Thiswritten assignment includes two application questions and one case analysis.
Written AssignmentQuestions:
Question1. (a) In your life, who is the most influential leader you have had sofar? Please answer how that leader gave you so much influence with specificexamples. (b) What type of power did the leader have? What type ofinfluence tactics did the leader use? Please answer with examples.
Some notes fromthe textbook:
Types of powerthat can be grouped along two dimensions: organizational power and personalpower
OrganizationalPower has three types:
Reward power
Coercive power
Personal Power:
Expert power
Referent power
Question2. (a) In a crisis situation (e.g., pandemic, natural disaster, etc.), wetend to look for strong leadership. What type of leader behavior (e.g.,initiating structure, consideration) should be emphasized in a crisissituation? Why? (b) How does your organization deal with a crisis(e.g., the pandemic)? Do you have any complaints to your manager or leader atwork during a crisis? Do you have any suggestions to make the leadership bemore effective? Please share your experience in leadership during any crisissituation.
Notes from the textbook:
Accordingto the textbook there are two dimensions capture most of the day-to-dayleadership behaviors which are initiating structure and consideration :
reflectsthe extent to which the leader defines and structures the roles of employees inpursuit of goal attainment.44 Leaderswho are high on initiating structure play a more active role in directing groupactivities and prioritize planning, scheduling, and trying out new ideas. Theymight emphasize the importance of meeting deadlines, describe explicitstandards of performance, ask employees to follow formalized procedures, andcriticize poor work when necessary.MillardDrexler, CEO of J. Crew (the New Yorkbased clothing retailer), has a uniqueinitiating structure approach as he belts out instructions, assigns tasks,discusses clothing trends, and talks about sales statistics and goals about adozen times a day over loudspeakers in the main Manhattan office. If he isntin the office (and he often isnt), he has his assistant patch him in throughhis cell phone.
Consideration reflects theextent to which leaders create job relationships characterized by mutual trust,respect for employee ideas, and consideration of employee feelings.Leaderswho are high on consideration create a climate of good rapport and strong,two-way communication and exhibit a deep concern for the welfare of employees.They might do personal favors for employees, take time to listen to theirproblems, go to bat for them when needed, and treat them as equals.48 JeffImmelt, former CEO of General Electric, attempted to do this with many of theofficers in his company by hosting a sleepover a couple of times a month.Immelt says, We spend Saturday morning just talking about their careers. Whothey are, how they fit, how I see their strengths and weaknessesstuff likethat. The personal connection is something I may have taken for granted before that[and] I dont want to ever take for granted again.49 Googlesproject OXYGEN was a process that tried to identify the most effectivebehaviors of managers inside the organization. The three most important habitsthat determined leader success were all oriented toward consideration: meetingregularly with employees, taking an interest in them personally, and askingquestions rather than always providing answers.50P
Caseanalysis – Spotify case
Pleaseanswer the three questions in this case
CASE: SPOTIFY
Although it didnt start that way, fewpeople doubt the ability of Daniel Ek (CEO of Spotify) to be able to followthrough any more. One early investor said, When I first met him, he couldcompletely articulate how this could affect the music industry and what theworld would look like. I was shaking my head about his crazy ambition, but whathe said at a meeting in 2007 has turned out to become true. Ekis known for his willingness to sit through extraordinarily long negotiationswith musicians and executives in order to prove his point, but he rarelycompromises if he believes he is right. Unlike most CEOs, Ek is seen by most asegoless and focuses a good amount of time on his family. Although he is usedto those who question his practices, Ek receives different kinds of criticismnow that he runs a public company.
One of these criticisms is the highrate of turnover among key executives in Spotify. Ek labels himself asmissionary in that he likes to set 5-year missions for himself. He says,Thats how I think about life. Five years is long enough for me to achievesomething meaningful but short enough so I can change my mind every few years.Im on my second five-year commitment on Spotify. In two years, I will have tomake my next one. I will need to ask myself if I still enjoy what Im doing.Im kind of unusual that way, but it gives me clarity and purpose. Heexpects others to do the same. Every year he sits down with his executives andasks them one question, Is this what you want to do for the next two years?In a process that he calls excruciating, he forces his employees intothinking about whether or not what they are doing is their true passion andwhether they are willing to commit to another mission.
This has led to a large number ofpeople leaving, including some high ranking employees. Ek pushes them withquestions that are meant to make transparent whether the employees goals arein line with the goals of their job. Ek notes that, Very few people at Spotifylast more than two or three of these rounds. Theemployees dont leave as a result of poor performance, they are just empoweredto pursue their true passions somewhere else. Ek says that That honesty is animportant part of our culture.
1. 14.1Is it reasonable for a CEO likeEk to expect his employees to have the same passion and commitment to theirwork as he does?
2. 14.2What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a leader withsuch a strong vision for the company?
3. 14.3Does Ek fit your perception of what a “transformationalleader” is supposed to be?
SubmissionInstructions:
Forquestion 1, your example leader can be anyone you know personally or a publicfigure who has a strong influence on you. You have to describe specificexamples in your answer.
Forquestion 2, if you are not currently working, please consider any previousexperience or example leadership in crisis.
Pleaseapply chapter theories and contents in your answer. Also, if you have anyrelated experience, try to share your own experience in your answers.
Makesure to fully answer all questions (with all sub-questions). Do not typeout all questions, but need to include question numbers for each answer.
Expectto see 4.5 pages excluding references – the last sentence of your answer shouldbe on page 5.
Double-spaceand 12 pt.
fontsize. One-inch margins. APA style.