Case 4.1: A Drill Sergeant at First
Case synopsis and analysis
Mark Young is head of a painting department in a large hospital, where he oversees a crew of
about 20. In previous years, Mark was very task driven. He created more efficient and cost–
effective methods and procedures for painting and was initially quite strict about hiring the right
painters for the job. As time passed, Mark relaxed his style, began to delegate to other crew
members, and regularly socialized and joked with the painters.
Learning objectives:
• Students should be able to apply the principles of behavior theory to a leader of a
small team.
• Students should be able to apply Blake and Mouton’s grid to a leader of a small team.
Answers to questions in the text:
Questions
1. From the behavioral perspective, how would you describe Mark’s leadership?
2. How did his behavior change over time?
3. In general, do you think he is more task oriented or more relationship oriented?
4. What score do you think he would get on Blake and Mouton’s grid?
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource
Potential teaching approaches:
This case study is conducive to group discussions and exercises.
Below is a way to structure a class based on skill theory and case study 4.1:
• Hold a lecture on the behavioral approach in general
Exercises for this case study:
1) Debate: Is task or relationship behavior more important for leadership.
2) Some people believe that certain organizations require a leader with a stronger focus on
task vs. relationship behaviors. Other organizations may need a relationship-focused
leader. As well, times of crisis may demand a leader who is high on results and low on
relationships. On the other hand, depending on the crisis, an organization may actually
need someone closer to 9/9 on the grid.
Discuss this concept in class. Students can even create a list of industries or occupations