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Leadership Case Studies

Here is a sample of three case studies from the book, Leadership Case Studies, that are most instructive and impactful to developing leadership skills.

For the past 30 years, I have conducted seminars and workshops and taught college classes on leadership.

I used a variety of teaching aids including books, articles, case studies, role-plays, and videos.

I recently created a book, Leadership Case Studies that includes some of the case studies and role-plays that I found to be most instructive and impactful.

Here is a sample of three case studies.

Peter Weaver Case Study

Peter Weaver doesn’t like to follow the crowd. He thinks groupthink is a common problem in many organizations. This former director of marketing for a consumer products company believes differences of opinion should be heard and appreciated. As Weaver states, “I have always believed I should speak for what I believe to be true.”

He demonstrated his belief in being direct and candid throughout his career. On one occasion, he was assigned to market Paul’s spaghetti-sauce products. During the brand review, the company president said, “Our spaghetti sauce is losing out to price-cutting competitors. We need to cut our prices!”

Peter found the courage to say he disagreed with the president. He then explained the product line needed more variety and a larger advertising budget. Prices should not be cut. The president accepted Weaver’s reasoning. Later, his supervisor approached him and said, “I wanted to say that, but I just didn’t have the courage to challenge the president.”

On another occasion, the president sent Weaver and 16 other executives to a weeklong seminar on strategic planning. Weaver soon concluded the consultants were off base and going down the wrong path. Between sessions, most of the other executives indicated they didn’t think the consultants were on the right path. The consultants heard about the dissent and dramatically asked participants whether they were in or out. Those who said “Out” had to leave immediately.

As the consultants went around the room, every executive who privately grumbled about the session said “In.” Weaver was fourth from last. When it was his turn, he said “Out” and left the room.

All leaders spend time in reflection and self-examination to identify what they truly believe and value. Their beliefs are tested and fine-tuned over time. True leaders can tell you, without hesitation, what they believe and why. They don’t need a teleprompter to remind them of their core beliefs. And, they find the courage to speak up even when they know others will disagree.

• What leadership traits did Weaver exhibit?
• If you were in Weaver’s shoes, what would you have done?
• Where does courage come from?
• List your three most important values.

Dealing with a Crisis Case Study

Assume you are the VP of Sales and Marketing for a large insurance company. Once a year your company rewards and recognizes the top 100 sales agents by taking them to a luxury resort for a four-day conference. Business presentation meetings are held during the morning. Afternoons are free time. Agents and spouses can choose from an assortment of activities including golf, tennis, boating, fishing, shopping, swimming, etc.

On day 2 at 3:00 p.m., you are at the gym working out on the treadmill, when you see Sue your administrative assistant rushing towards you. She says, “I need to talk to you immediately.”

You get off the treadmill and say, “What’s up?” Sue states, “We’ve had a tragedy. Several agents went boating and swimming at the lake. Randy, our agent from California died while swimming.”

(Background information – Randy is 28 years old. His wife did not come on the trip. She is home in California with their three children).

• Explain what you would communicate to the following people.
• Your Human Resources Department
• The local police
• The attendees at the conference (Would you continue the conference?)
• How will you notify Randy’s wife?
• If Randy’s wife and a few family members want to visit the location of Randy’s death, what would you do?
• What are some “guiding principles” that leaders need to follow in a crisis situation?

 Arsenic and Old Lace Case Study

Review the YouTube video, “ I’ll show them who is boss Arsenic and Old Lace.”   

Background Information

The Vernon Road Bleaching and Dyeing Company is a British lace dyeing business. It was purchased in bankruptcy by the father/son team of Henry and Richard Chaplin. Richard has been acting as “Managing Director” which is the same as a general manager or president of a company.

The company has had 50-to-150 employees with 35-to-100 being shop floor, production employees. The company produces and sells various dyed fabrics to the garment industry.

Gerry Robinson is a consultant who was asked to help transform methods of conducting business to save the company.

Jeff is the factory manager.

