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50 Case Studies for Management and Supervisory Training by Alan Clardy

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Leadership Case Studies

Here is a sample of three case studies from the book, Leadership Case Studies, that are most instructive and impactful to developing leadership skills.

For the past 30 years, I have conducted seminars and workshops and taught college classes on leadership.

I used a variety of teaching aids including books, articles, case studies, role-plays, and videos.

I recently created a book, Leadership Case Studies that includes some of the case studies and role-plays that I found to be most instructive and impactful.

Here is a sample of three case studies.

Peter Weaver Case Study

Peter Weaver doesn’t like to follow the crowd. He thinks groupthink is a common problem in many organizations. This former director of marketing for a consumer products company believes differences of opinion should be heard and appreciated. As Weaver states, “I have always believed I should speak for what I believe to be true.”

He demonstrated his belief in being direct and candid throughout his career. On one occasion, he was assigned to market Paul’s spaghetti-sauce products. During the brand review, the company president said, “Our spaghetti sauce is losing out to price-cutting competitors. We need to cut our prices!”

Peter found the courage to say he disagreed with the president. He then explained the product line needed more variety and a larger advertising budget. Prices should not be cut. The president accepted Weaver’s reasoning. Later, his supervisor approached him and said, “I wanted to say that, but I just didn’t have the courage to challenge the president.”

On another occasion, the president sent Weaver and 16 other executives to a weeklong seminar on strategic planning. Weaver soon concluded the consultants were off base and going down the wrong path. Between sessions, most of the other executives indicated they didn’t think the consultants were on the right path. The consultants heard about the dissent and dramatically asked participants whether they were in or out. Those who said “Out” had to leave immediately.

As the consultants went around the room, every executive who privately grumbled about the session said “In.” Weaver was fourth from last. When it was his turn, he said “Out” and left the room.

All leaders spend time in reflection and self-examination to identify what they truly believe and value. Their beliefs are tested and fine-tuned over time. True leaders can tell you, without hesitation, what they believe and why. They don’t need a teleprompter to remind them of their core beliefs. And, they find the courage to speak up even when they know others will disagree.

• What leadership traits did Weaver exhibit?
• If you were in Weaver’s shoes, what would you have done?
• Where does courage come from?
• List your three most important values.

Dealing with a Crisis Case Study

Assume you are the VP of Sales and Marketing for a large insurance company. Once a year your company rewards and recognizes the top 100 sales agents by taking them to a luxury resort for a four-day conference. Business presentation meetings are held during the morning. Afternoons are free time. Agents and spouses can choose from an assortment of activities including golf, tennis, boating, fishing, shopping, swimming, etc.

On day 2 at 3:00 p.m., you are at the gym working out on the treadmill, when you see Sue your administrative assistant rushing towards you. She says, “I need to talk to you immediately.”

You get off the treadmill and say, “What’s up?” Sue states, “We’ve had a tragedy. Several agents went boating and swimming at the lake. Randy, our agent from California died while swimming.”

(Background information – Randy is 28 years old. His wife did not come on the trip. She is home in California with their three children).

• Explain what you would communicate to the following people.
• Your Human Resources Department
• The local police
• The attendees at the conference (Would you continue the conference?)
• How will you notify Randy’s wife?
• If Randy’s wife and a few family members want to visit the location of Randy’s death, what would you do?
• What are some “guiding principles” that leaders need to follow in a crisis situation?

 Arsenic and Old Lace Case Study

Review the YouTube video, “ I’ll show them who is boss Arsenic and Old Lace.”   

Background Information

The Vernon Road Bleaching and Dyeing Company is a British lace dyeing business. It was purchased in bankruptcy by the father/son team of Henry and Richard Chaplin. Richard has been acting as “Managing Director” which is the same as a general manager or president of a company.

The company has had 50-to-150 employees with 35-to-100 being shop floor, production employees. The company produces and sells various dyed fabrics to the garment industry.

Gerry Robinson is a consultant who was asked to help transform methods of conducting business to save the company.

Jeff is the factory manager.

• What are Richard’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
• What could Richard have done to make the problems of quality and unhappy customers more visible to the workforce?
• What do you think Richard’s top three priorities should be for the next 12 months?
• What could Richard have done to motivate the workforce?
• Evaluate Jeff’s approach and effectiveness as a leader.

The book contains 16 case studies, four role-plays, and six articles. I hope you find some of the content useful and helpful in your efforts to teach leadership.

Click for additional leadership case studies and resources .

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The teaching cases in this section are designed to provoke critical thinking on various domestic and international leadership challenges. Students will find themselves in the shoes of leaders from many positions—whether it be in the nonprofit or public sectors—and will have to navigate the complex reality of what it means to be an effective leader.

A Fork in the Road: Simulating Lyndon Johnson's Choices in Vietnam in Early 1965

Publication Date: April 11, 2024

This historical role-play simulation is set on March 28, 1965. The scenario places students within the context of that time, a point at which, after months of increasing tensions and contentious debate, President Lyndon Johnson appears to be...

The Mosquito Network: Global Governance in the Fight to Eliminate Malaria Deaths

Publication Date: April 5, 2024

Malaria, a deadly disease transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes, had been effectively eliminated from the developed world since the end of the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Eradication Campaign in 1969. In Africa,...

Operation Pufferfish: Building and Sustaining a Department of Neighborhoods and Citizen Engagement in Lansing, Michigan

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Lansing native Andi Crawford returned home and took over a mismanaged and outdated neighborhood grant program, revamping grant processes, bringing in new money and capacity, and expanding eligibility.This shift became just one element of a much...

Charting a Course for Boston: Organizing for Change

Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu was elected on the promise of systemic change. Four days after her November 2021 victory—and just eleven days before taking office—she considered how to get started delivering on her sweeping agenda. Wu...

More than a Contract: Black Self-Determination and People’s Assemblies in Jackson, Mississippi Epilogue

Publication Date: March 1, 2024

This epilogue accompanies HKS Case 2276.0. The Jackson People’s Assembly (JPA), a vehicle of “Black self-determination and autonomous political authority of the oppressed peoples and communities in Jackson,” launched the...

More than a Contract: Black Self-Determination and People’s Assemblies in Jackson, Mississippi

The Jackson People’s Assembly (JPA), a vehicle of “Black self-determination and autonomous political authority of the oppressed peoples and communities in Jackson,” launched the political career of Chokwe Lumumba, a veteran...

Mayor Curtatone’s Culture of Curiosity: Building Data Capabilities at Somerville City Hall Epilogue

Publication Date: February 21, 2024

This epilogue accompanies HKS Case 2255.0. A practitioner guide, HKS Case 2255.4, accompanies this case. For sixteen years, longer than any mayor in the city’s history, Mayor Joseph Curtatone has led his hometown of Somerville,...

Mayor Curtatone’s Culture of Curiosity: Building Data Capabilities at Somerville City Hall Practitioner Guide

This practitioner guide accompanies HKS Case 2255.0. An epilogue, HKS Case 2255.1, follows this case. For sixteen years, longer than any mayor in the city’s history, Mayor Joseph Curtatone has led his hometown of Somerville,...

Mayoral Transitions: How Three Mayors Stepped into the Role, in Their Own Words

Publication Date: February 29, 2024

New mayors face distinct challenges as they assume office. In these vignettes depicting three types of mayoral transitions, explore how new leaders can make the most of their first one hundred days by asserting their authority and...

Mayor Curtatone’s Culture of Curiosity: Building Data Capabilities at Somerville City Hall

For sixteen years, longer than any mayor in the city’s history, Mayor Joseph Curtatone has led his hometown of Somerville, Massachusetts. The case begins in January 2020 when the mayor is looking ahead at his recently won,...

Leadership in Moral Conflict Simone Veil and Abortion Reform in France

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The Ethical Leadership Case Study Collection

The Ted Rogers Leadership Centre’s Case Collection, developed in collaboration with experienced teaching faculty, seasoned executives, and alumni, provides instructors with real-life decision-making scenarios to help hone students’ critical-thinking skills and their understanding of what good leaders do. They will be able to leverage the theories, models, and processes being advanced. Students come to understand that workplace dilemmas are rarely black and white, but require them to think through and address competing claims and circumstances. Crucially, they also appreciate how they can, as new leaders and middle managers, improve decisions by creating realistic action plans based on sound stakeholder analysis and communication principles. These case studies are offered free of charge to all instructors.

Cases come in both long and short forms. The long cases provide instructors with tools for delving deeply into subjects related to a variety of decision making and organizational development issues. The short cases, or “minis,” are quick in-class exercises in leadership.

For both the long cases and the minis, teaching-method notes are provided, which include not only recommended in-class facilitation methods, but also grading rubrics, references, and student feedback.

Testimonials

“I have been invited to judge the Leadership Centre’s Annual Ethical Leadership National Case Competition since its inception. Each year, competitors are given a Centre’s case to analyze and present. These cases are like nothing else. They bring the student into the heart of the situation. To excel, students must not only be able to cogently argue the options, but also demonstrate how to implement a decision based on a clear-eyed stakeholder analysis and an understanding of the dynamics of change.” Anne Fawcett, Special Advisor, Caldwell Partners

“I have worked with the Ted Rogers Leadership Centre to both develop and pilot test case materials. Feedback consistently shows that the Centre’s cases resonate with students, providing them with valuable learning experiences.” Chris Gibbs, BComm, MBA, PhD, Associate Professor

"As a judge in the recent national Ted Rogers Ethical Leadership Case Competition, I was very impressed with the quality of the case study prepared by the Leadership Centre. It was brief but well-composed. It exposed the students to ethical quandaries, of the sort they may well face in their business careers. It not only tested their reasoning, but it challenged them to develop a plan of action when faced with incomplete information and imminent deadlines.” Lorne Salzman, Lawyer

We value your feedback

Please inform us of your experience by contacting Dr. Gail Cook Johnson, our mentor-in-residence, at [email protected] .

Top Leadership Scenario Examples for Discussion

In the fast-paced world of business and organizational management, leaders are continually tested by complex challenges that demand quick thinking, ethical decision-making, and effective communication. One of the best ways to prepare current and future leaders for these challenges is through scenario-based discussions. These discussions not only enhance problem-solving skills but also deepen understanding of different leadership styles and their impacts in various situations. This article presents a curated list of top leadership scenario examples, designed to provoke thoughtful discussion and development among leaders across all levels. From navigating ethical dilemmas to managing team conflicts and driving change in the face of resistance, these scenarios reflect real-world issues that leaders are likely to face, providing a practical and engaging way to refine leadership capabilities .

Scenario 1: Leading Through Change

Context: You are a department head at a mid-sized company. The company is undergoing a major transformation that includes implementing new technologies and restructuring several teams. Some employees are resistant to change, fearing job losses and increased workload.

Discussion Points:

• How would you communicate the changes to your team?
• What strategies would you use to manage resistance?
• How can you ensure the transition is smooth and maintain team morale?

Discussion Point 1: Communicating the Changes to Your Team

Key considerations:.

• Clarity and Transparency: Be clear about what the changes are, why they are necessary, and how they will impact the team. Transparency is crucial to build trust.
• Communication Channels: Decide the best mediums (e.g., emails, town hall meetings, one-on-one sessions) to communicate the changes effectively.
• Feedback Mechanism: Implement a system where employees can express their concerns and ask questions.

Questions for Discussion:

• What are the most effective communication strategies for announcing organizational changes?
• How can leaders ensure that their message is understood and taken positively?

Discussion Point 2: Managing Resistance

• Understanding the Root Causes: Identify why employees might resist the changes—fear of job loss, increased workload, lack of understanding, etc.
• Engagement Strategies: Involve employees in the change process where possible, which can reduce resistance and increase buy-in.
• Support Systems: Offer support such as training, counseling, and open office hours to address concerns.
• What are some specific techniques to handle resistance from team members?
• How can leaders identify and address the underlying concerns of resistant employees?

Discussion Point 3: Ensuring a Smooth Transition and Maintaining Team Morale

• Change Champions: Identify and empower change champions within the team who can advocate for the benefits of the changes.
• Regular Updates: Keep the team regularly informed about the progress and phases of the change process.
• Celebrating Milestones: Recognize and celebrate small victories to keep morale high.
• What role can leadership play in facilitating a smooth transition?
• How can leaders maintain or even boost team morale during periods of significant change?

Group Activity:

• Role-Playing Exercise: Divide into groups and role-play different scenarios where team members express their resistance, and practice how to handle these situations. Each group can present their approach and receive feedback.

Reflection:

• Personal Reflection: Encourage participants to think about past experiences of change, either as leaders or as team members, and share what worked and what didn’t.

Scenario 2: Handling a Conflict

Context: Two of your top team members, who usually work well together, have recently been in conflict over the direction of a major project. Their disagreement has started affecting the mood and productivity of the entire team.

• How would you address the conflict between the two team members?
• What steps would you take to prevent such conflicts from affecting the entire team?
• How can you help them collaborate effectively again?

Discussion Point 1: Addressing the Conflict Between the Two Team Members

• Direct Intervention: Arrange a private meeting with both parties to discuss the issue openly and calmly. As a mediator, the leader must remain neutral and focused on understanding both sides.
• Active Listening: Encourage each team member to express their viewpoints and concerns without interruption. This can help in identifying the root cause of the conflict.
• Collaborative Problem Solving: Work together to find a solution that addresses the concerns of both parties, possibly compromising or finding a third, mutually beneficial path.
• What are effective strategies for mediating a conflict without taking sides?
• How can a leader facilitate a constructive dialogue between conflicting parties?

Discussion Point 2: Preventing Such Conflicts from Affecting the Entire Team

• Maintaining Team Morale: Keep the broader team insulated from the conflict as much as possible to prevent a drop in morale and productivity.
• Communication: Clearly communicate to the team that steps are being taken to resolve the issue, without divulging sensitive details.
• Culture of Respect: Foster an environment where differences in opinion are respected and where conflict is seen as an opportunity for growth and innovation, not a threat.
• How can a leader prevent conflicts from escalating or spreading within the team?
• What role does team culture play in conflict resolution?

Discussion Point 3: Helping Them Collaborate Effectively Again

• Rebuilding Trust: After a resolution is reached, focus on activities that rebuild trust between the individuals, such as joint tasks that require cooperation to succeed.
• Monitoring Progress: Keep a close eye on the interactions between the two team members to ensure that the resolution is holding and to address any residual tension.
• Feedback and Support: Provide ongoing support and constructive feedback to both individuals as they work to mend their professional relationship.
• What are effective methods to help team members move past a conflict and work together effectively?
• How can leaders support ongoing collaboration after a conflict has been resolved?
• Conflict Resolution Role Play: Participants could role-play a scenario where they must mediate a dispute between two team members, focusing on achieving a resolution that allows both to move forward collaboratively.
• Learning from Experience: Encourage participants to share their own experiences with conflict resolution, discussing what strategies worked, what didn’t, and what they learned from those experiences.

