Good Example Of Essay On Nascar: Fast Cars, Passion And Teamwork Creates Wins

Introduction

The case study examines a young racing driver, Ryan Newman, who has achieved great success in the NASCAR series of races. Newman, a vehicle and structural engineer from Purdue University, began racing quarter midget cars when he was only four years old. After an impressive winning run, he proceeded to race sprint cars and midget cars. Newman studied part-time while he competed in NASCAR races helped him gain valuable driving experience. Newman joined Penske Racing Team where he underwent scrutiny from Buddy Baker before joining his team. Newman was involved in setting up and maintaining cars with fellow team members alongside his driver training. Newman later became a fully-fledged Winston Cup driver with his own crew of engineers. All the crew members are computer experts, a valuable skill in constructing and maintaining race cars. Teamwork has been fundamental to achieving success in the cutthroat NASCAR racing circuit. The team endeavors to overcome the challenges they encounter and learn from past problems to avoid recurrence (Schermerhorn, 2012, p 452).
Racing teams and pit crews operate on a system of high effectiveness and cooperation. Teamwork enables crew members to work efficiently to overcome the frequent problems that are experienced in NASCAR racing tracks. When a new driver joins an established crew, the team has to overcome various challenges in order to achieve success. The first challenge is the issue of cohesion between the new driver and the crew. A new driver comes with a different attitude, personality, and temperance that could strengthen or hinder the relation with other team members. The established crew members have a conventional way of executing responsibilities with each member expected to undertake their duties efficiently to near perfection. The driver and the crew have to respect each other’s responsibilities and position in the team in order to work seamlessly. The driver is expected to get directly involved in the operations of the team and indicate the level of reliability expected of each member of the crew. The driver needs to cultivate a cordial relationship with the team in order to create a healthy bond between them.
An open systems model is theory that perceives an organization as unit that interacts with its external environment rather than being independent and closed. The open system of teamwork encompasses inputs, throughputs, and outputs. NASCAR owners can effectively implement an open system model in their operation in order to improve team performance. In the input division, the owner has to delegate duties to all members of the crew. Each person is expected execute their duties quickly and with efficiency. The working environment should be appropriate to ensure that the morale of all crew members is at a maximum. Cohesion among the team should be encouraged and nurtured to ensure that activities that need cooperation between team members are accomplished with ease. A system of relaying information from the management to the team and among team members should be utilized. Proper communication ensures that crucial information is conveyed to all members quickly in order to tackle problems. The NASCAR owner has to be decisive in choosing the most knowledgeable and experienced personnel for the team. Maintenance activities should be carried out on a timely basis to ensure that the car and other equipment are in an optimum operating condition. Individual output and collective output is regularly evaluated to establish areas that need improvement (Schermerhorn, 2012, p 452).
Creating a new NASCAR team is a challenging task for any young driver. The success of the driver depends on how proficiently the team operates. The driver and the crew members need a mutual relationship based on understanding and cooperation. The driver needs to choose the most experienced or knowledgeable people for each task. The driver should play to the strengths of each member in order to achieve maximum performance from the team. The driver must display calmness and leadership in instances of crisis in order to bring confidence to the team. The team has to use available resources to the optimal potential and ensure repairs and maintenance are done on a regular. Passion and commitment among the team should be encouraged in order to improve the motivation of the team in fulfilling team activities.
A high level of operational efficiency is expected of pit crews because of the high competition witnessed in NASCAR competitions. Small errors by the pit crew are punished by losses for the whole team. The physical and mental fitness of each member of the pit crew is essential in order to carry out the many tasks required of them during the driver’s pit stop. High performance crews are committed to their work and have a passion for racing and cars. High performance teams display teamwork and comprehension of individual and collective responsibilities. Efficient teams also frequently practice and review their performance after every race and make improvements accordingly. A lesson plan on ‘Pit Crews Insights for Team Success’ would include a brief description of the different jobs in the team and how members work together to meet goals. The lesson plan would also illustrate the level of teamwork needed to achieve success on the race track and the limited time that the crew has for the execution of their responsibilities. The information would help to illustrate the importance of teamwork and coordination in the operations of pit crews and how the model can be implemented in other sectors.

Works Cited

Schermerhorn, John R. "NASCAR: Fast Cars, Passion and Teamwork Creates Wins." Exploring Management. Wiley Publishers, 2012. 452.