Case 9.3: The Reluctant First Lady
Case synopsis and analysis
This case study portrays Betty Ford, former First Lady of the United States who had numerous
personal struggles but was largely seen as a brave and heroic figure. Betty Ford used her
position in the White House to garner support for causes that were important to her. She lobbied
Learning objectives:
Answers to questions in the text:
1. How would you describe Betty Ford’s leadership? In what ways could her leadership be
described as authentic?
Betty Ford was a determined leader who had a great deal of transparency and integrity. She was
an authentic leader who had self-knowledge, self-regulation, and self-concept. She was also able
2. How did critical life events play a role in the development of her leadership?
Life events played a critical role in her development as a leader. Betty Ford did not want to
become First Lady but used the opportunity to share her passions and work toward change. She
3. Is there a clear moral dimension to Betty Ford’s leadership? In what way is her leadership
about serving the common good? Discuss.
Moral reasoning is the capacity to make ethical decisions about issues of right and wrong.
Higher levels of moral reasoning make it possible for an authentic leader to make decisions that
4. As we discussed in the chapter, self-awareness and transparency are associated with authentic
leadership. How does Betty Ford exhibit these qualities?
Betty Ford was transparent about struggles that most keep private: cancer and addiction. She
Potential teaching approaches:
Below is a way to structure a class based on skill theory and case study 9.3:
• Hold a lecture on authentic leadership.
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource
Exercises for this case study:
1) The professor may choose to watch videos/clips/biographies about Betty Ford.