John Wolford (a)

After six years as an upper-middle-level manager of a technology manufacturing company, a California-based subsidiary of an English firm, John Wolford has become a general manager. But he finds his new role much more stressful. A sales representative complains that the plant has not shipped to his customer on time. Workers hand out leaflets at the plant gate protesting the new climate survey Wolford has initiated in the attempt to learn more about how employees feel. EEOC regulations have pressed him into studying how well his employees are being treated. His attempts to delegate more have backfired, and his organization is $400,000 off plan. In Wolford's mind, this is the typical life of a general manager: many demands on ones time, multiple projects, little time to attend to them, and serious consequences for inattention, both personally and professionally. This case can be used to teach students about Individual Behavior, Type A behavior, time and priority management, balancing work and family life, managing performance, managing energy in professional life styles, organizational behavior, and leadership. See also the A (UVA-OB-0167) and C (UVA-OB-0169) cases.