Gene Problem Solution

Problem Solution: Gene One

The problem/opportunity facing Gene One stems from the current leadership mindset of operating for the last eight years under the organizational culture of a start-up company with the advent of new growth the opportunities present are many. The primary problems the company faces is transitioning from transactional leadership to the tenets and actions of transformational leadership and the redefining of the existing organizational culture to a new paradigm that instills accomplishment pride in the bio-technological advances and historical growth the company has already achieved which will under gird, prepare, empower and directionally steer all involved toward embracing the changes that the new growth objectives will present. After you've done a thing the same way for two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. And after ten years, throw it away and start all over. ~Alfred Edward Perlman, New York Times, 3 July 1958

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Gene Ones' Don Ruiz (CEO) and his executive leadership team operated from bureaucratic and top-down hierarchical communication to employees, acting from un-empathetic emotional intelligence in failing to present the planned company growth objectives to those who would execute the product, exemplifying transactional leadership and the need for situational control. Leadership failed to elicit overall cooperation, trust, and cohesion and unified purpose electing to dictate change vs. enrolling, involving and exciting team players about the proposed vision and the changes that come with new growth and corporate development. The opportunity for change in Gene One's existing organizational operational culture and style of leadership is inherent in this scenario, as well as the opportunity to support leadership in the development of a more mature emotional intelligence initiative creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders. "Leadership is the ability to establish standards and manage a creative climate where people are self-motivated toward the mastery of long term constructive goals, in a participatory environment of mutual respect, compatible with personal values."

-- Mike Vance

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

"Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all" (Alexander the Great). Don Ruiz and the executive board members have conflicting viewpoints concerning team members functioning as a high performance team regards task/s focused action and the swift and accurate delivery of the goals on the table by the current team members. Additionally, to comply with the SEC ethical standards, Gene One has to assess leadership at all levels. Once again the non-inclusion of all stakeholders creates several dilemmas for stakeholders, because employees are company stakeholders and should have been given an opportunity for input. Gene One will need to be careful as to how they go about obtaining their 40% profit growth and still stay within SOA and SEC compliance rules and keep stakeholders content because of the risk associated with the new venture. Every stakeholder involved is potentially at risk because of the entire leadership teams lack of acumen regards IPO initiatives and that could have an adverse financial effect for stakeholders. Currently, Gene Ones' operational ethics and integrity are not in question, and the board stakeholders are content, Gene Ones' objective with change imminent is to keep them that way.

Corporate Ethics and Sarbanes-Oxley

By Edward L. Pittman and Frank J. Navran of Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

This article originally appeared in the Wall Street Lawyer (July 2003).

Problem Statement

"Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping-stones to greater experience.... When one door closes, another always opens; as a natural law it has to, to balance."

-- Brian Adams

The balancing act for Gene One is to define a new organizational culture and leadership style that enhances company performance rewards and recognizes the value of human capital, inspires innovation and engages in unparalleled communication processes.

Through practicing and teaching transformational leadership skills that empower and instill performance pride through out the company effectively done will minimize resistance to change and goal incompatibilities. Aspire to pursue leadership development that motivates and transcends mediocre and conflict filled team operation to high performance excellence that reflects respect and value of and for all.

End-State Vision

Gene One has emulated leadership best practices from highly successful organizations, shifting their organizational culture from transactional to transformational leadership through clear, concise communication and developed emotional intelligence that empowers, engages, involves and motivates leadership and employees to excellence.

Alternative Solutions

Company policies implementation should be clear as to whether they support, motivate and empower employees. Since the objective for Gene One is to ensure their new growth objectives are met empowering executive leadership is of paramount importance. "Leadership is Communication" as executives from the Container Store espoused to Fortune magazine (1.) Communicating to leadership and subordinates, actually all stakeholders, where they are going, what is going to happen when they arrive, how can they each can contribute and clearly stating the benefit for the contribution

(2.) Inspiring emotionally mature management, to become people who listen to ideas and respect the feelings of others unconditionally, people who have and maintain a clear company vision, who create an environment of trust and accountability and who communicate and encourage people to align with the company culture and goals. (3.) Creating