Micromanagement and Leadership

Background

George Latour is attempting to lead and coach a new employee, Shelly Stern. The relationship quickly goes downhill as George's leadership style runs afoul of Shelly's sense of professionalism.

Required Reading

Fryer, B., Goodnight, J., Goulston, M., Lawrie, J. M. & Chappelow, C. (2004). The Micromanager. Harvard Business Review, 82(9), 31-39.

Assignment

After reading the case and commentaries, provide your own commentary in a 4- to 5-page paper on George's leadership, drawing on the theories and models presented in this chapter.

In your analysis, consider the following three questions:

1. How would you characterize George's leadership style?
2. Is it the appropriate style? Why or why not? (Hint: consider the characteristics of the environment, the employee, the task, leader discretion, etc.)
3. What strategies can Shelley employ to better manage her boss? (To answer this question, you may want to read this short piece by Harry E. Chambers: (You can find it through the EBSCO database in Business Source Complete).

Chambers, H. (2005, Summer). Surviving the Micromanager. How to succeed with a my way boss. Canadian Manager, 30(2), 24-25. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered in your paper include:

• Define the problem: Identify George's leadership style according to one or a combination of styles covered in the background readings.
• Analyze the cause: Discuss the contextual contingencies and the match (or lack of match) with George's style.
• Propose a solution: The more specific you can be with your suggested strategies for Shelly, the better.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following:

• Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
• Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject, i.e., the Keys to the Assignment, addressed?
• Depth - Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth and include the background readings and other background resources as references?
• Critical thinking - Is the subject thought about critically, i.e., accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?
• Clarity - Is the writing clear and are the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the questions or are points conveyed through excessive use of quotations?
• Organization - Is the paper well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are headings included in all papers longer than two pages?
• Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper include citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are the references from the background readings and assignment present and properly cited? Are all the references listed in the bibliography present and referred to via citation?

Tips and Suggestions

Please note the following tips and suggestions:

• Include a cover page and reference page in addition to the 4–5 pages of analysis described above.
• You are expected to demonstrate that you have read, understood, and can apply the required background readings for this module in your answer to this case. Be sure to read the required readings carefully, and use the theories and arguments you learn from them to support your analysis.
• Include headings for all papers longer than two pages (basically all papers).
• Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and include citations for information that you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.
• Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers. (If you are unsure of what those guidelines are, see The Elements of a Well Written Paper).

Submit your analysis by the end of this module.