Introduction
Critical thinking plays an integral part in a successful organization as it provides essential grounds for evaluation and analysis. Considering methods and instruments of critical thinking, a leader can effectively address the existing challenges within a company. This paper aims at accurate assessment and subsequent analysis of the incident that has occurred in the Truss Construction Shop.
Explanation of the Issue
The case study presents the issue related to the injury of one of the workers. In particular, John Craftsman was injured while performing his work with the help of a machine. It seems necessary to emphasize that this is the third similar case of workers’ injury. On the one hand, Craftsman claims that the unsafe work environment led to the incident. This opinion is supported by his co-worker. On the other hand, both the shop manager and the shop foreman insist that the machine was safe. However, according to the health and safety report, the safety guard was designed in an insufficiently safe manner. Having been reported to the media, the incident became a serious problem that needs to be interpreted.
Analysis of the Information
Analyzing this situation, it is necessary to pinpoint that the company lacks leadership that is willing to adhere to the rules of safety. In particular, every company is required to report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about work-related injuries. In this case, none of the three injuries was reported. Therefore, it becomes evident that the company prefers to ignore safety measures and investigate corresponding problems. Thus, the failure of leadership is one of the factors that escalated the emergence of the problem.
The lack of effective collaboration and communication within the organization can be regarded as another crucial aspect that caused this problem. The case illustrates that there were no clearly identified safety standards, and the company utilized mechanisms that were designed inappropriately. The fact that different workers reported different visions of the situation proves that each of them defined safety in his or her way that, in its turn, can be considered as another factor leading to the growth of the problem. Furthermore, it seems appropriate to present alternative positions to create a comprehensive vision of the case.
Analysis of Alternative Viewpoints, Conclusions, or Solutions
Along with the factors that were identified earlier in this paper, there is a range of others that should also be noted. Pherson (2013) reckons that the emergence of structured analytic techniques in the organization is essential to ensure adequate working conditions. According to Pherson (2013), “these techniques help analysts mitigate the proven cognitive limitations and side-step some of the known analytic pitfalls” (p. 55). In this regard, it is possible to note that the Truss Construction Shop had no elaborate and properly-structured emergency reaction tool. The context of the situation was not properly investigated. The company’s management failed to accurately study the environment and either external or internal events that could affect the emergence of the problem.
Personal Conclusion and Suggestions for Remedying the Situation
From the above observations, it becomes evident that the company needs a range of decisions to address the problem and remedy its reputation. First, it seems appropriate to reconsider the system of leadership by focusing on collaboration with safety-associated organizations and public agencies. This would help the company to re-establish its relationships with the public and mitigate rumors that were caused by the media. In the context of enhanced leadership, it is also significant to develop and maintain an open and communicative atmosphere within the company so that every worker feels comfortable and free to express his or her concern related to work. In effect, the solution that was proposed above can reduce the level of work-related traumatism. While working on a productive collaboration with workers, it is important to pay attention to alternative explanations (Chuang, 2013). This assumption is likely to eliminate the existing bias that occurred as a result of the one-sided consideration. At the same time, inconsistent data is also to be regarded by a leader as this contrary evidence can provide information that is to be either rejected or accepted.
The other potential decision is associated with the deployment of strategic initiatives. For instance, since the health and safety report showed that the machines were designed poorly, it is necessary to substitute them by newer versions and deploy the technology. Chuang (2013) claims that the integration of technology can significantly improve a company’s internal state by providing various benefits such as updated safety systems as well as timely identification of safety violations. At this point, it seems of great importance to pinpoint that mere implementation of one of the proposed solutions can be insufficient to remedy the company. Instead, it is essential to recommend employing all of these solutions comprehensively and systematically to achieve the best outcomes.
Conclusion
To conclude, it should be emphasized that the analyzed case revealed such challenges as the lack of leadership and appropriate mechanisms and failure to collaborate with workers. In the course of the thorough analysis, the following decisions were proposed: to enhance leadership by promoting communication in the company, initiate collaboration with safety agencies, and implement strategic initiatives, focusing on the modern technology.
References
Chuang, S. F. (2013). Essential skills for leadership effectiveness in diverse workplace development. Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, 6(1), 1-24.
Pherson, R. H. (2013). The five habits of the master thinker. Journal of Strategic Security, 6(3), 54-60.