The Place For My Writers Notes

Original posting  4 March 2009

What would you do?

At the consortium recently, one of the speakers mentioned an exercise in leadership that he uses with his students. He didn't get very many details, but it's basically pretty simple. Apparently he simply tells his students that they are the leader of a team, and they have just gotten a $10,000 bonus from the customer. The question is what do they do with it? How do you decide how to share it?

I have to admit, I was wondering if the company and the team know about the bonus. Although frankly that shouldn't influence how you handle it, I'm afraid there may be some students who might not be so interested in sharing it -- after all, as the leader of the team, clearly the bonus goes in my pocket, doesn't it? At least I've known a few managers who had that attitude -- not ones that I was terribly impressed with, but I could see that as something to discuss.

Hum -- there's also the wonders of taxes and company overhead that might be considered. I'll bet most students don't know about that -- which could significantly diminish the amount that the team actually gets.

But the basic question is still a fun one. You're the leader of a team, and you've got some bonus money to share with the team. How do you dish it out? Same amount for everyone? Senior people get a little bit more? Or maybe the junior people, with lower salaries, get a little extra?

And how do you raise the question, discuss it, and arrive at a decision?

Now there's something that can tear up the team, or help make the team. How do you handle it?

$10,000, 10 team members -- $1000 each? Individual bonuses, a team get away weekend, or . . .

Write!