Scenario 3: Decision-Making Under Pressure

Context: As the leader of a startup, you are faced with a critical decision: whether to accept a lucrative buyout offer from a larger company or to try and grow independently with uncertain future funding.

• What factors would you consider in making your decision?
• How would you involve your team in this decision-making process?
• What would be your approach to evaluating the risks and benefits?

Discussion Point 1: Factors to Consider in Making the Decision

• Company Vision and Goals: Reflect on the long-term vision and objectives of the startup. Does the buyout support or hinder these goals?
• Financial Stability: Assess the financial implications of both options. The buyout might offer immediate financial security, whereas independent growth could lead to greater long-term gains but with more risk.
• Impact on Employees: Consider how each choice affects your team in terms of job security, roles, and company culture.
• Market Conditions: Analyze current and projected market trends. How might these influence the success of continuing independently or the timing of the buyout?
• How do personal values and the overarching company mission influence major business decisions?
• What metrics or data are critical in evaluating such a decision?

Discussion Point 2: Involving the Team in the Decision-Making Process

• Transparency: Share the situation with your team to ensure that they are aware of potential changes and can prepare accordingly.
• Seek Input: Gather input from key team members, especially those whose areas would be most affected by either decision. This can provide insights that might not have been considered initially.
• Consensus Building: While the final decision rests with the leader, finding a consensus or a majority support can help in solidifying the team’s commitment to the chosen path.
• How should a leader balance between making a unilateral decision and seeking consensus?
• What are effective strategies for involving diverse viewpoints in a complex decision-making process?

Discussion Point 3: Evaluating the Risks and Benefits

• Risk Assessment: Identify and weigh the potential risks of each option, such as financial instability or loss of control in the case of a buyout, against the risks of ongoing funding uncertainties if the company remains independent.
• Benefit Analysis: Consider the potential benefits, including financial rewards, stability, and opportunities for scaling up the business.
• Scenario Planning: Develop scenarios for best and worst-case outcomes for each option. This can help in understanding the possible impacts of each decision.
• What methodologies can be used for a balanced risk-benefit analysis in decision-making?
• How can leaders prepare for negative outcomes regardless of the decision?
• Scenario Analysis Workshop: Break into groups and develop detailed scenarios based on choosing to sell or remain independent. Each group could present their analysis and discuss the reasoning behind their conclusions.
• Personal Reflection and Peer Learning: Encourage participants to discuss past decisions they have made under pressure and share insights on what they learned and how they could apply those lessons in future scenarios.

Scenario 4: Inspiring a Demotivated Team

Context: You have noticed a significant drop in motivation among your team members. They seem disengaged, productivity is declining, and there is an increase in absenteeism. The dip in morale is due to recent budget cuts that have limited resources and rewards.

• What strategies might you employ to boost morale?
• How can you motivate your team despite budget constraints?
• What actions can you take to ensure the team feels valued and engaged?

Discussion Point 1: Strategies to Boost Morale

• Recognition and Praise: Increase non-monetary forms of recognition, such as public acknowledgments, awards for employee of the month, and personal thank you notes for good work.
• Professional Development: Even with budget constraints, focus on providing development opportunities such as training sessions, online courses, and cross-training that can help employees grow their skills.
• Improved Communication: Ensure open lines of communication, where employees feel heard and their ideas can be freely expressed. Regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins can help in this regard.
• What creative recognition strategies can be effective when financial rewards are not feasible?
• How can leadership ensure that recognition feels genuine and not just a substitute for monetary rewards?

Discussion Point 2: Motivating the Team Despite Budget Constraints

• Empowerment: Delegate more responsibilities to team members, giving them autonomy to lead projects or tasks. This can help in boosting their sense of ownership and engagement.
• Flexibility: Offering flexible working hours or the option to work from home can be highly motivational, especially if monetary rewards are not available.
• Purpose and Vision: Reiterate the purpose and the broader vision of the organization. Help team members see how their work contributes to these goals, enhancing their sense of purpose.
• How can small, cost-effective changes in the workplace environment increase motivation?
• What are the non-financial motivators that can have a significant impact on employee satisfaction?

Discussion Point 3: Actions to Ensure the Team Feels Valued and Engaged

• Team Building Activities: Organize team-building exercises that are low-cost but effective in fostering camaraderie and teamwork. Activities could include virtual game nights, team challenges, or group workouts.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Establish a clear system for providing and receiving feedback. This helps in making employees feel that their opinions are valued and considered in decision-making.
• Work-Life Balance: Encourage a healthy work-life balance by advocating for and respecting personal time, which can help reduce burnout and absenteeism.
• What role does team culture play in maintaining motivation during tough times?
• How can regular feedback and active listening make a team feel more valued?
• Motivation Workshop: Participants can brainstorm and share cost-effective motivational strategies that have worked in their own experiences. This can then be developed into a “best practices” list that everyone can take away from the session.
• Personal Reflection and Peer Learning: Encourage participants to reflect on times when they felt demotivated and discuss what could have helped them feel more engaged and valued.

Scenario 5: Ethical Dilemma

Context: You discover that a highly successful project manager has been falsifying reports to make their projects appear more successful than they actually are. Addressing this could mean losing a valuable employee and potentially harming the company’s reputation.

• How would you handle this situation?
• What steps would you take to address the falsification issue without causing unnecessary harm to the employee or the company?
• How can you prevent such ethical issues in the future?

Discussion Point 1: Handling the Situation

• Immediate Action: Assess the extent of the falsification and its impact on the company. Immediate action is required to prevent further damage.
• Confidential Investigation: Conduct a confidential investigation to gather all facts before making any decisions. This ensures fairness and accuracy.
• Communication with the Project Manager: Speak directly and privately with the project manager to hear their side of the story. This is crucial for maintaining fairness and understanding their motives.
• How do you balance the need for immediate action with the right to due process for the employee?
• What are the key factors to consider when deciding how to address this with the employee and other stakeholders?

Discussion Point 2: Addressing the Falsification Issue

• Corrective Actions: Depending on the findings, actions may range from formal reprimands and monitoring to dismissal if warranted by the severity of the misconduct.
• Transparency with Stakeholders: Decide how much to disclose to other team members and stakeholders. It’s important to maintain trust while also protecting the privacy and dignity of the individuals involved.
• Restorative Steps: Ensure that any project outcomes affected by the falsification are corrected and clients or stakeholders are informed if necessary.
• What are effective ways to minimize damage to both the employee’s career and the company’s reputation?
• How can you ensure that the response is proportionate to the severity of the falsification?

Discussion Point 3: Preventing Ethical Issues in the Future

• Ethical Training: Implement regular ethical training for all employees, emphasizing the importance of honesty and transparency.
• Review of Policies and Controls: Review and strengthen internal controls and audit processes to prevent similar issues.
• Culture of Integrity: Foster an organizational culture that encourages ethical behavior and makes it easy for employees to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.
• How can leaders cultivate an ethical workplace culture that discourages such behavior?
• What systems can be put in place to detect and address ethical breaches early?
• Role-Playing Exercise: Participants can role-play various roles (the leader, the project manager, a team member) to explore different perspectives on the issue and potential responses.
• Personal Reflection and Peer Learning: Encourage participants to share experiences where they dealt with ethical dilemmas and discuss the outcomes and lessons learned.

These scenarios can be used to facilitate discussions that help develop critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and effective leadership strategies among participants.

Exploring leadership scenarios provides invaluable insights into the complexities of managing teams , making strategic decisions, and upholding ethical standards in professional environments. By engaging with these examples, leaders can better anticipate challenges, reflect on their own leadership approaches, and enhance their ability to guide their teams through the uncertainties of the corporate world. These scenarios serve as a versatile tool in leadership training, promoting critical thinking, empathy, and resilience—qualities essential for any effective leader. As the landscape of work continues to evolve, the ability to adapt and learn from such discussions will undoubtedly mark the difference between a good leader and a great one.

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This Is What It Means to Lead

The five practices of exemplary leadership ® model.

Leadership is not about personality; it’s about behavior—an observable set of skills and abilities. When the co-authors of The Leadership Challenge , Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, first set out to discover what effective leaders do when they’re at their personal best, they collected thousands of stories from ordinary people—the moments they recalled when asked to think of a peak leadership experience. Despite differences in culture, gender, age, and other variables, these “personal best” stories revealed similar patterns of behavior. The authors discovered that when leaders experience their personal best, they display five core practices: they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart. Jim and Barry called these behaviors The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership ® . Together, these practices provide the basis for The Leadership Challenge ® .

Model the Way

Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers alike) should be treated and the way they should pursue goals. Leaders create standards of excellence and set an example for others to follow. They put up signposts when people feel unsure of where to go or how to get there. Leaders create opportunities for victory. Learn More

Inspire a Shared Vision

Leaders passionately believe they can make a difference. They envision the future and create an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. Through their magnetism and persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future. Learn More

Challenge the Process

Leaders search for opportunities to change the status quo. They look for innovative ways to improve the organization. In doing so, they experiment and take risks. Since complex change threatens to overwhelm people and stifle action, leaders set interim goals so that people can achieve small wins as they work toward larger objectives. Effective leaders unravel bureaucracy when it impedes action. And, because leaders know that taking risks involves mistakes and failures, they accept occasional disappointments as opportunities to learn. Learn More

Enable Others to Act

Leaders foster collaboration and build spirited teams. They actively involve others. Leaders understand that mutual respect sustains extraordinary efforts. They strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity. They strengthen others, making each person feel capable and powerful. Learn More

Encourage the Heart

Accomplishing extraordinary things in organizations is hard work. To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognize the contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate accomplishments. They make people feel like heroes. Learn More

Three decades after Jim and Barry conducted their initial research, The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model continues to prove its effectiveness as a clear, evidence-based path to achieving the extraordinary—for individuals, teams, organizations, students, educators, and communities. It turns the abstract concept of leadership into easy-to-grasp practices and behaviors that can be taught and learned by anyone willing to step up and accept the challenge to lead. The LPI ® : Leadership Practices Inventory ® —one of the most widely used leadership assessments in the world—provides feedback that leaders can use to adopt and strengthen leadership behaviors. Ongoing studies consistently confirm that The Five Practices and the LPI assessment positively relate to both the effectiveness of leaders and the level of commitment, engagement, and satisfaction of those they lead.

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Case Studies of Exemplary Leaders

• December 28, 2023

Discover the inspiring stories of exemplary leaders who have significantly impacted through their visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to driving change. These remarkable individuals have left a lasting legacy in their respective fields, transcending borders and industries. Explore their extraordinary journeys and gain valuable insights into the effective leadership practices and timeless principles that have guided their success.

Barack Obama , the 44th President of the United States, is known for his distinct leadership style characterized by charisma, inclusivity, collaboration, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to service. His pragmatic approach to problem-solving made him a notable figure in contemporary leadership, marked by his ability to inspire and connect with people through his influential and eloquent speeches. 

He successfully used his oratory skills to articulate a compelling vision, motivate the masses, and foster a sense of hope and unity. Furthermore, he emphasized inclusivity and diversity in his leadership approach, seeking to bring people from different backgrounds and perspectives together, promoting a sense of belonging and unity. His collaborative approach bridged political divides and opened dialogue, negotiation, and compromise to address complex challenges. 

Obama’s calm and composed demeanour under pressure contributed to his capacity to make thorough decisions. His focus on service to others and empathy showcased his compassion towards those facing hardship and his commitment to addressing social and economic inequalities. Obama recognized the power of technology and applied it to engage with the public, fostering transparency and accessibility through digital platforms— Obama’s high level of intelligence garners broad recognition for its sharpness, depth, and sheer brilliance.

Justin Trudeau, his leadership as the Prime Minister of Canada marks his commitment to progressive policies. He has been a staunch advocate for addressing the urgent issue of climate change, implementing a national carbon pricing policy and prioritizing a transition towards a greener economy. Additionally, Trudeau’s government has championed gender equality, promoting inclusivity in government and society by appointing a gender-balanced cabinet and taking steps to ensure diversity. His progressive stance on these issues has garnered attention both nationally and internationally.

In 2015, he made a compassionate pledge to welcome refugees into Canada regardless of ethnicity or faith. This approach showcased Canada’s commitment to humanitarian values and demonstrated leadership in fostering an inclusive society. Trudeau’s emphasis on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples has been a core component of his leadership. He has addressed historical injustices and invested in improving Indigenous education, healthcare, and infrastructure. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudeau demonstrated clear communication, transparent decision-making, unity, resilience, and trust. His strong leadership has primarily contributed to Canada’s economic growth and recovery.

Tonya Williams is an accomplished leader who has significantly contributed to the entertainment industry, particularly in Canada. Williams is the founder and executive director of the Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Foundation. Her dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion in the media has profoundly impacted Canadian film and television.

Williams’ leadership and vision transformed the Reelworld Film Festival into a highly regarded event that celebrates diversity, fosters dialogue, and inspires future generations of filmmakers. Williams has created opportunities for individuals to build a more inclusive and equitable entertainment industry in Canada. The foundation provides mentorship, training, and resources to help artists navigate the industry and overcome barriers to entry.

She exemplifies her relentless commitment to amplifying marginalized voices and advocating diversity in film and television. Her unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive industry has left an indelible mark, inspiring others to challenge the status quo and work towards a more equitable future in the entertainment world.

Angela Merkel , the former Chancellor of Germany, is widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential and respected leaders. Pragmatism, strong analytical skills, and a commitment to democratic values characterize her leadership style. Merkel’s leadership during crises, such as the Eurozone debt and refugee crises, demonstrated her steady and pragmatic approach. She sought consensus, built coalitions, found practical solutions, and emphasized the importance of unity and stability. 

Her ability to navigate political landscapes and find common ground is a hallmark of her pragmatic leadership style. She balances competing interests, builds consensus, and compromises to achieve practical outcomes. Her resilience and stability provide a sense of continuity during turbulent times. Merkel’s leadership is deeply committed to democratic values, human rights, and international cooperation. She advocates for multilateralism, global collaboration, and the European Union, fostering dialogue among nations.

Masai Ujiri plays a crucial leadership role in the basketball community in Canada. Ujiri’s tenure as the President of the Toronto Raptors, a professional basketball team in the NBA, has been particularly noteworthy. Before his time with the Raptors, Ujiri gained recognition as the General Manager of the Denver Nuggets, where he showcased his talent evaluation skills and helped elevate the team’s standing in the Western Conference.

