Page 273 - leadership-experience-2008

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254 PART 4: THE LEADER AS A RELATIONSHIP BUILDER
In Class: The instructor can have students talk in small groups about their percent-
ages and what the percentages mean to them. Students can be asked how the categories of
should, need, like, and love relate to the theories of motivation in the chapter. Do leaders
have an obligation to guide employees toward tasks they like and love, or is it sufficient
at work for people to perform need and should tasks?
The instructor can write student percentages on the board so students can see where
they stand compared to the class. Students can be asked to interpret the results in terms
of the amount of satisfaction they receive from various tasks. Also, are the percentages
related to the students’ stage of life?

Leadership Development: Cases for Analysis

The Parlor
The Parlor, a local franchise operation located in San Francisco, serves sandwiches and small
dinners in an atmosphere reminiscent of the “roaring twenties.” Period fixtures accent the
atmosphere and tunes from a mechanically driven, old-time player piano greet one’s ears
upon entering. Its major attraction, however, is a high-quality, old-fashioned soda fountain
that specializes in superior ice cream sundaes and sodas. Fresh, quality sandwiches are also
a popular item. Business has grown steadily during the seven years of operation.
The business has been so successful that Richard Purvis, owner and manager, decided
to hire a parlor manager so that he could devote more time to other business interests.
After a month of quiet recruitment and interviewing, he selected Paul McCarthy, whose
prior experience included the supervision of the refreshment stand at one of the town’s
leading burlesque houses.
The current employees were unaware of McCarthy’s employment until his first day on
the job, when he walked in unescorted (Purvis was out of town) and introduced himself.
During the first few weeks, he evidenced sincere attempts at supervision and seemed to
perform his work efficiently. According to his agreement with Purvis, he is paid a straight
salary plus a percentage of the amount he saves the business monthly, based on the previ-
ous month’s operating expenses. All other employees are on a straight hourly rate.
After a month on the job, McCarthy single-mindedly decided to initiate an economy
program designed to increase his earnings. He changed the wholesale meat supplier and
lowered both his cost and product quality in the process. Arbitrarily, he reduced the size
and portion of everything on the menu, including those fabulous sundaes and sodas. He
increased the working hours of those on minimum wage and reduced the time of those
employed at a higher rate. Moreover, he eliminated the fringe benefit of a one-dollar meal
credit for employees who work longer than a five-hour stretch, and he cut out the usual
20 percent discount on anything purchased by the employees.
When questioned by the owner about the impact of his new practices, McCarthy
swore up and down that there would be no negative effect on the business. Customers,
though, have begun to complain about the indifferent service of the female waitresses and
the sloppy appearance of the male soda fountain clerks—“Their hair keeps getting in the
ice cream.” And there has been almost a complete turnover among the four short-order
cooks who work two to a shift.
Ron Sharp, an accounting major at the nearby university, had been a short-order
cook on the night shift for five months prior to McCarthy’s arrival. Conscientious and
ambitious, Ron enjoys a fine work record, and even his new boss recognizes Ron’s supe-
riority over the other cooks—“The best we got.”
Heavy customer traffic at the Parlor has always required two short-order cooks work-
ing in tandem on each shift. The work requires a high degree of interpersonal cooperation