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Accounting for Managers: Case Study Part 1, Due March 19th, 2017 Comprehensive Project – Part I Research and then describe your company’s primary business activities. Include: A brief historical summary, A list of competitors, The company’s position within the industry, Recent developments within the company/industry, Future direction, and Other items of significance to your corporation. Include information from a variety of resources. For example: Consult the Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Review the Annual Report and especially the Letter to Shareholders Explore the corporate website. Select at least two significant news items from recent business periodicals Submit a written report that is 2-4 pages long. The report should be well written with introductory and concluding paragraphs. References must be appropriately cited. Be sure to address all of the points in Section A above, using all of the resources listed in Section B. Format: Double-spaced, one-inch margins, using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Include a complete bibliography. Prior to beginning this activity you should review: Schoenebeck and Holtzman (2013). Interpreting and Analyzing Financial Statements (6th ed.) Chapter 5: Statement of Cash Flow’s Fraser and Ormiston (2013). Understanding Financial Statements (10th ed.) Chapter 4: Statement of Cash Flows Module 5 Powerpoint [PDF File Size 3.91 Mb] Case Study Part 2, Due March 26th, 2017 Comprehensive Project – Part II: The purpose of the second part of the comprehensive project is to compute financial statement ratios. Based on formulas given in Appendix B, compute the following ratios in Excel for two years. Debt ratio Gross profit margin Free cash flow Times interest earned Accounts receivable turnover Inventory turnover Prepare a DuPont Analysis of ROE for two years, including computations of Return on Sales Asset Turnover Return on Assets Financial Leverage Return on Equity Briefly evaluate the ratio trends. Indicate on your worksheet whether each ratio is: stronger / weaker quicker /slower more / less liquid more / less risk Submit a report. Write a 2-4 page report evaluating trends in all of the above ratios. Discuss whether your company’s profitability, efficiency, liquidity, and solvency are improving or deteriorating.Format: Double-spaced, one-inch margins, using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Prior to beginning this activity, you should review: Schoenebeck and Holtzman (2013). Interpreting and Analyzing Financial Statements (6th ed.) Chapter 6: Specific Accounts Case Study Part 3, Due April 2nd, 2017 Comprehensive Project Part III: The purpose of the third part of the comprehensive project is to use resources available to obtain industry averages for commonly used ratios. Additionally you will compare company ratio results to industry averages. Obtain the four-digit primary SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Code and industry title for your company. Record the primary SIC code and industry title at the top of the Ratio Analysis Worksheet. Obtain industry averages for commonly used ratios in the current period. Industry average information is reported by industry title or SIC code. Look up the following industry-average ratios: Current ratio Debt ratio Gross profit margin Times interest earned Accounts receivable turnover Inventory turnover Return on Sales Asset Turnover Return on Assets Financial Leverage Return on Equity Note that some industry averages may not apply to your company. Submit a report. Write a 2-4 page report comparing the above ratios to industry averages. Discuss whether your company’s profitability, efficiency, liquidity, and solvency are better than, or worse then, its peers. Format: Double-spaced, one-inch margins, using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Prior to beginning this activity, be sure you review: Schoenebeck and Holtzman (2013). Interpreting and Analyzing Financial Statements (6th ed.) Chapter 7: The Accounting Cycle Case Study Part 4, Due April 9th, 2017 Final Written Paper The final written paper requires you to prepare a well-written titled “Would You Advise a Friend to Invest in This Company?” based upon your research and analysis of this company’s financial information. You should identify 3-5 significant points that justify your conclusion. Support your points with a comprehensive explanation incorporating sound reasoning. Your final written paper should be 4-5 pages long. The report should be well written with introductory and concluding paragraphs. References must be appropriately cited. Format: Double-spaced, one-inch margins, using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Prior to beginning this activity be sure you review: Schoenebeck and Holtzman (2013). Interpreting and Analyzing Financial Statements (6th ed.) Chapter 8: Comprehensive Review
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MULTI -MODULE C OMPREHENSIVE PROBLEM ASSIGNMENT Background : The purpose of this comprehensive project is to use a variety of resources to research a corporation. You will also prepare a written paper describing your corporation and summarizing the findings you have developed in the first three parts of the project. Instructions : First choose a company to research. The company must be publicly traded, not the company where you currently work. Your selection may be a competitor of the company you currently work for, a company related to a hobby of yours, a possible stock investment, or simply sound interesting. Each student will select a different company; however companies may be within the same industry. Module Activity Activity Type 5 Cas e Study – Part I: Company Background See specific details below. Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part I http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 Written Assignment 6 Case Study – Part II: Compute Ratios See specific details below. Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part II http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 Written Assignment 7 Case Study – Part III: Compare Ratios to Industry Norms See specific details below. Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part III http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 Written Assignment 8 Case Study – Final Written Paper See specific details below. Written Assignment Required Part I – Module Five Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part I http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 A. Research and then describe your company’s primary business activities. Include: 1. A brief historical summary, 2. A list of competitors, 3. The company’s position within the industry, 4. Recent developmen ts within the company/industry, 5. The key risk factors 6. The strategic direction of the company 7. Other items of significance to your corporation. B. Includ e information from a variety of resources. For example: 1. Consult the Form 10 -K filed with the SEC. 2. Review the Annual Report and especially the Letter to Shareholders and the risk factor statement 3. Explore the corporate website including the investor relations website 4. Select at least two significant news items from recent bu siness periodicals C. Submit a written report that is 2 -4 pages long. The report should be well written with introductory and concluding paragraphs. References must be appropriately cited. Be sure to address all of the points in Section A above, using all of the resources listed in Section B. Format: Double -spaced, one -inch margins, using a 12 -point Times New Roman font. Include a complete bibliography. Required Part II – Module Six : The purpose of the second part of the comprehensive project is to compu te financial statement ratios. Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part II http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 A. Based on formulas given in Appe ndix B, compute the following ratios in Excel for two years. 1. Debt ratio 2. Gross profit margin 3. Free cash flow 4. Times interest earned 5. Accounts receivable turnover 6. Inventory turnover B. Prepare a DuPont Analysis of ROE for two years, including computations of 1. Return on Sales 2. Asset Turnover 3. Return on Assets 4. Financial Leverage 5. Return on Equity C. Bri efly evaluate the ratio trends. Indicate on your worksheet whether each ratio is : 1. stronger / weaker 2. quicker /slower 3. more / less liquid 4. more / less risk D. Submit a report. Write a 2 -4 page report evaluating trends in all of the above ratios. Discuss whether your company’s profitability, efficiency, liquidity, and solvency are improving or deteriorating. Format: Double -spaced, one -inch margins, using a 12 -point Tim es New Roman font. Required Part III – Module Seven: The purpose of the third part of the comprehensive project is to use resources available to obtain industry averages for commonly used ratios. Additionally you will compare company ratio results to i ndustry averages. Use the Library’s research guide to get started on Part III http://libguides.excelsior.edu.vlib.excelsior.edu/bus500 A. Obtain the four -digit primary SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Code and industry title for your company. Record the primary SIC code and industry title at the top of the Ratio Analysis Worksheet. B. Obtain industry averages for commonly used ratios i n the current period. Industry average information is reported by industry title or SIC code. C. Look up the following industry -average ratios : 1. Current ratio 2. Debt ratio 3. Gross profit margin 4. Times interest earned 5. Accounts receivable turnover 6. Inventory turnover 7. Return on Sales 8. Asset Turnover 9. Return on Assets 10. Financial Leverage 11. Return on Equity D. Submit a report. Write a 2 -4 page report comparing the above ratios to industry averages. Discuss whether your company’s profitability, efficiency, liquidity, and solvency are better than, or worse then, its peers. Format: Double -spaced, one -inch margins, using a 12 -point Times New Roman font. Required Part IV – Module Eight : A. Prepare a well -written report titled “ , Investment Recommendation ” based upon your research and analysis of this company’s financial information. Identify 3 -5 significant points that justify your conclusion. Support your points with a comprehensive explanation incorporating sound reasoning. While the main focus of your investment recommendation should be on the financial indicators, you should also consider other non -financial factors in your overall analysis, including the overall strategic direction of the company. B. Submit a report that is 4 -5 pages long. The report should be well -written with introductory and concluding paragraphs. References mus t be appropriately cited in APA . Format: Double -spaced, one -inch margins, using a 12 -point Times New Roman font. Note that some industry averages may not ap ply to your company.
