The Good, Bad, and Ugly-The Rise and Fall of Dannis Kozlowski

1. How did his past shape his personality?

Kozlowski's past did shape his personality. His father was a wheeler-dealer type who was an
effective persuader. This is definitely a trait he had. Just look at how quickly he rose to the top of
the Tyco Company. You don't get this far without the ability to persuade. Also, when you take a
look at his locus of control, he knew he was in control of his destiny. Go back to his past and
you'll see this. He had a strong personality, was popular and he paid his way through school. His
past definitely shaped his personality.

2. Does this case contradict the view that personality is largely genetically derived? Explain

This case does contradict the view that personality is largely genetically derived. Mr. Kozlowksi,
by all accounts, was an honest, easy going and hardworking person. As he faced charges, the
words "respected and feared" described Mr. Kozlowski. His personality change was in response
to the other personality determinants -- environment and situation. To be successful, Kozlowski
had to adapt to the corporate environment and situations.

3. What does this case say about corporate ethics?

This says people in corporate are under intense pressure to succeed and ethics are sometimes
thrown out the window. Corporations would be wise to provide ethics training to help shape the
behaviors of its employees. Employees might not fully understand what’s ethical or unethical;
thus making decisions that may be against the will of the company and damaging.

4. In the Movie, "Wall Street," the Michael Douglas character says, "Greed is good." Is this true?
How does this apply to Kozlowski?

Kozlowski's greed is what propelled the enormous growth of Tyco. The deals and decisions he
made were motivated by his desire to be the best. The situation was a win for the company and
Kozlowski. To a certain extent, I agree with the "Greed is good" quote. I don't advocate greed,
but I agree that people need motivators to achieve. Those leaders who are successful, believe that
they control their destiny.
5. "Kozlowski just did what anybody would do if they had the chance. The people at fault in the
story are Tyco's Board of Directors for not controlling their CEO." Do you agree or disagree?
Discuss?

When it came to Kozlowski, the board was operating under a halo effect. A halo effect is when
we draw a general impression about an individual on the basis of a single characteristic. The
characteristic that stood out Kozlowski was his charisma. He was perceived as one with the
company. It was this perception of Kozlowski that earned him free rein at the company. Free rein
or not, it was the board’s responsibility to have checks and balances in place to protect the
company.