• What are Richard’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
• What could Richard have done to make the problems of quality and unhappy customers more visible to the workforce?
• What do you think Richard’s top three priorities should be for the next 12 months?
• What could Richard have done to motivate the workforce?
• Evaluate Jeff’s approach and effectiveness as a leader.

The book contains 16 case studies, four role-plays, and six articles. I hope you find some of the content useful and helpful in your efforts to teach leadership.

Click for additional leadership case studies and resources .

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The Best Leadership Case Studies and Examples

Welcome to our article on the best leadership case studies and examples! Whether you\’re a business professional looking to improve your leadership skills or simply interested in learning from remarkable leaders, this article is here to inspire and educate you. Leadership is a crucial aspect of any organization, and studying real-life examples can provide valuable insights into effective leadership strategies. Throughout this article, we will explore various case studies and examples that highlight exceptional leadership qualities and achievements. So, grab a cup of coffee and get ready to be inspired by some of the world\’s most influential leaders!

Introduction to Leadership Case Studies and Examples

Leadership case studies are real-life examples of successful leaders who have made a significant impact in their respective fields. These case studies provide valuable insights into effective leadership strategies and serve as inspiration for individuals looking to enhance their own leadership skills.

Understanding leadership case studies

Leadership case studies are in-depth examinations of specific leaders and their leadership styles, actions, and decisions. These studies outline the challenges faced by the leaders and the strategies they employed to overcome them and achieve success.

By analyzing these case studies, we can gain a thorough understanding of the qualities, skills, and behaviors that contribute to effective leadership. It allows us to explore different leadership styles and approaches, learning from both the successes and failures of leaders in various contexts.

The importance of leadership examples

Examining leadership examples allows us to learn from the experiences of exceptional leaders and understand the qualities and practices that contribute to their success. These examples help us develop a deeper understanding of leadership principles and apply them in our own contexts.

Leadership examples also provide inspiration and motivation for aspiring leaders. They demonstrate that leadership is not limited to a select few individuals but can be cultivated by anyone through dedication and continuous learning.

Benefits of studying leadership case studies

Studying leadership case studies offers numerous benefits, such as improving decision-making skills, enhancing communication abilities, fostering innovation, and inspiring others.

Firstly, studying case studies improves our decision-making skills by exposing us to different leadership scenarios. We can learn how successful leaders approach complex situations, make critical decisions, and navigate challenges effectively.

Secondly, case studies enhance our communication abilities by showcasing effective communication strategies employed by leaders. We can learn how leaders capture their vision, inspire teams, and communicate their expectations clearly and persuasively.

Furthermore, leadership case studies foster innovation by highlighting leaders who have successfully driven change and embraced new ideas. Studying such examples encourages creative thinking and challenges individuals to explore unconventional approaches.

Finally, leadership case studies inspire others by showcasing how leaders have overcome obstacles and achieved remarkable success. These examples motivate individuals to strive for greatness, develop their leadership skills, and make a positive impact in their personal and professional lives.

In conclusion, leadership case studies provide valuable insights into effective leadership strategies and serve as a source of inspiration for individuals looking to enhance their own leadership skills. By studying these examples, we can learn from exceptional leaders, understand the qualities that contribute to their success, and apply these learnings in our own contexts. Furthermore, the benefits of studying leadership case studies extend beyond personal growth, improving decision-making, communication, fostering innovation, and inspiring others.

Leadership Case Study: Elon Musk

Elon Musk is renowned for his innovative mindset and willingness to take risks. His ability to envision and execute groundbreaking projects, such as Tesla and SpaceX, showcases his exceptional leadership skills and inspires others to think big.

Innovative mindset and risk-taking

Elon Musk is an extraordinary leader with an unparalleled innovative mindset and a strong willingness to take risks. He is not afraid to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what is possible. Musk has been instrumental in revolutionizing the automotive industry with his electric car company, Tesla. By introducing electric vehicles that are both practical and desirable, Musk has disrupted the market and paved the way for sustainable transportation.

Furthermore, Musk\’s unwavering belief in the potential of space exploration has led him to establish SpaceX. Despite facing numerous obstacles and setbacks, Musk has propelled SpaceX to become a leading private space company. His audacious goal of colonizing Mars is a testament to his fearless approach to risk-taking and his determination to push the boundaries of human achievement.

