BUS302: Week 3 Assignment

Week 3 Assignment 1: New Manager Playbook Part 1: Manager Characteristics & Business Culture
BUS302: Management Concepts
Kathryn Johnson
Professor Shumate
July 16, 2025

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 BUS302: Week 3 Assignment

New Manager Playbook Part 1

Manager Characteristics & Business Culture
Overview
A new manager’s playbook serves as a comprehensive guide to help newly hired managers navigate their role
effectively. Playbooks can be established for any management function and outline strategies to navigate various
situations and challenges encountered in the role.

Scenario
You are a newly hired manager responsible for a team of recruiters at a medium-sized staffing firm. This is your
first experience as a manager, and you want to ensure a smooth transition, success in your new role, and
continuity of operations for the members on your team. Your team consists of five recruiters with varying levels of
experience who are responsible for recruiting and presenting qualified candidates to the staffing firms’ external
customers. To ensure your team’s success and alignment with the company’s goals, you will develop a new
managers playbook that outlines the management strategies you will use in your role.

Instructions
In this assignment, you will complete the first section of the New Manager Playbook. For this section of the New
Manager Playbook, you will be identifying the skills and competencies of effective management and their role in
creating a positive business culture. In the provided template, address the five questions asked for this
assignment to ensure alignment with effective management and organizational success.
NOTE: Your responses should be written in complete paragraphs. A paragraph is typically 4 – 6 sentences. If the
question asks you to provide a list, you are not expected to write a complete paragraph. For each response, you
will be required to include supporting evidence from the textbook or supplemental course resources.

Formatting Requirements
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance,
including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any
additional instructions.
The specific course outcome associated with this assignment is:
 Examine the relationship between effective management and organizational culture.

© 2023 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may
not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
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 BUS302: Week 3 Assignment

New Manager Playbook Part 1:

Manager Characteristics & Business Culture

1. Identify the three skills and competencies you will need to manage your team. In three sentences,
provide a rationale for your selections.

The three key skills I will need are emotional intelligence, communication, and decision-making. Emotional
intelligence will help me understand and manage both my emotions and those of my team, which is critical in a
people-centered role like recruiting. Communication is essential for setting expectations, giving feedback, and
ensuring clarity across all stages of the hiring process. Decision-making enables me to assess candidates,
assign tasks, and resolve issues efficiently while aligning with company goals. These competencies directly
support employee engagement, collaboration, and goal achievement.

2. List three specific characteristics of a successful manager. Provide your rationale for choosing
those characteristics.

Three important characteristics of a successful manager are adaptability, accountability, and trustworthiness.
Adaptability is essential because staffing needs and candidate pools change frequently, requiring quick shifts
in strategy. Accountability ensures that I lead by example, take responsibility for my team’s outcomes, and
hold others to a standard of performance. Trustworthiness builds team morale and retention; when employees
trust their manager, they are more likely to stay engaged and motivated. These characteristics create a
foundation for strong leadership and long-term success.

3. Describe the relationship between a successful manager and business culture. Provide specific
examples from the course readings and/or videos.

A successful manager directly shapes and reinforces business culture through daily interactions,
communication, and behavior modeling. According to our course reading on organizational behavior,
managers influence team norms and expectations, setting the tone for workplace values such as collaboration,
transparency, or innovation. For example, a manager who regularly recognizes team wins fosters a culture of
appreciation and high morale. Likewise, when a manager prioritizes diversity in hiring and team inclusion, it
builds a culture of equity and belonging. Successful managers function as culture carriers, embedding core
values into everyday decisions and processes.

4. Explain how a manager creates a culture of creativity and innovation that facilitates business
success. Be sure to provide specific examples as part of your explanation.

Managers foster creativity and innovation by creating psychological safety, encouraging idea-sharing, and
allowing flexibility in problem-solving. One way to support innovation is by hosting brainstorming sessions
where team members can contribute ideas without fear of criticism. A manager who is open to new tools and
© 2023 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may
not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
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 BUS302: Week 3 Assignment

approaches—such as using AI-based sourcing platforms—demonstrates innovation in action and motivates

the team to explore new methods. Course materials also emphasize the role of autonomy in fostering
creativity; by trusting recruiters to customize their approaches to each job requisition, I empower them to
experiment and improve outcomes. This culture leads to higher performance, client satisfaction, and
competitive advantage in the staffing industry.

5. Describe how a healthy business culture contributes to organizational success. Provide at least two
specific examples from the readings.

A healthy business culture drives employee engagement, reduces turnover, and enhances performance. As
discussed in the course reading on workplace motivation, a culture that values open communication and
recognition leads to higher job satisfaction and productivity. For example, a company that promotes regular
feedback loops and invests in employee development retains top talent and improves service quality. Another
example is a culture of accountability, where team members clearly understand their roles and are motivated
to meet goals, resulting in consistent performance and client satisfaction. These cultural elements contribute to
sustained organizational growth and success.

© 2023 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may
not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
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