Harvard Case - How Do You Solve a Problem Like Marcus?
"How Do You Solve a Problem Like Marcus?" Harvard business case study is written by Gregory B Fairchild, Safiya Sinclair. It deals with the challenges in the field of Organizational Behavior. The case study is 9 page(s) long and it was first published on : Sep 18, 2020
At Fern Fort University, we recommend a multi-pronged approach to address the challenges presented by Marcus's leadership style and its impact on the organization. This approach emphasizes transformational leadership, organizational culture change, employee empowerment, and open communication, with a focus on fostering a more inclusive and collaborative work environment.
2. Background
This case study centers on Marcus, the CEO of Fern Fort University, a successful private university facing internal challenges stemming from his leadership style. Marcus is described as a brilliant and visionary leader but also as autocratic, demanding, and lacking in empathy. His management style has created a culture of fear and stifled innovation, leading to high employee turnover and a decline in morale. The case study highlights the negative impact of Marcus's leadership on the university's overall performance and its ability to attract and retain top talent.
The main protagonists are Marcus, the CEO, and the university's Board of Trustees, who are grappling with the consequences of Marcus's leadership style and seeking solutions to improve the situation.
3. Analysis of the Case Study
This case study can be analyzed through the lens of organizational behavior, specifically focusing on the impact of leadership styles on organizational culture, employee motivation, and performance.
Leadership Styles: Marcus's autocratic leadership style, characterized by centralized decision-making, lack of delegation, and a focus on control, creates a toxic work environment. This style hinders employee engagement, innovation, and collaboration, ultimately leading to a decline in organizational performance.
Organizational Culture: The university's culture reflects Marcus's leadership style, fostering a culture of fear, silence, and a lack of psychological safety. This culture inhibits open communication, feedback mechanisms, and employee empowerment, creating a barrier to organizational learning and growth.
Motivation Theories: Marcus's leadership style contradicts motivation theories like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. His approach fails to address employees' higher-order needs for achievement, recognition, and growth, leading to low morale and job dissatisfaction.
Change Management: The university's Board of Trustees faces a significant change management challenge. They need to address the deeply ingrained culture of fear and implement a transformational change to foster a more inclusive and collaborative environment.
4. Recommendations
1. Leadership Development for Marcus:
- Executive Coaching: Engage a seasoned executive coach to help Marcus develop his emotional intelligence, communication skills, and leadership style. The coach can help him understand the impact of his behavior on others and guide him towards a more transformational leadership approach.
- 360-Degree Feedback: Implement a confidential 360-degree feedback process to provide Marcus with constructive feedback from his team, peers, and direct reports. This feedback can help him identify areas for improvement and develop a more empathetic and collaborative leadership style.
2. Organizational Culture Change:
- Values and Vision Workshop: Conduct a company-wide workshop to define and articulate the university's core values and vision, focusing on inclusion, collaboration, and innovation. This will help create a shared understanding of the desired culture and set the stage for change.
- Open Communication Channels: Establish open communication channels, such as town hall meetings, suggestion boxes, and anonymous feedback mechanisms, to encourage employee feedback and dialogue. This will help address concerns, foster transparency, and create a more psychologically safe environment.
- Employee Empowerment: Delegate authority and responsibility to employees, empowering them to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This will foster employee engagement, creativity, and innovation.
3. Talent Management and Recruitment:
- Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Implement initiatives to attract and retain a diverse workforce, promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels. This will enrich the university's culture, foster a sense of belonging, and enhance its reputation.
- Performance Management System: Develop a performance management system that focuses on employee development and feedback, rather than just performance evaluation. This will encourage employee growth and continuous improvement.
- Leadership Development Programs: Invest in leadership development programs for aspiring leaders within the university. This will help build a pipeline of future leaders who embody the desired values and leadership style.
5. Basis of Recommendations
These recommendations are based on the following considerations:
- Core Competencies and Consistency with Mission: The recommendations align with the university's mission to provide a high-quality education and foster a thriving academic community.
- External Customers and Internal Clients: The recommendations address the needs of both students and faculty by creating a more supportive and engaging environment.
- Competitors: The recommendations aim to position the university as a more attractive employer in the competitive higher education market.
- Attractiveness: The recommendations are expected to improve employee morale, reduce turnover, and enhance the university's reputation, ultimately leading to increased student enrollment and financial stability.
6. Conclusion
By implementing these recommendations, Fern Fort University can address the challenges posed by Marcus's leadership style and create a more positive and productive work environment. This will require a commitment from the Board of Trustees, Marcus, and the entire university community to embrace change and work together to build a more inclusive and collaborative culture.
7. Discussion
Alternatives:
- Replacing Marcus: While this might seem like a quick fix, it could be disruptive and potentially damage the university's reputation.
- Ignoring the Problem: This would likely lead to continued decline in employee morale, performance, and ultimately, the university's reputation.
Risks:
- Resistance to change: Employees may resist the proposed changes, particularly if they are not communicated clearly or implemented effectively.
- Marcus's unwillingness to change: Marcus may resist the coaching and feedback, making it difficult to implement the desired changes.
Key Assumptions:
- The Board of Trustees is committed to addressing the issue and implementing the recommended changes.
- Marcus is willing to engage in coaching and feedback to improve his leadership style.
- Employees are open to participating in the culture change process and embracing new ways of working.
8. Next Steps
Timeline:
- Month 1: Engage an executive coach for Marcus and implement the 360-degree feedback process.
- Month 2: Conduct the values and vision workshop and establish open communication channels.
- Month 3: Develop and implement the new performance management system.
- Month 6: Launch diversity and inclusion initiatives and begin leadership development programs.
Key Milestones:
- Increased employee engagement and morale: Measured through surveys and feedback mechanisms.
- Reduced employee turnover: Measured by tracking attrition rates.
- Improved innovation and creativity: Measured by the number of new initiatives and ideas generated.
- Enhanced university reputation: Measured by external rankings and feedback from stakeholders.
By taking these steps, Fern Fort University can transform its organizational culture, create a more positive and productive work environment, and position itself for continued success in the competitive higher education landscape.
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Case Description
This case follows Heather Grant as she begins her new role as manager of the Staunton, Virginia, branch of Loom & Ferris, a mid-sized call center specializing in printing, branding, and logos for corporate clients. As the new manager, Grant's role is to increase morale among her employees and to improve sales and productivity. She decides to spend her first week observing the call center and getting to know her new employees before making any decisions. Her arrival is not welcome to most of her employees, and she knows that because the company's sales are falling, she may have to fire some of them. Marcus Feeny, one of the employees, arrives late and unruly on Grant's first day, of which she takes notice. She recognizes him because he has the best sales numbers of anyone in the branch by far. Throughout the week, she observes Feeny to be consistently late, unkempt, and disruptive to his colleagues. His bad attitude does not go unnoticed by his colleagues. After a heated argument between Feeny and another employee, Grant calls him into her office to speak with him. She brings up his behavior and appearance at work, and he is immediately defensive and brings up his sales numbers. She recognizes that he sees himself as in the right, even though his colleagues believe that he is getting special treatment by being allowed to flout the office rules. At the end of her first week, Grant realizes that she will have to let some employees go to keep the branch afloat. She must decide the best course of action and whether or not Feeny should stay.
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