- The document provides a case study and questions for developing a leadership plan to manage a diverse medical research team facing interpersonal tensions and an approaching deadline. - The team is made up of 6 people from different cultural backgrounds working to develop an insulin pump. Two new members are bickering and their conflict is distracting the team as the deadline approaches. - The questions guide the development of a leadership plan, including analyzing team member cultures using Hofstede's dimensions, outlining initial actions and communication methods, setting deliverables and tracking progress, and contingencies if the plan faces risks.

1. Team Case and Action Plan
–
Short essay option
Guide and Grading Rubric
Below you have the situation of troubled, diverse team which
you have been just asked to manage. You decide how to
approach the situation or problem.
Through a set of short-answer essay questions
identify how you would manage this situation as the leader.
Short answer essay
means that you review each question (listed later in the guide)
and answer that question with several sentences to explain your
answer.
For most of the questions, you are likely to structure your
answer into 2 or more paragraphs, with one topic per paragraph
to explain clearly and logically.
The Situation
You are the new leader of a 6-person team. The team all works
out of a large medical device/pharmaceutical company in NJ. It
is tasked with researching an implant/pump that can increase
management of insulin release for Type 2 Diabetics.
If successful the project will be highly rewarded—not only will
the team’s professionals be developing a profitable product for

2. the company, but the device will be very beneficial to diabetics
all over the world.
The team is made up of the following people:
John - 43 year old (Afro-American)
Julie - 51 year old (Chinese)
Jinsoo - 27 year old (Korean)
Darius - 32 year male (Iranian)
Harpreet - 30 year old female (Indian)
Tom - 33 year old (Irish)
And you, the new manager (your national culture)
Darius and Harpreet joined the team 3 months ago. The rest of
the team has been together for more than 9 months. The team
has been working on the implant pump that is due to be
delivered in 45 days. You, as the leader, have a lot riding on
this project, including a promotion.
Darius and Harpreet have unique skills and experience that
require them to work together on a key part of your project
however, they do not get along and have been bickering and
complaining about each other for the last month or so. Today,
Harpreet complained to you that Darius, as a Muslim, has been
deliberately undermining her and does not respect her because
she is a woman and a Hindu.
The rest of team knows of this tension and are distracted by the
situation.

3. Your project is getting off schedule and the project deadline is
now 45 days away.
SCHEDULE: See Assignment link introduction to this
assignment.
SUBMIT to Turnitin before posting to assignment link.
Resource Materials
Hofstede Cultural Dimensions website:
http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html
from LEO Course Content links:
·
Weekly Lecture Notes on Change
Also helpful:
·
Adler Chapter 5 (Multi-cultural teams) and Chapter 4 (Synergy)
·

4. Ader, Chapter 9 on Negotiation
You may research additional materials from the UMUC library
or the web.
To format the assignment:
1.
Provide a cover page with assignment title, your name, course
name, and date submitted.
2.
Copy each of the essay questions and its number onto your file
document and then write your answer.
3.
Add a reference cite for any source materials used.
4.
Pay attention to sequence of sentences within your essay
answers.
Write complete sentences.

5. 5.
Organize sentences of the essay answer into paragraphs.
Write one paragraph per idea.
Remember:
You are likely to have more than one idea per answer, so for
most of the questions you will need more than one paragraph
per essay.
6.
Check your essay answers for grammar, spelling and
punctuation.
7.
Submit to Turnitin, then upload to the designated LEO
assignment link.
Questions for Short-Answer Essays to plan for your leadership
of a diverse team.
1.
What course theory is helpful to you as background for your
management plan?

6. Identify and then describe a minimum of three (3) theories.
Select one theory from cultural research information such as
Hofstede.
Select one theory from Adler (2008) that helps you consider
communication in a multicultural team.
Select one theory from Northouse (2013) which suggests a
model for leading the team.
Identify the theory using an in-text cite.
Describe or explain the theory idea in 2-4 sentences.
Add a reference cite for any information used from a source.
YES/clearly explained
NO/without sufficient detail of explanation
(15 points)
2.
Complete a cultural analysis using Hofstede

7. .
Develop your answer or analysis as a
chart or table
.
In that chart identify team members and the cultural
distinctions, based on the country of origin, then identify the
cultural dimension or category that appears to dominate, or has
a very high score.
Identify the cultural dimension or category that appears to have
a lower or lowest score.
Base your analysis on Hofstede’s website. See link: http://geert-
hofstede.com/countries.html
In a final column, add anecdotes about what you may examine
or research from individual team members.
Your goal is to gather cultural information helpful to managing
a plan.
While Hofstede’s research provides preliminary topics and a
category frame, individuals will have their own priorities and
values.
What additional information might you ask team members about
their values?
REMEMBER:
You are a part of the team as its new leader.
Add a row for your culture.

8. Add a reference cite for use of Hofstede website.
YES/clearly organized
NO/some team member categories skipped
( 25 points)
3.
Write a plan for action you believe will be effective.
It will showcase your leadership
.
In your plan have the following:
·
Identify 1-2 beginning activities
and describe your reasons for the actions. For instance, would
you ask for an all-staff meeting?
What outcome would you expect?
Would you interview Darius and Harpreet?
What topics would be important to understand?

9. ·
Add a schedule
.
In that schedule, identify a vision for the project and how you
would communicate the vision.
(See LEO>Course Content Weekly Topic on Change
Management, Kotter’s Step Model for a schedule or sequence of
activities).
·
List team communication methods you will use as manager
.
For example, will you ask for weekly f2f staff meetings, and
what are your goals or purpose for them?
Will you use technology for more frequent communication?
How?
·
List deliverables using a general outline.
(NOTE:

10. An action plan often gets very specific on deliverables, but you
have limited information.
You will need to be more generic. For instance, you might
organize deliverables as rounds of reports from each team
member on his or her progress, and the member’s thoughts of
next steps.
How many rounds or reports would you ask for to know
performance progress?
One round, three rounds, etc)
·
List your thoughts about ways you will gather information,
observe and get feedback as the manager.
Getting the information you need will be challenging.
It will require your leadership. Will you be more directive?
Will you be more of a coach? Will you seek to general lots of
energy or use your charisma?
Remember to cite any source used to help you identify your
leader role, such as a chapter or idea from Northouse (2013).
·
YES/all items included

11. NO/or skipped offered too little explanation of a bulleted item
(35 Points)
4.
What are the markers or signals that suggest success in the
team’s performance?
Describe in 3-4 sentences. Be innovative about what signals
success.
For some, it is a sense of energy in the room as people are
talking through their work.
For many, success is good follow-thru—the capacity to meet
deliverables on schedule.
YES/clearly explained
NO/without sufficient detail of explanation
(10 points)
5.
What would you do if your plan of action was not moving
forward and was at risk?

12. Consider resources within the organization such as your
superior, HR, or a frank discussion with the team.
This is a back-up plan.
Explain the plan and the reason for this approach in 3-4
sentences.
YES/clearly explained
NO/without sufficient detail of explanation
(15 points)
ABOUT SCORING: Grading Rubric
The essay answers will be scored as summary total. Expected
range for performance: A score of 80 or above.
• 15% of each answer will be reviewed for logical or sequenced
sentence structure and paragraph clarity.
Answers will have correct grammar/spelling or points will be
lost.
• 5% meets APA guides for reference cites.