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Change Management Case Study: Green Mountain Resort, Due March 5th, 2017 (*Scan Case Study) Green Mountain Resort was not expected to be in business for very long, not that anyone was making predictions. In this case study, you will review various change images, issues related to turnover, and conclusions that can be drawn from an organization in turmoil. Finally, you will recommend changes that will address these challenges. Review the following case study from your textbook: Case Study Green Mountain Resort (Dis)solves the Turnover Problem. Then, review the Case Analysis Rubric for assistance on how to write a case. Your case should be of sufficient length to address the issues and at least 3–5 pages, not including the title page and bibliography. Submit a Word document using correct APA formatting (6th edition). Term Project: Outline, Due March 5th, 2017 In this module, you will submit an outline of this project.In your outline, be sure to include the following elements: •  1–2 paragraphs describing a brief overview of the project•  Your intended thesis statement•  An outline of the proposed project (For example, introduction, key points, conclusion, etc.) In addition, be sure to demonstrate a clear understanding of the organization to be studied, the challenge requiring a change intervention, and the change strategy that will address the challenge as discussed.Additionally, detail any issues or challenges you foresee related to the term project along with any assistance that your instructor can provide in the coming weeks. Term Project: Final Submission, Due April 9th, 2017 You submitted an outline for your term project and got your instructor’s feedback and approval on the subject and direction for your thesis. In Module 7, you completed writing your paper. In this module, before you submit your term paper, be sure that you have covered all necessary information and have adhered to the outline you submitted in Module 2. Your research paper should be of 7–10 pages and should include a cover page, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference list. Be sure that your paper adheres to the APA format and writing style (6th edition). Case Study: Problems at Perrier, Due March 12th, 2017 (*Scan Case Study) The ability to identify the key elements of employee resistance to change is fundamental to actually reducing the resistance to change. This case study discusses a vicious struggle underway for the soul of the business and is an outstanding example of how the need for change can impact the core nature of nearly every aspect of the organization. To begin this assignment, from your textbook, review the Case Study: Problems at Perrier. Then, review the Case Analysis Rubric for information on how to write this case study analysis in addition to what points you should include. Your case study analysis should be of sufficient length to address the issues and at least 3–5 pages, not including the title and bibliography pages. Submit a Word document using correct APA formatting. Case Study: Tyco, Due April 2nd, 2017 (*Scan Case Study) Tyco is a multinational corporation that deals with industries from hospital suppliers to fire sprinklers. To some, Tyco epitomized the excesses that could occur from success. Some executives plundered the company for personal gain, which affected its very survival and the employment of thousands of employees. The organization’s culture required substantive change. In this assignment, you will review and write a case study analysis on how Tyco overcame the frustration of its employees and communicated needed change throughout the organization. Review the following case study from your textbook: Case Study: Tyco. The case study references the six change images discussed in the course materials and seeks to understand how change management strategies can affect turnover. Subsequently, review the Case Analysis Rubric for information on how to write an analysis of a case study. Your case should be of sufficient length to address the issues and at least 3–5 pages, not including the title page and bibliography. Submit a Word document using correct APA formatting (6th edition).
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Human Resources Short Paper: An Ethical Dilemma, Due March 4th, 2017 Human resource professionals regularly face ethical decisions, particularly as they balance the interests of the organization with the interests of individual employees. In this case study, you will analyze a situation that requires ethics to be applied in making a decision and provide a recommendation for how the person, Mary Alice, should proceed and why. Making decisions when there are competing interests is something all leaders have to cope with. Use this assignment as an opportunity to reflect on your own decision-making style. Mary Alice is an HR generalist assigned to the Norwalk plant of FMC Inc. She has worked at the plant for six years and knows many of the employees, both as co-workers and from community activities. For the past several months, Mary Alice has been involved in confidential discussions regarding several of the Norwalk production processes moving to the Huntsville plant, which is operating under capacity. Only a handful of the Norwalk employees will be offered the opportunity to move to Huntsville and about 200 employees will be laid off. The announcement is going to be made in 60 days. At a school fundraiser last evening, Ralph, a co-worker who is most likely going to be laid off, spent time talking with Mary Alice about the new home he was purchasing. The mortgage is at the limit of what Ralph’s family can afford, but as he explained to Mary Alice, with FMC doing so well and the likelihood of him getting overtime in the coming year, well, they could just about swing it. Mary Alice was conflicted. She wanted to tell Ralph about the coming layoffs, but she was bound by her pledge of confidentiality regarding the layoff discussions. Also, if she said something to Ralph, it would undoubtedly get out and perhaps cause a panic and eliminate the chance for an orderly transition to the smaller operation in Norwalk, hurting plant productivity in the meantime. Mary Alice can’t seem to find a way to make a decision. What should Mary Alice do and why? Write a short paper that addresses the following: Describe two ethical philosophies that might help with the decision. Make a recommendation for how you would advise Mary Alice to act. Provide a description of the process you used to arrive at the recommendation. Are there limitations or possilbe unintended consequences associated with your recommendations? Explain and justify your claims. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Short Paper: Challenges New Managers May Face, Due March 5th, 2017 In most organizations, managers address many HR-related issues on a daily basis. While it is prudent to seek advice from HR professionals, many smaller organizations do not have a separate, centralized human resource department. That is the case in this activity, where the HR functions are shared among several operations managers. Further, it is common for people who are new to an organization to spot unusual things that long-serving employees miss because they are simply used to the way things are. In this activity, you will analyze a case where the new manager needs to understand labor law, as well as other employment laws, in order to effectively discuss his concerns with his boss. Consider the following scenario: Eli Fares is a departmental manager at a mid-sized manufacturing plant in western Pennsylvania that produces the magnetized sheets used to make refrigerator magnets. Eli has been on the job about six months and he is beginning to worry about several employee relations issues. There are 48 non-production workers who work as managers, supervisors, office staff, production equipment maintenance employees, accounting, or sales staff. All of these are salaried positions. There are about 240 hourly employees who work on the production lines, or in inventory, housekeeping, and shipping. There is no separate HR staff, and HR duties are currently divided among the management and clerical staff. The manufacturing facility has three distinct sections; an office area and a space for maintenance and shipping comprises about 1/10th of the building on the east end, and the production area takes up the rest on the west end. The east end of the building is separated from the production area. It is clean and has good heating and air conditioning. The production area on the west end is dirty and does not have air conditioning. Generally the heat of the production processes is the only heating provided except in unusually cold weather. There is limited ventilation and the production area gets very hot in the summer, sometimes over 100° F. There seems to always be an undercurrent of grumbling among the production employees and Eli has heard rumors of a union organizing drive. The other concern that Eli has is the unwritten policy whereby the production supervisors pressure employees not to take time off for any reason and not to file worker’s compensation claims if they have an injury. Paid vacation is required to be taken during the annual two-week shut down for maintenance. Employees receive no other paid time off benefits. It is common for employees who take a sick day or who have worker’s compensation claims to be assigned to the least favorable jobs when they return to work. Eli has scheduled a meeting with his supervisor, the plant manager, to discuss his observations and he wants to be well prepared. Write a short paper that summarizes your view of what Eli should tell his boss, and be sure to address the following: Explain the process by which a union can become the sole and exclusive representative for a bargaining unit. If a union drive does get underway, explain how this might limit what management can and cannot do. Discuss any current liabilities that the company faces from a legal perspective and from a risk management perspective. Do you think that the plant is large enough to justify a position that is focused solely on human resources? Explain why or why not. Justify your claims. