LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT (15%)

NAME:
MATRIC NUM:
CLASS: E

You are required to watch the video ‘Undercover Boss: Subway’ in class. Once done, answer the following
questions. Please hand over your answer sheet at the end of the class.

Question:
1. Don Fertman is the Chief Development of Subway. He is not your ordinary boss who started from
below at Subway and climbed up to the top position. He was given the opportunity to be part of
the Subway family from the CEO and Founder, Fred DeLuca. From your own view, do you believe he
has the right qualities as a leader? Yes or no? Briefly explain two (2) reasons why you answered
‘yes’ or ‘no’ with suitable examples. (4 marks)

Answer:
Yes, Don fertman has the right qualities as a leader because he has a good communication skills and
knowing the organisations :

1- Good communication skills :

Some leaders are great communicators, but speaking well isn’t all that’s required of a leader. As we know,
there are lots of people who talk a great game but deliver nothing. Leaders who communicate well are
those who not only share their thoughts with employees, but also let their strength and personal character
show through in their communication, and empower those who work for them by defining the company’s
goal and showing how to get there. Don Fretman have experienced by itself everything in subway. He
experience how to be trained by branch manager, bake a break, treat the customer, delivery the orders
and he also experience trap in freezer. This is show Don fertman is a right qualities leader because he not
just say it but he also do it together.

2- Knowing the organisations :

Don Fertman know the organisation’s overall purpose and goal. He involve in undercover Boss to know
better about the organisations. In the same time give an inspiration to others. He went to four Subway
branch around US as a new employees to know better about business operation. In the same time , he
agreed upon strategies by every each branch manager decision because in this video we can see every
branch manager have trained Don with difference way but the mission is same to achieve goal. Every
branch have difference way of management and they treat the customer. Don knows they try to very hard
to help the organisations grow and thrive. Not all bosses willing to do this, but Don Fertman was done it
with good result and achievement.

Question:
 2. In your own opinion, what do you think are the right qualities to become a good leader? Briefly
describe two (2) qualities with suitable examples. (4 marks)

Answer:
In my opinion the right qualities to become a good leader problem solving and good decision making.

1- Problem solving
A fundamental part of every manager's role is finding ways to solve them. So, being a confident problem
solver is really important to your success. Much of that confidence comes from having a good process to
use when approaching a problem. With one, you can solve problems quickly and effectively. Without one,
your solutions may be ineffective, or get stuck and do nothing, with sometimes painful consequences. For
example, Subway have a many franchise all around the world, they are facing a lot of difference problem
everyday, Don as a leader need to be smart to solve this problem across of culture and border.

2- Decision making

It is inevitable that leaders, no matter what type, will be faced with   many different decisions.  Some
decisions will be minor and may not affect anyone but themselves.  Other decisions can be quite large and
have the capacity to affect everyone and anyone under their leadership.  Decision making is part of a
leader’s daily expectations.  This makes decision making important for those in a leadership role.  Leaders
have a responsibility to make good decisions for everyone involved, and therefore, should have some kind
of framework for which to make those decisions. For example, In Undercover Boss Don has going a few
numbers of their Subway franchise and he know the problem and risk face by their staff. If he found the
conflict among their organisation he need to make a good decision because he is a top management. In
video Don have given a unexpected gift to their branch manger with giving something they want. Don also
can make decision of he found to fired and hire their staff if can’t fill their requirement.

Question:

3. In the video, Don indicated that innovation is important. Apart from introducing the delivery
system and also new menu, suggest two (2) other innovations that you believe Subway can
introduce? (4 marks)
Answer:
Two (2) other innovation that I believe Subway can introduce are through:
1. commercial break
2. Organisation’s management

1. Commercial break

I believe Subway can introduce their commercial break of their produck and organisations. Most of the
people doesn’t what Subway are?. There is less commercial break in TV, radio and so on. We can only read
about it in newspaper. I believe with creativity they have, Subway can produce creative about their
products. This is the way to tell multilevel of society about Subway.

2. Organisation’s management

I believe Subway can introduce their organisation management as innovations because in this video
Subway only focus on delivery system and new menu. With reveal of an organisations management we can
see how they manage their organisations with large numbers of franchise all around the world. I believe
they have a good organisation’s management to manage their bottom line management to upper line
management. They can show how they train their staff, how will they do if they are facing conflict. This will
give an inspiration and innovation to others.

