CASE STUDY

THE PUPPET
SUMMARY
The main problem in the organization outlined in this case study is the style of leadership. The character Rex is
a financial supervisor in the organization for seven years and he pleased his higher authority by maintaining all
the organizational rules and regulations. But as a leader he is not concerned about the needs.

1 How would you explain Rex’s leadership style in terms of one or more of the approaches discussed in
the chapter?
Considering that Rex is only concerned about what the upper-management thinks of him, while under-performing for his coworkers
from the department, I can conclude that he follows an autocratic and production centered style. He achieves any demands that his
upper-level management puts on him, but he barely performs any task for his people.

2 What advices would you give Rex to improve his approach to leadership?
I would say that Rex’s leadership is Bureaucratic – he is “by the book." He follows rules rigorously, and
ensures that staff follows procedures precisely. I would say that his leadership style is highly task-
oriented; he focuses on getting the job done. I believe he actively defines the work and the roles required,
put structures in place, plans, organizes, and monitors. However, because he is task-oriented, he does
not tend to think much about the well-being of his staff. Obviously his staff is losing interest in their jobs
and are only doing what is expected of them and nothing more. Rex should be more concerned about the
needs of his employees. His coworkers should have the confidence to talk to Rex about new ideas, and Rex should
encourage more positive ideas in the group. Inspiring leaders bring employees, customers, and colleagues into the
process of building the company.

3 Could a leadership training program be set up to help Rex? What would it consist of?
Rex will benefit greatly with a leadership-training program. Rex should perform outstanding in every facet of the organization.
He should encourage and praise he’s coworkers, while continuing to perform the way upper-management think of him. This
training should consist on communication skills to help with the lack of interest in his coworker’s ideas, team building and
motivation so coworkers can increase performance, and relaxation exercises than can help his coworkers feel less overworked.