Leadership Case Study - Zenger Folkman

Leadership Case Study • Develops Strategic Perspective

Leadership Case Study Develops Strategic Perspective

Leadership Case Study: Sally and MTCR MTCR is a leading company in the development and manufacturing of a broad range of custom hardware solutions. The company prides itself and is well known for its ability as an organization to understand its customers’ needs and deliver difficult projects on time. Even so, the last few years have been particularly challenging for MTCR because of the rapid introduction of new technologies into their market segments. Sally has been a senior manager at the company for four years and leads a team in the custom services area. In a recent 360-degree survey, she scored above average (at the 70th percentile) in the competency, Develops Strategic Perspective. Her report also indicated that her manager, peers, and direct reports saw this competency as a critical one for someone in her position. Some of the written comments in her survey indicated that if she demonstrated and applied this competency more often, it would have a significantly positive impact on her success on the job. For these reasons, she’s focusing her personal leadership development efforts over the next year on this competency. As part of her development plan, Sally has spent considerable time in the last few months doing technical research in MTCR’s industry to better understand new trends and directions. This included visiting her team’s largest customers. In her research and during those visits she learned of several emerging technologies that she believes could be applied to her team’s next custom project, one of the biggest contracts this year for the company. As she considered them, she quickly realized the impact they could have on both productivity and profitability. The technologies were already somewhat familiar to Sally, as her graduate degree focused in related areas. She’s recently spoken with several consultants and some professors at nearby universities who confirmed her thinking, and she’s now convinced that these new technologies can be applied to improve the solutions already being developed for the project. Because of the potential she sees for them, she’s been able to schedule time at the next executive team meeting to describe the applications and propose they be considered for broader use across other business lines in the company.

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Her major short term concern is the work that will be required to quickly change direction on the technical aspects of the project that are already underway. She’s expecting some resistance from her team, since many are already working longer hours than normal. A month ago Sally introduced the research she had been doing and described how these technologies might apply to their custom project -- she wanted to begin laying the groundwork for a possible change in direction. At her last department meeting two weeks ago she told her direct reports about the changes she wanted to make and why, and stressed the benefits that would accrue to them and to the customer. She specifically pointed out in her presentation some of the potential personal recognition and other rewards that could result. Sally was realistic, too, acknowledging upfront some of the specific difficulties and challenges this would bring. Her presentation gave her a chance to reiterate to them MTCR’s vision and mission, its focus on meeting customer needs, and how these changes will help support the company’s overall goals and direction. She closed the meeting by stating her commitment to succeed and outlining the support she would provide each of them during the changes.


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Organizational Survey Leadership Questions to Consider 1. Leaders who are seen as extraordinary at a particular competency regularly display some specific, associated behaviors. These are listed for each of the 16 differentiating competencies in the sections of your guide called, “Behaviors Defining This Competency.” To answer these first two questions, refer to the section in your guide for the competency, Develops Strategic Perspective. Although she generally followed most of the leadership behaviors shown there, which of them standout because Sally was: a. clearly demonstrating them through her actions? b. not practicing them as effectively as she could have?

2. Your guide also provides lists of linear development ideas for those leaders wanting to fix a weakness or a fatal flaw in a particular competency. These ideas are shown for each of the 16 differentiating competencies in the sections of your guide called, “Developmental Suggestions.” To answer these next two questions, refer to the section in your guide for the competency, Develops Strategic Perspective. Even though Sally doesn’t appear to have a fatal flaw in the competency, Develops Strategic Perspective, these linear suggestions can still offer her ideas about how she might evaluate and improve her own performance. As she considers her personal development as a leader, which of the Developmental Suggestions has Sally: a. been practicing effectively? b. not been demonstrating effectively?

3. For leaders with an existing strength in a competency that they want to develop further, the guide provides a list of Competency Companions for each of the 16 differentiating competencies. These “cross-training” ideas are behaviors that are highly statistically correlated with the competency the leader wants to develop into a profound strength. To answer these last two case study questions, refer to the Competency Companion section in your guide for the competency you’ve chosen to develop, Develops Strategic Perspective. Which of those companion behaviors shown: a. was Sally employing in this situation? b. was not specifically mentioned in the case study, but might be effectively employed by Sally as part of her leadership development plan?


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Possible Answers and Leadership Considerations Following are some of the possible answers and leadership considerations surrounding Sally’s leadership challenges. You will likely find others as you think more about how she might improve her effectiveness as a leader and build her personal development plan. Again, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers here or in your own leadership situations. The objective of this activity is to get you thinking more about how you might apply to your own challenges the leadership research and tools that are available in your Competency Companion Development Guide.

Question 1—Using the guide section, “Behaviors Defining This Competency” a. Although she followed many of the leadership behaviors shown there, which of them standout because Sally was clearly demonstrating them through her actions? •

Demonstrate forward thinking about tomorrow’s issues (her research and customer visits to search out and explore for new solutions)

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Propose initiatives that become part of the organization’s strategic plan (her willingness to propose to the executive team the potential of these new technologies)

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Ensure that work group goals are aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and vision (her explanations to the team about the change in the project direction and its linkage to the overall company strategy)

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Lead organizational efforts that exploit the most highly leveraged business opportunities (her willingness to propose to the executive team the potential of these new technologies)

b. Although she followed many of the leadership behaviors shown there, which of them standout because Sally was not practicing them as effectively as she could have? •

Continually communicate the highest priority strategic initiatives to keep the leadership team focused on the right things (although we don’t know from the case whether she was already doing this or not, rapid changes in direction can introduce confusion— the need to keep communicating priorities will be important)

Question 2—Using the guide section, “Developmental Suggestions” a. As she considers her personal development as a leader, which of the Developmental Suggestions has Sally been practicing effectively? •

Visit customers to better understand the needs and the opportunities they might have (she used customer visits to uncover new opportunities)

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Read appropriate publications and talk to others, both inside and outside the company, about


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important external developments (her discussions with consultants and professors demonstrated this) •

Spend time thinking about how the company could increase its profitability or market share (her research led her to thinking about how the new technologies could increase productivity and profitability)

b. As she considers her personal development as a leader, which of the Developmental Suggestions has Sally not been demonstrating as effectively? •

Visit trade shows to identify new opportunities and trends in the industry, and to find out what your competitors are doing (in addition to visiting customers, Sally could also potentially learn more at trade shows and conferences)

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Join professional organizations that will build your knowledge and allow you to meet your counterparts from other organizations (joining such organizations could give Sally additional opportunities to learn more about the industry and its direction)

Question 3—Using the guide section, “Competency Companions” a. Which of those companion behaviors shown was Sally employing in this situation? •

Customer Focus (her attention on customers and their needs, especially taking the time to visit with them)

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Innovates (Sally’s willingness to look for new, creative ways to meet customer needs)

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Champions Change (deciding to move ahead and commit her department to driving change, even if it will be challenging to the team)

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Establishes Stretch Goals (acknowledging the difficulties and challenges ahead, but emphasizing the potential benefits and communicating her support and commitment)

b. Which of those companion behaviors shown was not specifically mentioned in the case study, but might be effectively employed by Sally as part of her leadership development plan? •

Solves Problems and Analyzes Issues (she appears to have a technical background and could assist the team during the change process by helping solve specific problems that arise)

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Communicates Powerfully and Prolifically (most every major change process needs great communication—both powerful and frequent—and Sally should take advantage of the many opportunities she’ll have to demonstrate this companion behavior with her team)


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Leadership Case Study - Zenger Folkman

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