Case Study Scenario: Congratulations on your promotion to Chief Human Resource Officer, CHRO, for a large retail organization in North Carolina. This is a position that requires you to develop many different program initiatives that align with organizational strategy and organizational culture. For example, you will oversee the performance management overhaul project that was started by your predecessor and will be required to present to the investors on the human capital project. The organization’s Board of Directors, BoD, has requested your presence to discuss some troubling news about leadership development and succession planning. Upon meeting with the BoD, they explain to you that there are no leadership development programs in place, no succession planning for leadership, and no cultural understanding of leadership theories or models. As the newly appointed CHRO, you are being asked to develop a presentation and present this to the BoD and all investors in a Town-Hall meeting in one month. The items that you need to include in your presentation include:
Definition of leadership and organizational culture and Overview of initiative – A definition of leadership that is found in the literature but also aligns with the organizational culture
Overview of leadership theories – Provide two different leadership theories or models that can work within the cultural environment that will help the organization grow and succeed. For example, LMX, Situational, or Transformational.
Discuss expectations of power and influence – Provide your thoughts on leadership power and influence with the expectations of leadership adopting these attributes at all levels.
Recommended key attributions for qualified leadership – Discuss and define what attributes you would like in leadership as they relate to one of the theories listed in #2.
Ethical expectations of leadership – Define the role of a leader and the ethical expectations within the organization.
Leadership development training initiative – Discuss how you will roll out the training to leaders within the organization.
Organizational Dilemma:
Large Retail in North Carolina
Over 2000 employees in 15 locations
The current C-Suite leadership age is 68. Three of the five C-Suite leaders want to retire within a year, but there are no suitable replacements.
The average location general manager’s age is 47, with little to no corporate experience.
13 of the locations have complained that there is no leadership development or growth in the organization.
10 of the locations are underperforming and lack employee morale.
If a leadership development initiative does not take place soon, investors will leave the organization, and the stores will begin to close due to bankruptcy and liquidation.