Unwavering determination and resilience

One of Elon Musk\’s most admirable leadership qualities is his unwavering determination and resilience in the face of challenges. Musk has encountered numerous setbacks throughout his career, but he never allows failure to deter him. Instead, he sees failures as valuable learning experiences and opportunities for growth.

Musk\’s relentless pursuit of his goals is evident in the countless hours he dedicates to his work. He is known for working incredibly long hours, often sleeping at Tesla\’s factory during critical production phases. This level of dedication and commitment inspires his team members to give their best and go the extra mile to achieve success.

Transformational leadership style

Elon Musk embodies a transformational leadership style, which has been key to his success in leading innovative companies like Tesla and SpaceX. He possesses a unique ability to motivate and empower his teams, encouraging them to strive for excellence and adopt a shared sense of purpose.

Musk\’s visionary approach inspires creativity among his employees. He encourages them to think beyond conventional limits and pursue ambitious and unconventional ideas. This approach has led to groundbreaking innovations in electric vehicle technology and space exploration.

Moreover, Musk leads by example and is actively involved in every aspect of his companies\’ operations. He fosters a culture of open communication and collaboration, giving his team members the freedom to experiment and contribute their ideas. This inclusive leadership style creates a sense of shared ownership and responsibility, empowering the team to achieve extraordinary results.

In conclusion, Elon Musk\’s leadership case study showcases his exceptional abilities as a visionary leader. His innovative mindset and willingness to take risks, along with his unwavering determination and resilience, make him a role model for aspiring leaders. Musk\’s transformational leadership style empowers his teams to strive for greatness and achieve extraordinary results. His story serves as a testament to the power of effective leadership in driving innovation and making a difference in the world.

Leadership Case Study: Indra Nooyi

Inclusive leadership style.

Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, is widely recognized for her inclusive leadership style. Throughout her tenure, she actively embraced diversity and fostered an inclusive culture within the company. By valuing and appreciating individual differences, Nooyi successfully built strong, diverse teams that were not only innovative but also instrumental in driving the company\’s overall success.

Nooyi\’s commitment to inclusivity resulted in a workforce that felt heard and valued, enabling employees to bring their best selves to work. This inclusive environment promoted collaboration and encouraged individuals to share their unique ideas and perspectives. By harnessing the power of diverse thinking, PepsiCo was able to remain at the forefront of the industry, continuously adapting to changing consumer demands and preferences.

Strategic decision-making

One of the key factors contributing to Nooyi\’s success as a leader was her exceptional strategic decision-making abilities. Throughout her tenure as CEO, she demonstrated a deep understanding of market trends, allowing her to make informed decisions that were critical to PepsiCo\’s growth and global expansion.

Nooyi\’s focus on long-term sustainability propelled PepsiCo forward, ensuring the company\’s continued success in an ever-evolving market. She consistently made decisions that aligned with the company\’s broader vision, effectively balancing short-term objectives with long-term goals. By having a clear grasp of where the industry was heading and anticipating future trends, Nooyi was able to position PepsiCo as an industry leader.

Effective communication and influence

Nooyi\’s exceptional communication skills and ability to influence stakeholders were pivotal to her leadership success. She possessed a clear vision and effectively communicated it to various stakeholders, including employees, investors, and partners.

By articulating her ideas and goals persuasively, Nooyi was able to garner support and build strong relationships with key stakeholders. Her communication style was genuine, approachable, and relatable, allowing her to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds. This enabled her to not only motivate her teams but also foster trust and authenticity within the organization.

Nooyi\’s influence extended beyond the walls of PepsiCo, as she actively engaged with policymakers and industry leaders, advocating for the company\’s values and interests. Her ability to build relationships, coupled with her influential communication style, earned her respect and admiration within the business world.

Leadership Case Study: Jacinda Ardern

Authentic and empathetic leadership

New Zealand\’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, is widely recognized for her authentic and empathetic approach to leadership. This has been particularly evident during times of crises, such as the Christchurch mosque shootings and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ardern\’s ability to connect with people on a human level and genuinely understand their emotions and concerns has earned her admiration on a global scale.

