To: Music Games International (MGI) Team

From: Henry Tam, CEO

CC: Alexander (Sasha) Gimpelson, Igor Tkachenko & Roman Yakub, Partners

Date: March 28, 2011

Subject: Consultant’s Final Analysis of MGI Team and Recommendations

INTRODUCTION

I am writing to give you the outcome of the meeting with the consultant in charge of reviewing the team dynamics. Furthermore, it summarizes the recommendations for action that we have decided that is for the best interest of the MGI team. We will include the preferred leadership approach we have chosen and the actions to take to help the team to work together. This will include the skills that are needed to work on including an explanation of polarity management means and how it can help our organization.

CHALLENGE OR SITUATION

In the consultant’s observations the primary challenges and key issues were we did not have proper leadership approach in guiding the team in the right direction including the more marketing research as needed. We had high advocacy and low inquiry (Kofman, 2010) and lack of communication, causing conflicts amongst us, which I will give further detail below in our recommendations. Our team seems to have a problem with organization and lack of structure.

In addition, in regards to our group dynamics and leadership style we did not have sufficient cohesiveness meaning strengths in keeping the group together as a team that is happy to work together. I will give a leadership approach below that I believe we will be happy with. The team also has a more top down approach and the competency or skill lacking is communications and lack of participation and writing skills.

In fact, some team members were pushing decisions on the other group. Below I will give you a model that is commonly used in this instance. I hope that once I give these recommendations we can come to a happy medium so we all get along and work towards the goal of achieving our highest potential and have the best business plan so we win the contest.

POTENTIAL SOLUTION OR RECOMMENDATIONS

First, we need to select a leader for the MGI group and continue with the target market of teens instead of the educational market. In addition, we need to purchase a customer relationship management (CRM) program that each of us will learn to help with our sales and marketing skills. In addition, there will be a training program for all of us to learn Power Point, since we will be each contributing for now on. That is what high advocacy and high inquiry means, participation and asking questions when we do not understand things (Kohman, 2010). We need to have a strong understanding and the leadership style should be more directive so the team leader gives direction without being demeaning or degrading. We have to learn to take constructive criticism without taking it personally or offensive as well. However, it should also be a mixed leadership style of path goal theory and the Vrooms’s decision tree approach (Moorehead, 2000). I agree with also using the supportive approach so we give motivation and incentives along the way (Kotter, 1990).

Equally important, we need to have achievement-oriented leadership with a centralized environment meaning everyone contribute, participate and again motivational training and incentives. Each member needs to be interdependent on each other which is counting on each other for advice so that we can move forward without delays. There should be no more pushing decisions onto the group, everyone has to feel comfortable and welcome with positive feedback.

Finally, to explain the term polarity management. It is used whenever a person thinks they found a solution to a problem and then they find out later it has not been resolved and it has created another problem instead. Then this dilemma is called a polarity. Therefore, instead of spending time of problems that just cannot be solved it is better to learn to use the word “and” instead of the words “either/or” (Johnson, 2011). In the future, we will give a handout at meetings of a blank map and each team member will brainstorm and fill in the blanks.

CONCLUSION

I understand that the group was mainly nervous in the beginning and there were personality clashes, but we can overcome this by following the advice in this memo.

As a partner, I feel it is my duty to save the company money and make the best profits possible. I understand the costs are more for a short period in purchasing new programs for the team, but the benefits are great in the long run. Furthermore, I am committed to finding the best leader for our team that we all agree upon. Thus, I appreciated this opportunity to share the outcome with you.

I look forward to discussing further if you need more understanding. You may reach me at 760- 832-7735 or via email at [email protected].

Thank you for your time. References:

Johnson, B. (2011). Polarity management. Team Building Leadership. Retrieved May 23, 2010,

from http://www.team-building-leadership.com/polarity_management.html

Kofman, F. (2010). Advocacy and inquiry: Combining the basic steps of the dance of

Communication. Axialent Conscious Business. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from

http://axialent.com/pdf/advocacy_and_inquiry_by_Fred_Kofman.pdf

Moorehead, G. (2000). Leadership models and concepts. Organizational Behavior, Managing

People and Organizations. 7th Edition. Arizona State University: Houghton Mifflin

College Division.

Weeks, H. (2005). The best memo you’ll ever write. Harvard Business School Publishing

Corporation. Retrieved May 12, 2011, from Kaplan University Web Site.