Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

Case 2.1: Choosing a New Director of RESEARCH

Case synopsis and analysis

Sandra Coke must select a new director of research. Three different candidates with varying
leadership traits are being considered for the position. Candidate one is persistent and insightful;
candidate two is extraordinarily intelligent and sociable; and candidate three has high levels of
integrity. All three candidates seem to have adequate experience.

1. Based on the information provided about the trait approach in Tables 2.1 and 2.2, if
you were Sandra, whom would you select?

It is very difficult to select a candidate without more information about the director of
research position and each individual candidate.
Alexa Smith seems to have high levels of determination, persistence, and responsibility.
Kelsey Motts has high levels of sociability, intelligence, and social intelligence. Thomas
Santiago has high levels of integrity and is a strong problem solver.
Seemingly, all three would have some level of intelligence, self-confidence, and
determination since each completed successful projects in the past and seems well liked
by their peers.

Due to lack of information we cannot decide which candidate to select. If persistence is

important for success, Alexa should be chosen for that reason. Kelsey surely has
persistence as well but should be hired because she is already seen as a leader and has
high levels of sociability and intelligence, two of the top five most common traits of
leaders. If integrity is fundamental for a research job, Thomas should be selected.

Based on the limited information and solely applying trait theory, I would select Thomas.
Thomas has integrity, honesty and respect of upper management. His tenure has lasted 10
years, and he has contributed to the release of 3 new products to the market. I think
Thomas’ skills and assets show more of a leader than Alexa or Kelsey. All three seem to
be worthy candidates, but the skills and assets of Alexa and Kelsey seem to focus more
on comfort and creativity. Thomas seems to have shown these same attributes through his
achievements at GLF, and has the tenure and the respect of his colleagues to support it.

2. In what ways is the trait approach helpful in this type of selection?

Trait theory allows us to identify the traits that make each candidate unique. Through this,
we are able to accurately define Kelsey, Alexa, and Thomas’s differing traits and decide who
is best for a particular job. The trait approach is helpful because it helps you narrow down
what candidates have the most characteristic traits on the list to make the best choice.
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

3. In what ways are the weaknesses of the trait approach highlighted in this case?

Trait approach offers an almost endless list of traits and fails to prioritize those traits. In
this case, we can imagine that all three of the candidates likely possess a number of the
traits listed in trait approach. However, it is difficult to determine which trait is most
important in a given scenario. Because trait approach focuses on leaders traits and not on
the given situation. People with certain traits may be effective leaders in a particular
situation and may not be in others.

If the role requires collaboration and human skills, sociability may be important for the
director of research position. However, if that role is rather isolated, it may call for a
leader with integrity and persistence over one who has high levels of sociability.

CASE 2.2: A REMARKABLE TURNAROUND:

Carol Baines was married for 20 years to the owner of the Baines Company until he died in a car
accident. After his death, Carol decided not to sell the business but to try to run it herself. Before
the accident, her only involvement in the business was in informal discussions with her husband
over dinner, although she has a college degree in business, with a major in management.

1. How would you describe Carol’s leadership traits?

Carols leadership traits were very strong. She took over her husband’s business without much
knowledge and made it more successful than it had in the past. She was devoted to the company
and the employees.

She has self-confidence as when the company’s reputation was going down she took some good
steps to increase the reputation for which she had self confidence that those steps taken were
right for the company at that time.

She has intelligence as she first she did the analysis of the companies that had a reason to buy
office supplies and based on the potential market and her company’s strengths, she made short
and long term goals. These steps shows her intelligence traits of carol.

She was honest and sincere with her work even when she was going through a hard time herself.
and hence possess integrity as well.

2. How big a part did Carol’s traits play in the expansion of the company?
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

Carol’s traits play a huge role in the expansion of the company. She worked very hard for the
business following her husband's death and brought it to the heights her husband desired. There
were just five workers when she arrived, which later converted to a figure of 20 after she entered.

Her management degree proved to be beneficial as she made confident investments in finance,
promotions, advertisements and distribution, which allowed the business to climb to higher
heights and generate more procurement and recruiting.

Her cognitive abilities and emotional stability in a rough time showed great leadership in the
eyes of her employees. It can be measured through the interviews of her employees and the lack
of people quitting during her tenure.

3. Would Carol be a leader in other business contexts?

Yes, she seems like a person who sets her mind to something, she succeeds.

CASE 2.3: Recruiting for the Bank:

Pat Nelson is the assistant director of human resources in charge of recruitment for Central Bank,
a large, fullservice banking institution. One of Pat’s major responsibilities each spring is to visit
as many college campuses as he can to interview graduating seniors for credit analyst positions
in the commercial lending area at Central Bank. Although the number varies, he usually ends up
hiring about 20 new people, most of whom come from the same schools, year after year.

1. Based on ideas described in the trait approach, do you think Pat is looking for the
right characteristics in the people he hires?

The traits Pat is looking for aren't bad, but they're not what's needed to find people for higher-
level leadership positions. This is because while some people may consider themselves to be
good leaders because they possess certain characteristics, those same characteristics may not be
as important to someone else.

Also the traits doesn’t consider the situational effects, persons with certain traits can be a good
leader in one situation but not be a good leader in another one.

The trait approach has not linked the traits of leaders with group and team performance.

2. Could it be that the retention problem raised by upper management is unrelated to

Pat’s recruitment criteria?

There could be other reasons not mentioned in the case, like low salaries, longer working hours
compared to other Banks, etc., so it is possible it is unrelated to Pat’s recruitment criteria,
however since we noticed there are opportunities of improvement on his criteria, it is very
possible it is related.
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

3. If you were Pat, would you change your approach to recruiting?

Yes, I would change my approach. The idea of leadership is ever-changing and evolving in
different extents as the text explains in chapter one. People in a position of assigned leadership
must be flexible enough to be able to evolve and adapt with that in order to continue being a
successful leader.

