Deck 3: Perspectives on Effective Leadership Behavior

Question 1

Mellody Hobson's official job title is president of Ariel Capital Management, LLC, a large mutual fund company based in Chicago. Hobson's primary responsibility as president is to help manage the firm, including strategic planning. She joined the firm after graduating from Princeton University in 1991, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and public policy.
Hobson is much better known for her work as a good-will ambassador for the firm, and a thought leader in encouraging members of the African-American community to invest in mutual funds. Hobson has become a nationally recognized authority on financial literacy and financial education. She was quoted in a magazine as saying, "My dream is of seeing black grandmothers in their bathing suits at the beach, retired comfortably. My dream is that the beach is their option."
She is a regular financial contributor to Good Morning America, and she makes numerous speaking appearances. Hobson is extremely well connected professionally, with people in her network including prominent business people, politicians, actors, and sports figures.
Hobson invests considerable timeand effort into building these connections because they enable her to move smoothly across industry, ethnic, racial, and class settings. Among the many well-known people in her network are John Rogers Jr., the founder of Ariel; Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America; William Lauder, CEO of Estée Lauder; and Barack Obama, U.S. president.
A key lesson Hobson attempted to convey to her followers during the financial crisis of 2008 was not to panic, but instead to take the long-term approach typical of contrarian investors. She told investors that important lessons could be learned from the book Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales: "When you are fighting for your life, you must hold on to your plan with a gentle grip and be willing to let go." Equally important, "Rigid people are dangerous people." Ariel adopted the tortoise as its company logo, symbolizing the patient, slow approach to accumulating wealth. Hobson decorates her office extensively with tortoise pictures and figurines.
Part of Hobson's public persona is to dress in high fashion, including dangling jewelry and brightly colored high heels. She exudes a warm smile and an optimistic, happy appearance and maintains physical fitness.
In what way might Hobson's celebrity status create conflict with her managerial responsibilities at Ariel?

Answer 1

The celebrity status of the individual can impact the organization both positively and negatively especially if he plays a managerial role in the organization. It may also affect his managerial responsibilities. Some of the ways through which the celebrity status of Ms. M might affect her managerial responsibilities include
• The celebrity status of Ms. M can make her more dominant and it can result in internal conflicts.
• She may also become overconfident and can take inappropriate decisions.
• The organization can fear that the confidential information may be leaked due to her celebrity status.
• Sometimes she will be forced to take managerial decisions which by considering her celebrity status.

Question 2

Tim is the sales manager at a national auto parts supplier. Among the many accounts his company serves are small auto supply stores, service stations, repair shops, supermarkets, and small retailers. Tim has a staff of fifteen external sales representatives, as well as five internal sales specialists who deal with online and telephone sales.
The auto parts supply business is highly competitive, with most of the competition providing equally good parts and service. The personal touch therefore becomes quite important in gaining sales. Providing good service-such as refilling orders on frequently purchased parts and delivering on time-is essential. Tim also believes that inspiring the sales staff is vital in gaining a competitive edge. He notes, "If I inspire my sales reps, they will do a better job of building relationships with their customers. If I inspire the reps to sell more and better, they might inspire their customers to buy more parts and supplies from us."
Tim reasoned that his attempts to inspire and motivate the sales staffwere working fairlywell, but improvement was needed. When appropriate, he sees members of his staff in person, telephones them, and sends out frequent voice mails and texts messages. Yet Tim thought that he could do more: "I have been described as charismatic by my boss and several friends. Maybe I could get a bigger bang out of my charisma, if Imade better use of the social media to inspire my staff."
Tim decided that for the next month he would post inspiring messages on the Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages of all the members of his sales staff, including the internal staff. Tim would also post the same messages on his own pages. Six of Tim's postings designed to project his charisma and inspire the staff were as follows:
? The only limits we have are those we impose on ourselves.
? If you are still breathing, maybe it's not such a bad day after all.
? I want to wake up the inner greatness in each and every one of you.
? If not you, who?
? Welcome every rejection. It means you are one step closer to a Yes.
? The harder you try, the luckier you get.
Tim received fewer responses than he anticipated, but a few sales representatives thanked him for the positive ideas.
What else do you recommend that Tim do to express his charisma via social networking websites?