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Part 1/3, Research Project: Select an Organization, Due March 12th, 2017 For this course, you will be responsible for completing a research project. The purpose of this project is to study and apply the HR concepts involved in effective performance management systems. You will design a performance management system for an organization. Your research project will be completed in three parts (organization selection, annotated bibliography, and final project). In this module, you will complete the first part of your research project by identifying and describing an appropriate organization to use as your basis for research. For this activity, complete Part One of your project. Write a short paper that identifies and describes an organization you will use for your research project. Be sure to include and address the following: The mission and strategy of the organization. The products or services of the organization. The organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses. The external environment in which the organization operates (opportunities and threats). Performance management policies and practices. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Part 2/3, Research Project: Key Features & Annotated Bibliography, March 26th, 2017 For this activity, complete Part Two of your project. Write a short paper that provides an overview of the organization’s existing performance management system. Be sure to include and address the following: An overview of the key features of the organization’s performance management system. A description of how the various processes interrelate. An annotated bibliography with at least five credible resources. Use the following resources to develop your annotated bibliography: Annotated Bibliography: What is it? How do you create one? [PDF File Size 106.16KB] Annotated Bibliographies Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Part 3/3, Research Project: Final Project, Due April 9th, 2017 For this activity, complete Part Three of your project. Write a research paper that analyzes what you have learned about how particular HR concepts are involved in effective performance management systems. Your goal is to design a performance management system for your selected organization. Be sure to include and address the following: A brief summary of Parts One and Two of your research project, which were completed in previous modules. A detailed discussion of your selected organization’s current performance management system, including its strengths and weaknesses. Recommendations for improving the organization’s performance management system by: Enhancing employee engagement and retention. Aligning the performance management system to organizational goals. At least eight credible resources (not including course materials). Things to Remember! Write a research paper of 10 to 12 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Short Paper: Buy or Build Talent? Due March 19th, 2017 One of the key components of a staffing plan and related talent management programs is to decide whether to build or buy talent. Building talent involves a commitment to train and develop employees to fill positions, such that the employees have the right skills at the time they are needed. Buying talent refers to the use of independent contractors, vendors, and/or contingent employees to fill the talent demand. For this assignment you will first need to research both options – to build or buy. Then, write a short paper that addresses the following: A discussion of both staffing strategies, to build talent and to buy talent. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, including challenges for management and human resources. Provide an example where each strategy works well, and provide an example where each strategy is not likely to work well. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Short Paper: Training and Development, Due April 2nd, 2017 In this assignment, you will apply what you have learned about the use of training to make improvements in employee performance in support of organizational objectives. Select an organization that you are familiar with. Consider an area where performance does not meet expectations or where you see the potential for improvement. Write a short paper that addresses the following: Identify a performance gap that you believe can be closed by a training program. Describe how you would design and deliver an effective training program to address this performance gap. Provide details of the training program and explain how it would close the performance gap. Explain how the results will be measured. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources. Short Paper: Strengths and Challenges of Pay for Performance, Due April 9th, 2017 In this assignment, you will have the opportunity to express your thoughts on pay for performance, based on your experiences and readings. A key concept is aligning the pay for performance plan with the organization’s goals to ensure a return on the investment in additional compensation. Write a short paper that addresses the following: Using an organization you are familiar with, describe its mission and identify 2 or 3 of its mission-critical goals. Identify and discuss both strengths and challenges of pay for performance plans. Provide a pay for performance plan recommendation for the organization. Or, if you do not support a pay for performance plan for the organization, discuss why. Explain your rationale. Things to Remember! Write a short paper 2 to 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages). Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, with APA-formatted in-text citations and references for all resources.
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Research Project Summary Part One (due in Module 3 ) Write a short paper that identifies and describes an organization you will use for your project. Be sure to include and address the following.  The mission and strategy of the organization  The products or services of the organization  The organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses  The external environment in which the organization operates (opportunities and threats)  Performance management policies and practices Part Two (due in Module 5 ) Write a s hort paper that identifies the key features of the organization’s performance management system. In addition, develop an annotated bibliography for at least five of the resources you intend to use in the last part of your research project. Part Three ( due in Module 8) For the final part in your research project, you will write a paper that summarizes the first two parts of your project that you’ve already completed. Be sure to address the following.  A detailed discussion of the organization’s existing performance management system  Recommendations for improvements that will enhance employee engagement and retention  Recommendations for improving alignment with organizational goals
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MINICASE: MGMT – 06 BUSINESS ETHICS PROGRAM ã1992 Arthur Andersen & Co, SC. All rights reserved. Page 1 of 1 A Good Team Player Topic:Leadership Characters:Steven, Assistant Department Manager Kristin, Newly appointed supervisor of Steven’s work section Having done well as a staff accountant in the accounts payable section of a major industrial firm for several years since his graduation from college, Steven felt that he had learned much about the “ins” and “outs” of survival in an intensely bureaucratic organization. It is thus not surprising that he was relaxed and unconcerned about his circumstances at the company as he entered the employee lounge to attend the late-afternoon welcoming reception for his new supervisor. The new mana ger of accounts payable, Kristin, had been transferred to Steven’s division from a similar position in another subsidiary of the company because of her proven talent for organizing and improving the efficiency of operations there. A no-nonsense type of manager, Kristin was experienced and determined to perform her new assignment with the same vigor that had brought her so much success throughout her career. At the reception, Kristin circulated through the room, introducing herself to her new subordinates and asking each of them if they had any suggestions that would help make the payables section a better place to work. When she approached Steven, he told her about something that had been on his mind lately: that people seemed to him to gain promotions and be given opportunities to work overtime based on who liked them, and not on the quality of their work. In reply, Kristin politely stated that she would do everything that she could to see t hat what ever it was he was referring to wou ld ha ve no place in t he tea m s he wou ld lea d. Upon his arrival at work the next day, Steven received a phone call from Kristin’s secretary asking that he meet with his new boss later that morning. He had barely enter ed her office for the meeting when she looked him straight in the eye and said, “I will not tolerate individuals in this organization who are not good team players. Yesterday afternoon you led me t o b elieve t hat ther e are peop le in this office who are not acting in t he b est int er ests of the company, and I want to know who. I want you to tell me the names of the managers you were referring to note, and keep me informed if you see anyone hurting this company, or I’ve got to think that maybe you’re part of the problems around here.” Stunned by both the tone and content of her statement, Steven quickly tried to think of a way to respond. Author:Michael G. Bowen, Assistant Professor of Management, University of Notre Da me
