Anissa Spadavecchia

Case Study 1&2

April 7, 2020

Theory Practice of Leadership

What is the definition of a leader? Better yet, what is the definition of a good leader? One

of the major qualities that defines a good leader is honesty. As a leader when you make honest

and ethical behavior as a key value, your team will definitely follow. From reading and getting to

know more about Susan Fowler’s story, her management team weren’t good leaders. They

already didn’t define the one key value of a good leader which is honesty. They lied on constant

occasions so they’re company quote on quote wouldn’t look “bad.” Right away in Chapter One

they define what they believe is good leadership. They state how many people believe that

leadership is a way to improve their personal, social, and professional lives (Northouse, p.g 10).

How the book defines leadership is that it’s a process whereby an individual influences a group

of individuals to achieve a common goal (Northouse, p.g 12). You can see this connection in the

blog that she posted where many of the people working there followed and supported the

leadership that was given to them. Leadership occurs in groups and leadership involves

influencing a group of individuals who have a common purpose. Only a small group of

individuals didn’t which was that small percentage of women who disagreed with how the place

is being run. It’s crazy how much people can influence your decision because it seemed as

though many who worked for Uber thought that this behavior was ok and didn’t need any more

serious consequences. The real leader who came out of this story is Susan Fowler because she
saw what was happening was wrong and made sure this didn’t happen at this company again by

writing the blog about it. It was tough for her but she was a true leader not only for her bravior

but her honesty.

One of the biggest aspects this blog relates to is Lecioni’s five Dysfunctions of a Team.

In her blog, this actually shows how the pyramid isn’t followed. This blog shows the team is

very dysfunctional. It’s obviously made up of individuals with varied interests, strengths, and

weaknesses. The team could have even been well intended, but even well intended people slip

unproductive and unhealthy behavior. Right away you can see there’s a huge absence of trust

which is Lenioni’s bottom tear of the pyramid. This occurs when team members are reluctant to

be vulnerable with one another and are not willing to admit their constraints, mistakes, or want

for help. Right away, Susan Fowler felt the absence of trust. Without a certain level of comfort

within the team members, a foundation of trust is not possible (Northhouse, p.g 112). The

manager should’ve set a good example by asking for help from your team members, admitting

your own weaknesses and constraints, and be the first to own up to a mistake. Team members

will follow if you take the lead as a leader. Slowly, these habits will become cultural and the

team will begin to build the first unshakable brick in the pyramid trust but instead of owning up

made excuses for what was happening. The blog is a good example of how the place was very

“dysfunctional” as Lencioni puts it. The blog also relates very much to chapter sixteen. In

chapter sixteen it defines culture and leadership. Leadership culture is the way things are done.

It’s the way people interact, make choices, and influence others. Leaders own conscious and

unconscious beliefs push decisions and behaviors. These repeated behaviors eventually become

leadership practice. The negative cultures can especially undermine upbeat leadership as team
members are actively undermined by leaders who have a stake in the older culture. Whether it's

through manipulation or complacency, negative cultures can create significant challenges for

change (Northouse, P.g 130). The negative culture is what you witness in Susan's story. She had

trouble creating change because it was something that was always practiced there and sadly there

was nothing she could’ve done to change it while working for the company. So the way she

changed it was she wrote about it and made it public. She made a difference not only for herself

but any out there who have also experienced this at the workplace.

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: theory and practice. Eighth edition. Los Angeles: SAGE

Publications, Inc.