Under his leadership, the team experienced unprecedented success, culminating in the historic 2019 NBA Championship, the first-ever for a Canadian franchise. Ujiri’s strategic decision-making and ability to assemble a championship-calibre roster were pivotal in the team’s achievements. His leadership illustrated a dogged pursuit of excellence and has garnered immense respect in the basketball community. Ujiri’s influence extends beyond the court. 

He is known for his commitment to social justice and community development through his foundation, Giants of Africa, making him an influential figure in Canada and globally.

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

These case studies and examples of good leadership highlight each leader’s unique characteristics and approaches that have positively impacted their organizations and communities. Through their leadership, these individuals have inspired others, driven innovation and growth, fostered inclusive and supportive cultures, and navigated through challenges with resilience and empathy. 

Jennifer Williams | Editor-in-Chief

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32 Powerful leadership activities & games for your team

Don’t let the word “game” and “activities” in the title put you off; they’re serious business when it comes to developing leadership skills. They offer a hands-on approach to learning by giving participants the chance to practice their skills, or improve their skills, in real-world scenarios. Who knows, you might just discover a natural-born leader among your team members.

What are the benefits of a leadership activity?

Try to see leadership games and activities as an opportunity for your employees to flex their leadership muscles and develop critical skills that will benefit your company in the long run. Think of it like a group workout session, but instead of building physical strength, your team builds essential leadership skills like communication, delegation, and problem-solving. 

Not only are they beneficial for your team, they’re also an excellent chance to show that you’re not the scary, stereotypical boss that has been etched into the minds of many employees for decades. By taking part in these types of games and activities, you show that you are a dedicated part of the squad. 

Let us take you on a journey through 32 of the best leadership games and activities . We hope to inspire you! ‍

1. Marshmallow Challenge

Instructions:

• Gather your team in a designated workspace with a flat surface.
• Distribute spaghetti, tape, and a marshmallow to each team.
• Explain the objective: Build the tallest freestanding structure using the materials, with the marshmallow on top.
• Set a time limit and encourage planning before construction.
• Emphasize collaboration, effective communication, and leveraging strengths.
• Encourage creativity and experimentation with different construction techniques.
• Measure the height of each tower once the time is up. Tallest wins! ‍

Forget about eating marshmallows - now it's all about constructing with them! This game encourages your team to think outside the box , unleash their creativity, and work collaboratively. Balancing the weight of the marshmallow requires strategic planning and efficient teamwork. Plus, it's a chance to see if your tower can withstand the "sticky" situations that leadership often entails. ‍

2. Leadership TED Talks

Instructions: Watch inspiring TED Talks on leadership and engage in discussions about the insights and lessons shared.

TED Talks are like nuggets of wisdom served on a silver platter. This game brings leaders face-to-face with captivating speakers who share their leadership journeys, insights, and lessons learned. It sparks thought-provoking conversations, broadens perspectives, and ignites inspiration. By exploring diverse voices and ideas, leaders gain fresh perspectives and unlock new possibilities on their own leadership path. ‍

3. Leadership Quotes

• Share inspiring leadership quotes and allow people to individually reflect on their meaning.
• Make sure you are the one to lead a lively group discussion around the quotes and their relevance to leadership.
• Encourage people to share personal experiences related to the themes expressed in the quotes.
• Foster an inclusive environment for exploring different perspectives and insights.
• Summarize key takeaways and encourage people to apply the wisdom gained to their leadership journey.
• Provide resources for further exploration of leadership quotes and their authors. ‍

Who says leadership can't be profound and thought-provoking? This game sparks intellectual conversations and encourages your team to explore different perspectives. By diving into the wisdom of great minds, they'll gain new insights, expand their horizons, and ignite their leadership spark. ‍

4. The Meeting (Game)

• Choose a leader and participants for the meeting.
• Assign roles to each participant: a presenter, a skeptic, a supporter, and a neutral observer.
• The presenter will give a presentation on a topic related to the company, while the skeptic will challenge their arguments and the supporter will defend them. The neutral observer will take notes and provide feedback after the meeting.
• The leader will moderate the discussion and ensure that all participants have equal opportunities to speak.
• The goal of the meeting is to reach a consensus or agreement on the topic presented by the presenter.
• After the meeting, the neutral observer will provide feedback to the presenter and the group on their performance and the effectiveness of the discussion.  ‍

This role-playing game is the perfect opportunity show your team’s leadership skills in a fun and engaging way. With the help of their team-mates, they will learn how to moderate discussions, manage conflicting opinions, and reach a consensus. Plus, with the feedback from the neutral observer, they will receive valuable insights on how to improve their performance. So, grab that gavel, and let's get down to business! ‍

5. Trust Fall

• Gather your team in an open space, free from obstacles.
• Explain the objective: to build trust and reliance on each other.
• Form pairs: one person as the "faller" and the other as the "catcher."
• Instruct fallers to stand tall with eyes closed and arms crossed, while catchers position themselves behind them.
• Emphasize trust and encourage fallers to let go, fall backwards, and trust their catchers. ‍

Just like a daring leader, this game builds trust and shows that you're willing to rely on your team. By taking the plunge and falling back, you demonstrate vulnerability and foster a sense of security within your group. ‍

6. Blindfolded Obstacle Course

• Choose a team member to be blindfolded.
• Set up an obstacle course with various obstacles such as chairs, cones, and ropes.
• The team members who are not blindfolded should stand around the obstacle course and guide the blindfolded member through it using only verbal instructions.
• The blindfolded member must rely on the instructions given by their teammates and navigate through the course.
• If the blindfolded member touches an obstacle, they must start over from the beginning.
• Switch roles so that each team member has a chance to be blindfolded. ‍

Blindfolded leadership? Sounds like a metaphor, but it's an actual game! By relying on effective communication and trust, team members learn to guide their team members through the dark and unpredictable paths of life. This game highlights the importance of clear instructions, active listening, and building trust within a team.

If you enjoyed this team communication game, make sure to check out our blog on 33 of the best team communication games for more inspiration! ‍

7. Egg Drop

• Divide into teams and provide each team with materials such as newspaper, tape, straws, and plastic bags. 
• Provide each team with an egg that they will need to protect from breaking when dropped from a height. 
• Set a time limit for teams to build their contraptions. 
• Once the contraptions are built, take turns dropping each team's egg from a predetermined height. 
• If the egg breaks, the team is eliminated. 
• The team with the egg that survives the longest drop without breaking is the winner. ‍

This game challenges to think critically, innovate, and find unconventional solutions. Just like protecting an egg requires careful planning and ingenuity, leading a team through difficult situations demands resourcefulness and the ability to adapt. It's a game that cracks open your problem-solving skills and brings out the leader who can handle even the most delicate situations. ‍

8. Dotmocracy 

Dotmocracy is a decision-making task that involves participants placing dots or stickers on options or ideas to indicate their preferences. It is also referred to as dot voting or sticker voting.

• Clearly define the decision or topic that requires input from the participants. It could be anything from choosing a new office layout to selecting a team-building activity.
• Compile a list of options or ideas related to the decision. Make sure each option is concise and clearly understandable. Write them down on a large display, whiteboard, or chart paper.
• Provide each participant with a predetermined number of dot stickers. 
• Briefly explain the voting guidelines. Let participants know they can distribute their dots among the options in any way they prefer. They can place multiple dots on a single option or spread them across different options, depending on their preferences.
• Give participants time to place their dots on the options. Encourage them to think critically and consider their own perspectives.
• Once the voting phase is complete identify the options with the highest number of dots as the most favored choices.
• Engage the participants in a discussion based on the results. Encourage them to share their thoughts, perspectives, and reasons for their choices.  ‍

Dotmocracy is the game that's more than just sticking dots, It's a powerhouse for developing leadership skills in the office. Giving everyone a voice and a handful of stickers transforms quiet cubicle dwellers into confident decision-makers. Employees will also learn to assert their preferences, negotiate, and strategize; factors that are necessary for improving leadership skills. ‍

9. Tower Building

Instructions: 

• Divide players into teams.
• Provide each team with a set of materials such as blocks, cards, straws, cups, and tape.
• Set a time limit of 10-15 minutes for the teams to build the tallest tower.
• Ensure that each team follows the same rules and uses the same materials.
• Once the time is up, measure the height of each tower and declare the winner.
• Discuss the strategies used by each team and how they could improve in future rounds.
• Repeat the game with different materials or variations to continue challenging the players' leadership skills. ‍

This game unleashes potential leaders' creativity, teamwork, and strategic thinking. Just like a tower, leadership requires a solid foundation, balance, and the ability to reach new heights. It challenges leaders to allocate resources efficiently, communicate effectively, and inspire their team to elevate their performance.  ‍

10. Leadership Styles Quiz

Instructions:  

• Begin by researching and finding a leadership style quiz on the internet.
• Allow your team to read through the questions and ask them to choose the answer that best reflects their leadership approach.
• Once they have completed the quiz, review their results and take note of their leadership style.
• Engage in a group discussion about the different leadership styles and how they can be applied in various situations.
• Share insights on how to adapt leadership style to different scenarios.
• Encourage open communication and active listening during the discussion. ‍

Who doesn't love personality quizzes? This activity helps team members to understand their unique leadership style and explore different approaches. By delving into the nuances of leadership styles, you'll gain self-awareness and learn how to adapt your style to different situations. It's like discovering your leadership superpower and unleashing it to save the day! ‍

11. Scavenger Hunt

• Divide people into teams of 4-6 people.
• Provide each team with a list of clues and challenges related to leadership.
• Each team must work together to solve the clues and complete the challenges.
• The clues may lead to different locations or objects that the teams must find.
• Some challenges may require physical tasks, while others may require problem-solving or critical thinking.
• The first team to complete all the challenges and return to the starting point wins. ‍

This game combines adventure, teamwork, and strategic thinking. You and your team embark on an exciting journey to uncover clues, solve riddles, and complete challenges. It fosters collaboration, communication, and quick thinking—all crucial elements of effective leadership.  ‍

12. Leadership Guest Speaker

Invite a guest speaker with leadership experience to share insights and engage in a Q&A session.

Sometimes, wisdom comes in the form of a guest speaker. This activity brings potential leaders face-to-face with experienced professionals who can share valuable insights and inspire greatness. The guest speaker's stories, advice, and lessons learned provide a fresh perspective on leadership. It's an opportunity to learn from the best, ask burning questions, and gain wisdom that can shape your team’s leadership journey. ‍

13. Leadership Case Studies

• Gather your team.
• Choose real-life leadership case studies to present.
• Start discussions on how the leadership challenges could have been handled differently.
• Encourage critical thinking and analyze different perspectives.
• Refine your team's problem-solving skills by dissecting the scenarios presented. ‍

3 Real-life leadership examples:

• Elon Musk and Tesla: Analyze Musk's leadership at Tesla, focusing on his visionary style, innovation in the electric vehicle industry, and overcoming challenges to motivate the team.
• Indra Nooyi and PepsiCo: Examine Nooyi's leadership at PepsiCo, emphasizing sustainability, diversity, brand diversification, and her ability to navigate a multinational corporation.
• Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19: Analyze Ardern's leadership during the pandemic, evaluating her communication, empathy, and decisive actions in effectively leading New Zealand through the crisis. ‍

This game immerses your squad in compelling case studies that delve into complex leadership challenges. By dissecting these scenarios, your team members develop critical thinking, analyze different perspectives, and refine their problem-solving skills. It's like stepping into the shoes of renowned leaders and unraveling the mysteries of effective leadership.  ‍

14. Networking Activity

Instructions: Arrange a networking session where people practice their networking skills and build connections with others.

Networking is a vital skill for any working team, and this game provides the perfect platform to sharpen it. Engage in meaningful conversations, exchange ideas, and establish valuable connections. It cultivates communication, relationship-building, and the art of influencing—a trifecta of leadership prowess.  ‍

15. Conflict Resolution Simulation

Instructions: Assign people different roles in a simulated conflict and guide them through the resolution process.

Conflict can be as thrilling as an action movie—minus the explosions, of course. This game plunges your team members into the heart of the conflict, challenging them to navigate through choppy waters. It develops crucial skills such as empathy, active listening, negotiation, and finding win-win solutions. Team members emerge stronger, with the ability to transform conflicts into opportunities for growth.  ‍

16. Cinematic Leadership Video Analysis

Instructions: Watch movie scenes showcasing different leadership styles and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

Movie scenes showcasing great leadership skills:

• "Braveheart" (1995), Scene: The Battle Speech - William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) delivers a rousing speech to his army, inspiring courage, unity, and purpose. He rallies his troops, showcasing strong leadership skills.
• "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003), Scene: Aragorn's Coronation - Aragorn (played by Viggo Mortensen) accepts his destiny as the rightful king, demonstrating humility, wisdom, and selflessness. He inspires hope and unites the people against evil.
• "Remember the Titans" (2000), Scene: Team Integration - Coach Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) takes charge of a racially divided football team. He demands respect, breaks down barriers, and fosters unity, displaying strong leadership skills. ‍

This activity takes your team on a cinematic journey, exploring various leadership styles through video analysis. It fosters critical thinking, observation, and the ability to identify effective leadership behaviors. By studying on-screen leaders, you'll expand your team’s leadership repertoire and discover new strategies.  ‍

17. Personal Leadership Vision

Instructions: Have people create and present their personal leadership vision statements, outlining their values and goals.

This game invites your team to introspect, reflect, and articulate their personal leadership vision. It helps define the leader they aspire to be, clarifies their values, and sets a course for their leadership journey. With a compelling vision statement, you'll inspire others, align actions with purpose, and navigate the leadership landscape with clarity.  ‍

18. Escape Rooms

Escape room games in the office are essentially leadership boot camps by promoting must-have leadership skills. They will challenge your staff to make quick decisions, delegate tasks and communicate effectively under pressure.

They’re easy to convert from the traditional ‘escape rooms’ to the office setting too! Instructions:

• Create a compelling theme or storyline for the office-based escape room. It could revolve around a corporate mystery, a time-sensitive task, or a workplace-related challenge that needs to be solved.
• Identify a specific area or multiple rooms within the office that can be transformed into the escape room setting. Decorate the space(s) accordingly to match the theme and storyline, incorporating puzzles, clues, and props.
• Divide employees into teams, ensuring a mix of skills and departments. Encourage cross-functional collaboration and diversity within each group.
• Establish a time limit for each team to escape or solve the challenge. Clearly communicate the rules, including any limitations or restrictions, to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all participants.
• Design a series of puzzles, riddles, codes, or tasks that teams must solve within the designated time. Incorporate office-related elements to make the challenges relevant and engaging. Consider using technology, hidden compartments, or interactive elements to enhance the experience.
• Offer teams a limited number of clues or hints they can use when they encounter difficulty. This ensures they don't get stuck for too long and maintains the momentum of the game.
• After the game, gather all teams for a debriefing session. Encourage participants to share their experiences, lessons learned, and insights gained during the escape room challenge. Discuss teamwork strategies, problem-solving approaches, and any innovative solutions that emerged. ‍

For more inspiring team building games or ideas. make sure to check out our 50 awesome team building activities , They might just give you the inspiration for your next amazing team building day . ‍

19. Feedback and Reflection

Instructions: Engage in feedback sessions where leaders give and receive constructive feedback on their leadership behaviors and actions.