Answer 2

Some recommendations can be given to Mr. T so as to express charisma in the messages which is send through social media networking.
• He can evaluate the best effort of each employee and can congratulate them through his messages via social media messages. The good effort once recognized then it will be repeated.
• Each day topper can be send with a thanks and congratulation quote.
• He can wish birthdays of the employees so that they can feel job satisfaction.
• He can make his messages more personalized.
Through these messages he can inspire and motivate employees.

Question 3

Heather Osaka had worked ten years in the hospital administration field, at two hospitals, one HMO, and one nursing home. However, she had yet to hold a chief administrator position. One afternoon, she received a text message from Jake Wofford, a former classmate who was now in the executive recruiting business. "Maybe a great opportunity for you. Get back," said the message.
Osaka did get back to Wofford quickly. The opportunity to which he referred was a position as the director of Willow Pond, a medium-size assisted living home in the same city where Osaka now lived. "Assisted living" refers to helping older residents who are not quite able to care for themselves, yet do not require the level of care provided by a nursing home. Jake was frank in informing Heather that Willow Pond was troubled and that the previous director had been fired. Yet, the home still complied enough with state regulations to remain in operation.
The most recent problem at the home receiving publicity involved a man with a criminal record who walked into Willow Pond, sneaked into a resident's studio apartment, and sexually molested her. To gain entrance to the living area, the intruder donned a "Friends of Willow Pond" smock designated for volunteers. Wearing the smock facilitated his roaming the living area.
Before finally accepting the position, Heather spoke with the owners, who also operated several other homes for the elderly. She also consulted with a few of the supervisors and, with permission, interviewed four Willow Pond residents. The owners and Heather agreed that the following issues were among the most pressing:
? The residents and their families complain that the food is poor.
? Many of the residents are treated callously by the staff, and often told to "shut up" when they make a special demand, such as having a button sewn on, or ask for an off-menu item.
? The staff turnover is far higher than the industry average, with many young staffers just taking resident-care jobs as a last resort. Many of the people with experience in resident care who take a position at Willow Pond quickly leave for higher pay or for a more congenial atmosphere.
? Sanitation at the facility barely meets state requirements, and the building has a grungy, neglected appearance.
? Much of the equipment and furniture is old and shabby.Many of the TV sets produce blurry images.
? Willow Pond does not have high-speed Internet access for the residents, leaving those with computers in their rooms and apartments struggling to use the Internet.
? The physician and registered nurse service is not as reliable as at most assisted-care facilities.
? Willow Pond has shown a slight operating loss for three consecutive years.
The first day on the job, Heather thought to herself, "This looks like a job for Superwoman, or at least a great turnaround artist. So where do I begin making a difference?"
How might emphasizing the charismatic aspects of her personality help Heather bring about the necessary changes?

Answer 3

A leader can apply his charismatic characteristics so as to bring a change in the working conditions of the organization WP. Some of those characteristics which can be emphasized are mentioned below.
• She has already reviewed the current issues of the organization. She can ask for the opinion of the stake holders of the organization about the current issues and can ask them their suggestions to improve this situation. This can make them self responsible.
• She can motivate and inspire the staff members so that she can lead them successfully towards the goal achievement.
• She can communicate with them frequently so that the information is shared properly.
• She can be empathetic and can listen to the issues of the workers and can take adequate measures to overcome their issues.

Question 4

To view the videos for this activity, you'll need access to the CourseMate that is available for this text. To get access, visit www.CengageBrain.com. After watching "Leadership in Greensburg, KS," answer the following questions.
What makes Steve Hewitt a transformational leader?

Question 5

Explain why the presence of a charismatic leader tends to enhance the job satisfaction of group members.

Question 6

Identify a business, government, education, or sports leader whom you perceive to be charismatic. Explain the basis for your judgment.