Inclusive decision-making and collaboration

Ardern\’s leadership style is characterized by inclusive decision-making and a strong emphasis on collaboration. She recognizes the importance of involving diverse perspectives and ensuring that all voices are heard when making crucial decisions. By actively seeking input from experts and engaging with communities, Ardern has been able to foster a sense of unity and trust among citizens. This has not only resulted in better outcomes, but also strengthened the bond between the government and the people it serves.

Resilience and crisis management

In times of crisis, Ardern has consistently displayed resilience and effective crisis management skills. She has the ability to remain calm and composed when faced with adversity, providing reassurance to the public and instilling confidence in her leadership. Ardern\’s transparent and straightforward communication during challenging situations has been highly praised and has contributed to a sense of trust and belief in her ability to lead.

Overall, Jacinda Ardern\’s leadership case study serves as a testament to the power of authentic and empathetic leadership. Her inclusive decision-making process and collaborative approach have created unity and trust among citizens, while her resilience and crisis management skills have garnered international recognition. By prioritizing the well-being of her people and genuinely connecting with them, Ardern has set an example for leaders around the world.

Conclusion: Learnings from Leadership Case Studies and Examples

Leadership case studies and examples provide valuable insights into developing a unique leadership style, emphasizing continuous growth and learning, and inspiring and empowering others.

Developing a unique leadership style

Studying leadership case studies and examples allows individuals to identify and develop their own distinctive leadership styles. By examining the practices of exceptional leaders, we can adopt their successful strategies and customize them to suit our specific circumstances. This enables us to cultivate a leadership approach that aligns with our values, strengths, and goals.

Continuous growth and learning

Leadership case studies serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of continuous growth and learning in leadership. They emphasize the need for leaders to actively seek out opportunities to expand their knowledge, enhance their skills, and stay up-to-date with industry trends. By dedicating ourselves to ongoing growth, we can ensure that we remain effective and adaptable leaders, capable of navigating challenges and seizing opportunities.

Inspiring and empowering others

One of the most significant lessons we can learn from leadership case studies and examples is how to inspire and empower others. These studies not only inspire us with stories of exceptional leaders but also empower us to become catalysts for positive change. By implementing effective leadership strategies that we have learned from these case studies, we can not only achieve success but also inspire and empower those around us to reach their full potential as leaders.

Sharing our experiences and lessons learned from leadership case studies can be a powerful way to inspire and empower others. We can serve as role models, guiding and supporting individuals in their journey towards becoming exceptional leaders. By openly sharing our experiences, challenges, and triumphs, we create a supportive network that fosters growth and encourages others to develop their own leadership capabilities.

In conclusion, leadership case studies and examples play a crucial role in our personal and professional development. They enable us to develop our unique leadership styles, emphasize the importance of continuous growth and learning, and empower us to become inspiring leaders who can drive positive change. By studying the experiences and strategies of exceptional leaders, we can learn from their successes and failures, ultimately becoming better leaders ourselves.

Related posts:

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• The Best Leadership Webinars to Attend
• The Path to Tech Leadership: A Comprehensive Guide

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Anyone Can Learn to Be a Better Leader

• Monique Valcour

You just have to put in the work.

Occupying a leadership position is not the same thing as leading. To lead, you must be able to connect, motivate, and inspire a sense of ownership of shared objectives. Heightening your capacity to lead others requires being able to see how you think and act, and how your behavior affects others. Leading well requires a continuous journey of personal development. Yet people in leadership roles often eschew the long and challenging work of deepening self-insight in favor of chasing after management “tools”— preferably the “quick ’n’ easy” kind, such as personality type assessments that reduce employees to a few simplistic behavioral tendencies. Tools can be handy aids to good leadership. But none of them can take the place of fearless introspection, feedback seeking, and committed efforts to behavioral change for greater effectiveness and increased positive impact on others.