This activity emphasizes the importance of feedback in leadership growth. Your team members learn to give and receive feedback gracefully, cultivating a culture of continuous improvement. Constructive feedback helps your team to identify blind spots, recognize their strengths, and refine their leadership style. ‍

20. Team Bonding Activities

Instructions: Engage in activities like team lunches, outdoor adventures, or team-building games to foster connections among team members . 

A cohesive team is the secret sauce of outstanding leadership. Team bonding activities create a sense of belonging, strengthen relationships, and boost team morale. They allow leaders to create a positive and inclusive team culture , where individuals feel valued and supported. Whether you're sharing a meal, conquering an obstacle course, or laughing through team games, these activities create bonds that propel your team to achieve greatness.

For more ideas and inspiration, head over to our blog that contains a whopping 25 team bonding activity ideas ! ‍

21. Human Knot

• Gather your team in a circle, ensuring everyone can hold hands with two others.
• Explain the objective: to untangle the human knot without letting go of hands.
• Instruct people to hold hands with two different people across the circle, avoiding those beside them.
• Challenge them to communicate, work together, and find pathways to untangle the knot while maintaining hand contact.
• Celebrate success or set a time limit for added challenge. Debrief on communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. ‍

This game ties you up in knots, quite literally! It challenges your team to communicate effectively, think creatively, and solve problems collaboratively. Leading your team towards success requires untangling complexities, and this game helps develop those skills while providing a few laughs. ‍

22. Values Alignment Exercise

Instructions: Have leaders identify and articulate their core values and engage in discussions on aligning their values with their leadership actions.

Values are the compass that guides leaders on their journey. This game allows your team to delve deep into their core values, identify what matters most, and align their leadership actions accordingly. It creates self-awareness, strengthens authenticity, and fosters integrity in leadership.  ‍

23. Leadership Book Club

Instructions: Read and discuss leadership books together, sharing insights and key takeaways from the readings.

A leadership book club provides an opportunity to dive into the wisdom of renowned authors, explore different leadership philosophies, and learn from the experiences of others. It sparks intellectual discussions, expands knowledge, and ignites inspiration. By delving into these books together, leaders cultivate a culture of continuous learning and feed their hunger for leadership excellence. ‍

24. Leadership Panel Discussion

Instructions: Organize a panel discussion with leaders from various backgrounds and industries, addressing leadership topics and answering questions.

Ready to enter the leadership spotlight? A panel discussion gathers leaders with diverse experiences, expertise, and perspectives to share their wisdom. It's a platform for thought-provoking discussions, dynamic exchanges, and gaining insights from successful leaders. By participating in the panel and asking burning questions, your team can expand their horizons, challenge their assumptions, and elevate their leadership acumen. ‍

25. Leadership Role Models

Instructions: Have leaders research and present on their chosen leadership role models, highlighting their qualities and impact.

Role models inspire and guide leaders on their journey. This game encourages leaders to explore the lives and accomplishments of influential leaders. By studying their role models, leaders gain insights into exemplary leadership traits and behaviors. It fosters inspiration, sets a benchmark for excellence, and allows leaders to learn from the best. Dive into the world of leadership icons, discover the secrets of their success, and let their legacies shape your own leadership path. ‍

26. Mind Mapping Challenge

• Gather your team and divide into groups 
• Provide people with blank paper and colored markers.
• Introduce the goal or challenge and set a time limit.
• Encourage people to share ideas and connect them using branches or lines.
• Use colors, codes, and symbols to emphasize key concepts or action steps.
• Have the group collaborate to create a comprehensive map.
• Discuss and analyze the different strategies and identify common themes or priorities.
• Present and explain individual or group mind maps.
• Summarize insights gained, decisions made, and next steps to implement ideas. ‍

Minds, maps, and leadership magic! Mind mapping exercises stimulate creativity, strategic thinking, and clarity of vision. Your team members unleash their imagination, connecting ideas, goals, and action steps in a visual format. It helps organize thoughts, identify priorities, and communicate plans effectively.  ‍

27. Appreciation Circle

Instructions: Create a space for leaders to express appreciation for each other's contributions and strengths.

Gratitude is the secret ingredient of exceptional leadership. The appreciation circle allows your team to acknowledge and celebrate the strengths and achievements of their coworkers. It creates a positive and uplifting environment, fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition. By expressing gratitude , leaders build stronger relationships, boost team morale , and inspire their team to give their best. Gather in a circle, shower each other with praise, and watch your leadership bonds grow stronger. ‍

28. Reverse Mentoring

Instructions: Pair people with different levels of experience in a reverse mentoring relationship. The less experienced individuals mentor the more experienced ones, sharing fresh perspectives and knowledge.

It's like flipping the leadership script and giving the underdogs a chance to teach the old dogs some new tricks. By pairing less experienced individuals with seasoned leaders, reverse mentoring unleashes a whirlwind of fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and the wisdom of youth. It's a leadership shake-up that challenges status quo and ignites mutual learning, making it a win-win for all involved. Perhaps consider involving yourself in this activity and allowing a newbie to mentor you. You never know, you could be mentored by the rising stars of tomorrow! ‍

29. Leadership Cultural Exchange

• Divide people into small groups representing different cultures or countries.
• Encourage each group to share their cultural values, leadership practices, and challenges. Emphasize the importance of open-mindedness, respect, and active listening.
• Allow time for each group to ask questions and learn from one another.
• Encourage people to take note of key insights and learnings. ‍

By diving into diverse cultures and sharing insights, this game unearths hidden gems of wisdom from around the world. Discover unique leadership practices, tackle cross-cultural challenges, and become a culturally savvy leader. Buckle up for a leadership journey that transcends borders and unlocks a treasure trove of intercultural leadership know-how.  ‍

30. Leadership Legacy Project

• Explain that people will be creating a fictional project that leaves a positive impact on their community or organization.
• Set a timeframe for the project and establish any rules or guidelines people need to follow.
• Encourage people to brainstorm ideas for their project, and to think about what skills and resources they have to work with.
• Once people have settled on a project idea, have them plan their approach, including tasks, timelines, and resources needed.
• people should work on executing their project, while keeping track of progress and making adjustments as needed.
• When the project is complete, have people take time to reflect on what they learned and how their leadership skills developed throughout the project. ‍

This activity isn't just about leaving a lasting legacy, it's about building one too. By working on a project that benefits their community or organization, people learn how to lead with purpose and impact. It's a chance to test their leadership skills in the real world, get their hands dirty, and make a difference. Plus, reflecting on the journey helps them grow as leaders and creates a ripple effect of positive change. It's leadership that pays it forward! ‍

31. Lead the way

‍ Instructions:

• Divide participants into small groups of 4-6 people.
• Explain the game's purpose: Explore leadership qualities and promote collaboration .
• Set the scenario: Stranded on a deserted island, reach a designated rescue point within a time limit.
• Provide teams with whiteboards, markers, and roles (Leader, Communicator, Problem Solver, Timekeeper, Recorder).
• Present challenges related to survival, discuss strategies, and have teams present solutions. ‍

This game is an awesome Icebreaker that encourages leadership skills to be developed. It throws participants into a stranded island scenario where they must navigate challenges and reach rescue. By assigning specific roles and promoting collaboration, it unveils individuals' leadership qualities. Teams strategize, communicate, problem-solve, and make decisions under pressure. Conflicts may arise, but they're resolved through teamwork. It's a crash course in leadership, where participants learn and grow while having a thrilling time. 

If you enjoyed this particular ice-breaker, make sure to check out our blog on large group ice-breaking activities ! ‍

32. The Leadership Jigsaw Puzzle

• Divide participants into teams of 4-6 with puzzles and workspace.
• Teams solve the puzzle within a specified time, demonstrating leadership skills.
• Assign the role of ‘team leader’ and allow them to oversee progress.
• Set a time limit for completion, emphasizing collaboration and effective communication.
• Debrief and discuss team approaches, leadership qualities, challenges, and strategies.
• Reflect on individual and collective leadership skills, share insights and lessons. ‍

This game is no ordinary puzzle-solving extravaganza. It challenges teams to collaborate, communicate, and showcase their leadership prowess. By assigning team leaders, setting time limits, and emphasizing effective problem-solving, this game hones their ability to guide and bring out the best in your team. So grab your puzzle pieces and get ready to unlock your team’s inner leadership maestro in a fun and engaging way.

So there we have it, 32 of the best games and activities that promote and grow leadership qualities.

But you may be asking yourself, “In what setting can I carry out these games and activities?”, and this would be a great question to ask!  ‍

What’s the best setting for leadership activities?   

Of course, the vast majority of these games are designed for the office setting, no matter how small or big your office is! However, if you really want to experience the best from your team, we couldn’t recommend getting away from the office enough. Break the monotony of the 9-5 and watch the results pour in. Let us explain.

Take this scenario as an example: We’re in the UK, a dreary morning greets your team as they trickle into the office, late due to vile weather outside. You've planned a leadership activity to kick off the day, but the tired groans seem to indicate that they aren’t all that thrilled with your idea.

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Matt Garris

Above the Fray & Beneath the Surface

• Mar 12, 2021
• 11 min read

Case Studies in Change Leadership

The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework.

At its essence, leadership is a change-focused enterprise. Leaders influence others to change. While this influence takes place at various levels and through diverse means, change is always the common denominator. Change is the distinguishing feature of leadership. History contains accounts of strong leaders, both good and bad, and weak leaders. The chronicles of the exploits of these leaders fill archives and libraries—those who have made changes that drastically improved the human condition, those who caused others to suffer, and those who history remembers only for the opportunities they squandered. These types of leaders existed throughout human history, from ancient times through the present day. For instance, World War II had good leaders like Eisenhower and Nimitz, bad leaders like Hitler and Mussolini, and weak leaders like Neville Chamberlain. The Bible tells numerous stories of good leaders like Joseph, bad leaders like Nebuchadnezzer, and weak leaders like Adam. Merida also recounted stories of all these leadership types, including the weak leadership of King Ahab, the bad leadership of Queen Jezebel, and the good leadership of King Josiah.

If the adage is true that history repeats itself, then it is vital for modern leaders to learn from the legacies of those who have preceded them. They must be able to identify those characteristics that distinguish good leaders from bad ones and strong leaders from weak ones. Aspiring leaders must know how to replicate good leadership traits and avoid evil ones. Because leaders are constantly effecting transformation, they operate within a moral imperative of making sure they are making the right changes. These changes should maximize the good they achieve while minimizing any negative impacts. This paper serves the goal of learning from others’ leadership through the identification of current best practices in leading organizational change and studying the examples of other organizational leaders from various contexts.

Best Practices

Experts have written countless volumes on the best practices of leadership. Ecclesiastes 12:12 (NKJV) admonishes readers that “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.” While it is therefore impossible to exhaustively catalogue the best practices of organizational change leadership, the following four main tactics will serve all leaders well: implement necessary changes, begin with the end in mind, rally the troops, and anchor the changes.

Implement Necessary Changes

Kotter stated that establishing a sense of urgency was the first step in achieving significant organizational change. He added that “establishing a sense of urgency is crucial to gaining needed cooperation.” Unfortunately, many leaders struggle to generate the urgency their initiatives require because they either implement changes that are not necessary or fail to implement those changes that are. Thus, a good starting point for any leader is to determine which changes are necessary. This is important because it is nearly impossible to establish a sense of urgency around an unnecessary change.

While applying Kotter’s eight steps to manage change in the United Kingdom’s Integrated Offender Management program, King et al. found that “not all partners had ‘bought into’ the philosophy and objectives of the schemes” because the initiatives did not seem necessary to multiple different agencies in the criminal justice community. This belief highlights how important it is for leaders to choose to implement necessary changes. Kotter stated that “People will find a thousand ingenious ways to withhold cooperation from a process they think is unnecessary or wrongheaded.

Graamans et al. presented another example of this withheld cooperation in their study of a failed attempt to change the brand of suture in a Dutch hospital. They found that cardiothoracic surgeons “adamantly refused to work with the suture…, …stockpil[ed] their own supplies of surgical suture…, …[and threatened to hold] managers accountable for patient deaths that could arise from use of the new suture.” Why were the surgeons so opposed to new suture? They believed that it presented a danger to patient health outcomes. In other words, what was a dollars and cents issue to the hospital management was a life and death issue to the surgeons. The hospital management tried to make this unnecessary change and it ultimately failed. Leaders must make those changes which are necessary and avoid making those which are not.

Begin with the End in Mind

Covey famously articulated this next best practice for change leaders as the second of his seven steps, “Begin with the end in mind.” Covey further explained, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going… …so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” Covey suggested that leaders ask themselves, “What are the things I want to accomplish?” Kotter echoed this sentiment in the third stage of his eight-step process, “Develop a vision and strategy.” Essentially, leaders must know where they are leading the organization. They must have a clear vision of the desired outcome and know the paths that will lead to it. Watts explained, “Defining specific outcomes is an effective way to create actionable goals that… …focus on those whom the initiative is intended to support.” Watts added that “defining outcomes can assist in… …solidifying group buy-in to help move the project forward.” Watts understood the importance of having a clearly defined destination. Effective leaders must begin with the end in mind.

Rally the Troops

Another best practice of change leaders is to get people united around the leader’s vision for the organization. Two of Kotter’s steps—creating the guiding coalition and communicating the change vision—are in keeping with this best practice. Grenny et al. suggested that those who want to lead others should “engage all six sources of influence.” These sources of influence include personal motivation, personal ability, social motivation, social ability, structural motivation, and structural ability. While there are many ways which leaders may employ to draw people to their causes, most of them involve some form of communication. In Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV), God says to “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” Clearly articulating the change vision is critical to the leader’s success.

Watts stated that “If the team knows where they are headed, all the members can steer in the same direction.” Similarly, Muthusamy made the following recommendation: “Managers and leaders should employ collaborative and consensus-building socio-linguistic jargons… [because] …sharing positive communication is central to the creation, sustenance and achieving organizational transformation. Thus, the process of creating, acquiring, articulating, sharing inspiration and knowledge through positive maxims and metaphors is a core organizational capability for modern management. If managers and leaders enact the words they articulate, organizations can realize the mission and goals that seem impossible.” Hemme et al. also emphasized the importance of language in communicating the vision: “We argue for more deliberately crafted change messages that emphasize some aspects over others under consideration of change recipients’ specific change concerns and context. Whereas some readiness beliefs need to be addressed clearly and deliberately early on, others can be affected more easily at later points during the change initiative. Specifically, change recipients need to be convinced that the proposed changes are in fact suitable to engender significant organizational benefits – otherwise all other efforts to affect other change-related attitudes appear to be moot.”