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Leadership USA Today Case Study: Business Leaders, Due March 4th, 2017 (See Attachment) On completion of this activity, you will be able to: Apply theoretical material to a real business problem and identify lessons for leadership practices. A case study is a short description of a real business situation. Analyzing case studies gives you the opportunity to apply concepts to real business problems. Cases are generally written for several types of analysis. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer in case analysis. Rather, cases provide a vehicle for you to demonstrate your understanding of concepts and your ability to apply them to situations. Download and read the detailed guide to case analysis. USA Today Case Study: Business Leaders,  http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/educate/college/casestudies/20070821biz_leaders.pdf Read the USA Today document and answer the following questions at the end of the document. Critical inquiry questions Future implications questions Include at least 2 scholarly sources to support your responses. You will be divided into groups based on the first letter of your last name but you will complete the assignment individually. The groups will be: A-E: Choose a leader from numbers 1 through 5. F-J: Choose a leader from numbers 6 through 10. K-O: Choose a leader from numbers 11 through 15. P-T: Choose a leader from numbers 16 through 20. U-Z: Choose a leader from numbers 21 through 25 A – E F – J K – O P – T U – Z Choose a leader from numbers 1 through 5. Choose a leader from numbers 6 through 10. Choose a leader from numbers 11 through 15. Choose a leader from numbers 16 through 20. Choose a leader from numbers 21 through 25. Write all your case study analysis in one document. The case analysis should be two to three pages long. Be sure to follow the APA style for writing and editing. Cite any sources you use. Case Study: A Good Team Player, Due March 5th, 2017 (See Attachment) On completion of this activity, you will be able to: Apply theoretical material to a real business problem and identify lessons for leadership practices. A case study is a short description of a real business situation. Analyzing case studies gives you the opportunity to apply concepts to real business problems. Cases are generally written for several types of analysis. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer in case analysis. Rather, cases provide a vehicle for you to demonstrate your understanding of concepts and your ability to apply them to situations. Download and read the detailed guide to case analysis. A Good Team Player, Retrieved from: http://wpweb2.tepper.cmu.edu/ethics/AA/mgmt06-case.pdf Read the case “A Good Team Player” and answer the following questions: What are the relevant facts? What are the ethical issues? On what grounds are Kristin’s demands of Steven justifiable? How should these influence Steven’s actions? Who are the primary stakeholders? What are the possible alternatives? What are the practical constraints?What is/are the power(s) being displayed by Kristin? What actions should be taken? How should Steven respond? Why? What assumptions form the basis for your decision? Support your responses with at least three scholarly sources. Write all your case study analysis in one document. The case analysis should be two to three pages long. Be sure to follow the APA style for writing and editing. Cite any sources you use. Personal Case Study, Due March 12th, 2017 (See Attachment) On completion of this activity, you will be able to: Evaluate the culture of an organization based on information gathering and analysis. Recommend improvements to the culture of the organization based on information analysis. In the text, Everything you need to know about emotional intelligence & leadership, complete the practical application of emotionally intelligent behaviors found in section 2.2, pp. 17-18. Intrapersonal behaviors – managing your own emotions Identify your negative emotions How will you lead yourself to not influence others in the workplace with a negative emotion you have? Control inappropriate impulses What are the steps you will take to ensure you have control over your own impulses? Cultivate self-awareness What steps will you take to recognize when you are allowing your negative emotions to influence your work? A “trigger” for yourself? What steps will you take to recognize when you are not controlling inappropriate impulses? A “trigger” for yourself? Remain adaptable When will it be appropriate for you to remain adaptable and when is it not? Explain. Interpersonal behaviors – managing others’ emotions Determine how you can recognize that you need to use empathy. Provide examples. When and why is it necessary to build strong relationships? When should you, as a leader, be collaborative and cooperative? Explain. Use emotional intelligence theory in your responses. Support your responses with at least three scholarly sources. Morton, W. (2012). Everything You Need to Know About Emotional Intelligence & Leadership. [Newmarket, Ont.]: BrainMass Inc. Case Study: Might Makes Right, Due March 19th, 2017 (See Attachment) On completion of this activity, you will be able to: Apply theoretical material to a real business problem and identify lessons for leadership practices. A case study is a short description of a real business situation. Analyzing case studies gives you the opportunity to apply concepts to real business problems. Cases are generally written for several types of analysis. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer in case analysis. Rather, cases provide a vehicle for you to demonstrate your understanding of concepts and your ability to apply them to situations. Download and read the detailed guide to case analysis. Might Makes Right, retrieved from: http://wpweb2.tepper.cmu.edu/ethics/AA/mgmt10-case.pdf Read the case “Might Makes Right” and answer the following questions: What are the relevant facts? What are the ethical issues? Is John being treated justly? Are his rights being protected? Explain. When, if ever, is it ethical for a manager to take credit for the work of a subordinate? Explain. Who are the primary stakeholders? What are the possible alternatives? What are the practical constraints? What actions should be taken? What alternative should Janice choose? Explain. Support your responses with at least three scholarly sources. Write all your case study analysis in one document. The case analysis should be two to three pages long. Be sure to follow the APA style for writing and editing. Cite any sources you use. Questions at the end of the case are accurately answered. Analysis of the case is related to theoretical material and own experience. Conclusions on significant issues are logically derived from the case analysis. Reinforcement Theory, Due March 26th, 2017 On completion of this activity, you will be able to: Apply theoretical material to a real business problem and identify lessons for leadership practices. Your assignment: Your company provides diversity training programs to ensure that employees realize the importance of working with a diverse workforce, are aware of the equal employment opportunity legislation, and are capable of addressing the challenges of working in a multicultural workforce. Participation in these programs is mandatory, and employees are required to take the training as many times as needed until they pass. The training program lasts one day and is usually conducted in a nice hotel outside the workplace. Employees are paid for the time they spend in the training program. You realize that employees are not really motivated to perform well in this program. During the training, they put in the minimum level of effort, and most participants fail the exam given at the conclusion of the training program and then have to retake the training. Using expectancy and reinforcement theories, explain why they may not be motivated to perform well in the training program. Then suggest improvements in the program so that employees are motivated to understand the material, pass the exam, and apply the material in the workplace. Support your responses with at least three scholarly sources. The paper should be 5-6 pages in length and follow APA Guidelines Leadership Theory and Motivation Theory Connected, Due April 2nd, 2017 Using the readings thus far, relate a leadership theory or style to a motivational theory and respond to the following questions: In what ways does the leadership theory or style embody the motivational theory? Explain and include examples. Evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership theory or style, together with the motivational theory, on goal theory. What’s the best use of theory for this particular leadership theory or style to motivate employees and achieve goals? Is the leadership theory or style effective for conflict resolution? Explain and include examples. Would this leadership style or theory embody emotional intelligence? Explain Support your responses with at least four scholarly sources. The paper should be 5-6 pages in length and follow APA Guidelines Leading Strategically, Due April 9th, 2017 Leading Strategically. Saylor OER: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/ Develop arguments that one of the key issues discussed in this chapter (vision, mission, goals; assessing organizational performance; CEO celebrity; entrepreneurial orientation) is the most important within organizations. Provide rationale for your argument. Based on the chapter discussed Howard Schultz and Starbucks on several occasions. Based on your reading of the chapter, how well has Schultz done in dealing with setting a vision, mission, and goals, assessing organizational performance, CEO celebrity, and entrepreneurial orientation? Write a vision and mission for an organization or firm that you are currently associated with. How could you use the balanced scorecard to assess how well that organization is fulfilling the mission you wrote? Support your responses with at least four scholarly sources. The paper should be 5-6 pages in length and follow APA Guidelines
