Meg Whitman's Leadership Style and Values at HP
This paper examines the leadership style of Meg Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett Packard, through the lens of charismatic leadership theory. It explores how Whitman's personal values — including integrity, accountability, and a customer-first orientation — align with HP's organizational culture and inform ethical decision-making within the company. The paper also assesses Whitman's key strengths, such as effective communication and decisiveness, alongside noted weaknesses including a tendency toward a hot temper under pressure. A final section considers how communication, collaboration, power, and politics shape group dynamics in organizational settings. Sources drawn upon include foundational texts in organizational behavior and management.
- Introduction: Whitman and HP: Background on Whitman's career and HP context
- Leadership Style and Philosophy: Charismatic leadership style and influence over force
- Personal and Organizational Values: Whitman's integrity, teamwork, and customer focus
- Values and Ethical Behavior: How values shape ethical conduct at HP
- Whitman's Strengths and Weaknesses: Communication strengths versus temperament weaknesses
- Communication, Collaboration, and Group Dynamics: Power, politics, and cohesion in group settings
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What makes this paper effective
- It grounds each leadership claim in a specific, cited theoretical definition — for example, invoking Lussier's definition of charismatic leadership before applying it to Whitman — which keeps the analysis academically anchored rather than anecdotal.
- The paper consistently moves from general principle to concrete example (e.g., the eBay weapons ban, the HP PC-Printer merger), making abstract leadership concepts tangible and credible.
- It maintains a balanced critical perspective by acknowledging Whitman's weaknesses — hot temper, demanding style — alongside her strengths, demonstrating intellectual honesty rather than simple praise.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied theoretical analysis: it introduces an established framework (charismatic leadership, personal vs. organizational values), cites a scholarly definition, and then systematically tests whether a real-world subject fits that framework using documented evidence. This technique is especially visible in the values section, where Fox's definition of personal values is introduced and then mapped directly onto Whitman's observable behaviors.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief biographical and contextual introduction to Whitman and HP. It then proceeds through four analytical sections — leadership style, personal and organizational values, the ethical implications of those values, and strengths/weaknesses — before closing with a broader organizational-behavior discussion on group dynamics. Each section is self-contained yet builds on the previous one, moving from individual traits to organizational and group-level effects. References follow APA format throughout.
Introduction: Whitman and HP
Hewlett Packard (HP) remains one of the most successful computer and related services companies in the diversified computer systems industry. This paper examines the leadership style of Meg Whitman, the CEO of HP, analyzing how her leadership style aligns with the company's culture. It also examines Whitman's strengths and weaknesses as well as her personal and organizational values.
Born in 1956, Whitman has over the years earned an enviable reputation as an efficient and brilliant corporate executive keen on making her mark in a corporate environment dominated by men. Having cut her teeth at Hasbro, Stride Rite, Disney, and most notably eBay — where she served as CEO for a decade — Whitman rose to become the head of HP. She also tried her hand in elective politics, expressing interest in California's gubernatorial seat in 2010. It was after her defeat in that race that she was appointed CEO of HP.
Leadership Style and Philosophy
Taking into consideration her ability to inspire enthusiasm and relate well with others, Whitman could be regarded as a charismatic leader. In the words of Lussier (2011), "charismatic leadership is a leadership style that inspires loyalty, enthusiasm, and high levels of performance" (p. 337). At the time of Whitman's appointment as CEO of HP, the company was in a difficult state. In addition to facing stiff competition from the likes of Dell, HP's operating margins were largely in free fall. Shortly after her appointment, Whitman persuaded the company's top executives to develop a strategy for enhancing HP's competitiveness. Being a team builder, she was able to motivate others to move forward — an undertaking that helped address HP's immediate problems.
A true charismatic leader, Whitman prefers to use influence rather than force. Her natural charisma has been evident throughout her career. As Rajiv Dutta, an eBay employee, points out, Whitman possesses a rare personal magnetism that draws people to her (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2009). In Dutta's words (as cited in Hellriegel and Slocum, 2009), "she makes you want to do the right thing" (p. 317). By using influence rather than force, Whitman inspires her followers to trust in her vision. This explains her previous successes, most particularly at eBay, where she managed to improve the company's bottom line at a time when other internet companies were struggling. Her charm is also evident in her conduct and interaction with others. In addition to having a jovial personality, Whitman's trademark smile is notably infectious. Ultimately, it is through her unique charm and personality that Whitman gathers and influences followers.
Personal and Organizational Values
In the words of Fox (2007), "personal values represent fundamental convictions that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally preferable to an opposite or converse one" (p. 54). As Fox further points out, values are essentially a reflection of an individual's ideas about what is good or right. In addition to being impartial, Whitman is an honest individual who embodies the basic tenets of integrity. Throughout her career, she has not been accused of any kind of impropriety. It is also important to note that Whitman does not routinely tell people what to do; instead, she prefers to motivate others toward action — an indication that she values initiative. Her tendency to consider everyone's viewpoints before adopting a course of action also reflects her accountability and respect for teamwork. Some of the decisions Whitman has made in recent years have further demonstrated that she is both flexible and courageous. A notable example is her decision to merge HP's PC business with the Printer unit. Whitman has also shown a tendency to put customers' needs first, a value that, according to Lehman and Dufrene (2008), was instilled in her during her time at Procter & Gamble.
Organizational values are those things seen as important or critical in guiding the individual behaviors of people within an organization. In some cases, organizational values align with the personal values of top executives. At HP under Whitman, evident organizational values include — but are not limited to — service to clients, integrity, and professionalism. Teamwork is also held in high regard at HP.
References
Ferris, G. R., & Treadway, D. C. (Eds.). (2012). Politics in organizations: Theory and research considerations. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis Group.
Forsyth, D. R. (2010). Group dynamics (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Fox, W. (2007). Managing organizational behavior. Cape Town: Juta and Company.
Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W. (2009). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Lehman, C. M., & Dufrene, D. D. (2008). Business communication (15th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson Learning.
Lussier, R. N. (2011). Management fundamentals: Concepts, applications, skill development (5th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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