Anchor the Change

A final best practice is for leaders to anchor the change. Kotter recommended that leaders “anchor new approaches in the culture.” Atkins et al. related the story of a failed change effort which relied too heavily upon a single person and dissolved upon that individual’s retirement: “The most significant barrier [to continuing the change effort]… …was the retirement of and failure to replace the director of sustainability. This… …affected virtually all aspects of empowerment through authority. The long-established director position was eliminated… It had created a point person…, but after the person who had held the job retired, support from the Academic Affairs Office declined in awareness, structural support, and resources. With no one assigned to report to the university president about sustainability or lead university-wide efforts, the academic branch… …met with significant setbacks that jeopardized its upward trajectory in gaining participation of both faculty and students on its campuses. The vital role… …was placed at risk.”

Wei and Clegg also addressed anchoring approaches in the culture through their research on the dominance of organizational cultures during acquisition. They found that several trends related to the acquiring company’s culture, the target company’s culture, the power differential between these organizations, and how those impacted the post-acquisition culture of the organization. They found that organizations in the acquisition process pass through three phases—resistance, conformity, and integration. These phases also may be present in other change efforts. Finally, Jeong and Shin found that “when high-performance work practices are paired with organizational change, organizations have a much better chance of survival and prosperity.”

Case Studies

The following case studies offer valuable insights into the organizational change process.

Talent Culture

Li discussed his own experiences building a talent culture at HKBN, a leading Hong Kong news agency.

The Change Process

Li developed a blended approach to organizational change drawing from Kotter’s eight-step model and Yu’s 3H (heart-head-hand) model.. Li spread his blended approach across three super-steps for change: creating the climate for change, engaging and enabling the organization, and implementing and sustaining for change, and explained how he implemented these super-steps at HKBN.

In creating the climate for change, Li created urgency, formed a coalition, and created a vision; in engaging and enabling the organization, he communicated the vision, empowered action, and created the quick win; and in implementing and sustaining for change, he built on the change and made it stick.

The Outcome

Li was successful in creating the talent culture he envisioned. He attributed his success in part to how he balanced the 3H model with Kotter’s eight steps.

Suture Situation

Graamans et al. explained how one Dutch hospital’s effort to reduce expenses by purchasing a different brand of suture backfired.

Although the hospital management thought this was a “relatively small-scale change initiative,” they still utilized some change-management principles. These included building a guiding coalition, consulting department heads, and communicating the change to the surgeons. In fact, this change was believed to be so simple that it would have been one of the guiding coalition’s early wins as they had more cost-cutting measures planned for the future. One manager even stated it, “This appeared to us as an easy win.”

Unfortunately, appearances are sometimes misleading, and this was not an easy win. The surgeons refused to use the new suture, citing patient safety, and the management abandoned the mew suture. One reason for this outcome is that the management team tried to make a change that was not necessary. Another reason the initiative failed is because the hospital management team did not effectively rally the troops.

Integrated Offender Management

King et al. examined the limited success of the United Kingdom’s Integrated Offender Management system, a multi-agency approach to criminal justice and rehabilitation. This program coordinated the efforts of police officers, probation officers, drug addiction counselors, and other stakeholders within the system.

After seeing the system fail to maximize its potential, King et al. retroactively evaluated the implementation of the system using Kotter’s eight-step change model to identify its shortcomings. They found significant issues at several stages. While the police and probation officers saw the urgent need for change, some of the supporting agencies did not and this hindered the entire process. The system had no guiding coalition and no strategic plan to implement its vision. King et al. also found issues with communicating the vision to adjacent law enforcement and probation units and empowering others to act.

Kotter stated that “successful change of any magnitude goes through all eight stages.” King et al. found that the lack of a strategic plan led to later difficulty creating short-term wins, consolidating gains and producing more change, and institutionalizing the new approaches.

King et al. made numerous recommendations for improvement to the system implementation at every stage of Kotter’s process. They acknowledged the difficulty of public-sector inter-agency cooperation, but stated that “the possible tensions between occupational cultures could be mitigated through some of the early phases of Kotter’s model.”

Self-Directed Teams

Vito addressed a failed case of implementing self-directed teams at a large mental health and development services agency.

Two new, inexperienced directors at this agency implemented a rapid-fire change to the organization’s vision, mission, values, strategic direction and structure. The changes all happened in a matter of months with poor preparation, minimal communication, and inadequate support systems.

For many reasons, this change initiative ultimately failed. While the reasons for the failure are varied, they have much more to do with the change process than the change’s intended outcome. Every organization has a limit to the amount of change it may withstand before it reaches critical mass. This study demonstrates precisely why managing change is so vitally important to an organization’s health.

Leading Librarian

Watts described his experience establishing the Department of Knowledge Production at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Watts began with what he knew from experience. As he considered his plans, which consisted of “practical and cutting-edge technologies, furniture ideas, and job descriptions that were applicable to the UNLV campus context.” Watts realized that he was still missing some necessary information: “However, understanding and communicating how learners and researchers would make use of the new services and spaces did not easily unfold. A list of topics and technologies and a sheaf of carpet samples will not help a librarian or project team identify the behaviors that indicate learning or the evidence to demonstrate that a space or service meets an instructional or research need. Further exploration was required. The objectives for the initiative had to be further clarified.” In addition to Watts (2019) explaining how he developed a better plan, he also provided guidance for how to handle what he termed “side-eye” and fear when leading organizational change. Watts succeeded in launching the department.

Case studies contain a wealth of information for aspiring leaders. The case studies in this paper highlighted four best practices—implementing necessary changes, beginning with the end in mind, rallying the team, and anchoring the changes in the organization’s culture. Additionally, the case studies tell the stories of leadership successes, like those of Li and Watts; of leadership failures, such as Graamans et al. and Vito; and of reflective leaders, like King et al. Their experiences help develop the next generation of organizational change leaders.

Akins, E. E., Giddens, E., Glassmeyer, D., Gruss, A., Kalamas Hedden, M., Slinger-Friedman, V., & Weand, M. (2019). Sustainability education and organizational change: A critical case study of barriers and change drivers at a higher education institution. Sustainability, 11 (2), 501-517. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020501

Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. Simon & Schuster.

Graamans, E., Aij, K., Vonk, A., & Ten Have, W. (2020). Case study: Examining failure in change management. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 33 (2), 319-330. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-06-2019-0204

Grenny, J., Patterson, L., Maxfield, D., McMillian, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change. McGraw-Hill Education.

Hemme, F., Bowers, M. T., & Todd, J. S. (2018). Change readiness as fluid trajectories: A longitudinal multiple-case study. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31 (5), 1153-1175. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-07-2017-0824

Jeong, I. & Shin, S. J. (2019). High-performance work practices and organizational creativity during organizational change: A collective learning perspective. Journal of Management, 45 (3), 909-925. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316685156

King, S., Hopkins, M., & Cornish, N. (2018). Can models of organizational change help to understand ‘success’ and ‘failure’ in community sentences? Appling Kotter’s model of organizational change to an integrated offender management case study. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 18 (3), 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817721274

Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.

Li, E. (2018). A case study of the critical success factors for organizational change of a public listed corporation. Public Administration and Policy, 21 (2), 152-165. https://doi.org/10.1109/PAP-10-2018-010

Muthusamy, S. K. (2019). Power of positive words: Communication, cognition, and organizational transformation. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 32 (1), 103-122. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-05-2018-0140

Merida, T. (2015). Christ-centered exposition commentary: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. B & H Publishing Group.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version (1982). Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Vito, R. (2019). Self-directed teams as an organizational change strategy to empower staff: A teaching/learning case study. Human Service Organizations, Management, Leadership & Governance, 43(2), 146-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2019.1614852

Watts, J. (2019). Navigating the new: A case study on leading organizational change. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 19 (2), 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2019.0013

Wei, T. & Clegg, J. (2018). Effect of organizational identity change on integration approaches in acquisitions: Role of organizational dominance. British Journal of Management, 29 (2), 337-355. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12226

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21 Most Common Leadership Challenges You Must Know

Being a leader means navigating the good and bad times. Let’s dive into leadership challenges and how you can use them to become a better leader.

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Being a leader means navigating the good and bad times. Ideally, everything runs without a hitch, and your job is easy. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It’s up to leaders to fix problems when they arise, but research shows 77% of businesses 1 https://www.zippia.com/advice/leadership-statistics/ report a lack of leadership.

These bumps in the road can be difficult, but you’ll be a more effective leader after guiding your team around them. Let’s dive into leadership challenges and how you can use them to become a better leader.

What Are Leadership Challenges?

Leadership challenges are the obstacles leaders face, such as hiring and laying off employees, greenlighting and canceling projects, and stress in their own lives. Your shareholders may demand you lay off 100 workers to meet next year’s budget. Another example is your leadership role requiring long hours, taking a toll on your personal life. These challenges test your leadership skills and put you in tricky positions.

There are two types of leadership challenges—internal and external. 

An internal leadership challenge is a problem that arises within yourself, coworkers, or the organization. These situations typically require direct action from you to resolve. For example, suppose two coworkers disagree about a presentation’s details. You can sit them down, directly hash out the issues, and come to a resolution.

External leadership challenges are typically more out of your control. They may stem from your industry as a whole and not your company. Say you run a car dealership. Your business has dealt with semiconductor shortages that shorten your supply, and this is beyond your control. Still, you must help your employees understand it and explain the problem to customers.

What Common Leadership Challenges Must You Prepare For?

Leaders worldwide face challenges daily. They take on leadership roles because they’re supposed to know how to fix it. Let’s look at 21 examples of leadership challenges and how to navigate each problem.

1. Recruiting talent

Leadership challenges often arise when it’s time to bring new people on board. Recruiting is exciting for your company because you meet potential new coworkers and see wonderful faces.

You need to identify the skills necessary for the position you’re hiring and pit them against the applications people have sent in. Then you have to manage the recruitment process by advertising the vacancies, conducting interviews, and hiring the chosen candidates.

Recruitment can get expensive, so showing leadership during this process is crucial for your business. Research shows companies spend about $4,700 per hire 2 https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/shrm-hr-benchmarking-reports-launch-as-a-member-exclusive-benefit.aspx on average.

Suppose you lead a paper supply company, and you need to hire a salesperson. How do you use leadership to recruit talent? 

During interviews, use your leadership skills to inspire confidence in the candidates. For example, try sharing success stories from current employees. Suppose you’re hiring for a grocery store’s corporate headquarters. Talk about the worker who started as a cashier and worked their way up to the vice president of marketing.

Ursula Burns began her career at Xerox as an intern in 1980. In 1999, she became vice president of global manufacturing and company president by 2007. Who’s your next Ursula? Instill confidence in your employees and share success stories at your workplace.

Pro Tip: Employ your leadership skills to recruit the best talent. During recruitment, guide the team through the interviews and determine what qualities fit your group best. Use our behavioral interview questions: 10 Behavioral Interview Questions to Reveal Someone’s True Personality

2. Retaining talent

Retaining talent can be a problem at many workplaces, leaving leadership wondering how to fix the problem. The Great Resignation has made employee retention harder, with 4 million Americans 3 https://www.zippia.com/advice/great-resignation-statistics/ quitting their jobs monthly. So, how do you overcome this obstacle in your office?

Your colleagues want a leader who fits their needs. Retaining employees starts with fostering a positive work environment and making people feel respected around the clock. Creating this environment starts with you leading by example.

For instance, look at Microsoft. CEO Satya Nadella has incorporated positivity into the tech company’s culture. He has pushed for diversity and empathy for employees, fostering an environment where people feel respected and empowered. Thus, Microsoft’s retention rate increased and now ranks ahead 4 https://www.comparably.com/companies/microsoft/retention of competitors like Apple and Oracle.

Pro Tip:   Use leadership skills to keep your employees long-term. Acknowledge your employees’ work individually and specifically. For instance, instead of simply saying “good job,” specify what exactly impressed you: “Your presentation was really persuasive because you backed up your arguments with solid data. Good job on that.” This lets them know their efforts are seen and appreciated.

You can even set up a weekly or monthly “Employee Spotlight” highlighting an individual’s accomplishments, contributions, or unique skills. This celebrates achievements and allows the team to better understand and appreciate each other’s roles.

Want to show more empathy to your employees? Read our guide on how to be a compassionate leader .

3. Establishing Culture

For many employees, the workplace culture matters as much as the pay or the work itself. Research shows 46% 5 https://builtin.com/company-culture/company-culture-statistics of job seekers say company culture is essential when applying to a business.

Leadership plays a significant role in the culture. The same study reveals 91% of American managers say a candidate’s fit with the culture matters as much or more than their skills and experience.

Establishing a great workplace culture is a tricky leadership challenge example because it shows what the business stands for. An organization with a positive reputation will have a wider applicant pool when hiring new employees.

Google has an excellent reputation for its culture because it gives free meals to employees and has an on-site gym. Patagonia provides on-site child care and engages employees with outdoor activities. These tactics make employees happy and lower the risk of burnout.

Pro Tip: Find ways to use leadership and improve the workplace culture. Ask your employees what perks they want to see in the workplace. They may say free snacks, a health and wellness program, or flexible working arrangements.

Read on: How to Create an Incredible Company Culture with Exceptional Hiring with Zach Suchin

4. Ethical dilemmas

One of the most challenging leadership examples occurs when ethical dilemmas arise. Are you willing to bend the truth to protect your company and possibly your job? Would you instead tell the truth and face the consequences as they arise? Ethical dilemmas challenge you as a leader because your choice could have significant ramifications.

For example, say you’re a physician at a hospital. One of your patients needs a blood transfusion, but they deny it on religious grounds. The nurse assigned to the patient wants to conduct the transfusion anyway.

Do you authorize the nurse to proceed and save the patient’s life? Do you respect the patient’s wishes and risk their death? The leadership challenge here is only one of many healthcare workers must deal with daily.

Pro Tip: If you face an ethical dilemma, consult fellow leaders on how they’d handle the situation. Gather as much information from both sides as possible and weigh the ramifications of each decision. 

5. Change management

President John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. Those who only look to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” Kennedy makes it sound easy, but change is difficult.

Companies change often. Some employees may resist change, so it’s up to you and the leadership team to guide everybody.

For example, suppose you run a large grocery chain. You acquire a rival company in the area to increase your market share. The acquired business now has to change to fit your policies.

This process can be intimidating, so it’s your job to implement proper change management tactics. If not, you could face high turnover rates and stretch a tight budget.