****For Prof tutor Only****
Collegiate Case Study THE NATION’S NEWSPAPER Many employees see CEO as father figure By Del Jones ………………………………………………………………………5-7 Could insecurity be the secret to CEO’s success? By Del Jones …………………………………………………………………….9-11 Leaders draw on own back stor y to succeed By Ker r y Hannon ……………………………………………………………………….12 Critical inquir y Discussion and future implications ……………………………………………………………………………..13 C Ca as se e S St tu ud dy y E Ex xp pe er rt t: : Paul B Thornton, Professor, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Mass. www.usatodaycollege.com © Copyright 2007 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co., Inc. All r ight s reser ved. USA TODAY Snapshots ® At what point in executives’ tenure with a company are they the most productive? Source: Korn/Ferry International Executive survey of 1,925 chief executive officers. Margin of error ±3 percentage points. Note: Total doesn’t add to 100% due to rounding By Jae Yang and Adrienne Lewis, USA TODAY CEOs say they’re at their best after three years Six months One to two years Three to five years54% 33% 8%4%2% Five to 10 yearsMore than 10 years What drives a leader to pursue a better future? Leaders believe most people and organizations are underperforming and capable of achieving much more. They believe there are hidden talents, underutilized resources and people eager to make a bigger impact in ever y organization. Leaders believe people will rise to the occasion if they understand the challenge and know what’s in it for them. B Bu us si in ne es ss s L Le ea ad de er rs s Most notewor thy in business The past 25 years have been a period of dazzling growth for the U.S. economy, powered by innovative companies led by br illiant — and sometimes notor ious — entrepreneurs and CEOs and one Federal Reserve maestro. These leaders — with products ranging from coffee to microprocessors — are the 25 most influential business leaders of the past 25 years, as ranked by USA TODAY’s Money section editors and reporters. 1 1B Bi il ll l G Ga at te es s, , M Mi ic cr ro os so of ft t Gates co-founded Microsoft and used tough business tactics to dominate PC operating systems. But his most lasting influence may be in philanthropy as he gives away his $56 billion vast fortune. 2 2A Al la an n G Gr re ee en ns sp pa an n, , F Fe ed de er ra al l R Re es se er rv ve e c ch ha ai ir rm ma an n Greenspan was the maestro who presided over the longest economic expansion in U.S. histor y. His words moved global markets and still do, even out of office. B Bi il ll l G Ga at te es s TH ® ANNIVERSAR Y By Bob Riha, Jr., USA TODAY AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JULY 30, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 2 3 3S St te ev ve e J Jo ob bs s, , A Ap pp pl le e Co-founder of Apple, Jobs was oust- ed from Apple in a boardroom coup in 1985. But he prospered in exile, founding Pixar, the company that redefined animation. He returned to Apple in 1997, and the rest is histo- r y: iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone. 4 4L La ar rr ry y P Pa ag ge e a an nd d S Se er rg ge ey y B Br ri in n, , G Go oo og gl le e f fo ou un nd de er rs s The two Stanford University grad students founded Google in 1998, and in less than a decade, the inno- vative search company has grown to dominate online searches and online adver tising. 5 5H He er rb b K Ke el ll le eh he er r, , S So ou ut th hw we es st t A Ai ir rl li in ne es s Kelleher, now chairman, expanded low-cost airline Southwest’s service nationwide over the past 25 years and created a fun-loving corporate culture that changed the flying expe- r ience for millions of p e ople, on top of saving them billions on fares over the years. 6 6A An nd dy y G Gr ro ov ve e, , I In nt te el l Grove popularized the phrase “only the paranoid survive,” but the para- noia paid off: Grove’s leadership helped create tech behemoth Intel with a stock market value cap of more than $135 billion 7 7J Ja ac ck k W We el lc ch h, , G Ge en ne er ra al l E El le ec ct tr ri ic c With Welch as CEO from 1981-2001, GE’s market value grew from $13 billion to several hundred billion. But his most enduring legacy may b e his many dozens of lieutenants who left GE to run other companies, such as Boeing’s James McNerney. 8 8W Wa ar rr re en n B Bu uf ff fe et tt t, , B Be er rk ks sh hi ir re e H Ha at th ha aw wa ay y The Sage of Omaha pushed the price of Berkshire Hathaway, his holding company, up more than 14,000% the past 25 years, and his public state- ments, particularly his annual reports, are read more closely than any other document in business. 9 9C Ch ha ar rl le es s S Sc ch hw wa ab b, , i in nv ve es st tm me en nt ts s Schwab saw the promise a no-frills, low-cost brokerage and ran with it, making stock trading affordable to anew entire generation of investors. Today, he’s probably the nation’s most visible advocate of do-it-your- self investing. 1 10 0M Mi ic ch ha ae el l M Mi il lk ke en n, , D Dr re ex xe el l, , j ju un nk k b bo on nd ds s His name may conjure up images of inside trading on Wall Stre et (he ser ved two years in prison for violat- ing securities laws), but his legacy is providing financing to entrepreneurs. He raised money from investors in the form of high-yield debt (junk bonds) to finance start-ups such as MCI. 1 11 1J Je ef ff f B Be ez zo os s, , A Am ma az zo on n. .c co om m Bezos helped ignite the dot-com boom when he founded Amazon.com to sell books online. Amazon weathered the dot-com bust, and is one of the most popular Web retailers. 1 12 2R Ru up pe er rt t M Mu ur rd do oc ch h, , N Ne ew ws s C Co or rp p. . The last and most polarizing of the larger-than-life megamedia moguls, Murdoch has left his mark on T V, By Jack Gruber, USA TODAY 1995 USA TODAY photo By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Page 3 AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JULY 30, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. movies, newspapers, books, sports, the Internet and, if Dow Jones accepts his $5 billion acquisition offer, The Wall Street Journal . 1 13 3F Fr re ed de er ri ic ck k S Sm mi it th h, , F Fe ed dE Ex x Smith founded Federal Express in 1973, creating the business categor y of overnight deliver y. Now, the Memphis-based company is a $35.2 billion-a-year global operator that includes heavy freight, trucking and supply-chain management, plus the FedEx/Kinko’s retail stores. 1 14 4P Ph hi il l K Kn ni ig gh ht t, , N Ni ik ke e Knight re-imagined sneakers into pricey, gotta-have-’em jock wear. He plopped a pair of Nikes onto young Michael Jordan, and both took off and never stopped running. Bo, Lance and Tiger followed. Just do it. He did it. 1 15 5 K Ke en n L La ay y, , E En nr ro on n Lay was the public face of the energy company that became the poster child for bad corporate behavior in the 21st centur y. After Enron’s col- lapse in an accounting scandal, simi- lar frauds surfaced at WorldCom and elsewhere, leading to the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the most sweeping reform of securities laws in 70 years. 1 16 6O Op pr ra ah h W Wi in nf fr re ey y, , H Ha ar rp po o Oprah was the first woman to pro- duce and own her own T V show and that led to a media empire that includes T V, Broadway-show produc- tion, Omagazine, a website and T V mini-series production. 1 17 7M Mi ic ch ha ae el l D De el ll l, , D De el ll l Why waste your college years on beer if you can create a giant compa- ny in your dorm room? At 19, Dell took $1,000 and started a computermaker he named after himself. A decade or so later, it was the world’s largest maker of PCs. 1 18 8M Me eg g W Wh hi it tm ma an n, , e eB Ba ay y Whitman left her job as general manager for Hasbro’s preschool divi- sion to join eBay as CEO in May 1998. Today, she’s still leading one of dot-com’s biggest successes. EBay, a marketplace for buyers and sellers across the world to meet, has become one of the Web’s most-imi- tated phenomena. 1 19 9H Ho ow wa ar rd d S Sc ch hu ul lt tz z, , S St ta ar rb bu uc ck ks s Schultz was first to have the chutz- pah — or foresight — to turn a cup of coffee into a $4 luxur y. And he’s doing it worldwide. Only question is if he can turn Starbucks into a McBrand as McBig as you-know- McWho. 2 20 0E Ed dw wa ar rd d C C. . “ “N Ne ed d” ” J Jo oh hn ns so on n 3 3d d, , F Fi id de el li it ty y I In nv ve es st tm me en nt ts s Johnson may not have invented ever y innovation in the mutual fund industr y, but he brought them to more investors than anyone else did.Discount brokerage, sector funds, money-fund check writing, charita- ble endowment funds and more helped propel Fidelity to its place as the largest fund complex in the USA. 2 21 1M Ma ar rt th ha a S St te ew wa ar rt t, , M Ma ar rt th ha a S St te ew wa ar rt t L Li iv vi in ng g O Om mn ni im me ed di ia a Stewart created a business segment based on how-to crafts and lifestyle information. Not even a conviction for lying to prosecutors could destroy dent Martha’s popularity. 2 22 2J Jo oh hn n B Bo og gl le e, , T Th he e V Va an ng gu ua ar rd d G Gr ro ou up p Bogle founded The Vanguard Group in 1975 with the radical notion that funds should be owned and man- aged by shareholders. A tireless advocate of low-cost index investing, Bogle has won a cadre of adoring loyalists called “Bogleheads.” At the same time, he drove Vanguard to second place among all mutual fund complexes. 2 23 3R Ro ob be er rt t J Jo oh hn ns so on n, , B BE ET T A trailblazer for minority entrepre- neurs, Johnson founded cable’s Black Entertainment Television in 1979. He sold it in 2001 to Viacom for $3 bil- lion, making him the first African- Harpo Productions/handout Martha Stewart Living Omni Media/handout O Op pr ra ah h W Wi in nf fr re ey y Page 4 AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JULY 30, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. American billionaire. Other firsts: first black-owned business to go public on the NYSE New York Stock Exchange and first African-American to wholly own a professional spor ts team, the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats. 2 24 4B Ba ar rr ry y D Di il ll le er r, , E Ex xp pe ed di ia a, , I IA AC C Hollywood thought the man who greenlighted hits including Beverly Hills Cop was crazy in 1992 when he chucked it all and b ecame a T V home-shopping mogul. But the busi- ness evolved into e-commerce, and Diller created an Internet power that now includes Ticketmaster, Citysearch, Ask.com, Match.com, Evite and LendingTree. 