Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
Case 5.3: Getting the Message Across
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Ann Caldera is the program director of a college radio station that hires new students each
year. Students are highly motivated to be hired and work at the station. Once hired, students
often fail to follow FCC rules for airtime, which can result in serious problems for the
station.
Ann is frustrated by the FCC violations, since she puts a lot of effort into helping new DJs
and gives them handouts about the rules. She also spends time building personal relationships
with the students and wants them all to be happy.
Ann seems, on paper, to be a likeable and strong leader. However, students are new to FCC
rules/regulations, and Ann needs to offer them very clear direction to ensure their success.
These students need a bit less support and motivation and more clear direction.
Learning objectives:
• Students should be able to determine the developmental level of a group of
followers under the SLII model.
• Students should be able to determine the appropriate style for a leader using the
SLII model.
• Students should begin to develop methods to help direct a team toward success.
Answers to questions in the text:
1. What’s the problem at WCBA?
The students are not following FCC rules, and those rules are extremely important for
2. Using SLII as a basis, what would you advise Ann to do differently at the station?
The new followers at the station are at the D1 level, with strong motivation but little
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
3. Based on situational leadership, what creative schemes could Ann use to reduce FCC
infractions at WCBA?
Ann could conduct regular training sessions on the rules herself or delegate that task
Potential teaching approaches:
Below is a way to structure a class based on the situational approach and Case Study 5.3:
• Ask students to read Case 5.3.
• Students then brainstorm ways to lead the groups without relying on situational
approach.
• Hold a lecture on situational approach.
• Discuss Questions 1–3 in the case study as a class.
• Finally, the professor may choose to conduct in-class exercises listed below.
Exercises for this case study:
1) In small groups, students should further analyze why Ann was failing. What
assumptions did she make about the new students? Why did she not recognize the
flaws in those assumptions?
Students can then discuss a situation where they led (or were led) in a poor manner.
2) Create an action plan for Ann based on the situational approach. What exactly should
3) Group Discussion: Assume that there are one or two DJs who have been at the station
for a while and who understand the FCC rules. How can Ann rely on these more