Question 7

Heather Osaka had worked ten years in the hospital administration field, at two hospitals, one HMO, and one nursing home. However, she had yet to hold a chief administrator position. One afternoon, she received a text message from Jake Wofford, a former classmate who was now in the executive recruiting business. "Maybe a great opportunity for you. Get back," said the message.
Osaka did get back to Wofford quickly. The opportunity to which he referred was a position as the director of Willow Pond, a medium-size assisted living home in the same city where Osaka now lived. "Assisted living" refers to helping older residents who are not quite able to care for themselves, yet do not require the level of care provided by a nursing home. Jake was frank in informing Heather that Willow Pond was troubled and that the previous director had been fired. Yet, the home still complied enough with state regulations to remain in operation.
The most recent problem at the home receiving publicity involved a man with a criminal record who walked into Willow Pond, sneaked into a resident's studio apartment, and sexually molested her. To gain entrance to the living area, the intruder donned a "Friends of Willow Pond" smock designated for volunteers. Wearing the smock facilitated his roaming the living area.
Before finally accepting the position, Heather spoke with the owners, who also operated several other homes for the elderly. She also consulted with a few of the supervisors and, with permission, interviewed four Willow Pond residents. The owners and Heather agreed that the following issues were among the most pressing:
? The residents and their families complain that the food is poor.
? Many of the residents are treated callously by the staff, and often told to "shut up" when they make a special demand, such as having a button sewn on, or ask for an off-menu item.
? The staff turnover is far higher than the industry average, with many young staffers just taking resident-care jobs as a last resort. Many of the people with experience in resident care who take a position at Willow Pond quickly leave for higher pay or for a more congenial atmosphere.
? Sanitation at the facility barely meets state requirements, and the building has a grungy, neglected appearance.
? Much of the equipment and furniture is old and shabby.Many of the TV sets produce blurry images.
? Willow Pond does not have high-speed Internet access for the residents, leaving those with computers in their rooms and apartments struggling to use the Internet.
? The physician and registered nurse service is not as reliable as at most assisted-care facilities.
? Willow Pond has shown a slight operating loss for three consecutive years.
The first day on the job, Heather thought to herself, "This looks like a job for Superwoman, or at least a great turnaround artist. So where do I begin making a difference?"
Why might the job at Willow Pond prove to be a wonderful career opportunity for Heather Osaka?

Question 8

Mellody Hobson's official job title is president of Ariel Capital Management, LLC, a large mutual fund company based in Chicago. Hobson's primary responsibility as president is to help manage the firm, including strategic planning. She joined the firm after graduating from Princeton University in 1991, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and public policy.
Hobson is much better known for her work as a good-will ambassador for the firm, and a thought leader in encouraging members of the African-American community to invest in mutual funds. Hobson has become a nationally recognized authority on financial literacy and financial education. She was quoted in a magazine as saying, "My dream is of seeing black grandmothers in their bathing suits at the beach, retired comfortably. My dream is that the beach is their option."
She is a regular financial contributor to Good Morning America, and she makes numerous speaking appearances. Hobson is extremely well connected professionally, with people in her network including prominent business people, politicians, actors, and sports figures.
Hobson invests considerable timeand effort into building these connections because they enable her to move smoothly across industry, ethnic, racial, and class settings. Among the many well-known people in her network are John Rogers Jr., the founder of Ariel; Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America; William Lauder, CEO of Estée Lauder; and Barack Obama, U.S. president.
A key lesson Hobson attempted to convey to her followers during the financial crisis of 2008 was not to panic, but instead to take the long-term approach typical of contrarian investors. She told investors that important lessons could be learned from the book Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales: "When you are fighting for your life, you must hold on to your plan with a gentle grip and be willing to let go." Equally important, "Rigid people are dangerous people." Ariel adopted the tortoise as its company logo, symbolizing the patient, slow approach to accumulating wealth. Hobson decorates her office extensively with tortoise pictures and figurines.
Part of Hobson's public persona is to dress in high fashion, including dangling jewelry and brightly colored high heels. She exudes a warm smile and an optimistic, happy appearance and maintains physical fitness.
What evidence is presented in this vignette that Hobson is charismatic?

