Scenario D

Multiple Choice

Scenario D. Mario has been hired as a consultant by the board of Conscious Commitment, a self-help education service company, to align the corporate strategy with its tactical and operational plans. Somehow things have gone awry. The board and senior management developed a thorough strategic plan centered on commitment to the customer and quality delivery of its services. To their dismay, recent customer evaluations indicate customers are treated poorly by the front-line educators. The educators complain that they are asked to serve the customer well yet do not have adequate resources to do it. Additionally, when the educators need advice, upper-level managers never seem to be available and a recent survey of the educators found that most of them were not aware of the strategic plan at all!
-Which of the following suggestions should Mario make to the board to correct the problem of suspected poor treatment of customers by the educators?

A) The top team should develop a statement of strategy and priorities that the team is willing to stand behind.
B) Involve the top team in all steps in the change process.
C) Have an honest,fact-based dialogue with lower levels about the new strategy and the barriers to implementing it.
D) Give the educators opportunities to develop their skills and support them with coaching,training,and targeted recruitment.
E) The CEO should create a partnership between the top team and lower levels around the development of a compelling business direction,the creation of an enabling organizational context,and the delegation of authority to clearly accountable individuals and teams.