One change management plan you can follow is Lewin’s change management model. Here, you’ll unfreeze the company by preparing the acquired one for changes. The change process involves training the new workers to your expectations and policies. Then you refreeze the workers once they’re on board and embracing your company culture.

Pro Tip: When it’s time for a change, use change management processes to display your leadership skills. Guide the new employees and convince them your policies are worth staying for.

Read on to find out more: What Is Change Management? The Ultimate Guide in 2023 (scienceofpeople.com)

6. Motivating the team

Employee disengagement has become problematic in the U.S. Research shows only 32% 6 https://www.gallup.com/workplace/468233/employee-engagement-needs-rebound-2023.aspx of workers are engaged. Using leadership skills to motivate your team and increase engagement is critical.

Imagine you run a sales department for a software business. Your colleagues are working hard, but they’re showing burnout. Their sales numbers reflect this feeling.

How do you re-motivate these employees to get them back on track? One tactic is to encourage them to take time off for vacation. You should also monitor their workload to ensure they’re not overwhelmed.

Workplaces that encourage time off often see motivated employees. For example, Salesforce—a cloud computing company—gives employees paid time off for volunteer work. Google motivates employees by letting them spend 20% of their time on personal projects at work.

Pro Tip: When productivity dips, find ways to motivate your employees. Encourage breaks and time off, promote self-care, and provide resources and support to reduce the risk of burnout.

And of course, read these juicy tips: 20 Awesome (& Fun) Ways to Motivate Employees (scienceofpeople.com)

7. Delegating tasks

Trying to be Superman can quickly get tiring. That’s why delegating tasks is critical for leaders. It’s a struggle for hands-on leaders, but delegation is necessary to foster a productive work environment.

In the 1980s, Michael Jordan entered the NBA and tried to do it all by himself. He scored well over 30 points per game for his first few years, but the Chicago Bulls kept losing in the playoffs.

How did Michael Jordan win championships? He delegated to his teammates. Coach Phil Jackson taught him how to trust his teammates and help them score. Jordan and the Bulls won six championships in eight seasons by letting players like John Paxson and Steve Kerr take the game-winning shots—not Jordan.

Let’s think about delegation in the workplace. Say you run a manufacturing organization, and it’s time to set the yearly budget. You could take it upon yourself to crunch the numbers and do the math. However, consider letting your top accountant handle it because of their financial knowledge.

How can you overhaul the product development process? Let the department take the lead on this change.

Pro Tip: Find ways to delegate responsibilities and empower those around you. For example, you could assign a team member to create social media posts or make phone calls. Let others participate in your workflow, lowering stress levels and engaging your employees.

8. Developing leaders

Hiring employees and onboarding new team members is critical for your organization. However, that’s only the first step in the journey. The next challenge is to develop your talent and influence your company’s next generation of leaders.

It’s important to individualize your guidance for each employee because each one has different strengths and weaknesses. Leaders listen and study each worker to find ways to help them grow.

The most direct way to prepare leaders is to hold leadership training programs. Here, your employees participate in seminars and workshops to improve their leadership and communication skills. You can also informally prepare leaders by letting them lead on projects or exposing them to different areas of the business.

For example, let somebody in your sales department participate in a quality control department initiative. Let one of your promising young workers lead a product development project. These decisions empower your employees and develop them into exceptional leaders like you.

Pro Tip: Identify your employees who have displayed leadership potential. Occasionally pull them aside and offer job shadowing opportunities. For example, allow these aspiring leaders to follow you for a day. Take them to board meetings, allow them to evaluate employees, and show them your thought process for making big decisions. How do you choose whom to hire for a new position? Do you make an outside hire or promote from within? Job shadowing allows you to train the next generation of leaders by demonstrating actions—not just words.

9. Imposter syndrome

Imagine winning multiple Golden Globe Awards, Emmys, and Oscars but still feeling like you’re a fraud. Tom Hanks has said he’s felt imposter syndrome while filming movies like “Road to Perdition.”

Imposter syndrome is unfortunate because it’s all in our heads. No matter our success, we think we only made it from pure luck. This psychological phenomenon causes us to doubt ourselves, and it’s a challenge for leaders and their team members.

Suppose you’re a publishing company executive. You’ve made it to the C-suite but feel like you don’t belong. How do you overcome these thoughts?

Reflect on your accomplishments to validate your success. It’s no accident you’ve made it this far—you led the publisher to the most profitable year in company history. You’re not a fraud.

Imposter syndrome can also arise in your team members. For example, say a new hire at your publishing company has displayed high promise, but their imposter syndrome makes it difficult for them to open up. Use your leadership skills to defeat imposter syndrome. Regularly check in with the employee and reassure them of their abilities.

Pro Tip: If you experience imposter syndrome, remember your achievements. You should also help others with their imposter syndrome. Set up biweekly or monthly touchpoints with individual team members to ensure their voices are heard, and they feel like part of the team. Use these check-ins to recognize their hard work and provide constructive feedback.

Want more information on imposter syndrome (and how to avoid it)? Check out The 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome (And How to Overcome It!)

10. Advancing Technology

Technology allows us to travel safely, keep food fresh longer, and connect with worldwide friends at the push of a button. Though, it evolves rapidly. What seems innovative in 2023 may be outdated by 2028. Leaders must stay on top of technological advancements or risk falling behind.

Imagine you lead a business making software for automobiles. Your organization is famous for its GPS systems that come with many modern vehicles. However, a rival enterprise has improved upon your GPS device and implemented entertainment and safety features.

Now, you’re in a bind. You need to one-up the competition or risk falling behind.

Your company may need to rethink its product development. Monitor the competitors to see what features they’re implementing. Ask your employees and clients what they want to see in future models. Be bold and willing to risk moving away from old tactics if you can introduce new methods.

Pro Tip: Evaluate the current technology at your workplace and upgrade to newer software and devices. For example, take advantage of mobile technology solutions. These applications allow employees to use their phones and tablets to access work-related information outside the office’s network. The apps include popular platforms like Trello, Microsoft Teams, and Evernote. Mobile technology solutions are ideal if you’re a professional who constantly needs to travel for work.

11. Managing the budget

Company budgets can easily climb into the millions, but there isn’t enough money to go around. Business operations quickly get expensive because numerous departments need funding for various projects.

When managing the budget, you’ll have to make tough decisions. This challenge is common for leaders because some people will be left unhappy.

For example, suppose you’re an office manager. The higher-ups are pressuring you to shrink the budget compared to last year’s. You’ll need to make cuts, starting with discretionary spending.

Say goodbye to the party planning committee and catered food. Your cuts may reduce or eliminate lower-priority projects despite their popularity.

Pro Tip: Evaluate cost-saving measures that will positively impact the entire organization. For example, reduce utility bills by conserving energy and utilizing renewable energy devices. Encourage employees to turn off appliances when not in use and utilize power-saving mode when possible. Open up the windows for natural light instead of relying on overhead beams. Unplug chargers when the device finishes charging because they still draw power from outlets.

12. Delivering feedback

Think about a time when you had to deliver negative feedback to an employee trying their best. Even your best workers occasionally get negative feedback. The leadership challenge here can be difficult for any manager.

Imagine you manage the salespeople at a car dealership. It’s time to give a performance review for your newest employee. The associate has in-depth car knowledge but can’t seem to close their sales because they don’t push enough. How do you deliver the negative feedback?

What your employees need to hear might differ from what they want to hear. Tell the sales associate what they’re doing incorrectly and suggest ways they can improve. Providing actionable feedback is an excellent way to shore up these issues. Assign them videos and other learning resources to close sales.

Indra Nooyi—the former CEO of PepsiCo—effectively delivered feedback to her employees. Biannually she would directly let people know where they slacked but used empathy to help her colleagues grow. Nooyi’s understanding helped employees grow at PepsiCo and move the company forward.

Pro Tip: When delivering negative feedback, be specific about what your colleague is doing wrong and show them how to improve. For example, one of your employees must catch up on a few deadlines for their reports. Show them your favorite time management strategies like the Pomodoro technique or the Pareto analysis. These methods help employees focus and be more productive in the office. And if you want to really learn how to give an effective performance review, we’ve got you covered: 13 Best Tips For An Effective Performance Review (scienceofpeople.com)

13. Giving bad news

Being the leader means you get to deliver the good news. However, one of the biggest leadership challenges is delivering bad news to team members. Your enterprise may face recalls or discontinue a highly anticipated product that failed on the shelves.

Suppose you’re the leader of a large tech business. The shareholders have left you no choice but to lay off a thousand employees and make budget cuts. A thousand layoffs mean a thousand workers may have trouble paying their bills this month. How do you deliver the news?

Leaders deliver the news by being honest. No sugar coating is necessary for a notice of this proportion. Announce the information in an appropriate setting where employees can ask questions. Express empathy and support without sounding disingenuous. Providing severance and employment assistance will soften the bad news.

Pro Tip: When giving bad news, be honest and give employees all available information. Be supportive and ready to field all questions because some decisions may be unpopular. For example, your company planned a new food product, but supply chain issues disrupted the project. Now, you have to cancel it despite employee enthusiasm. Explain to your colleagues why you had to cancel the project and what the future holds. Let the employees know if you can restart the project later or introduce a new product instead.

And when you’re delivering the bad news, make sure to check for their body language to know what they’re really feeling: 16 Essential Body Language Examples and Their Meanings (scienceofpeople.com)

14. Handling conflict

In a perfect world, we’d all get along without issue. However, with 8 billion people worldwide, we’ll disagree on things. These disagreements could escalate into conflict between your employees. Physical confrontation is uncommon but isn’t unheard of. Conflict in the workplace is one of the toughest leadership challenges you’ll deal with.

For example, say you’re an office manager with 25 employees. One of your newest workers likes to listen to music and have videos in the background to concentrate. However, they’re disturbing two employees sitting around them.

The distracted workers have requested they lower the volume or turn off the sound. How do you handle the situation? Leadership is crucial here because you need to appease all parties involved.

Show empathy to everyone and embrace communication. You could move the distracting worker to an office alone or provide them with wireless headphones. These resolutions demonstrate you can handle conflict even when tensions are high.

Pro Tip: When conflict arises, consider all perspectives involved. Remaining unbiased and objective is crucial when deciding on resolutions. Find the solution that permanently fixes the conflict moving forward.

Here’s how to handle conflict responsibly: 9 Conflict Resolution Tips to Win An Argument Like a Jedi (scienceofpeople.com)

15. Leading remote teams

Remote work is on the rise and continues to become part of our lives. Experts say telework will comprise a quarter 7 https://www.theladders.com/press/25-of-all-professional-jobs-in-north-america-will-be-remote-by-end-of-next-year of professional jobs by the end of 2023. Many employees enjoy working from home, but this change presents problems for leadership teams—especially with communication.

For example, suppose you manage a remote team of financial consultants. One of your new employees has produced solid work. However, when you message or call them, they don’t answer.

Typically, you’d walk to their desk and see what’s happening. This worker lives 2,000 miles away, so that’s not an option now.

Inconsistent communication is a tall challenge for leaders. Here, you should set up a mandatory meeting with the worker. Thank them for their production but remind them of expectations for remote work. They must meet your standards of communication or risk further reprimand.

Pro Tip: Make communication your top priority with remote workers. Hold regular check-ins and ensure every employee feels heard. Schedule happy hours—when team members can socialize and take their minds off work. Plan game nights to keep your remote teams engaged despite the distance. For example, remote teams can play interactive online games like Among Us, Virtual Werewolf, and Scattergories.

If you want to learn how to lead with strength, check out: 10 Effective Tips On How To Lead A Strengths-Based Team (scienceofpeople.com)

16. Promoting teamwork

Another consequence of remote work is a dip in teamwork. Collaborating with your colleagues is challenging when they’re in a different state or country. Workplaces can feel isolating, and reduced collaboration can create stale and lonely work environments—even in the office.

Say you run a broadcast news station. You need collaboration from many sources, such as news anchors, editors, photographers, and broadcast engineers. You notice your team has been cutting deadlines too close because of a lack of teamwork.

You want to fix the problem, so you first switch the team to a cloud-based system where you share files. Here, the employees can work in real-time from anywhere—handy for journalists who are often on the go. Explain your expectations for collaboration and how it benefits the team.

Pro Tip: Foster a collaborative work environment by creating team-based projects. These initiatives require your employees to work together to find a solution. For example, start a philanthropic initiative where employees spearhead charity efforts with local groups. These initiatives allow your workers to collaborate with each other and the community.

How to Build a Team and Promote Teamwork: 10 Essential Skills (scienceofpeople.com)

17. Dealing with mental health

The last few years have seen a more significant emphasis on mental health—for good reason. The World Health Organization estimates 15% 8 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work of working-age adults have a mental disorder. These issues can hinder productivity in the office and your workplace morale.

Mental health challenges present themselves in workers and leaders themselves. Suppose you’re a restaurant owner. You love your job, but you have numerous responsibilities on your plate daily.

On a macro scale, you need to outline your restaurant’s long-term goals and plan your strategies for the future. The daily operations include managing waitstaff and ensuring the customers have a delightful experience.

Long days and nights cause stress and anxiety in your work and personal life. How do you navigate these mental health challenges? Seek support from your friends, family, and others in the restaurant industry who understand your struggles.

Even the best leaders have moments that hinder their mental health. Sometimes, all you need is to get outside. Research shows 15 minutes 9 https://blog.cefaly.com/how-to-focus-on-your-mental-health-with-a-busy-schedule/ of sunlight three times per week provides vitamin D to stave depression and anxiety.

Pro Tip: Find the source of your mental health problems at work by identifying patterns and triggers. For example, do you feel stressed out by project deadlines? Does speaking with your boss give you anxiety? Solicit similarly experienced colleagues for advice. If necessary, talk to a mental health professional about your problems.

18. Diversity and inclusion

Companies worldwide are making diversity and inclusion part of their culture. Shifting to inclusive environments leads to more welcoming workplaces and broader talent pools.

A 2020 Glassdoor survey shows 76% 10 https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdoors-diversity-and-inclusion-workplace-survey/ of workers say diversity is essential to the company they apply with. Emphasizing diversity and inclusion makes sense for any business, but it challenges leaders.

Imagine you run a construction company with 20 workers. Government data shows women only comprise 11% 11 https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm of this industry. You want to diversify your workforce, so you start an initiative to hire more women for the job site. This decision could bring pushback from workers who resist change and resort to stereotypes. How do you change their minds?

Teach diversity and inclusion by showing the benefits. Share successes from diversified construction organizations. Emphasize that you’ll keep the same high standards while making the culture more inclusive.

Pro Tip: Give your employees an anonymous survey on diversity and inclusion to gauge their opinions. Use their suggestions to make everyone in the workplace feel included based on sex, race, religion, or other identities.

