The Case of Guard Uniforms: A Case Study
The guards of a jail in a southwest Texas county decided that the uniforms they had used for years were grossly inadequate for the
environment in which they currently worked. The guards had brought up the issue to their respective supervisors. Prior to the
request, the jail had gone through a major leadership transformation, changing from a paramilitary facility to one that advocated
empowerment and participatory decision-making. Cans-functional, self-directed teams were found throughout the department.
There cross-fiat-norm] trams often were named to deal with issues that might be affecting specific stakeholders.
It is Monday morning and you, Pat Reynolds, assistant director of the jail, are having your weekly meeting with the division
directors. The issue of guard uniforms is brought up. Apparently, the guards are interested in something more casual and cooler for
the Texas heat. John James, the division director from food services, suggests that a team be named to look into the issue. The group
decides that it would be beat to name a new team from the various divisions (a crop-functional team) to look into the issue. The new
team is named, and you are part of the team. The team’s first meeting is scheduled for the following Monday.
Respond to the following questions:
I. What will need to be included in the agenda for the first meeting?
2. How will the team select a leader’
3. What may be the goal of the team?
4. What will the “team agreement” contain?