Milkshake Case Study
This case study looks at a situation whereby employees are faced with a decision that is ethical. It revolves around ethical practices, administrative control, and quality matters. The supervisor in this case study is Paul, though not as an official position. He is the leader that oversees the other crew during night shifts. He is the lead operator during night shifts. The other operators that he works with are looking up to Paul to give them directions and guidance, although their employment status is not different from one another. Paul receives orders of production from the superintendent of the day shift. His main aim is to produce the target in production that is specified for the night shift within the amount of time that is required and allotted. As a supervisor, he works towards ensuring the work is completed within the set timeline. After the production target is met, he ensures that the pipes are cleaned, ensuring they meet the requirement for cleanliness in case of a visit by the department of health.
Paul, as a supervisor, is also a leader. A leader gives guidance and influences how those working under him act towards reaching specified goals (Certo, p. 28). Paul directs other employees, such as George, on what to do. As a leader, the other employees during the night shift are looking up to Paul for directions and guidance. Besides, other operators have trust in him and what he says. However, there are some instances that the supervisor in this case study does not show the qualities required for a leader. A leader should be concerned about everything regarding the operations of an organization. Paul is only concerned about meeting the targets of production in time and doing the clean-up. He is not concerned about the consequences of doing things in a rush, such as the removal and cleaning filters, to ensure there are no maggots in the final product. Also, from time to time, he shuts down the production line and encourages operators to do activities that are not related to work, such as telling jokes and balloon fights.
Paul does not have a positive attitude that supervisors should possess. Supervisors should have a positive attitude about work, the company, and changes in the company brought by current trends (p. 17). Paul does not show such kind of an attitude as he executes his duty as a supervisor. He should have been positive that it was possible to complete the orders of production within the stipulated time and do the clean-up even if George decided to remove and check filters to ensure cleanliness. Paul should have been able to make the proper decision, given the situation they faced. Additionally, he did not show the character of loyalty. Supervisors need to be loyal by ensuring the actions they take are the best for the company. Overlooking the issue of the filters meant that the milkshake produced would contain maggots, which would give the company a bad reputation.
I had a supervisor like Paul in the case study. The supervisor would always want things done their way without considering the input of his team, or else you risk your job. He would not look at the consequences of a specific action. Instead, he would ignore the foreseen consequences. The supervisor would not be concerned about issues that were reported too him.
Work Cited
Certo, Samuel. Supervision: Concepts and skill-building. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015.