case analysis for leadership

This case analysis provides the opportunity to apply concepts, theories, and frameworks from the content on communication, persuasion, power, and influence. Although one could see these as separate topics, with distinct content, they are clearly not independent of one another. In particular, several key elements of effective persuasion (e.g., credibility/expertise, liking/attractiveness, relationships/networks, etc.) highlighted in the corresponding readings are also discussed as sources of power in the respective articles. As such, just as with the last case analysis, you have a lot of content you can draw on for this assignment.

1.Cases: Use the “The Team That Wasn’t” case as material for this thought exercise.

2.Articles and Slides: You should focus on the four articles we have read on these two topics, using those as the main source of material to apply in your analysis. Also, I have posted some slides on the two topics of Communication and Power, giving you some additional material to use.

3.Objective: Discuss the ways in which the concepts, principles, and guidelines offered in these four readings (and the accompanying slides) are relevant to the situation depicted in the case.

4.Specifics: Address the following questions as organized under the two main headings below.

a.Communication and Persuasion:

i.In what ways might the situation be simply a function of various challenges associated with communication?

ii.Could any of the actors have benefited from Cialdini’s Six Principles of Persuasion? Where and how specifically?

iii.Could the team’s process have been more effective if they had implemented any of Conger’s Four Steps of Persuasion? Are any one of these steps particularly important for this situation and why? Alternatively, has the situation been made worse by any of his “Four Ways Not to Persuade”?

b.Power and Influence:

i.What Sources or Bases of Power (personal, positional, organizational/structural) seem to be at play here? Which types are used by key actors?

ii.Are there particular sources of power that seem to significantly contribute to the challenges the team is facing? I.e., by being either over-utilized or under-employed?

iii.To what degree is Powerlessness a factor? In what ways is this situation an example of one or more of Kanter’s Three Powerless Groups? What are the key factors contributing to this powerlessness?

iv.What about the concept of Empowerment? In what ways has this been applied or not applied? Could better implementation of the principles of empowerment have prevented this situation? Alternatively, might empowerment – or a misapplication of it – be part of the problem?

5.Format: Your discussion should be no more than 2 single-spaced pages in length. Please use the two headings above to structure your prose. You will likely have 2-3 paragraphs for each of the two sections. As before, no additional spacing (between sections/paragraphs) is needed. The 3 articles that is talked about which is, cialdini’s 6 principles, congers 4 steps of persuasion and kanters3 powerless group is attched in the question as well. I also attached 2 power points about communication and power in the question.