Below is a class mates response to questioned aske. How would you respond to them. Be constructive and professional.
Do you agree with Job’s leadership approach? Why?
I personally disagree with Steve Jobs’ leadership style. I must add, I do not believe that employees should be coddled into doing the work that has been assigned to them. I think that every employee should be mature and accountable. All people, in my viewpoint, should be treated with foundational and basic decency. He wasn’t willing to change some things to give the organization what they were missing. He wasn’t understanding as a leader and didn’t take the actions needed to take them to the next level. A whole company followed behind one man vision. It was literally his way or no way.
What might you do to facilitate a more empathetic collaborative space?
My personal experience with my last job was like a rollercoaster; at the beginning. I was working with some great people with very bright minds but in the beginning, our leader was quite weird, and, or socially awkward in a way. He wouldn’t speak to us but was never rude or disrespectful to us. For a moment, I felt some type of way until I later learned that he didn’t mean any harm towards any of us. At first, I felt personally attack because you’re my leader and he would talk to certain people but only because he had gotten to know them before we did. I also had to realize that he was a new upcoming principal so he was constantly thinking of new ideas at a fast pace, so he was deep in his thoughts. He was thinking faster than he would talk. He didn’t mean any harm towards us and he realized what he was doing and apologized. I felt like I was being selfish at first until I realized that he was stressed. A new job, building, employees, town and new students… at a High School. He had a lot of deadlines to meet and push out there to us and the Board of Education/ superintendent. In a meeting one day, I ran some great ideas to him and he really appreciated them. The entire team did. I stepped out of my comfort zone because I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries either and I was afraid of the feedback I would get back. I was the youngest employee in the entire building. I wasn’t overlooked or made fun of. I was actually welcomed. A good collaborative space should ALWAYS be free of judgement and fear. You shouldn’t feel bad and others shouldn’t make fun of you behind your back either.
How would effective collaboration still have allowed Apple to succeed?
The company was following the mission, vision and ideas of one man which made the work environment tense and hectic for workers. I personally believe that if Apple would have let their employees thrive and push out their ideas, they could have brought in some great individuals with some bright ideas as well. That could’ve help the organization as well. A single man’s vision and ideas guided the entire company.
What would you say to a colleague who is being disrespectful, abusive, or aggressive during a collaborative exchange?
I believe that you should speak up if you feel disrespected right then and there. Address that issue in that very moment. Don’t wait. Remain respectful and calm. Don’t treat them how their treating you. If expressing how you feel doesn’t work and they continue, go to HR and bring the issue to them and let them handle it.