19. Displaying confidence

Leaders are some of the most confident people you’ll ever meet. What makes them so sure of themselves? It’s the experience and the belief they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Talking about confidence is easy, but not all leaders share this quality.

The lack of confidence is more prominent than you think. Use Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer as an example. Mayer has discussed her confidence struggles amid criticisms of her term. She said she felt pressure from critics and how their words negatively affected her confidence. 

How do you display confidence as a leader despite criticism? Assurance starts with your body language. Standing up straight and making eye contact make a significant difference. Speak with a strong voice, and be clear with your words.

Pro Tip: Before giving a speech, practice in front of the mirror. Note how many times you pause, stutter, or stop making eye contact. Correcting these mistakes makes you a more confident leader.

Check out our article on speaking confidently and improving your public speaking skills.

20. Staying humble

Confidence is key for leaders, but you don’t want to cross the line. Too much can come across as sheer arrogance. Overconfidence can also cause you to slip and make avoidable mistakes. It’s essential to find the balance between confidence and arrogance by remaining humble.

Suppose you’re the new CEO of an automotive enterprise. You climbed the ladder by working hard and demonstrating knowledge of sales and the automotive industry. You can show humility by visiting the manufacturing plants and asking workers about their jobs. You may learn something new after engaging with an employee.

Balance confidence and humility by being a decisive decision-maker open to suggestions. Demonstrate that you value others’ opinions by being an active listener and asking questions—but be firm and assertive when it’s time to take a stance.

Pro Tip: Show humility by admitting when you make mistakes. For example, did you show up late to a client meeting? Show your team your vulnerability and admit your mistake. Improve your efforts to be punctual by setting reminders to warn yourself of the time.

21. Balancing likeness and leadership

Leaders are where they are for a reason. You know what it takes to move the organization forward. Some people might not like your decisions, which presents problems for many leaders.

Pleasing everyone is a challenging task and, ultimately, a losing battle. It’s hard to block out the critics sometimes, so you must balance being liked and being an effective leader.

Suppose you’re the president of a construction company. You’ve decided to switch your construction vehicles to electric machines, including bulldozers, skid-steer, and forklifts. The decision is unpopular among your seasoned employees. However, based on market research and talks with shareholders, you think it’s the right call.

Being liked and being an effective leader aren’t mutually exclusive. You can achieve both by building genuine relationships with your employees, clearly communicating your vision, and showing empathy for everyone’s concerns.

Pro Tip: When making unpopular decisions, lead by example and demonstrate you’ll personally oversee the next phase. As the construction organization’s president, you’ll address every challenge the employees encounter with the electric machines because you’re committed to this significant decision.

Leadership Challenges FAQs

Leaders face trouble daily, such as change management, communication, decision-making, and motivating teams. Times are tough in the workforce, and finding great employees is hard. It’s more important than ever to display your leadership skills and overcome challenges.

Overcoming leadership challenges is difficult, but there are some steps you can take. For example, you can communicate clearly with your team, seek diverse perspectives, show transparency, and learn from past mistakes.

The best way to determine your effectiveness is to look at the metrics. How has your team performed this year? How engaged are your employees daily? Get feedback from your colleagues and ask how they like your leadership style.

Improving your leadership is critical to your success. You can enhance your leadership skills by building strong relationships with employees, seeking feedback on your leadership, empowering your colleagues, and building upon your leadership knowledge.

You need to challenge your leadership skills to grow. You can achieve this by setting ambitious goals for yourself and the team, learning from your colleagues, and embracing all feedback from your colleagues.

Can Leadership Be Taught?

You can teach leadership in numerous ways. For example, you can teach leadership at universities and other learning institutes. Many colleges offer leadership degree programs for those who want to be in the next generation of leaders.

Teach leadership at work by directly mentoring employees and coaching them on leadership roles. Another way to teach leadership at work is by assigning books and articles to read. Encourage your employers to read books like “Leadership in Turbulent Times” or “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Both books describe how presidents used their leadership skills to navigate challenging situations.

Can Leadership Be Learned?

Some people are natural-born leaders. They exhibit confidence, problem-solving, and persuasive skills at a young age. These traits can develop over time and turn you into an excellent leader.

You can also learn leadership skills. Attending seminars, shadowing your boss, and developing skills are only a few ways to boost your leadership abilities. For example, some leadership skills you can work on are communication and public speaking, problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration.

How Can You Overcome Leadership Challenges?

Overcoming leadership challenges requires skills related to problem-solving and critical thinking. Some struggles may have complex answers that aren’t black and white.

For example, where do you make budget cuts? Your decisions will likely alienate your employees. However, you must make the best decision for your organization as the leader.

Conquering leadership challenges is, well, challenging. You can employ a few strategies, such as:

• Diverse perspectives: Making decisions isn’t easy—you need everybody’s perspectives on how to solve the problem. For example, imagine you’re promoting one of your current employees to a managerial position. It would help to have thoughts from other workers on how effective the candidates are.
• Communication: When challenges arise, it’s critical to have contact with everybody involved. Including everybody instills trust and transparency in your team. For example, if layoffs are coming, it’s crucial to tell your team the news when it arrives—no matter how good or bad.
• Flexibility: When problems arise, your approach must be flexible. New information or obstacles could hinder your current plan, forcing you to take a detour. Embrace the adversity and tackle it head-on. For example, imagine hiring a new supervisor, but your leading candidate drops out. How do you respond? You need to be flexible with plans B and C at the ready.

Can Leadership Styles Change?

Leadership styles can change over time as you gain experience and find better ways to provide guidance. For example, you may start as an authoritarian leader who switches to participative leadership over time or vice versa. Authoritarian leaders rely on themselves to make decisions, whereas participative leaders want other team members to contribute to the conversation.

Want to boost your skills? Check out our article on 8 skills all leadership trainings should teach managers . 

Leadership Challenges Takeaways

Leaders always face challenges, and it’s your job to tackle them head-on. Here are the biggest takeaways for addressing leadership challenges:

• Leadership starts with transparency. If issues arise, you should be honest with your team and update them with information as soon as possible.
• Leaders spearhead decision-making, receiving credit and blame for the results. Take a measured approach toward your decisions by mapping out strategic benefits and weighing the pros and cons.
• How do you arrive at a decision? Leaders often take advice and perspectives from numerous sources inside and outside the organization. Well-rounded perspectives lead to better results.
• Leaders get the job done for their teams and build others. Develop the next generation of leaders by mentoring, job shadowing, and leadership workshops.
• It’s hard to do it by yourself. Leaders trust their colleagues and delegate tasks to them. Trusting others leads to success and decreases your stress.

Check out this article on how to be a good leader if you want to step up and show off your skills.

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Developing Leaders and Managers: A Case Study

• Author: Sheryl McAtee
• Management, Supervision & Leadership

Jeanette started the weekend frustrated. On Wednesday morning, she had asked Bob to have his team draft an executive summary about an emerging challenge for senior management.  Based on feedback from her own coach, Jeanette was working on being clearer with her team about action items, deadlines and the reasons behind them.

With that in mind, on Wednesday, she told Bob that she wanted a two-page draft no later than the end of the day Friday. She and Bob discussed an outline for the summary, with key points to incorporate. Jeanette told Bob she planned to finalize the summary over the weekend, so her boss would have it Monday morning.  Jeanette felt pleased by her clarity, and expected good outcomes based on the discussion.

The end of Friday came, so Jeanette wrote an email to Bob to check on the status. Bob acknowledged that his team had given him a draft by noon, but he had not had time to look at it before the end of the day, and he needed to log off for a family event.  Bob attached the unreviewed draft executive summary to the email, “just in case you need it now.”

Jeanette was irritated. Of course she needed it now! She has clearly explained on Wednesday that she would be working on it over the weekend, and Bob’s lack of focus on a mission-critical item seemed irresponsible. She opened the draft Bob had forwarded and became even more irritated. The document was full of technical jargon and was three pages long – a full page longer than her instructions. It was going to take hours to fix it.

Jeanette considered a few options:

• Insist that Bob take responsibility for the project, directing him to review the draft and send her his final version by noon Saturday. While this would contradict Jeanette’s commitment to work-life balance, Bob needed the pain of the negative consequence, so he would not make the same mistake again.
• Write to senior leadership, communicating a delay in the executive summary, so Jeanette would not have to spend her own time on the project over the weekend, and so Bob could “right the ship” upon returning to work on Monday.
• Finalize the executive summary over the weekend, as promised to senior leadership. Share the revision with Bob and set up a coaching/feedback session on Monday to discuss the problems and what should be done differently next time – both with the timeline and with the document itself.

Pause and think about how you would address this if you were Jeanette.  Would you have pursued one of these options? What other options do you see? What would you have done?

In the end, after taking some time to calm down, Jeanette chose the third option. While this required the most time for Jeanette, it got the senior leaders what they needed and Bob received the coaching that he needed. On Monday, Bob also shared the guilt he felt, recognizing that his boss had to work harder over the weekend because of his failure to manage his time and his team’s work better.

There are no right answers to this case study – how you address it depends on your personality, relationships, organizational culture and roles, as well as the project itself. The development lies in asking the right questions, owning your own development needs and considering the options that both build a better team and a better organization over time.

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Table of Contents

The foundation of any successful organization is its leadership. It involves inspiring and motivating people to accomplish shared objectives rather than merely making choices or issuing commands. Successful leadership influences organizational behavior, impacting a company’s culture and success. This article examines leadership and organisational behaviour and highlights its critical role in cultivating a constructive and efficient work atmosphere.

Understanding Organizational Behaviour

The concept of organizational behaviour describes the actions of individuals and groups inside a company. It covers their general behavior, attitudes, and interactions. A company’s structure, culture, and leadership all impact its behavior. How leaders set the tone for behavior impacts every level of the organization, shaping how staff members behave and relate to one another.

The Impact of Leadership on Organizational Culture

Employees’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by the common values, beliefs, and practices that make up their organizational culture. This culture is created and sustained in large part by leaders. Here are a few ways that organizational culture is impacted by leadership:

• Vision and Mission : The organization’s leaders establish its vision and mission, which also serve as its compass. A distinct vision unites workers’ efforts with the company’s objectives and helps them understand why they are doing what they are doing.
• Values and Ethics : Leaders set the organization’s fundamental principles and ethical standards. Leaders who exhibit honesty, integrity, and respect set an example that staff members must follow.
• Communication : Open communication is fostered by influential leaders. They welcome criticism, pay attention to issues, and ensure that information is shared efficiently throughout the company.

Leadership and Employee Motivation

Leaders significantly influence employee motivation. Motivated employees are more engaged, productive, and dedicated to their jobs. Here are a few strategies for inspiring team members and leaders:

• Recognition and Rewards: Recognizing staff members’ efforts and accomplishments raises their spirits and motivates them to work harder.
• Empowerment: Granting employees freedom and confidence to make decisions can increase their sense of ownership and accountability.
• Career Development: Employee sense of ownership and accountability can be increased by granting them freedom and confidence to make decisions.

Leadership is essential when it comes to influencing corporate behavior. Successful leaders impact an organization’s culture, motivation, and overall success. Leaders may foster a productive and happy work environment by being aware of the various leadership philosophies and their effects. Making a significant difference at work starts with you, as a leader or aspirant, realizing the significance of leadership in organizational behavior.

1. What is the role of a leader in Organisational Behaviour?

One of the most crucial facets of organizational behavior is leadership. It is the process of persuading people to pursue a shared aim or purpose. A strong leader can inspire and motivate people to collaborate and accomplish great things.

2. What are the 7 roles of a leader in an organization?

As part of their responsibilities, leaders create a plan, bring people together, inspire and motivate others, develop individuals, encourage creativity, and establish connections.

3. What is the impact of transformational leadership on an employee motivation?

Transformative leadership encourages and challenges staff members to perform above and beyond expectations, dramatically increasing employee motivation. By emphasizing individual growth and praising staff members’ accomplishments, these leaders encourage a feeling of dedication and purpose. This strategy produces a motivated and passionate workforce committed to reaching individual and company objectives.

4. Why is communication important in leadership?

Communication is essential for leaders to maintain clarity, openness, and trust inside the business. Influential leaders who communicate openly with their team members about goals, expectations, and feedback promote a sense of inclusion and alignment of the team’s efforts. In addition to resolving disputes and swiftly addressing issues, effective communication keeps the workplace peaceful and productive.

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Everything You Need to Know About the Honors Case Study Challenge

October 29, 2019.

One of Phi Theta Kappa’s more unique programs is the Honors Case Study Challenge . It’s an opportunity to put your research skills to use outside the classroom but on a smaller scale compared to an Honors in Action Project. It’s also an opportunity to win one of four $500 scholarship awards.

A case study is an in-depth, detailed analysis of a particular topic and its development over time. For Phi Theta Kappa, it is an examination of an aspect of the current Honors Study Topic . The challenge is open to both individual members and chapters, and it can benefit both transfer and workforce students.

“The case study challenged me to push myself out of what was comfortable and my typical research and writing style,” said Tina Seifer, a member from Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio who successfully completed the challenge and received $500.

The deadline to submit to the Honors Case Study Challenge is 5 p.m. CT on Monday, November 11. Explore what you can gain from the challenge and the details of what’s required.

Boost Your Soft Skills

Conducting an Honors Case Study goes beyond Honors in Action and leaves you with real-world skills you’ll be able to use in your classes and on the job, which is one reason a case study is a required part of Competitive Edge , PTK’s online professional development course. (Yes, you can submit your case study from Competitive Edge to the Honors Case Study Challenge as long as you use print or online newspaper sources.

Case studies reinforce soft skills Competitive Edge aims to build — skills employers look for on a resume:

• Teamwork and collaborative learning
• Showing intellectual curiosity
• Researching a current topic and determining appropriate sources
• Searching for and considering varying viewpoints
• Analyzing research
• Critical thinking
• Organizing and synthesizing research materials and information
• Composing concise executive summaries of gathered information
• Writing open-ended questions that guide others to consider the topic of the case study
• Using technology to complete and submit an application

Get Ready for the Workforce

The detailed analysis in the Honors Case Study Challenge is done through reading newspaper articles. Developing the habit of staying current with trends and events is important for all students, but especially those who will soon be transitioning into the workforce. As you participate in the program, your advisor will likely discuss articles with you, helping you develop critical thinking skills and broadening your outlook on the world.

You also have the potential to learn the importance of not only keeping up with current news but also digging deeper into a topic, rather than just reading the headline of a story. The challenge requires that the newspaper articles present a variety of viewpoints on your chosen topic. Understanding varying viewpoints helps you make more informed decisions that take into account how those decisions will impact others whose worldviews are different.

Through the challenge, you’ll be exposed to a wide variety of sources, allowing you to build your research skills and teaching you the importance of considering viewpoints other than your own. Whether you’re transferring to a university or entering the workforce, this is something everyone should learn.

