Communication Problems at Leapfrog Logistics, Inc.

Memo

To: Winston Abrams

From: John Smith

Date: November 18, 2012

Subject: Communication Problems at Leapfrog Logistics, Inc.

After reading this case analysis about Leapfrog Logistics, Inc. there were two significant problems that were brought to my attention in regarding this company’s culture and means of communication. It stated in the case that “communication between brokers in the bullpen is loud and often multiple people are shouting at the same time.” This call and response method may have worked when LLI was a smaller company, however due to its growth in employees over the past three years, there are too many voices trying to send a message all at once, which is creating information overload and in result, disturbing the communication process. There needs to be a better method where employees are less likely to misunderstand the bids and responses given.

Another issue that stood out to me was the subgroup who used the hand signals in order to gain bids. The method of the hand signals itself was not the problem here, but more so the other employees feeling intimidated or spiteful towards this group because of their high volume of productivity. One of the sales managers had mentioned that she heard the employees claim “they hoped that those hot shots learned their lesson after their shipments got screwed up.” This raised concern that there is a possibility that other employees may or may not have sabotaged a shipment in order to retaliate against that certain subgroup. Instead of just noticing those employees bad behavior, asking ourselves why that would do that in the first place will get us to the root of the problem. Even though this could possibly be a rumor from the grapevine, it still contains some element of truth. Something needs to