Question 9

To view the videos for this activity, you'll need access to the CourseMate that is available for this text. To get access, visit www.CengageBrain.com. After watching "Leadership in Greensburg, KS," answer the following questions.
How does Steve make use of his self-promoting personality, which is a common element of charismatic leaders?

Question 10

Tim is the sales manager at a national auto parts supplier. Among the many accounts his company serves are small auto supply stores, service stations, repair shops, supermarkets, and small retailers. Tim has a staff of fifteen external sales representatives, as well as five internal sales specialists who deal with online and telephone sales.
The auto parts supply business is highly competitive, with most of the competition providing equally good parts and service. The personal touch therefore becomes quite important in gaining sales. Providing good service-such as refilling orders on frequently purchased parts and delivering on time-is essential. Tim also believes that inspiring the sales staff is vital in gaining a competitive edge. He notes, "If I inspire my sales reps, they will do a better job of building relationships with their customers. If I inspire the reps to sell more and better, they might inspire their customers to buy more parts and supplies from us."
Tim reasoned that his attempts to inspire and motivate the sales staffwere working fairlywell, but improvement was needed. When appropriate, he sees members of his staff in person, telephones them, and sends out frequent voice mails and texts messages. Yet Tim thought that he could do more: "I have been described as charismatic by my boss and several friends. Maybe I could get a bigger bang out of my charisma, if Imade better use of the social media to inspire my staff."
Tim decided that for the next month he would post inspiring messages on the Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages of all the members of his sales staff, including the internal staff. Tim would also post the same messages on his own pages. Six of Tim's postings designed to project his charisma and inspire the staff were as follows:
? The only limits we have are those we impose on ourselves.
? If you are still breathing, maybe it's not such a bad day after all.
? I want to wake up the inner greatness in each and every one of you.
? If not you, who?
? Welcome every rejection. It means you are one step closer to a Yes.
? The harder you try, the luckier you get.
Tim received fewer responses than he anticipated, but a few sales representatives thanked him for the positive ideas.
How effective do you think Tim's posts are in terms of expressing his charisma?

Question 11

A concern has been expressed that leaders who are charismatic are often incompetent. They simply get placed into key positions because they create such a good impression. What do you think of this argument?

Question 12

Heather Osaka had worked ten years in the hospital administration field, at two hospitals, one HMO, and one nursing home. However, she had yet to hold a chief administrator position. One afternoon, she received a text message from Jake Wofford, a former classmate who was now in the executive recruiting business. "Maybe a great opportunity for you. Get back," said the message.
Osaka did get back to Wofford quickly. The opportunity to which he referred was a position as the director of Willow Pond, a medium-size assisted living home in the same city where Osaka now lived. "Assisted living" refers to helping older residents who are not quite able to care for themselves, yet do not require the level of care provided by a nursing home. Jake was frank in informing Heather that Willow Pond was troubled and that the previous director had been fired. Yet, the home still complied enough with state regulations to remain in operation.
The most recent problem at the home receiving publicity involved a man with a criminal record who walked into Willow Pond, sneaked into a resident's studio apartment, and sexually molested her. To gain entrance to the living area, the intruder donned a "Friends of Willow Pond" smock designated for volunteers. Wearing the smock facilitated his roaming the living area.
Before finally accepting the position, Heather spoke with the owners, who also operated several other homes for the elderly. She also consulted with a few of the supervisors and, with permission, interviewed four Willow Pond residents. The owners and Heather agreed that the following issues were among the most pressing:
? The residents and their families complain that the food is poor.
? Many of the residents are treated callously by the staff, and often told to "shut up" when they make a special demand, such as having a button sewn on, or ask for an off-menu item.
? The staff turnover is far higher than the industry average, with many young staffers just taking resident-care jobs as a last resort. Many of the people with experience in resident care who take a position at Willow Pond quickly leave for higher pay or for a more congenial atmosphere.
? Sanitation at the facility barely meets state requirements, and the building has a grungy, neglected appearance.
? Much of the equipment and furniture is old and shabby.Many of the TV sets produce blurry images.
? Willow Pond does not have high-speed Internet access for the residents, leaving those with computers in their rooms and apartments struggling to use the Internet.
? The physician and registered nurse service is not as reliable as at most assisted-care facilities.
? Willow Pond has shown a slight operating loss for three consecutive years.
The first day on the job, Heather thought to herself, "This looks like a job for Superwoman, or at least a great turnaround artist. So where do I begin making a difference?"
Why is this case included in a chapter about charismatic and transformational leadership?

