fling organization chart) but in future that may turn into something similar to whats happening with Brodsky. Keller needs to control his natural inclination to be too hands-on and must try to hold back. A failure can teach a lesson more than cons tant lessons from a line manager. So depending on the situation it may be wise for Keller to let his report take a decision which in Kellers opinion may not be the outperform one.About the current issues that Keller is facing with Brodsky, as Keller himself concedes, firing Brodsky may not be the best decision at this moment. Keller should try and find the shopping center path with Brodsky use his strengths and make his perceived weaknesses bootless and make him feel free enough to manage his department. I think Keller should somehow try and arrest 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 hi m more in the setting of the boilersuit commercial strategy of the company and let him have more freedom in managing his department. This would not however do well to his image as a team-worker but may also help in improving relations with Brodsky. Further, if Brodskys performance restrained does not change, Keller might be able to form a stronger case of Brodskys removal from the company.