HR08

Managerial Leadership

Assignment I

Assignment Code: 2010HR08B1 Last Date of Submission: 30th September 2010

Maximum Marks:100

Attempt all the questions. All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks

Section A

1. Write short notes on the following:

(i) Leaders Vs Managers
(ii) Leaders role in team building

2a Can leadership skills be acquired? If yes then how? If not, then why not?
b The role of gender differences in leadership style.

3. Compare the Hersey – Blacnchard Situational leadership model with any other leadership model
of your choice.

4. Discuss the different factors required to become a strategic leader in this present economy.

Section B

Case Study: Olympic Toy Company, Chennai

“I expect all the managers in my department to act completely rationally in every decision they make,”
declared Shanti Rengarajan, Vice President of marketing for the Olympic Toy Company. “Every one of us,
no matter what his or her position, is hired to be a professional rationalist, and I expect all of us not only to
know what they are doing any why but to be right in their decisions. I know that someone has said that a
good manager needs only to be right in more than half of his or her decisions. But that is not good enough
for me. I would agree that you may be excused for occasionally making a mistake, especially if it is a
matter beyond your control, but I can never excuse you for not acting rationally.”
“I agree with your idea, Madam, “said Manjeeth Singh, her advertising manager, “and I always try to be
rational and logical in my decisions. But would you mind helping me by explaining just what ‘acting
rationally’ is?

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Questions:

Explain how the vice-president of marketing might describe what is involved in making rational decisions.
2. If Manjeeth Singh then declares that there is no way to show how one can be completely rational,
what would you suggest a reply?

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 HR08
Managerial Leadership

Assignment II

Assignment Code: 2010HR08B2 Last Date of Submission: 15th November 2010

Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions. All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks

Section A

1. Short notes:-
(a) Charismatic Leaders
(b) Leadership Succession

2. How does culturally heterogeneous staff contribute to the leaders ability to make effective
decisions.

3. Discuss the role of leader in developing climate for creative thinking & innovation in our
organization.

4. Define conflicts. As a manager how you will handle the conflict of your organization. Explain
different mode of handling conflicts.

Section B

Case Study: Working for a Women Boss

Mr Kapil Malhotra, a brand manager with a leading textile company in Calcutta, came to Mumbai to attend
a seminar. Among other participants he met his old friend Anil Madan, currently with a pharmaceutical
company in Bangalore and decided to spend a day with him.

As they discussed their office and work Kapil suddenly said, “Actually our biggest regret is that my sincere
work and efforts are never appreciated nor my superior performance is given due credit. In our
organization, only the right connections can give you rewards.” Anil replied, “That happens in every
organization, though I am fortunate to have a boss, for whom the work and efforts are more important than
our mere submission to her views. Our boss, Mrs. Reena Jain is one of the most capable people in the
pharmacy industry today”. Kapil was, however not impressed. He said, “I, for one, am sure that women at

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top positions are very demanding and complexed. It’s quite strange that men in your organization are
comfortable with her, as men find it very humiliating and a blow to their ego to take orders from women
bosses.” Further, he added, not only men, even woman prefers male bosses and find women bosses a pain
in the neck”. His opinion is neither unique nor isolated but a typical mindset of majority of professionals,
who view women bosses as a direct threat and majority of professionals, who view women bosses as a
direct threat and incompetent. It’s so common a perception that often a woman has to prove at every step
that she is capable and as competent as any man in her position.

Anil, then shared his experience of having a female boss. “I feel she is as competent and capable as
anybody else. She is highly qualified and mature with no over-zealous need to prove herself or outperform
other men to prove a point. She is perhaps the best negotiator and has an amazing ability to see things from
our perspective. She has promoted team-participation and involvement at all levels of the organization. A
stickler of quality and commitment herself, she impresses even her critics at senior levels. Empathy,
listening and team-building comes naturally to her. One thing I, truly now believe is that the fact that she is
a woman has brought a unique perspective to her style.”

Kapil remembered an article on participative management that says that autocratic managerial style is
giving way to people oriented style. The article also said that women are more likely to succeed in the role
of such leader.

Questions:

1 What difference does it make, if you work under a female superior?

2 Abilities and not gender make a boss good or bad. Discuss
3 What in your opinion, are unique and additional qualities a woman superior shows and brings
in the organization.

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