2 25 5S St te ev ve e C Ca as se e, , A AO OL L Case was a marketing guy who rose through the ranks at AOL and was CEO for a decade before the ill-fated merger with Time Warner in 2001. He didn’t run AOL Time Warner as chairman and later resigned. But his original AOL Web portal introduced millions of non-te chies to the Inter net with its simple, goof-proof format. And that’s his legacy. S St te ev ve e C Ca as se e R Ro ob be er rt t J Jo oh hn ns so on n By Tim Dillon, USA TODAY By Tim Dillon, USA TODAY Page 7 For more educational resources, visit http://education.usatoday.com Page 5 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JUNE 15, 2007 By Del Jones USA TODAY CEOs won’t receive many Father’s Day gifts from their employees on Sunday, but it’s an unspoken secret among top male executives that they are often treated just like Dad. In interviews, CEOs say they fall into two camps. One camp hates being Dad. The other likes it, but even those hate it when their employees act like children. All agree on one thing: Like it or not, being the father figure may be manageable, but it is all but inescapable. Steven Blank, former CEO of software company E.piphany, falls into the first camp. He has been boss to a lot of bright, young technology whizzes, and he long ago tired of the Silicon Valley twentysomethings who would pull him aside to air their grievances. They would always explain how hard they’d worked on a problem before saying that they didn’t solve it. They seemed to crave fatherly advice or a paternal pat on the back for doing their best. They went to the wrong guy. “I want to hear a solution or several solutions,” says Blank, 53, father of two teenagers and now a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford. At least keep the whining brief, he says. “I’ll listen to my kids ramble for an hour. I don’t want my employees doing that to me.” “The last thing most CEOs want is to babysit. They do not want to be your daddy,” says Daniel Harkavy, author of Becoming a Coaching Leader . But some do, including Irv Burling, the 79-year-old retired CEO of Cuna Mutual Life, who says being treated like Dad grewon him over time. Kerr y Clark, CEO of 45,000 employees at pharmaceutical distributor Cardinal Health, says that if handled right it can be turned into a healthy relationship, a sort of father-child mentorship. Clark says many of those he long ago mentored still phone him from time to time from other companies to get his advice. Carlos Fuente Jr., 52, sees it as a sign of respect. Family- owned A. Fuente Cigar USA has 3,000 employees in the Dominican Republic, and when 71-year-old Carlos Fuente Sr. walks by, they all look at him with admiration, “like he is Vince Lombardi,” Carlos Jr. says. Experts advise caution. CEOs are power figures, mostly graying men in their 50s and 60s. That can make employees feel like helpless children. But the home and workplace are ver y different places and, in too many cases, the CEO Daddy Complex can border on the unnatural, and it does no CEO any good when those around him lapse into their needy mode just when the company is in need of a team of adults. Some execs love it and others hate it, but all agree it goes with the territor y By Sam Ward, USA TODAY Many employees see CEO as father figure Page 6 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JUNE 15, 2007 H He ea al lt th hy y v vs s. . d dy ys sf fu un nc ct ti io on na al l There probably are as many types of relationships between CEOs and employees, healthy and dysfunctional, as there are between fathers and their children, says Bernardo Ferdman, professor of organizational psychology at Alliant International University. Employees who had distant, authoritarian fathers might have different expectations of the CEO than those whose father was protective and generous. When a CEO decides to lay off 20,000 employees, some will accept it as a tough decision that had to be made by a logical leader. Others will feel deserted by a rich dad who failed his primar y responsibility to “watch out for his children,” Ferdman says. Yet, at Southwest Airlines, the CEO dad is ingrained into the corporate culture, says CEO Gar y Kelly. Starting with founder and Chairman Herb Kelleher, Southwest’s “leaders feel a duty to look out for the safety and financial security of our people.” Just like Dad, the best CEOs are mature and act as “fair, honest, principled and committed,” says Frank MacInnis, CEO of 27,000 at Emcor Group and father of four ages 23 to 31. Therefore, the best CEOs are little different than the best fathers, he concludes. “Not to imply that employees are to act like children,” he says. That gets at the essence. The workplace seems to function best with an entire team of moms and dads, not children coaxed and ordered about by a lone CEO father figure. A just-released survey by Adecco and Harris Interactive, out in time for Father’s Day, found that working fathers understand that intuitively, and 70% said that when they became fathers, they also became better employees. The consensus is that CEOs need all the qualities of a good dad, but that doesn’t mean his senior team should approach him like teenagers asking to borrow the car.To a CEO, the most desirable midlevel executive might be someone like Cindy Skrivanek, a human resources manager for LSI, who is sometimes called on to give presentations to senior executives at the 4,300-employee electronics company in Milpitas, Calif. “I’m a tool of management,” Skrivanek says. “My job is to give information, lay out a set of options, or maybe to ask for a decision … and then leave. I’m not there to be their buddy or get pats on the back.” Dixon Thayer, CEO of I-trax, a 1,700- employee health care company in Chadds Ford, Pa., likes employees like that. “Yes, people have tried to be my son or daughter,” he says. But at 56 and father of sons 15 and 11, Thayer says, there is a line between mentorship and fatherhood, and he posts a list of four r ules to help keep it straight when employees walk into his office. It reads: “When you cross my threshold, declare whether you are here a) to bring me good news, b) for a shoulder cr y, c) for advice, counseling, consultation, or d) for a decision. If you are here to complain about someoneelse,” Thayer says, “you better bring them with you.” He remembers his own early days when he would run to the CEO with problems, which he says in retrospect was tattling on co-workers because he wanted to point out their weaknesses. At the time, Thayer thought he was looking out for the CEO until he realized that the CEO was never happy to see him. Thayer finally came to the realization that treating the CEO like Dad was a CLM, or career-limiting move. But when CEOs are dads, workers can easily slip into the role of children. Neither children nor workers respond well to orders. Both tend to rebel if forced to toe the line. Only 7% of employees want their bosses telling them what to do, according to a survey by executive leadership firm CO2 Partners. The other 93% prefer to be asked questions by their supervisors. Of course, CEOs might be partly to blame. Of senior executives in positions that would be considered on the path to CEO, about 70% are “alpha males,” according to a 2004 Harvard Business Review article by Kate Ludeman and Eddie Erlandson. They defined alpha males as impatient, opinionated people who won’t admit when they are wrong. They are judgmental, focus on the flaws in others and dismiss their own outbursts of frustration while being intolerant of the same in others. That’s sure to bring out childlike reactions. “I’m sure Freud would confirm that it is a simple case of childhood relapse,” says Nathan Kwast, founder of BecomeAlpha, an executive coaching firm that never discusses CEO dads with clients because its policy is to avoid the touchy-feely side of leadership. Even more a mainstream leadership trainer such as Rick Gilbert, who often trains rising executives on how to communicate, says he never brings up “Be sensitive, because some-times you may catch a CEO right in the middle of doing four things.” — Raul Fernandez, CEO of ObjectVideo By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Page 7 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION, JUNE 15, 2007 CEO Dad Syndrome during presentations. Any topic that smacks of childhood baggage leads to a room full of blank stares, he says. F Fa av vo or ri it te e s so on ns s a an nd d d da au ug gh ht te er rs s Gilber t says it’s obvious that CEOs behave like dads and are treated the same. Some workers are needy of approval and bummed out when unrecognized for working weekends. Others act like the rebellious child: for example, the information technology professional who rolls his eyes in frustration because the CEO dad is ignorant and unappreciative of his talent, Gilber t says. Another manifestation are the legions of envious colleagues who think the CEO dad loves the other “sibling” best. This, too, can backfire on the CEO dad, says V. Srinivasan, CEO of software firm 3i Infotech. Srinivasan says it’s human nature to crave attention. “When good employees get praised again and again by top executives, satisfaction turns into arrogance, an ego trip. They feel they are superior and start treating others like dirt. Those others will feel the CEO is partial.” Favorite sons and daughters gain promotions, but, “They are like an adolescent son or daughter causing embarrassment to their parents,” Srinivasan says. Some CEOs even feed off the ability to push workers to tears, Ferdman says, which he says is inexcusable even if the CEO considers it bluntness in the name of efficiency. Many employees with such alpha-male bosses will put up with the abuse and work long and hard. Do they put up with criticism and impossible hours b ecause they have a desire to appease Dad? “It isn’t a stretch,” Kwast says. Raul Fernandez, CEO of ObjectVideo and co-owner of the Washington Capitalsand Washington Wizards professional hockey and basketball teams, has children ages 5 years and 18 months and another due in July. He’s 40 and remembers the childlike trepidation he had when he wandered by the CEO’s office after hours and wanted to stick his head in. Now that he’s on the other side, he recommends clarity, brevity and focus. “If time permits, cover less-critical issues. Be sensitive. Sometimes you may catch a CEO right in the middle of doing four things.” Other CEOs also say they are too busy for hand-holding. They develop an instinct about people and can discern strengths and weaknesses of middle managers quickly, yet managers feel compelled to talk about themselves to impress, Sr inivasan says. “Just the facts,” agrees Jeff Clarke, CEO of giant travel ser vices company Travelport with 8,000 employees. He came from Hewlett-Packard, where he was an executive vice president under Carly Fiorina. “It’s not always dads,” Clarke says. As complicated as relationships can be with CEO dads, it’s even more difficult for female CEOs, Ferdman said. That’s because they get criticized if they act fatherly. If they act