Question 13

To what extent do you think dressing expensively and fashionably really contributes to the charisma of a leader within an organization?

Question 14

To view the videos for this activity, you'll need access to the CourseMate that is available for this text. To get access, visit www.CengageBrain.com. After watching "Leadership in Greensburg, KS," answer the following questions.
What is charisma? In your opinion, do Steve Hewitt, city administrator, and Lonnie McCollum, former mayor, possess charisma? Why or why not?

Question 15

If a transformational leader is supposed to be so smart and visionary, why would he or she emphasize empowerment in his or her leadership approach?

Question 16

Athletes and other celebrities who smile frequently and wave to the audience are often described as being charismatic. What is wrong or incomplete about this use of the term charisma?

Question 17

Provide an example of an athletic coach who proved to be a transformational leader. Justify your opinion.

Question 18

Mellody Hobson's official job title is president of Ariel Capital Management, LLC, a large mutual fund company based in Chicago. Hobson's primary responsibility as president is to help manage the firm, including strategic planning. She joined the firm after graduating from Princeton University in 1991, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and public policy.
Hobson is much better known for her work as a good-will ambassador for the firm, and a thought leader in encouraging members of the African-American community to invest in mutual funds. Hobson has become a nationally recognized authority on financial literacy and financial education. She was quoted in a magazine as saying, "My dream is of seeing black grandmothers in their bathing suits at the beach, retired comfortably. My dream is that the beach is their option."
She is a regular financial contributor to Good Morning America, and she makes numerous speaking appearances. Hobson is extremely well connected professionally, with people in her network including prominent business people, politicians, actors, and sports figures.
Hobson invests considerable timeand effort into building these connections because they enable her to move smoothly across industry, ethnic, racial, and class settings. Among the many well-known people in her network are John Rogers Jr., the founder of Ariel; Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America; William Lauder, CEO of Estée Lauder; and Barack Obama, U.S. president.
A key lesson Hobson attempted to convey to her followers during the financial crisis of 2008 was not to panic, but instead to take the long-term approach typical of contrarian investors. She told investors that important lessons could be learned from the book Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales: "When you are fighting for your life, you must hold on to your plan with a gentle grip and be willing to let go." Equally important, "Rigid people are dangerous people." Ariel adopted the tortoise as its company logo, symbolizing the patient, slow approach to accumulating wealth. Hobson decorates her office extensively with tortoise pictures and figurines.
Part of Hobson's public persona is to dress in high fashion, including dangling jewelry and brightly colored high heels. She exudes a warm smile and an optimistic, happy appearance and maintains physical fitness.
What evidence do you see that Hobson has a vision?

Question 19

Do you think a true transformational leader should ever lay off thousands of workers to help make a company profitable?