Case 3.1: A Strained Research Team

1. Based on the skills approach, how would you assess Dr. Wood’s leadership and his
relationship to the members of the Elder Care Project team? Will the project be
successful?

Judging by the Skills Model of Leadership, the individual attributes that Dr. Wood seems to have
general and crystallized cognitive ability, but may be lacking in the motivation and personality
attributes. Personality in a sense that he hasn’t worked with many people before so he is unable
to be flexible to the needs of others and work with people even when there is conflict.

He has great problem solving skills as can be seen by his past successful projects, but he is
lacking in social judgment skills.

Without those attributes, his role is more that of a manager than a leader. The project seems like
it has a team and the ability to be successful, however, without the proper motivation and
personality of the leader, it may end up taking more time and money than originally planned

2. Does Dr. Wood have the skills necessary to be an effective leader of this research
team?

Because of his experience and knowledge, I feel Dr. Woods possesses the skills required to be an
effective leader of the research team. He may lack a few leadership qualities, like social
judgments, but he appears to be capable of getting the task done.

3. The skills model describes three important competencies for leaders: problem-
solving skills, social judgment skills, and knowledge. If you were to coach Dr. Wood
using this model, what competencies would you address with him? What changes
would you suggest that he make in his leadership?

Based on his track record of success in his profession, it is clear that Dr. Woods has exceptional
problem-solving skills and knowledge. However, he is lacking in social judgment skills, as he is
not used to working with a team this size and needs to improve upon his social judgment skills in
order to properly motivate his large team. He should consider others perception and include their
ideas too, as well need to be a little flexible and exhibit social performance that is being able to
get the work done even when there is a conflict or resistance. I would suggest that he needs to be
more positive and praise his team members on their good work to keep every ones spirits high.
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

Case 3.2 A shift for Lieutenant Colonel Adams

1. Based on the skills model, how would you assess Lt. Col. John Adams’s ability to
meet the challenges of the base administration position?

I think Lt. Col. Adams has a great ability in problem-solving and motivation. However, as his
superior stated in the case, he seems to have neglected the big picture and focused mostly on
meeting the parameters set.

2. How would you assess his ability to meet the additional tasks he faced regarding the
conversion of the base?

He seemed very capable of meeting the parameters set to his position in downsizing his branch
of the base. He solved the problem at hand, but seemed to create a new problem in its place when
the necessary changes made created hardships for those remaining.

3. If you were to coach Adams on how he could improve his leadership, what would
you tell him?

I would advise Adams to consider how the decisions he make will affect him, his job, and the
others that work around him, before making such major decisions. He need to analyze how it
affects the people and jobs that need to continue (social judgments).

Case 3.3 Andy’s Recipe

1. What accounts for Andy’s success in the restaurant business?

Andy’s success in the restaurant business can be attributed to his positive and out-going
personality, his great social skills and his cognitive ability and knowledge of motivating his
managers.

Andy is described as having strong

leadership competencies in
problem-
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

solving skills, social judgement

skills, and knowledge. Andy is
very confident in his approach to
running his business and
understands his consumers’ needs,
which sets him aside from other
failed restaurant businesses in the
community. His individual
attributes contributed to his
ability to successfully run his
business such as: Andy’s
intelligence had a positive impact
on his
problem-solving skills and his
general cognitive ability in the
management of the restaurant and
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

supporting team members.

Additionally, Andy’s strong
leadership competencies can be
attributed to his crystallized
cognitive ability or his intellectual
ability learned over time, i.e., his
restaurant is celebrating 25 years
due to his recipe for success.
Andy is described as having strong
leadership competencies in
problem-
solving skills, social judgement
skills, and knowledge. Andy is
very confident in his approach to
running his business and
understands his consumers’ needs,
which sets him aside from other
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

failed restaurant businesses in the

community. His individual
attributes contributed to his
ability to successfully run his
business such as: Andy’s
intelligence had a positive impact
on his
problem-solving skills and his
general cognitive ability in the
management of the restaurant and
supporting team members.
Additionally, Andy’s strong
leadership competencies can be
attributed to his crystallized
cognitive ability or his intellectual
ability learned over time, i.e., his
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource

restaurant is celebrating 25 years

due to his recipe for success.
He has strong leadership competencies in problem solving skills, social judgments skills and
knowledge. He is very confident in hi approach to running his business and understands his
customer’s needs, which sets him aside from other failed business in the community.

His individual attributes also helps him in his business. Like his general cognitive ability in
managing the restaurant and supporting team members. He also possess crystallized cognitive
ability as his business is celebrating 25th anniversary due to his recipe of success.

2. From a skills perspective, how would you describe the three managers, Kelly,
Danielle, and Patrick? What does each of them need to do to improve his or her
skills?

Kelly seems very knowledgeable in her position and has great cognitive abilities. However, her
social skills may be lacking a bit when dealing with the salespeople or waitresses.

Danielle seems to have excellent personality and social skills in working with the customers,
however, her knowledge of the position, specifically working with numbers seems to need
improvement.

Patrick, like Kelly, seems to be a great worker with motivation and knowledge of what his
position demands, however, he needs to work on his personality and social skills in dealing with
the customers.

3. How would you describe Andy’s competencies? Does Andy’s leadership suggest that
one does not need all three skills in order to be effective?

Andy is a great leader. He cares about his staff and his customers and shows it at every
opportunity. In relation to the competencies of a leader in the Skills Model, Andy seems to have
problem solving and social judgment skills, as well as knowledge. The managers that he oversees
may lack a few of the competencies, but with a little improvement, all of the necessary talents
will be present among the four of them.