The problem at SNHU Pet Supply Company revolves around a significant drop in team productivity, leading to a conflict between management approaches and employee feedback. Specifically, team members feel micromanaged, burdened by excessive paperwork, and frustrated that their skill sets are not being utilized efficiently. This situation has created high levels of stress and resentment among team members, adversely affecting productivity and efficiency.

Management Approaches:

The general functions of management encompass planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. In this context, these functions have not been effectively aligned with the purpose and benefits of established management skills and practices.

$-$ Planning: The managers at SNHU Pet Supply Company have been engaged in planning by assigning tasks and creating task lists. However, the issue lies in the excessive level of detail and rigidity in the planning process. Planning should involve setting clear objectives, but it should also allow for flexibility and employee input.

$-$ Organizing: Organizing involves structuring tasks and resources to achieve the organization's goals. In this case, managers have been overly prescriptive in their approach, assigning tasks without considering individual skill sets and preferences. Effective organizing should match employees' capabilities with tasks to optimize efficiency.

$-$ Leading: Leadership should inspire and motivate employees, fostering a positive work environment. The micromanagement and strict adherence to task lists may have had the opposite effect, demotivating and stressing team members. Leadership should focus on building trust and empowering employees.

$-$ Controlling: Controlling involves monitoring progress and taking corrective actions. However, the current emphasis on detailed timesheets and task adherence seems to be controlling to an excessive degree. A more balanced approach to control, with a focus on outcomes rather than micromanaging tasks, would be more beneficial.

Recommendations:

To improve team productivity and efficiency while resolving the conflict between management approaches and employee feedback, I recommend adopting a more employee$-$centered and adaptive management approach. This approach should incorporate the following management skills and practices:

$1.$ Empowerment and Trust:

$-$ Encourage managers to trust their team members' abilities and judgment.

$-$ Empower employees by giving them a say in task allocation and allowing them to make decisions related to their work.

$-$ Implement a culture of autonomy, where employees have ownership of their tasks and are not micromanaged.

$2.$ Skills Assessment and Task Alignment:

$-$ Conduct a skills assessment for each team member to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

$-$ Align tasks with employees' skill sets and preferences to optimize efficiency and job satisfaction.

$-$ Encourage cross$-$training to enhance employees' versatility and readiness to take on various tasks.

$3.$ Clear Communication:

$-$ Establish open lines of communication between managers and team members.

$-$ Foster a culture where feedback is encouraged and acted upon constructively.

$-$ Ensure that task expectations are communicated clearly, reducing the need for constant monitoring.

$4.$ Performance Metrics and Outcomes Focus:

$-$ Shift the focus from micromanaging tasks to measuring outcomes and results.

$-$ Implement key performance indicators $($KPIs$)$ that assess productivity and quality rather than tracking every minute detail.

$-$ Encourage a results$-$oriented mindset that rewards achievement and innovation.

$5.$ Training and Development:

$-$ Invest in continuous training and development programs to enhance employees' skills and adaptability.

$-$ Provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow within the organization.

$-$ Recognize and reward employees who excel and contribute to the company's success.

By adopting these management skills and practices, SNHU Pet Supply Company can foster a more collaborative and efficient work environment, reducing conflict and improving overall team productivity and efficiency. This approach aligns with the principles of effective management as discussed in the course resources, emphasizing flexibility, employee empowerment, and a focus on outcomes over micromanagement.