Transforming Clear Lake College - Case Study Example

Case Studies 6 to 6.3 Case Study 6 Transforming Clear Lake College The elements of transactional leadership exemplified by Sam included providing a clear-cut short term goal and adhering to it (convincing faculty to a salary and benefit freeze), making decisions on his own, firing personnel who were underperforming, and changing the governance structure without consulting the faculty. On the other hand, the elements of transformational leadership that Sam exhibited included significantly transforming Clear Lake College into a productive and successful academic institution through launching graduate degree programs and several new undergraduate majors; being a people person where he manifested communicating and interacting with different stakeholders; being true to his word by increasing the salaries of faculty and personnel when the financial condition improved; and capturing opportunities in the educational markets. 2. Sam’s leadership traits and characteristic make him a pseudo-transformation leader than a transformational leader.

As a pseudo-transformation leader, Sam exhibited self-serving behavior despite being initially inspirational. He made decisions on his own and therefore discouraged participative and collaborative decisions and earned the ire of faculty, staff and students by berating them in public. 3. Yes, I was able to confront a leader about a manifested behavior, whether by acknowledging a job well done or by disclosing that the current behavior was contributory to affecting the morale of subordinates. The leader was highly accommodating of the feedback and appreciated one’s comments.

The encounter was welcome and the leader even commended one’s professional comments and inputs about the leadership performance. Therefore, one strongly believes that this is the right thing to do and one would not do anything differently next time. 4. One firmly believes that success has different effects on leaders, depending on diverse factors. In the case of Sam, success proved to be dangerous in the long run since he undermined the collaborative and participative decision-making process needed in an academic setting.

Other leaders manifest exhibiting a low humble profile despite success. 5. To remove a leader with proven track record of success would be difficult and challenging, especially when one is not supported by the majority. In Sam’s case, the faculty members was fortunate to rationalize the illness as the cause of force firing him from the position. In other cases, the majority members of the organization could formally petition for the removal with justifiable rationale that is provided. 6. The leadership ethics learned from the course is that leaders must always act in accordance to the best interests of various stakeholders, and not just of himself or herself.

Although an initial leadership strategy could have worked to steer the organization into success, leaders must adapt and adjust to the changes of the macroenvironment to apply the needed changes, according to protocols of decision-making, to support and sustain continued success. Case 6.2: Sentencing Kids for Cash 1. The leadership shadows seen cast in the case focus more on scheming unethical leaders who took advantage of children and parents of erring juveniles so that they could be incarcerated in centers designed by equally unethical businessmen. 2. One believes that the lure of earning big money prompted these judges to engage in illegal activity.

This was exacerbated by the fact that they can control the number of children who could be detained in these juvenile centers without being checked and prevented by other members of the court. 3. As previously indicated, since the judges are the highest law officials in their respective jurisdictions, their actions could be not prevented by other lower members; nor could their unjust and unethical behaviors be reported and justified by lower members of the court. A lack of check and balance monitoring mechanism in the criminal juvenile court system allowed these judges’ unethical behavior and actions to prevail. 4. The perceived reasons for judges Conahan and Ciavarella inability to take full responsibility for their actions despite pleading guilty stems from the fallibility of human nature that admitting such erroneous and unethical behavior at their positions are utterly shameful and embarrassing.

They, of all people, are expected to have adhered to ethical, moral and legal codes of conduct and they could not possibly admit that they are precursors of misbehavior and misconduct. 5. The principles of servant leadership that were violated included serving their personal interests before others. Concurrently, the principles of transformational leadership that were likewise violated included transforming their organizations (or courts of justice) into unproductive and unethical institutions, instead of steering them to unprecedented success. 6. The leadership and followership ethics lessons taken from the case include subordinates and other stakeholders to take responsibilities to report unethical behavior and actions of leaders despite their supposed honorary positions, especially when their actions reveal nonconformity to adhering to the ideals of ethics, morals and legal action.

For the leaders, despite assuming the highest posts in organizational institutions, unethical actions do not exempt them from the imposition of legal action, as deemed appropriate under the criminal justice system. Case 6.3: The Airline Executive as “Mom in Chief” 1. Yes, I would like to work for Colleen Barrett because she exemplifies a distinct leadership style that seems to combine transformational and servant leadership through putting the best interests of her people and stakeholders at heart.

In the process, she became a model of good leadership style that other managers and leaders emulate and would like to directly learn from. 2. It is possible that Barrett’s leadership style could work in other companies as long as she became part of them at the same time and through the same experience that she did with Southwest Airlines. One strongly believes that her success in exuding the effective leadership style was a product of the collaborative factors she had in her life: the mentorship of Herb Kelleher, as well as the appropriate timing and strategies designed and implemented to make Southwest Airlines succeed. 3. Aside from authenticity, the other factors that contributed to Barrett’s effectiveness and success as a leader, as noted above, are: the encouraging leadership style manifested by Herb Kelleher, the innate strengths in the internal resources of the organization (people, assets, policies and procedures); the opportunities that were appropriately tapped; and the ability to address weaknesses and threats, as needed. 4. The culture of Southwest Airlines definitely mirror or reflect Barrett’s values in terms of focusing on providing exemplary customer service, showing innate and genuine concern for the employees, and providing them with empowerment and fun.

As such, these became strengths of the organization that were manifested as competitive advantage over other organizations within the airlines industry.