Case 4: Bradford’s Warehouse
From what is stated in the case, it is difficult to determine if the allegations against Mr. Bradford derive from jealousy or from valid injustices of favoritism. However, it is slightly suspicious and telling that the executive who made the allegations is unnamed and unwilling to stand by his statements. Under the presumption that jealousy is the driver for the allegations, it is possibly that this executive is misinterpreting Mr. Ingersall’s objective that highly classified and top contracts with the government are required to have the highest performing teams as favoritism. High performing teams have been identified along the Team Performance Curve as a “Real Team” in addition to members having commitment that supersedes the team and performs beyond other teams and expectations. Bradford’s Warehouse members appear to be such a team as the reporters’ remarks of “singled out” and “unprevailed in the industry”. However, in order to have a high performing team, the team must have the six characteristics of a real team and have an element of cohesion. Bradford’s team by being located and working together on assigned tasks and being referred to as a unit, “Bradford’s Warehouse”, fulfill the requirements of mutual interactions, reciprocal influence, sense of identification, and common goals. However, some of the tasks assigned are complicated are require task interdependence: designing and building a military contract item would require mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, aero-physicists, etc to come together. In order to fulfill the required project tasks, Bradford must be at liberty to select designers to fulfill the differentiated and specialized roles. He also must be at liberty to select people who will contribute to the cohesion of the team versus be disruptive. However, if this treatment is perceived to be unfair by the other