What’s Required

To get started, read newspaper articles of varying viewpoints between January 1 and November 1, 2019. Select five articles with varying viewpoints on a single topic related to the Honors Study Topic. For each article, record the newspaper’s

• Name • Headline • Byline (reporter’s name) • Section name • Publication date • Page number

Your submission for the Honors Case Study Challenge will consist of four elements:

• A case study summary of a chosen topic
• An essay on the topic’s future implications
• Three to five open-ended discussion questions
• Academic resources for additional study

1. Write a one-page (500-word limit) case study summary of your chosen topic. It should include

• Major points related to the Honors Study Topic • Why you chose that particular topic • Issues or controversies related to the topic • An explanation about how your case study examines these issues/controversies

2. Write an essay (200-word limit) on the future implications of the case study topic. It should include either predictions on how the topic will influence society in the future or what results are anticipated regarding the topic in the future.

3. Pose three to five discussion questions related to the topic. There is a 75-word limit total for all questions. The questions should:

• Be thought-provoking • Be open-ended • Encourage critical thinking skills • Help readers consider the topic from different perspectives

4. Suggest up to six academic sources for additional study. Provide full, formal APA citations for each additional source. Sources can include books, documentaries, journal articles, and website with academic/expert content.

Submit your Honors Case Study today! The deadline is November 11 at 5 p.m. CT.

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• | Resources
• | Case Study: Reducing Pre-Interaction Handle Times for a Leading Beauty Brand With AI and Automation

span]:text-green font-bold text-4xl md:text-77 xl:text-[4.5vw] 2xl:text-120"> Resources

Case study: reducing pre-interaction handle times for a leading beauty brand with ai and automation.

• August 6, 2024

Retail and e-commerce companies experience extreme surges in volume, during member or customer sales events, for example. These surges require lengthy hiring and training periods that lead to operational inefficiencies and an increased cost to the program. 

A leading beauty brand needed our help handling emails faster and improving productivity in the pre-interaction stage, before agents connect with the consumer. Our AI and automation solution enabled us to improve associate productivity and reduce costs across email interactions by automating easy work, predicting email replies, and guiding associates to faster and more accurate resolutions. 

Here are just a few of the results:

• 30% EHT improvement in 6 weeks
• 5 weeks faster speed to production

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Food Manufacturer Improves Safety and Productivity

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Kirby Risk Corporation is a multi-faceted organization dedicated to meeting customer needs with innovation and effective solutions. Kirby Risk provides a wide range of services including quality electrical supplies, electrical apparatus sales and repair services, wiring harness/cable manufacturing and quality industrial component manufacturing.

The food manufacturer featured in this story is a Fortune 500 company. They have more than 40 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and a diverse portfolio of iconic food brands.

• Unplanned line stops
• Increased safety risk
• Manual troubleshooting increased downtime
• Costly production delays
• Allen-Bradley® GuardLink™ technology
• Rockwell Safety Services
• Unplanned downtime – reduced by 75%
• Preventive maintenance time – reduced by 50% 
• Cost savings – ongoing savings of $70,000/year
• Fast upgrade – saved 61% in installation time/packer

Known for its quintessentially American brands, a packaged foods leader was running two case packing lines for its refrigerated whipping topping product when a costly downtime event occurred.

The maintenance team had to examine long wiring runs in order to locate and repair the issue, which was traced to the tongue interlock door switches. Wiring of multiple safety tongue interlock switches and e-stops in series to a safety relay made troubleshooting difficult and caused delays. Ultimately, one of the packing lines was down for more than 70 hours.

The manufacturer needed a solution that would alert for safety issues with the packing machines and minimize downtime by enabling the maintenance team to identify the problem faster. The company turned to its trusted supplier, Rockwell Automation distributor Kirby Risk , for a solution.

Kirby Risk has been providing customers with Rockwell Automation products and solutions since 1940. When this customer reached out to the Kirby Risk automation team to discuss downtime issues, the customer’s project engineer was interested in Allen-Bradley® SensaGuard™ non-contact safety switches as a replacement. Status LEDs on these switches provide visual indication when a door is open. However, after collaborating further with the Kirby Risk Rockwell Automation Safety Consultant, the customer chose to upgrade the safety system with GuardLink™ device-level safety linking technology .

Kirby Risk also suggested a risk assessment by the Rockwell Automation Safety Services team, which provided safety improvement recommendations. The distributor worked with the project engineer to utilize Rockwell Automation Safety Automation Builder® to streamline the safety system design and import the data to SISTEMA for performance level verification.

Diagnostic Data Speeds Issue Resolution

A primary advantage Kirby Risk brought to the customer was visibility into its machines for faster issue diagnosis and resolution. The SensaGuard non-contact safety interlock switches and e-stops were wired to Dual GuardLink safety relays using GuardLink Smart Tags, which communicate door status and other diagnostic information to the case packer’s ControlLogix PLC via the Guardmaster® EtherNet/IP™ Network Interface. The operator interface indicates not only when a door is open or an e-stop is actuated, but also which device is tripped, saving critical time and avoiding the need to check every door and e-stop before the machine can be restarted.

The upgrade to advanced diagnostics represented one of this customer’s steps toward smart manufacturing. The GuardLink solution also helped the company achieve the highest safety level and increase worker safety.

“It’s always rewarding to be able to provide a solution that helps operators do their jobs efficiently and safely,” said Amber Gray, Automation Consultant at Kirby Risk. “Having that relationship where you are a trusted advisor – the person customers call for guidance – is key for our business.”

Smart, integrated safety system reduces downtime and total cost of ownership

GuardLink’s simple, quick-disconnect wiring saved the packaged foods manufacturer 61% in installation time per case packer, which minimized downtime with the upgrade. Ongoing preventive maintenance time has been reduced by 50%, and average unplanned downtime has been reduced by 75%. The reduction in maintenance and overall downtime delivers ongoing savings to the company of more than $70,000 per year.

“Our customers depend on us to support them in achieving real, measurable savings,” said Gray. “With Rockwell Automation products, I can help them drive the highest levels of safety performance – one of their top priorities – and reduce downtime and cost.”  

Published May 20, 2024

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Rising to the Challenge: Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Climate Efforts

The dynamics that lead to environmental degradation also exacerbate gender inequities. Food insecurity, extreme weather events, and water scarcity – all of which are made worse by climate change – increase the risk that women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals will be put in situations where their physical, mental, and emotional health is compromised. This includes a heightened risk of gender-based violence (GBV).

In 2020, USAID commissioned new research through our partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on  Gender-based violence and environment linkages: the violence of inequality . This increased our understanding of GBV and its connection to climate-related sectors. The links between GBV and environmental degradation are very real, and while our initial efforts to address their nexus have been promising, much more must be done.

Sustainable and equitable economies are possible. Ensuring that all are safe and free from violence is fundamental to attaining this vision.

This is what we have learned about the problem. Sexual violence is used as a tool to exert control over land and natural resources. For example, ‘sex-for-fish’ exploitation is unfortunately common in many fishing communities. Women are sexually exploited by fishermen to obtain the right to purchase the goods their livelihoods and families depend upon. Elevated HIV/AIDS transmission rates in fishing communities – at rates  four to 14 times higher  than national averages – suggest a high prevalence of this practice.  One study  found 34% of men in 303 households self-reported that they exchanged such assets for sex, but women rarely self-report in these situations due to stigma and fear of reprisals. The practice is so common that it often has its own name in local languages.

In  other cases , women are exposed to increased risks of sexual assault as the distances they travel to collect fuel, water, or goods from the forest become greater. Such is the case in four government areas of Borno State in Nigeria, where  85% of surveyed women  expressed fear of rape, murder, and abduction while collecting firewood. Other evidence has highlighted how the rise in climate disasters such as droughts and flooding leads to  a rise in child, early, and forced marriage  that utilises dowries or bride wealth as a negative coping strategy to climate-induced poverty, a violation of sexual and reproductive health  rights . In Honduras, a  recent report  found that deaths, attacks, and the criminalization of female environmental defenders have tripled in the last six years. In the Philippines, 12% of villages affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013  reported  an increase in sexual violence.

Scaling gender-responsive environment policy and action 

Now that we’ve synthesised the evidence and identified the trends, what do we do about it? This  International Women’s Day  we’re spotlighting our partnership with IUCN to invest in programs that address gender-based violence and prioritise women and girls as effective stewards of natural resources. In 2019, USAID established the  Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Environments (RISE) grants challenge , a first-of-its-kind fund that supports activities designed to address GBV in environmental and climate-related programs and generate evidence on promising interventions. 

Projects funded under RISE are advancing locally-led solutions to GBV and environmental challenges. The first rounds of RISE grants focused on conservation, forestry, artisanal and small-scale mining, and land tenure and property rights. These nine interventions impacted nearly 15,000 direct stakeholders and over 92,000 indirect community stakeholders through their work addressing GBV within environmental programs – building learning on engagement of men and boys, and creating non-traditional partnerships between environment and GBV prevention, response, and mitigation specialists. 

For example,  WildAct Vietnam  trained 21 women and six men to become staff advocates for colleagues who may experience sexual violence or harassment in green workplaces. It also worked to establish a “Women in Conservation” network in Vietnam; 18 local and international organisations later joined this network. Today, in Mexico,  Espacio de Encuentro de las Culturas Originarias (EECO)  is working hard to engage municipal governments in addressing the gender-based violence women face in ecotourism. At the community level, EECO has been working to build community safety plans to make the popular beaches that are essential for ecotourism safer for women.

The  Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA)  increased the number of women rangers and women board members in conservancy management, and is now scaling these approaches in a new landscape in  Taita Taveta . They helped amend conservancy constitutions to embed gender equality in previously male-dominated conservancy decision-making bodies.  ActionAid Zambia  has been addressing sex-for-fish sexual violence, working with local fast-track specialised courts to establish a response system in conjunction with GBV-referral mechanisms providing psychosocial and legal support aid, working with NGOs, educators, social welfare workers, traditional and community leaders, judiciary representatives, the National Prosecution Authority, and the Victim Support Unit of local police forces. This work has resulted in recommendations that were recently presented to Zambia’s Parliament to inform improved policy formation.  

These are just a few of many promising examples that continue to provide important learning, and we’re sharing that learning as widely as we can. IUCN’s  Gender-Based Violence and Environment Linkages (GBV-ENV) Center  works to close the knowledge gap by hosting webinars, producing and disseminating knowledge products and best practices, and providing on-demand technical assistance.

Rising to the challenge 

We need to build on the RISE grants challenge successes as we seek to expand gender-equitable climate finance. RISE partners are increasing our understanding of how to address gender-based violence as it intersects with natural resource management. They are building women’s skills and knowledge, not only to push back on GBV, but to more effectively implement sustainability practises. And they are scaling this work beyond the USAID-funded interventions.

We will soon announce the next cohort of RISE winners. And we’re thrilled that in 2023 the  Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) joined RISE as a donor , bringing total investments to address GBV amid climate change and environmental degradation to over $14 million. However, we have to do more to bridge these efforts to climate finance broadly, to catalyse additional sustainable and gender-equitable solutions. 

On International Women’s Day 2024, I renew our call to all our stakeholders to recognise the deep and systemic links between gendered power dynamics and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources – and invest in changing those dynamics. Sustainable and equitable economies are possible. Ensuring that all are safe and free from violence is fundamental to attaining this vision.

To get in touch with the RISE team, email  [email protected] .

This blog was originally published by IUCN . 

Strategic Objective

Bama athreya.

Bama Athreya is USAID's Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation overseeing the Bureau’s Inclusive Development and Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Hubs.

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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/07/29/teacher-pay-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2024-pay-award/

Teacher pay: everything you need to know about the 2024 pay award

The Education Secretary has accepted the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and confirmed the teacher pay award for 2024-25, setting out what school teachers in England can expect to be paid next academic year.

The STRB is an independent group that makes recommendations on the pay of teachers in maintained schools in England and reports to the Secretary of State for Education and the Prime Minister.

Each year the STRB recommends a pay award based on different factors including the economy, school workforce data and evidence from organisations including the DfE, and the teaching unions.

The government then considers the recommendations in depth and makes a decision on what pay award teachers receive for the coming year.

Here’s everything you need to know about teacher pay.

Are teachers getting a pay rise this year?

The STRB recommended a pay award of 5.5% and this has been accepted in full by the Education Secretary, reflecting the vital contribution teachers make to children’s life chances.

The 5.5% award would see pay packets increase by over £2,500 for the average classroom teacher, which would take the median salary for 2024/25 to over £49,000 a year.

Will teachers at all schools receive the pay award?

The pay award applies to maintained schools, with academies continuing to have freedom over their pay and conditions.

However, in practice most academies follow the recommendations of the STRB.

Is the pay award fully funded?

Yes. Schools will receive £1.1 billion in additional funding to cover their overall costs in financial year 2024-25, including fully funding the pay award for teachers at a national level.

This matches what we have calculated is needed to fully fund the teacher pay award and the support staff pay offer, at the national level, on top of the available headroom in schools’ existing budgets.

We are also providing an additional £97 million for schools delivering post-16 education (£63 million) and early years (£34 million) provision.

Taken together, this is an increase of almost £1.2 billion.

The pay award impacts both financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. This additional funding only covers the financial year 2024-25 portion of the award. We will take into account the impact of the full year's costs of the teacher pay award on schools when considering 2025-26 budgets, which are yet to be agreed.

When will teachers receive their pay rise?

Teachers will start receiving their new salary in the autumn, after a new pay order is laid in Parliament and comes into force.

Pay will be backdated to 1 September 2024.

Will school support staff get a pay rise?

The teacher pay award only applies to school teachers, but the additional funding schools will receive also ensures schools are, at a national level, covered for the current 2024-25 pay offer for support staff, which is currently under negotiation.

Unlike teachers, most school support staff are currently employed on the pay and conditions of the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services. The NJC is a negotiating body made up of representatives from trade unions and local government employers.

We are committed to reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body to give support staff like teaching assistants, caretakers and cleaners a stronger voice in government. The body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training, career progression routes, and fair pay rates for support staff.

What else are you doing to ensure teaching is an attractive profession?

Alongside the pay award, we have also announced that from September, schools will no longer be required to use the Performance Related Pay (PRP) system, which can lead to schools and teachers going through an overly bureaucratic process to agree individual teachers’ pay rises. This will help improve teacher workload.

We will also clarify that teachers can carry out their planning time at home, improving flexible working for staff.

You may also be interested in:

• What is the national curriculum and why is it being reviewed?
• The King’s Speech 2024: What does it mean for education?
• Letter to the education workforce from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson

Tags: Chancellor , pay award , school teachers salary , schools , STRB , teacher pay , teacher pay award 2024 , teacher salary

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