Management Chapter 7 Homework Bussard's Expectations Followers Demand Clarity Direction Lack

that you most prefer. Explain.

Building bonds with superiors and higher level managers is just as important as managing

subordinates and lower level employees. In order to harness the potential of lower level

5. The chapter describes five ways in which followers need to use courage. Which do you feel

is most important? Least important? How might a follower derive the courage to behave in

new ways to be more effective? Discuss.

Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say the following:

• Most important—assuming responsibility. Followers initiate opportunities for

6. Do you think you would respond better to feedback that is presented using a traditional

scheduled performance review format or feedback that is presented as a routine part of

everyday work activities? Discuss. How do you think leaders should frame negative

feedback to achieve the best results?

Students’ answers may vary. Some of them may say that effective leaders should provide

both positive and negative constructive feedback on an ongoing basis. If someone handles

a difficult task, for instance, the leader should offer feedback on the spot rather than letting

the person wonder how effective he or she was, perhaps imagining the worst.

For best results, leaders should follow these tips on feedback:

• Make it timely—people shouldn’t have to wait for an annual review to know how

6. Describe the strategy for managing up that you most prefer. Explain.

7. Which type of follower courage is easiest for you to use? Hardest for you to use? Can you

think of ways to expand your power for influencing up?

Students’ answers will vary. They may rank the following in order of their preference:

• The courage to assume responsibility

• The courage to challenge

8. One organizational observer suggested that bosses who won’t give negative feedback to

followers who need it cause even more damage in the long run than those who fly off the

handle when a follower makes a mistake. Do you agree? Discuss.

Students’ answers may vary. Some of them may agree with the organizational observer’s

suggestion. Leaders who avoid giving negative feedback “achieve kindness in the short

9. What does leadership coaching mean to you? How should leaders decide which followers

they will provide with coaching?

Students’ answers may vary. Leadership coaching is a method of directing or facilitating a

10. What does it mean for a leader to act as a human shield? Do you believe this should be

part of a leader’s responsibility to followers?

Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that failure is when true leadership

qualities are brought to the fore. A true leader feels it is his responsibility to guide and

Teaching Tools and Exercises

1. Leader’s Bookshelf: Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst

by Robert I. Sutton

In Good Boss, Bad Boss, Stanford professor Robert Sutton reminds us of the cost of bad

bosses to both followers and organizations. He acknowledges the natural tension that

What Good Bosses Do

The following are some examples of what the best bosses do:

• They reduce the risk of self-delusion.

• They don’t let power go to their heads.

• They protect their people.

A key role of a good boss is to act as a “human shield” and protect people from

“meddlesome executives, nosy visitors, unnecessary meetings, and a host of other insults,

intrusions, and time wasters.”

Can We All Be Good Bosses?

Most chapters in Good Boss, Bad Boss include questionnaires that allow readers to apply

the concepts to their own lives and leadership. “If you are a boss,” Sutton reminds the

2. On the Web: “Making Music and Learning Leadership: Cassatt String Quartet,” by Susan

Leshnower, May 2001 at http://leadership.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Wharton Leadership Digest is a monthly electronic bulletin on current research and

writing related to leadership and change management.

3. Read and discuss: Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer, “What Really Motivates

Workers,” Harvard Business Review, (January-February 2010).

Ask leaders what they think makes employees enthusiastic about work, and they’ll tell

you in no uncertain terms. In a recent survey we invited more than 600 managers from

dozens of companies to rank the impact on employee motivation and emotions of five

4. Leadership at Work: Follower Role Play

You are a production supervisor at Hyperlink Systems. Your plant produces circuit

boards that are used in Nokia cell phones and IBM computers. Hyperlink is caught in a

competitive pricing squeeze, so senior management hired a consultant to study the

In Class: The instructor can ask students to volunteer to play the role of the plant

manager and the production supervisor. A few students can take turns role-playing the

production supervisor in front of the class to show different approaches to being a

follower. Other students can be asked to provide feedback on each production

supervisor’s effectiveness and on which approach seems more effective for this situation.

Leadership Development: Cases for Analysis

I. Waiting for Clearance

Synopsis

CEO Tony Bussard apparently wanted to relinquish none of the power when he agreed with

board members of Alvon Biometrics to maintain control over the financial and administrative

side of the company while naming a COO to oversee day-to-day operations. Everyone agreed

fire field officer who looks up to see reinforcements riding into the fray. However, one year into

the job, De la Vega was still wondering what was expected of him and where Bussard’s duties

ended and his duties began. With no clear agreement, De la Vega’s earnest efforts to get

guidance about his responsibilities seemed to be brushed aside by the CEO, who remained

elusive and vague.

Case questions and answers

1. If you were De la Vega, what would you do at this point? Do you think De la Vega has

waited too long to make a substantial change in his relationship with Bussard? Why?

Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that De la Vega should have clarified

his stand the day he was hired. Additionally, he should have had a candid chat with

2. How would you characterize De la Vega’s style as a follower? What tactics might help

improve his relationship with Bussard? Explain.

Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that De la Vega seems more inclined

3. If you were in De la Vega’s position, what would you have done from the beginning? Be

specific about your actions and timing.

II. Jake’s Pet Land

Synopsis

Jordan supported Adam’s decision to bend company rules if it meant retaining a loyal customer.

Although the store’s thick policy manual called for strict adherence to established procedures,

Jordan encouraged employees to think independently when meeting the needs of customers.

Case questions and answers

1. Which store manager—Phillip Jordan or Jan Whitall—would you prefer working for? How

did each leader’s style affect the culture of the pet store? Explain.

Students’ answer will vary. Most of them would prefer working for Phillip Jordan

because he empowered his employees and encouraged independent thinking. When a

situation arose such as an item return past the seven-day deadline, he allowed his

employees to handle the situation on a case by case basis even if it meant bending the

rules. In this way an employee could reward a loyal customer with a full refund which in

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2. What kind of follower was Adam Gerrit? In general, what characteristics of followers do

you admire? What characteristics would you want them to display when working for you?

Adam was an effective follower who worked toward a genuine relationship with Phillip,

which included developing trust and speaking honestly on the basis of trust. By building a

3. If you were the district manager, which store manager would you prefer to have working

for you? Why? In your opinion, which manager did a better job of managing up? Which

manager did a better job of managing down?

Students’ answers will vary. Many would prefer to have Phillip working for them

because the store had very little employee turnover, customers were satisfied, and as a

result, profits increased. Phillip did a better job at managing up because effective

Digital Homework Grid

Case Assessment Questions

Topic

Category

Which of the following

statements is true of

followership?

a. Followers like working for

leaders who have influence

with their superiors.

b. Most people are more often

leaders than followers.

Leadership Challenge #1

Connect

You head the marketing team

of Media Me Inc. Being

aware of the five styles of

followership as a leader, you

have to identify each style.

Mentioned below are the

descriptions of each. Drag

and drop the answer options

into their corresponding

columns illustrated in the

table below.

Answer Options: Is a person

who is an independent, critical

thinker but is passive in the

organization/ Is a follower

who participates actively in

the organization but does not

Leadership Challenge #2

Connect

utilize critical thinking skills

in his or her task behavior/ Is a

follower who has qualities of

all four extremes depending

on which style fits with the

Ali

ena

ted

Foll

ow

er

Co

nfo

rmi

st

Pra

gm

atic

Sur

viv

or

Pas

siv

e

Foll

ow

er

Eff

ecti

ve

Foll

ow

er

You are aware of the two

styles of thinking:

dependent, uncritical thinker

and independent, critical

Follower

Type

Thinking

Style

Alienated

Follower

Conformist

Passive

Follower

Effective

Follower

Leadership Challenge #2

Connect

In the context of

followership styles, which of

the following is a defining

characteristic of an effective

follower?

Leadership Challenge #2

Connect

a. They have the courage to

put themselves at risk or in

conflict with others.

b. They carry out any and all

orders regardless of the nature

In the context of

followership styles, a(n)

_____ uses whatever style

best benefits his or her own

position and minimizes risk.

a. passive follower

Leadership Challenge #2

Connect

Effective followers:

a. presume that a leader will

provide them with security.

Leadership Challenge #3

Connect

You are aware of the several

sources of power that can be

used by followers to manage

up. Mentioned below are the

different sources of upward

influence. Drag and drop the

answer options into their

corresponding columns

illustrated in the table below.

Answer Options: Knowledge,

skills/ Network of

relationships / Persuasion/

Designation / Central location/

Leadership Challenge #4

Connect

Expertise / Effort/ Flow of

information

Personal

Sources

Position

Sources

The _____ requires

followers not to sacrifice

their personal integrity or the

good of the organization in

order to maintain harmony.

a. courage to serve

b. courage to leave

c. courage to challenge

d. courage to assume

responsibility

Leadership Challenge #4

Connect

Mentioned below are the

different ways to view one’s

leader realistically and to

become a resource for the

leader. Drag and drop the

answer options into their

corresponding columns

illustrated in the table below.

View the

Leader

Realistically

Be a

Resource for

the Leader

Leadership Challenge #5

Connect

By _____, followers can be a

resource of strength and

support for the leader.

a. accepting that leaders are

fallible

b. understanding the goals of

the organization

Leadership Challenge #5

Connect

Accepting that leaders are

fallible helps in:

a. giving effective, timely

feedback.

b. leadership coaching.

c. becoming a resource to the

leader.

d. viewing the leader

realistically.

Leadership Challenge #5

Connect

Leaders want followers who:

a. expect leaders to drive their

growth.

Leadership Challenge #6

Connect

Clarifying direction:

a. occurs when a leader uses

evaluation and communication

to help individuals learn about

themselves and improve.

b. involves giving advice on

handling specific

organizational situations.

c. includes helping followers

see how their own individual

Leadership Challenge #6

Connect