Question: DEVELOPING CRITICAL-THINKING SKILLS

Suppose that you are the manager of the six supervisors described in the following list. They have all just completed two years of service with you and are eligible for an annual raise. How will you determine who will receive a raise and how much each will receive?

• Joe Garcia has impressed you by his above-average performance on several difficult projects. Some of his subordinates, however, do not like the way he assigns jobs. You are aware that several family crises have left him short of cash.

• Sandy Vance meets her goals, but you feel that she could do better. She is single, likes to socialize, and at times arrives late for work. Several of her subordinates have low skill levels, but Sandy feels that she has explained their duties to them adequately. You believe that Sandy may care more about her friends than about coaching her subordinates. Her workers never complain and appear to be satisfied with their jobs.

• Paul Steiberg is not a good performer, and his work group does not feel that he is an effective leader. You also know that his group is the toughest one to manage. The work is hard and dirty. You realize that it would be very difficult to replace him, and you therefore do not want to lose him.

• Anna Chen runs a tight ship. Her subordinates like her and feel that she is an excellent leader. She listens to them and supports them. Recently, her group won the TOP (The Outstanding Performance) Award. Anna's husband is CEO of a consulting firm, and as far as you know, she is not in financial need.

• Jill Foster has completed every assignment successfully. You are impressed by this, particularly since she has a very difficult job. You recently learned that she spends several hours every week on her own taking classes to improve her skills. Jill seems to be motivated more by recognition than by money.

• Fred Hammer is a jolly person who gets along with everyone. His subordinates like him, but you do not think that he is getting the job done to your expectations. He has missed a critical delivery date twice, and this cost the firm over $5,000 each time. He recently divorced his wife and is having an extremely difficult time meeting his financial obligations.

Assignment: 1. You have $25,000 available for raises. As you think about how you will allot the money, consider the following:

a. What criteria will you use in making a fair distribution?

b. Will you distribute the entire $25,000? If not, what will you do with the remainder?

2. Prepare a four-column table in the following manner:

a. In column 1, write the name of the employee.

b. In column 2, write the amount of the raise.

c. In column 3, write the percentage of the $25,000 the employee will receive.

d. In column 4, list the reasons for your decision.