Discussion Questions for Week 9

What is leadership?
Why is Leadership one of humanity’s biggest myths?
Why is communication such an essential part of leadership?
Why is decision making a less essential part or quite possibly an incidental part of leadership?
Section 5
Briefly describe the results of study 1 and study 2 discussed near the beginning of this section.
What do the results of the studies say about leadership?
According to this part, Can leadership influence performance?
Chapter 31
With people like that running The Company, how come it’s still in business?
What critical function is served by the procedure of subordinates briefing superiors, who, in turn, brief their own superiors, who only then carry the message to executive councils?
Can you think of some previous examples of this type of behavior in organizations that you have worked for?
Could Stanley have handled himself any differently at the meeting and thus had different results?
Chapter 32
What is meant by the title phrase, “Better the Devil You Know . . .”?
What do you think of Stanley’s assumption that he was chosen for the task force because he was the best person for the job and, indeed, “Faust had been lucky to find him”?
Do you agree with the text’s assertion that having people on the task force who know each other well is generally the best policy?
What management Theories would argue against the policy of putting only managers who know one another well on the task force?
What are some downsides to only having managers on the task force that know each other?
Chapter 33
Is C. Marsh Bell as talented as The Company Clarion’s article indicates?
Why do companies go through the type of charade described in this chapter?
What is a talented new employee, related to the owner or a top executive of the company, to do?
Do you have any examples of similar situations you have witnessed in the past of company relatives being ushered to the top?How did everyone else react?