Course: Leading Organization Human Behavior

Case Study Part 1: Situational Leadership and Constructive Discipline

You are the manager of the sales department at Splendor Company. Nikki has been your top sales representative consistently for over a year now. She is always in the office first, last to leave, thorough in her paperwork, and receiving praise from the other departments. She has also volunteered several times to test new products with her clients.

Recently you have noticed a difference in her performance. This past week she was late to your staff meeting, was not at her desk when you came into the office and left early. She seems distracted and unfocused compared to her usual behavior in the office.

Customer Service sent back two contracts that Nikki had drawn up due to missing information on the new client. You just got off the phone with Mark, head of the Accounting Department, who gave you an earful about how Nikki "unethically" tried to bend the rules and push a new client through who did not have the appropriate credit ratings.

Upon hanging up the phone, you look up to see Nikki entering the office. She appears to be in a hurry, glances around to check who else is in the office, and hurries to her cubicle. Glancing at the clock you see it is only 3:45 pm. Sales reps are not usually back in the office at the end of the day before 4:15 pm. You decide to approach Nikki and talk about her recent drop in performance.

1. List the data points you have on her current performance.

2. How does this differ from her "usual" performance?

3. What style will you use to start the conversation?

4. How will you know from Nikki if that style is working?

5. What type of follow up will you do?

Case Study Part 2: Situational Leadership and Constructive Discipline

Two weeks later, the complaints around the office with respect to Nikki have increased. There are three more contracts she has tried to "push through" where new clients did not have the appropriate credit.

Customer Service has received several calls complaining that Nikki has not been showing up for appointments. A potential client was upset by "the waste of time" after having "waited 30 minutes for a rep to show up." Nikki never appeared. Another long-term client called very concerned about Nikki's well-being. "It is not like Nikki to not show up when she says she will. I am more concerned that she is all right and not in a car accident or something." There are other complaints along these lines that reinforce Nikki's recent change in attentiveness and job performance.

After reviewing monthly sales numbers, you realize that Nikki is no longer your number one representative. She had held that position for over one year. You add up the totals again and are surprised to see she is not the number two rep either. She has dropped down to number four.

You review the conversation you had with Nikki two weeks ago where she acted completely surprised by the issues you brought to her attention. Her overall reaction was, "I did not realize I was making these mistakes. Thanks for telling me. I'll fix it all. Don't worry."

You had taken her word and thought it was all handled. Now with the continued complaints and errors in paperwork, you realize Nikki has not "fixed it all." Things are worse.

You need to have another conversation with Nikki.

1. What do you prepare? What are the data points now?

2. What style of leadership are you going to use? If that does not work, what will you switch to?

3. How can Nikki "prove" herself to you and get back in your good standing? What must change in her performance?

Textbook: Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources, Author: Blanchard, Hersey, Johnson ISBN: 9780132556408