When you’re an individual contributor, your ability to use your technical expertise to deliver results is paramount. Once you’ve advanced into a leadership role, however, the toolkit that you relied on to deliver individual results rarely equips you to succeed through others. Beware of falling into the logical trap of “if I can do this work well, I should be able to lead a team of people who do this work.” This would be true if leading others were akin to operating a more powerful version of the same machinery you operated previously. But it’s not; machinery doesn’t perform better or worse based on what it thinks about you and how you make it feel, while humans do .

• MV Monique Valcour is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and management professor. She helps clients create and sustain fulfilling and high-performance jobs, careers, workplaces, and lives. moniquevalcour

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The Ethical Leadership Case Study Collection

The Ted Rogers Leadership Centre’s Case Collection, developed in collaboration with experienced teaching faculty, seasoned executives, and alumni, provides instructors with real-life decision-making scenarios to help hone students’ critical-thinking skills and their understanding of what good leaders do. They will be able to leverage the theories, models, and processes being advanced. Students come to understand that workplace dilemmas are rarely black and white, but require them to think through and address competing claims and circumstances. Crucially, they also appreciate how they can, as new leaders and middle managers, improve decisions by creating realistic action plans based on sound stakeholder analysis and communication principles. These case studies are offered free of charge to all instructors.

Cases come in both long and short forms. The long cases provide instructors with tools for delving deeply into subjects related to a variety of decision making and organizational development issues. The short cases, or “minis,” are quick in-class exercises in leadership.

For both the long cases and the minis, teaching-method notes are provided, which include not only recommended in-class facilitation methods, but also grading rubrics, references, and student feedback.

Testimonials

“I have been invited to judge the Leadership Centre’s Annual Ethical Leadership National Case Competition since its inception. Each year, competitors are given a Centre’s case to analyze and present. These cases are like nothing else. They bring the student into the heart of the situation. To excel, students must not only be able to cogently argue the options, but also demonstrate how to implement a decision based on a clear-eyed stakeholder analysis and an understanding of the dynamics of change.” Anne Fawcett, Special Advisor, Caldwell Partners

“I have worked with the Ted Rogers Leadership Centre to both develop and pilot test case materials. Feedback consistently shows that the Centre’s cases resonate with students, providing them with valuable learning experiences.” Chris Gibbs, BComm, MBA, PhD, Associate Professor

"As a judge in the recent national Ted Rogers Ethical Leadership Case Competition, I was very impressed with the quality of the case study prepared by the Leadership Centre. It was brief but well-composed. It exposed the students to ethical quandaries, of the sort they may well face in their business careers. It not only tested their reasoning, but it challenged them to develop a plan of action when faced with incomplete information and imminent deadlines.” Lorne Salzman, Lawyer

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Above the Fray & Beneath the Surface

• Mar 12, 2021
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Case Studies in Change Leadership

The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework.

At its essence, leadership is a change-focused enterprise. Leaders influence others to change. While this influence takes place at various levels and through diverse means, change is always the common denominator. Change is the distinguishing feature of leadership. History contains accounts of strong leaders, both good and bad, and weak leaders. The chronicles of the exploits of these leaders fill archives and libraries—those who have made changes that drastically improved the human condition, those who caused others to suffer, and those who history remembers only for the opportunities they squandered. These types of leaders existed throughout human history, from ancient times through the present day. For instance, World War II had good leaders like Eisenhower and Nimitz, bad leaders like Hitler and Mussolini, and weak leaders like Neville Chamberlain. The Bible tells numerous stories of good leaders like Joseph, bad leaders like Nebuchadnezzer, and weak leaders like Adam. Merida also recounted stories of all these leadership types, including the weak leadership of King Ahab, the bad leadership of Queen Jezebel, and the good leadership of King Josiah.

If the adage is true that history repeats itself, then it is vital for modern leaders to learn from the legacies of those who have preceded them. They must be able to identify those characteristics that distinguish good leaders from bad ones and strong leaders from weak ones. Aspiring leaders must know how to replicate good leadership traits and avoid evil ones. Because leaders are constantly effecting transformation, they operate within a moral imperative of making sure they are making the right changes. These changes should maximize the good they achieve while minimizing any negative impacts. This paper serves the goal of learning from others’ leadership through the identification of current best practices in leading organizational change and studying the examples of other organizational leaders from various contexts.

