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Laura (English)
Laura (English)
How can Laura most effectively use both management and leadership skills in her
role as associate director? What combination of the two do you think would work
best in this setting?
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A director could be both a leader and manager. However, given that the two mangers are
very capable and directly manage all the department staff, Laura should focus on being a
leader. She should delegate managerial responsibilities to the two managers. This
strategy will build the managers’ confidence, allowing them to problem-solve for their
staff. It will also free Laura to focus on building a greater sense of staff commitment to
mission and vision.
3. What advice would you give Laura on improving her leadership skills and to the
managers on improving their management skills?
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It might help for both Laura and the managers to take a personality or
leadership/management assessment. This way the mangers can ascertain their individual
skills, learn how they can best support employees, and figure out how they can work
together to use each other's strengths to run the department. Using a Style approach,
Manager 1 appears to utilize a task oriented approach and Manager 2 demonstrates a
relationship oriented style. These two orientations could be structured to support one
another.
Laura can focus on building leadership skills by building on her current strengths. In
addition, Laura may want to revisit the roles and responsibilities of each position and
how her division's work aligns with the overall organizational mission. Aligning with the
overall mission and communicating it to staff may help improve morale and provide
clarity on the department's role and direction.
4. Which leadership style do you think a leader would need to be effective in this
situation?
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Several leadership approaches may be suited for the position described in the scenario:
• Skills: Centers on the ability to solve complex problems. The non-profit is having
several difficulties at the organizational level, including high-turnover.
• Path Goal: Motivates employees by defining goals, clarifying paths, removing
obstacles, and providing support. This type of leadership may work well in building
employee morale.
• Transformational: Treats employees as complete human beings, considers emotions
and perspectives. Builds motivation by providing a clear vision, acting as a social
architect, building trust, and positive self-regard.