Memo: Business Rhythm

A short (1 or 2 pages) memo in which you will address the following: You have just been appointed the general manager of a high-end winery in Napa Valley, California. Although the wine is delicious and has received rave reviews, the founder of the winery is an arrogant and flamboyant figure. He has been embroiled in a very public divorce and this had adversely affected his image and the image of the winery.

Your memo should include  the agenda for your first staff meeting. You have been hired to manage the business and restore the image of the founder. From the business rhythm lecture, you are aware of the scope and responsibility that you have taken on.

In this memo, you will need to identify who are the functional staff members responsible for the key issues as described in the lecture and what issues would you expect for each of these key staff members to present in your first staff meeting. (You may want to do some research into how wineries operate.) You will also want to use this first staff meeting to convey how you would like the organization’s planning, implementation, and review processes to take shape under your leadership, and you outline that in your memo. Since this is your first communication to your new team, you want to set the tone of the type of leader they can expect. This will come through the words you choose and your tone. You may want to consult earlier readings on leadership and management for guidance.