like mothers, they are criticized for not behaving like a CEO, he says. And employees favor father figures as boss. Another survey timed for Father’s Day, of 2,045 employees by direct marketer WorkPlace Media, found that 75% prefer to work for a man, including 57% of the female employees. The simple explanation is sexism, Ferdman says, but the survey supports other research that indicates that the image most people have of a leader is most often an image ascribed to men. Ferdman is skeptical of such surveys because it forces people to choosebetween a male and a female boss without telling them anything sp e cif ic ab out their individual qualities. “Nothing drives me to distraction more than when middle managers spend 80% of their time with me explaining how hard they worked to come up with a plan or a recommendation or a solution to a problem,” says Frank Anton, CEO of Hanley Wood, publisher of 30 trade journals for the construction industr y. “They make a mountain out of a mole hill and then expect me to be blown away by how they successfully scale d the mole hill. It never works.” G Ge et tt ti in ng g t to ou ug gh h He cited a recent example when a human resources executive had been assigned to conver t some employees from exempt to non-exempt status at the advice of company lawyers. The executive spent a year giving Anton updates but never answers, like the child always promising to clean her room. Anton set a firm deadline, but when the HR executive came in for a meeting, she handed him a 10-page memo recapping her work and the obstacles she encountered. “After reading the first page, I tore up the memo, dropped it in the waste basket,” he says, and told her to come back when she could say on one page what the company would do and when. “About two days later, I had the answers I needed,” Anton says. Even Kelly, who likes being Dad at Southwest Airlines, says, “Leaders have to have courage to make difficult choices. All families have arguments, and part of the leadership responsibility is holding employees accountable at all levels. “While the love may not be unconditional, it is real and powerful,” he says. AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S EDI TORIAL PAGE, JUNE 21, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 8 L Le et tt te er rs s USA TODAY’s headline “Many employees see CEO as father figure” (Money) was disturbing. It perpetuates the myth that the role of CEO belongs to men. Today, most new businesses are started by women. Women have the business skills to build and run a company with a firm but nurturing — maternal? — hand, which enables employee productivity as well as healthy self esteem.Perhaps this is one of the reasons there are also more women running Fortune 500 companies this year. The illustration accompanying USA TODAY’s report, of a man groveling at the knees of his boss, was most unappealing. Mar y Ann Liebert President and CEO Mar y Ann Liebert Inc. New Rochelle, N.Y. C CE EO O ‘ ‘f fa at th he er r f fi ig gu ur re e’ ‘ d de en ni ie es s p pr ro og gr re es ss s o of f w wo om me en n W Wh he er re e f fe em ma al le e C CE EO Os s a ar re e Thirteen women head Fortune 500 companies this year, three more than last year. The companies and their rank: uWellPoint — 35 uArcher Daniels Midland — 59 uPepsiCo — 63 uSara Lee — 125 uTJX — 133 uRite Aid — 134 uXerox — 145 uLucent Technologies — 282 uAvon Products — 283 uReynolds American — 288 uSafeco — 363 ueBay — 383 uWestern Union — 492 Source: CNNMoney.com AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION FEBRUARY 1, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 9 Could insecurity be the secret to CEO’s success? By Del Jones USA TODAY Chicago Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher was disappointed when he was drafted in the fourth round in 2004 and said this week in Miami that it has driven him to the Pro Bowl, and on Sunday, to the Super Bowl. Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, formerly with the New England Patriots, has been to the Super Bowl six times in 11 years,but each time he steps on the field, “I have to re-prove myself,” he said at a pre-Super Bowl media day. Then there is three-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots, who has said in the past that insecurity is the reason for his success. “I guess I always feel there’s someone hunting me down, someone right on my footsteps,” the sixth-round draft choice told The Washington Post in 2005. Insecurity is common among superachievers, not just those who make it to the Super Bowl. But perhaps nowhere is it more rampant than among corporate CEOs, an obser vation that struck a chord a decade ago when former Intel CEO Andy Grove, a Jewish Hungarian immigrant, wrote Only the Paranoid Survive . Some execs say paranoia keeps them on their toes By Bob Laird, USA TODAY AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION FEBRUARY 1, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 10 “We are all insecure,” says Mark Lancaster, CEO of SDL, a 1,500- employee British software company. “We feel inferior to our audience and surroundings and drive ver y hard to compensate and to prove we are better than the rest.” Insecurity among leaders dates back to before Napoleon and touches all aspects of society. Actor Mer yl Steep has confessed to being insecure, and many of those taking home Oscars this month might consider thanking insecurity in their acceptance speeches. CEOs seem to give credit where credit is due. “I am driven by fear of failure,” says Dennis Manning, CEO of the giant Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America, which has annual revenue in excess of $7 billion. “It is a strong motivator for me.” Manning, who isn’t related to Colts quar terback Peyton Manning, started as a sales agent and says he has noticed insecurity in other successful salespeople. The feelings only get stronger at the CEO level. “If I fail, maybe 50,000 people will fail with me.” He does not know where the fear comes from, only that it can be traced to his boyhood, when he studied harder than others so as not to look stupid. “I’ve never been to a psychologist,” he says, and he agrees with the suggestion that a professional might cure him by taking away the edge that has taken him to the top. What do CEOs worr y about? Name it. The PricewaterhouseCoopers 10th Annual Global CEO Survey releaseda week ago at the World Economic Forum found their overall optimism almost twice as high as it was in 2001. More than 90% of the 1,100 CEOs surveyed predicted higher revenue in the coming year. Sounds like reason for unprecedented euphoria. Yet 37% of those same CEOs worr y about pandemics, 40% about global warming and 50% about terrorism, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Quantified Marketing Group, a 50-employee restaurant consulting f irm, has doubled in size for six years in a row. Surely, CEO Aaron Allen is secure. “I sometimes lie awake at night in a state of paranoid anxiety that someone is plotting against us,” he says. “I still feel insecure that this growth is not enough.” Some insecurity can lead to disaster. For example, Sunday’s Sup er Bowl could b e lost if an inse cure player is goade d into retaliation at the expense of a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty. In executives, it can lead to bullying, arrogance and mistakes no less decisive than drawing a penalty flag. Mathew Hayward, author of Ego Check, says it’s common for insecure leaders to pretend they’re someone they’re not. Sometimes, they take it too far. David Edmondson, once a Baptist pastor, resigned as CEO of RadioShack a year ago for putting fictitious degrees in theology and psychology from Pacific Coast Baptist College on his resume. B Be en ne ef fi it ts s o of f i in ns se ec cu ur ri it ty y But while there is often harm in insecurity, there is also a brand of insecurity that spurs underdogs to success. “The insecure person will always outperform. It’s that insecurity that will drive a person,” Hayward says. “It’s a powerful tension that you’re not really good enough and the way to deal with that is to work extremely hard, get feedback and play with your strengths.” Mar tin Frid-Nielsen, CEO of telecommunications company SoonR, says that insecurity is an outstanding attribute in a CEO even when it is an unfortunate trait in most others. “Paranoid people often see problems long before their more complacent counterparts,” he says. “A little bit of insecurity goes a long way to push a company toward perfection, especially when that insecurity resides in the CEO.” Many heart-tugging rags-to-riches stories are really no more than stories about insecure people who struggle to get into third- tier universities and then work extremely hard to climb past the Ivy Leaguers. It doesn’t take much for that insecurity to morph into something ugly, such as CEO revenge, the topic of a BusinessWeek cover stor y in Januar y, or the inability of many CEOs to accept criticism, the topic of a USA TODAY cover stor y, also last month. Successful people, including Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 miracle U.S. Afraid of their own shadow?Even though CEOs worldwide are ver y optimistic about the economy and their prospects for 2007, there is no shortage of things to be insecure about. Issues that CEOs are either somewhat or extremely concerned about: Source:Pricewaterhouse Coopers 10th Annual Global CEO Survey of 1,084 CEOs conducted in 50 countries from Sept. 14 to Dec. 12, 2006 by the PricewaterhouseCoopers International Survey Unit. By Adrienne Lewis, USA TODAY Over-regulation Availability of key skills Low-cost competition Energy prices Commodity prices Downturn in major economies Security of the supply chain Intellectual proper ty rights 73% 72% 66% 62% 58% Technological disruptions 53%57% Energy security 54% 52% 49% AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION FEBRUARY 1, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 11 Olympic hockey team, have wondered out loud about the fine line between successful childhood friends and those who wind up in prison. Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch had a stammer. Charles Schwab is dyslexic. Even though he now owns three companies including a Chicago public relations firm, Robert Smith says he remains insecure because he is African-American. “I’ll be honest. I’m insecure about people finding out that I’m black and not wanting to do business with me,” says Smith, who never uses his photo on websites or promotional material. Not all insecure CEOs come from humble beginnings. Ask Donald Trump for his short list of business advice and it includes a prenuptial agreement before marriage. “Let paranoia reign,” he told USA TODAY during the 2004 first season of The Apprentice , a reality T V show built on the insecurity of contestants who face weekly firings. “You have something others want. Don’t let them take it away,” Trump said. Of course, just as many athletes are secure, so are many CEOs. “I don’t come from that paradigm,” says Mar y Wilderotter, CEO of Fortune 1,000 company Citizens Communications. “I think (insecurity) is common in certain leaders and companies. Some have a tendency to rule more by fear than by motivation. That’s usually a sign of insecurity,” Wilderotter says. “I am more motivated by challenges and the ability to make a difference,” says DeWayne Nelon, CEO of Ortiva Wireless. M Mo ou un nt ti in ng g p pr re es ss su ur re e Ever y CEO enjoys a sense of accomplishment upon getting the ultimate promotion, but for most it doesn’t last long. The pressure quickly mounts from customers, employees and investors, says Ciena CEO Gar y Smith, who kept his job through a fiber-optics depression that caused sales of the company’s core product to plummet from $1.5 billion in 2000 to $18 million in 2001.”Healthy doses of corporate insecurity help keep a company fresh and competitive and ensure that the leadership and drive … remain active,” Smith says. Few would argue that NFL coaches have reason to feel secure. They are, on average, replaced nearly ever y two years. CEO job security is only slightly better. In 2005 and 2006, 132 of Fortune 500 CEOs were replaced, and the pace accelerated to 72 last year from 60 in 2005, according to executive search firm Spencer Stuart. The average age of the CEOs who left, 55, indicates that most of the exits were involuntar y. The latest depar ture came We dnesday when Kevin Rollins, 54, resigned as CEO of Dell, which has warned that quarterly earnings will come in below analysts’ expectations. Outplacement consultant Challenger Gray & Christmas tracks CEO turnover at smaller companies and says there were 1,478 departures in 2006, up 12% from the record 1,322 departures in 2005. CEO compensation also gets heatedly criticized, including in last week’s Democratic response to President Bush’s State of the Union address, when Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., said the typical employee works more than a year to make what their CEO makes in one day. Jon Pritchett’s world spans both business and sports. As CEO of General Sports Venue, maker of synthetic turf for athletic fields, Pritchett says there may be less reason for insecurity in sports because ever yone knows the rules and the competition. Not so in business. “In many industries, the competition may be defined one day and then be vastly different the next,” Pritchett says. “Your supplier today could be your competitor tomorrow. An acquisition c ould eliminate a comp etitor, while a gover nment regulation could create five. In a changing environment like business, I believe insecurity may be more of a driver than in sports,” Pritchett says. “Not that I would want to run from 300- pound linemen for a living.” AS SEEN IN USA TODAY’S MONEY SEC TION APRIL 23, 2007 Reprinted with permission. All r ight s reser ved. Page 12 Leaders draw on own back stor y to succeed By Kerr y Hannon Special for USA TODAY True North has a simple premise for leadership: understand your own life stor y. For example, Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz was forever changed at the age of 7 when a broken ankle caused his father to lose his deliver yman job and consequently his family’s health insurance and economic security. “I wanted to build the kind of company my father never had a chance to work for,” he says in True North. Schultz’s memories of his father’s lost health care led to Starbucks becoming the first U.S. company to provide health insurance for ever y employee, including those working as few as 20 hours a week. Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, and co-writer Peter Sims interviewed 125 executives, ages 23 to 93. “Your truth is derived from your life stor y, and only you can determine what it should be,” writes George. “When you are aligned with who you are, you find coherence between your life stor y and your leadership.” That alignment is your “true north,” an internal compass. “What emerges from these stories is that virtually all the leaders interviewed found their passion to lead through the uniqueness of their life stories,” he writes. “Not by being born as leaders. Not by believing they had the characteristics, traits, or style of a leader. Not by tr ying to emulate great leaders.”Oprah Winfrey, for example, grew up poor and was molested. At 14, she bore a baby who lived only two weeks. Today, she has a media empire. “It would have been easy for Winfrey to get caught up in feelings of victimhood. Yet she rose above them by reframing her stor y in positive terms: first by taking responsibility for her life and then in recognizing her mission to empower others to take responsibility for theirs,” he writes. Winfrey’s transformation came in her mid-30s. Often, it takes that long to see “where we fit in the world and help us understand the meaning of those difficult experiences for our personal missions,” he writes. George was CEO of Medtronic, a global medical technology company, from 1991 to 2001 and chairman from 1996 to 2002. He, too, had crucibles that “ultimately transformed my approach to leadership.” An only child, he was ver y close to his mother. He was in his mid-20s when she died suddenly of cancer and a heart attack. Eighteen months later, he was three weeks from being married when his fiancee died suddenly from a brain tumor.”Her death came as an incredible shock. Once again, I felt all alone in the world.” Friends and prayer led him to recover y. He married not long after and b egan a corporate career sprint. By 30, he was president of Litton Microwave. He moved on to continue the race at Honeywell. But one day he admitted this was not how he wanted to spend his life. His unhappiness at work was harming his relationships with his wife, sons and friends. With such a focus on becoming CEO, “I had lost sight of the purpose of my leadership — to benefit the lives of others.” Reflecting on how the support of others pulled him through his personal crises, he was able to make the connection to his life stor y and transform his approach to leadership. George contacted Medtronic, whose offers he had three times declined because they had not suited his ambition to lead a large company. Within several months, he became its president. “To become authentic leaders, we must discard the myth that leadership means having legions of supporters following our direction as we ascend to the pinnacles of power. Only then can we realize that authentic leadership is about empowering others on their journeys,” he writes. This transformation in thinking from “I” to “we” is “the most important process leaders go through in becoming authentic,” he writes. “Only when leaders stop focusing on their personal ego needs are they able to develop other leaders. … They recognize the unlimited potential of empowered leaders working together toward a shared purpose.” Finding ‘true north’ helps with direction M Mo on ne ey y B Bo oo ok ks sh he el lf f T Tr ru ue e N No or rt th h: : D Di is sc co ov ve er r Y Yo ou ur r A Au ut th he en nt ti ic c L Le ea ad de er rs sh hi ip p By Bill George, with Peter Sims Jossey-Bass, 251 pages $27.95 v Good to Great — Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins v The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barr y Posner v Burn! Leadership Myths in Flames by Mitch McCrimmon v Leadership — Best Advice I Ever Got by Paul B. ThorntonPaul B. Thornton is a speaker, author, consultant, and associate professor of business administra- tion at Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Mass. In addition, he is an asso- ciate professor at large for the Thierr y Graduate School of Leadership located in Brussels, Belgium. Paul is the author of numerous articles and 10 books focused on manage- ment and leadership. His latest books are Leadership- Best Advice I Ever Got and Career Management . His web site is w ww ww w. .b be et th he el le ea ad de er r. .c co om m . Page 13 For more information, log on to www.usatodaycollege.com 1. Some experts argue that leaders of the future will need a better balance of masculine and feminine traits – the former to foster a competitive spirit to beat the compe- tition and the latter to build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and to be less self-reliant. Do you agree or disagree? Why? 2. What actions can leaders take to discover new business opportunities that exist in other countries or regions of the world? 3. In groups of three or four, design a “Leadership Training and Development Program” for future business leaders. Provide a one-sentence main objective of your program and then list its specific features. 1. What traits or characteristics most impressed you about these leaders? Which of these leaders would you want to work for? Why? 2. Leaders have a vision that describes a future that is better than what exists today. In what ways have these leaders challenged the status quo? 3. Leaders overcome numerous obstacles in pursuing their dreams. Identify the personal and business obstacles these leaders overcame. Consider what obstacles you will need to overcome to become a business leader. 4. In doing research for his book, Good to Great , author Jim Collins found that one of the traits top leaders exhibited was humility. In what ways do these leaders exhibit humility? In your opinion, do leaders need to exhibit humility? Why or why not? Have you developed the trait in your own life? If so, how? F FU UT TU UR RE E I IM MP PL LI IC CA AT TI IO ON NS S C CR RI IT TI IC CA AL L I IN NQ QU UI IR RY Y A Ab bo ou ut t t th he e E Ex xp pe er rt t A Ad dd di it ti io on na al l R Re es so ou ur rc ce es s P Pr ro of fe es ss so or r P Pa au ul l B B. . T Th ho or rn nt to on n