Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Case Notes
Chapter 10: Listening to Out-Group Members
Case 10.1: Next Step
Case Summary
This case study outlines the work of a student organization called Next Step, a graduate student
organization at a large West Coast University. James, the president of the organization, decided, based
on performance, that the previous fundraiser method, a bake sale, was costing money and not acquiring
enough revenue to support the organization’s programs. A meeting was held to determine a new
fundraiser, and vocal members of Next Step began planning for a t-shirt sale, without going through a
voting procedure or ensuring that all organization members had their say. The vocal members were
extremely enthusiastic and supportive, and began planning the fundraiser almost instantly.
Case Analysis
This case study presents the opinions of out-group members, who although are not as vocal as the
other members of the organization, are still an integral part of the organization and its leadership team.
The characters in this case study, Ursula, Nichole, and Todd, did not support the proposed change in
fundraiser type, however, did not express their disagreement with the change in an open-forum.
Because of their lack of voice, the fundraiser began, despite their disagreement.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Sample Answers to Case Questions
1. This chapter discusses several reasons that out-groups form. What is the best explanation for why
Ursula, Nichole, and Todd appear to be out-group members? What impact are they having on Next Step?
Do they have legitimate concerns? Discuss.
Ursula, Nichole, and Todd appear to be out-group members because they did not express their
2. How could the initial meeting about fund-raising strategies have been conducted so that all members
were included in the decision?
It appears that the meeting led to vocal organizational members acting before a formal decision was
3. Of the six strategies for how leaders should respond to out-group members, do you think that certain
strategies might be more appropriate or effective in this situation given the verbalized feelings about
Next Step from the out-group members?
Strategies, 1, 2, 4, and 6 are the strategies that would have helped James with the out-group members.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
4. How could other members of the group besides James help to build the group identity and sense of
cohesion in Next Step?
Although it is more implicitly implied than explicitly implied in this case, the out-group members
5. In this situation, do you think it is worth the time and effort to try and include Ursula, Nichole, and
Todd? Defend your answer?
It is always worth the time and effort to include voices in an organization, especially those in leadership
Case 10.2—Unhappy Campers
Case Summary
This case study addresses perceptions that local citizens of a community have on the homeless
population living in the city. The city had made a proposal that would no longer allow members of the
homeless community to sleep at night in public parks, noting that residents of the city did not visit city
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
stay at the shelter. This led the homeless to feel undervalued, and the group responded by organizing
across from city hall and refused to leave the park until their demands were met. Media attention led
additional homeless and homeless sympathizers to join the group and support the homeless with
additional resources. Two of the eight commissioners even joined with the homeless to sleep in tents
with them and work to find an acceptable resolution between the group and the city.
Case Analysis
This case is an example of an in-group vs. out-group dispute, between individuals representing the
homeless community (the out-group) and the city commission and city commissioners who were openly
against the homeless (the in-group). The decisions that were made to help the homeless were criticized
as not necessarily “help,” but an avoidance to address the larger, societal problems impacting the city.
Sample Answers to Case Questions
1. Who is the out-group in this case? Is there more than one out-group?
The primary out-group in this case are the homeless themselves. The only homeless shelter in the
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
2. The chapter discusses several reasons why out-groups form. What is the best explanation for how
the homeless became an out-group?
The homeless became an out-group for a number of reasons. Adequate resources were not provided by
3. What role did unconscious bias, prejudice, or stereotypes play in the homeless becoming an out-
group?
Unconscious bias, prejudice, and stereotypes all led to the homeless being an out-group. It could be
4. The chapter strongly suggests that the leader should try to bring the out-group into the group. In
what way did the mayor and city commission try to do this? Did they try hard enough? Defend your
answer.
The city commission and the mayor tried to bring the homeless into the group by allowing them the
5. Which of the strategies for how a leader should respond to an out-group were used in this
situation? Which were not? Do you think this affected the outcome?
Strategy 1: Listen to Out-Group Members – This strategy was used by the city commission. All
stakeholders impacted were provided four minutes of uninterrupted time to speak their mind in an
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021