Operations_Management

Unit 2 Assignment Jasmine Good Kaplan University MT 435-01 Operations Management Toney Ferguson Unit 2 Assignment Chameleons are members of the reptile family; creatures with more than 100 recognized species who have “developed some of the most highly specialized skills of any animal on the planet,” (Cornett, n.d.). They can move their eyes independently of each other, but people recognize them for their famous ability to change color and popular belief is that the color change is a defense mechanism allowing them to blend with the background. This is not true. Chameleons are naturally colored to blend in with their habitat. Each species of chameleons have clearly different color patterns they change to signify specific reactions and/or changes in emotional states (Meller’s chameleon, n.d.) allowing them noticeably communicate with their peers a possible need to carefully observe their surrounding, and/or make some changes or adaptations to their surroundings and/or communications with one another. Operations managers are the chameleons of the corporate world in that they too need to be able to keep their eyes overlooking many different areas and “change their colors” quickly in order to react accordingly to the many different demands within their position. Operations managers are responsible for the business processes of an organization through relations with employees of all departments and overseeing their activities to make sure the processes are efficient and profit making. This includes system design, quality assurance, production, delivery, problem solving, innovation, integration, planning, controlling, negotiating, coordinating and doing (Russell & Taylor III, 2001). It takes a unique person to handle such a demanding position. A person with a specific set of highly developed personal qualities as well as a highly developed broad set of professional business skills and qualities. A person capable of leadership, to guide, direct, and influence an important group of people who without, the company would go nowhere. As a leader, an operations manager would need excellent communication skills. This may be one of the most important skills; operations managers must deal with so many people internally and externally. They must be able to make their employees see and understand the goal that their working towards and inspire them to see it as importantly as they do. The manager must trust the employees they are managing and know their strengths and weaknesses in order to delegate responsibilities effectively. They must also be trustworthy and good listeners; such skills make the manager approachable allowing employees to bring potential problematic issues to the table feeling comfortable and confident that their observations and opinions are important to the success of the company. When managers except responsibility for any mistakes made, either through the lines of communication, or defects in production, they display the quality of honesty and when fixing such mistakes or implementing processes that prevent such mistakes they display competency. Leaders throughout history in many different positions and situations have displayed these qualities making them charismatic individuals in the eyes of others. We learn from Tom Peters that leadership is the same today as it has been over the centuries (Peters, 2008). Such qualities can’t be lost among humanity over time through changes in culture or evolution. Organizations will always look for such qualities to be displayed throughout an employee’s time with the company and be recorded in evaluations which will serve as tools for consideration when management promotion opportunities arise. It is because these qualities are so important that many companies promote employees to management positions rather than hire outside applicants. References Cornett, B. (n.d.). The chamaeleonidae family – types of chameleons. Retrieved from http://www.reptileknowledge.com/squamata/chamaeleonidae.php Meller’s chameleon – chamaeleo melleri. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/mellers-chameleon/ Peters, T. (2008, May 23). Tom Peters on the definition of leadership [Video file]. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/1056137 Russell, R.S., & Taylor III, B.W. (2011). Operations management: creating value along the supply chain. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.