Organizational Behavior Case: The Puppet

Rex Justice is a long-term employee of the Carfax Corporation, and for the last several years he has been
a supervisor in the financial section of the firm. He is very loyal to Carfax and works hard to follow the
company policies and procedures and the orders of the managers above him. In fact, upper-level
management think very highly of him: they can always count on Rex to meet any sort of demand that the
company places on him. He is valued and well-liked by all the top managers. His employees in the financial
section have the opposite opinion of Rex. They feel that he is too concerned with pleasing the upper-level
brass and not nearly concerned enough with the needs and concerns of the employees in his department.
For example, they feel that Rex never really pushes hard enough for a more substantial slice of the budget.
Relative to other departments in the company, they feel they are underpaid and overworked. Also,
whenever one of them goes to Rex with a new idea or suggestion for improvement, he always seems to
have five reasons why it can't be done. There is considerable dissatisfaction in the department, and
everyone thinks that Rex is just a puppet for management. Performance has begun to suffer. Because of
his style and leadership. Upper-level management seem to be oblivious to the situation in the finance
section.

Summary

The case discusses Rex Justice, a supervisor in the financial section of Carfax Corporation. While upper-
level management thinks highly of him, his employees feel that he is too focused on pleasing management
and not concerned enough about their needs. They perceive him as a puppet for management, which has
led to dissatisfaction and decreased performance in the department. Rex's leadership style can be
explained using the trait approach, and to improve his approach, he needs to build a positive relationship
with his employees, be more assertive, and develop an open-minded approach to problem-solving. A
leadership training program could help him develop these skills.

Major Problem

The problem is Rex's leadership style, which neglects the concerns of his employees in the financial
section, leading to dissatisfaction, decreased performance, and a lack of innovation and assertiveness
within the department.

Question 01: How would you explain Rex's leadership style in terms of one or more of the approaches
discussed in the chapter?

Answer. Rex's leadership style can be explained in terms of the trait approach, which focuses on
identifying the personal characteristics of effective leaders. Rex is loyal, hardworking, and committed to
following company policies and procedures. However, he seems to lack the necessary interpersonal skills
and empathy to build a positive relationship with his employees. His focus on pleasing upper-level
management and his reluctance to challenge their decisions indicate a lack of assertiveness and
confidence, which are important traits for effective leadership. Additionally, his tendency to shoot down new
ideas and suggestions without considering them suggests a closed-minded approach to problem-solving,
which is not conducive to innovation and creativity.

Question 02: What advice would you give Rex to improve his approach to leadership?

Answer. To improve his approach to leadership, Rex needs to focus on building a more positive
relationship with his employees. He should actively listen to their concerns and ideas and work
collaboratively with them to find solutions that benefit both the department and the company. He should
also be more assertive in advocating for the needs of his department, including pushing for a more
substantial budget allocation and fairer compensation for his employees. It is also essential for Rex to
develop a more open-minded approach to problem-solving and to encourage creativity and innovation
within the department.

Question 03: Could a leadership training program be set up to help Rex what would it consist of?

Answer. A leadership training program could be set up to help Rex improve his leadership skills. The
program should focus on developing Rex's interpersonal skills, including active listening, empathy, and
effective communication. It should also provide training on assertiveness and confidence-building, problem-
solving, and decision-making. Additionally, the program should encourage a culture of creativity and
innovation within the department and provide tools and techniques to promote these values. Finally, the
program should emphasize the importance of building positive relationships with employees and fostering a
collaborative and inclusive work environment.