Leadership Mistakes

¶ … Dennis Parker, the CEO of Direct Mail, Inc. believes that he is the only person capable of 'closing the deal'. He tells Audrey that "a big customer would prefer to deal directly with the CEO, so that's why I step in to help you." This is a case of leadership through arrogance. As one recent report documents "every successful manager needs to have above average people and project management skills, a positive attitude towards authority, and a willingness to learn" (Seibly, 2014, p. 60).

If the Seibly study is true, then Dennis is in sharp need of an adjustment in attitude. His arrogance and unwillingness to allow his cohort to gain the necessary experience in closing deals, does not bode well for his future as CEO. The root causes of this type of approach include the fact that Parker founded the company and watched as it quickly grew to its current size.

Along the way, he probably made a lot of mistakes, and lost some deals, but it all came down to him either succeeding or failing. That he was successful says much about his personality, but it also says that he is not willing to allow someone else to learn and have the same opportunities as he had. It seems as if Dennis has learned the art of closing, but there is a science to it as well.

Another study found that "leadership is both a science and an art" (Pater, 2013, p. 37) and that there is only a "small percentage of leaders able to weave together the right strands of science and art into a strong organizational warp" (p. 37). A possible solution to Parker's approach is to allow Audrey to follow through and either crash and burn, or succeed. Then go over with her what happened and offer other solutions and suggestions.

The advantage to this approach is that in 'sink or swim' situations, oftentimes the person will succeed. The disadvantage is that Audrey may not succeed and would therefore lose the sale, possibly the client, and maybe even her confidence. An additional solution might be for Parker to take Audrey on the closing conference with him. Audrey could take the lead, and when floundering, Parker could step in and offer support and backup.

The advantage to this approach is that it would allow Audrey to experience the art of the sale, and even if Audrey flounders, Parker would be there for support. The disadvantage is that the client may truly wish to only deal with Parker, and could shut Audrey out even though it is Audrey's account. This author suggests a joint effort on one or two big accounts between Audrey and Parker.

Once Audrey has experienced the art of the sale with a major client, then the lifeline can be severed, and Audrey can approach future client's mano e mano. Works Cited Pater, R.; (2013) The art of creative, high-performance leadership, Professional Safety, Vol. 58, Issue 9, pp. 37-39 Seibly, J.; (2014) Be ready for the challenge, T & D, Vol. 68, Issue 3, pp. 58-63 Question 1. Discussing empowerment with Parker would be an enlightening experience. Parker is probably someone who needs to take a step back and let other people have some of the glory.

He is likely to be very much the man in charge, and having no one question his actions. If he could understand that empowering people helps everyone.