Question 20

Tim is the sales manager at a national auto parts supplier. Among the many accounts his company serves are small auto supply stores, service stations, repair shops, supermarkets, and small retailers. Tim has a staff of fifteen external sales representatives, as well as five internal sales specialists who deal with online and telephone sales.
The auto parts supply business is highly competitive, with most of the competition providing equally good parts and service. The personal touch therefore becomes quite important in gaining sales. Providing good service-such as refilling orders on frequently purchased parts and delivering on time-is essential. Tim also believes that inspiring the sales staff is vital in gaining a competitive edge. He notes, "If I inspire my sales reps, they will do a better job of building relationships with their customers. If I inspire the reps to sell more and better, they might inspire their customers to buy more parts and supplies from us."
Tim reasoned that his attempts to inspire and motivate the sales staffwere working fairlywell, but improvement was needed. When appropriate, he sees members of his staff in person, telephones them, and sends out frequent voice mails and texts messages. Yet Tim thought that he could do more: "I have been described as charismatic by my boss and several friends. Maybe I could get a bigger bang out of my charisma, if Imade better use of the social media to inspire my staff."
Tim decided that for the next month he would post inspiring messages on the Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages of all the members of his sales staff, including the internal staff. Tim would also post the same messages on his own pages. Six of Tim's postings designed to project his charisma and inspire the staff were as follows:
? The only limits we have are those we impose on ourselves.
? If you are still breathing, maybe it's not such a bad day after all.
? I want to wake up the inner greatness in each and every one of you.
? If not you, who?
? Welcome every rejection. It means you are one step closer to a Yes.
? The harder you try, the luckier you get.
Tim received fewer responses than he anticipated, but a few sales representatives thanked him for the positive ideas.
How effective do you think Tim's posts are for purposes of inspiring the sales representatives to sell more auto parts and supplies?

Question 21

What opportunities might a first-level supervisor or team leader have to be a transformational leader?

Question 22

Heather Osaka had worked ten years in the hospital administration field, at two hospitals, one HMO, and one nursing home. However, she had yet to hold a chief administrator position. One afternoon, she received a text message from Jake Wofford, a former classmate who was now in the executive recruiting business. "Maybe a great opportunity for you. Get back," said the message.
Osaka did get back to Wofford quickly. The opportunity to which he referred was a position as the director of Willow Pond, a medium-size assisted living home in the same city where Osaka now lived. "Assisted living" refers to helping older residents who are not quite able to care for themselves, yet do not require the level of care provided by a nursing home. Jake was frank in informing Heather that Willow Pond was troubled and that the previous director had been fired. Yet, the home still complied enough with state regulations to remain in operation.
The most recent problem at the home receiving publicity involved a man with a criminal record who walked into Willow Pond, sneaked into a resident's studio apartment, and sexually molested her. To gain entrance to the living area, the intruder donned a "Friends of Willow Pond" smock designated for volunteers. Wearing the smock facilitated his roaming the living area.
Before finally accepting the position, Heather spoke with the owners, who also operated several other homes for the elderly. She also consulted with a few of the supervisors and, with permission, interviewed four Willow Pond residents. The owners and Heather agreed that the following issues were among the most pressing:
? The residents and their families complain that the food is poor.
? Many of the residents are treated callously by the staff, and often told to "shut up" when they make a special demand, such as having a button sewn on, or ask for an off-menu item.
? The staff turnover is far higher than the industry average, with many young staffers just taking resident-care jobs as a last resort. Many of the people with experience in resident care who take a position at Willow Pond quickly leave for higher pay or for a more congenial atmosphere.
? Sanitation at the facility barely meets state requirements, and the building has a grungy, neglected appearance.
? Much of the equipment and furniture is old and shabby.Many of the TV sets produce blurry images.
? Willow Pond does not have high-speed Internet access for the residents, leaving those with computers in their rooms and apartments struggling to use the Internet.
? The physician and registered nurse service is not as reliable as at most assisted-care facilities.
? Willow Pond has shown a slight operating loss for three consecutive years.
The first day on the job, Heather thought to herself, "This looks like a job for Superwoman, or at least a great turnaround artist. So where do I begin making a difference?"
What aspects of transformational leadership should Heather emphasize in her approach to rehabilitating Willow Pond?

Question 23

To view the videos for this activity, you'll need access to the CourseMate that is available for this text. To get access, visit www.CengageBrain.com. After watching "Leadership in Greensburg, KS," answer the following questions.
How does Steve Hewitt, city administrator of Greensburg, KS, utilize Halpert's dimensions of charisma?

Question 24

Describe how a person might write e-mail messages to give an impression of being charismatic.