Question:
4. In your opinion, should Fred DeLuca go undercover instead of Don Fertman? Briefly explain why.
(2 marks)
Answer :

In my opinion Fred DeLuca should not go undercover instead of Don Fertman because Fred DeLuca is a
founder and CEO of Subway he know deeper about Subway. Even, he build Subway by their own and he
sacrifice what he have build . He have experience it before but the responsibility to develop the company
are responsibility of Don because he is a chief development of Subway. When Don have experience it by
itself he will know how hard their employee are and he will do better by their position. There is a difference
among look and experience. If Don not experience it, he will only guest what their employees’ feel and it
will cause uncertainty decision and situation.

Question:

5. As someone who runs an organisation, you should have a sound knowledge on what type of things
you do in your organisation and how to do it. Sometimes graduates with a degree would
straightaway be part of the management group without having to go through over the counter jobs
(e.g. sandwich artist, bread maker). What are the two (2) things that you can introduce to help
those in the management line gain the needed knowledge? (4 marks)

Answer :

Two (2) things that I can introduce to help those in the management line gain needed knowledge are:
1. Hire management group from who those studied or graduate with related field
2. Give an enough training

1. Hire management group from who those studied or graduate with related field. This is because
they already have a knowledge with what their organisation need. They can use the knowledge that they
have studied this will make organisation easy to manage for example Subway can take those who graduate
in the field of business administration, business studies or human resource management. In this field they
already have knowledge about business and organisation management, they know what to do. They only
need a little guidance for first time to understand the flow of organisations.

2. Give an enough training. New staff in organisation need to have enough training to understand the
flow of organisations. Before they are hired this is because they will know batter about the organisation
and their job description and specification. If they work in front line, they need to train how to sit in front
line until they are expert of it. Organisation will monitor them along the training period with an evaluation.
After that, organisation will decide to hire them or not. Which position they expert are. The organisation
will put them with ‘right person, for right job’.

Question:
6. In the video, one of the Subway outlets opened in a church. There are also areas where Subway is
opened up in areas such as in universities, and office buildings. However, there are some
advantages and disadvantages towards the placement. Describe two (2) advantages and two (2)
disadventages.

Answer :

Advantages Disadvantages
The number of customer are huge because the The same people everyday because university is for
place is located are attractive sport that people student and office buildings are only office staff.
must come.

Help student and staff to have healthy and fast food
without waste a time. This is because students and
staff have a limited break time.
The profit may high at early stage but it may
become slow because at university and staff are
from same people and the menu of subway are
same everyday it may cause of board of same dishes
everyday. Compared with outside there is difference
customer everyday

Question:
7. Do you think Undercover Boss is the best platform to understand what is going on in the
organisation and help reconnect with the employees? Why? (4 marks)

Answer :
Yes, Undercover Boss is the best platform to understand what is going on in the organisation and help
reconnect with employee because Undercover Boss is a program of upper management position entry the
employee position to know batter about the organisation. With this program also upper management know
the faults in the organisation and know how to prevent it. Some of the upper management aren’t know
about the real situation in employee position, especially, the upper position in straightway hold by fresh
graduate that never have real experience in working area. With this program upper management will
experience it by its own. Upper management and employee position have a two ways communication.
With this program two ways communication will exist to create a good relationship and connection among
upper management and employees.

Question:
8. If you are given the opportunity to suggest a leader in Malaysia to be part of the show, who will you
choose and why? (4 marks)

Answer :

I will choose Tan Sri Tony Fernandes to be part of the show because Tony Fernandes is the Owner of Air
Asia, Tune Hotel, and Tune Talk (Telco) that he build from his sacrifice. Tony have sold their house and
other assets for their organization until Air Asia stand on top until today. To make sure the organization in
efficient, Tony must sit in the same level of their employees. With this program Tony will know the real
situation and experience face by their staff and customers at flight to hotel service. This is the large
company, if there is a mistake happens it will take the organisation’s reputation down. In fact, airline
company in Malaysia are facing a few problem with to put believe among society after MAS tragedies. Air
Asian still a choice of Malaysian but to prevent the crisis happen Tony need to going down to join the staff
to he know the real situation of the organisations.

/ 30 marks