Observe the following statements made by Norman Brinker, CEO of Brinker Int’l.:
“I don’t send for people. For the most part, I go to other people’s offices to see them instead of having them come see me. I want to know my employees and hope that they respect me as a leader” and ” I’m not afraid to fail. I’m afraid to make mistakes. For me, when you take all the risks out, it just isn’t as much fun.”
Using as many models and theories from chapter 15 as you can (models emphasized in class discussion are obviously most important), describe the type of leadership you imagine Mr. Brinker exercises. Using the Hersey and Blanchard Situational Model of Leadership, what management style would you suggest for Mr. Brinker when faced with an upper-level managerial employee who felt left out of the planning process and was therefore delaying the incorporation of key design updates in some existing product lines? Explain your answer. Finally, what is Mr. Brinker’s source(s) of power?
