Case Analysis Session 1 : Focus on Inspiring a Shared Vision

Inspiring a shared vision has two main components [1] creating a vision through common purpose, and [2] enlisting or getting people ‘on board' with the vision.

In your small groups, discuss and document your group's response to the following questions. Upload your typed document into one of your group member's D2L dropbox by the assigned due date on your course schedule. Be sure to include on your worksheet all group member names. If present in class, all group members will receive the same grade for this case analysis assignment (maximum 30 pts). Group peer evaluations will be used to determine overall individual group member participation points for both of these case study discussions (maximum 15 pts).

1. In what specific ways did Michael fail and/or succeed in ‘listening deeply' to his employees?

2. In what specific ways did Michael show that he was not "open to influence?" How would Michael being open to influence have made him more effective, ( i.e., who were the "local experts" and how could he have benefited from them)?

3. When you consider the employees of Bedford Mower as they were before Michael arrived, how would you characterize them in terms of what was personally meaningful to them?

4. When creating his vision for the company, in what specific ways did Michael fail and/or succeed in ‘determining what was meaningful' to his employees, and what was the impact?

5. What specific mechanisms, or opportunities did Michael have available to him for enlisting others?

6. To what extent did Michael take advantage of these? To what extent were they effective in terms of getting everyone on board with the new vision?

7. In thinking about his attempts to enlist others, in what ways did or didn't Michael incorporate common ideals into his communication with his employees as it related to the new vision?

8. How successful was Michael in "animating the vision"? How would you characterize him in terms of his use of symbolic language, providing imagery of the future, practicing positive communication, expressing emotion, and speaking from the heart, in his communications to his employees?

9. What would you have done differently with this group of employees in terms of inspiring a shared vision?