Best Practices

Experts have written countless volumes on the best practices of leadership. Ecclesiastes 12:12 (NKJV) admonishes readers that “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.” While it is therefore impossible to exhaustively catalogue the best practices of organizational change leadership, the following four main tactics will serve all leaders well: implement necessary changes, begin with the end in mind, rally the troops, and anchor the changes.

Implement Necessary Changes

Kotter stated that establishing a sense of urgency was the first step in achieving significant organizational change. He added that “establishing a sense of urgency is crucial to gaining needed cooperation.” Unfortunately, many leaders struggle to generate the urgency their initiatives require because they either implement changes that are not necessary or fail to implement those changes that are. Thus, a good starting point for any leader is to determine which changes are necessary. This is important because it is nearly impossible to establish a sense of urgency around an unnecessary change.

While applying Kotter’s eight steps to manage change in the United Kingdom’s Integrated Offender Management program, King et al. found that “not all partners had ‘bought into’ the philosophy and objectives of the schemes” because the initiatives did not seem necessary to multiple different agencies in the criminal justice community. This belief highlights how important it is for leaders to choose to implement necessary changes. Kotter stated that “People will find a thousand ingenious ways to withhold cooperation from a process they think is unnecessary or wrongheaded.

Graamans et al. presented another example of this withheld cooperation in their study of a failed attempt to change the brand of suture in a Dutch hospital. They found that cardiothoracic surgeons “adamantly refused to work with the suture…, …stockpil[ed] their own supplies of surgical suture…, …[and threatened to hold] managers accountable for patient deaths that could arise from use of the new suture.” Why were the surgeons so opposed to new suture? They believed that it presented a danger to patient health outcomes. In other words, what was a dollars and cents issue to the hospital management was a life and death issue to the surgeons. The hospital management tried to make this unnecessary change and it ultimately failed. Leaders must make those changes which are necessary and avoid making those which are not.

Begin with the End in Mind

Covey famously articulated this next best practice for change leaders as the second of his seven steps, “Begin with the end in mind.” Covey further explained, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going… …so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” Covey suggested that leaders ask themselves, “What are the things I want to accomplish?” Kotter echoed this sentiment in the third stage of his eight-step process, “Develop a vision and strategy.” Essentially, leaders must know where they are leading the organization. They must have a clear vision of the desired outcome and know the paths that will lead to it. Watts explained, “Defining specific outcomes is an effective way to create actionable goals that… …focus on those whom the initiative is intended to support.” Watts added that “defining outcomes can assist in… …solidifying group buy-in to help move the project forward.” Watts understood the importance of having a clearly defined destination. Effective leaders must begin with the end in mind.

Rally the Troops

Another best practice of change leaders is to get people united around the leader’s vision for the organization. Two of Kotter’s steps—creating the guiding coalition and communicating the change vision—are in keeping with this best practice. Grenny et al. suggested that those who want to lead others should “engage all six sources of influence.” These sources of influence include personal motivation, personal ability, social motivation, social ability, structural motivation, and structural ability. While there are many ways which leaders may employ to draw people to their causes, most of them involve some form of communication. In Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV), God says to “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” Clearly articulating the change vision is critical to the leader’s success.

Watts stated that “If the team knows where they are headed, all the members can steer in the same direction.” Similarly, Muthusamy made the following recommendation: “Managers and leaders should employ collaborative and consensus-building socio-linguistic jargons… [because] …sharing positive communication is central to the creation, sustenance and achieving organizational transformation. Thus, the process of creating, acquiring, articulating, sharing inspiration and knowledge through positive maxims and metaphors is a core organizational capability for modern management. If managers and leaders enact the words they articulate, organizations can realize the mission and goals that seem impossible.” Hemme et al. also emphasized the importance of language in communicating the vision: “We argue for more deliberately crafted change messages that emphasize some aspects over others under consideration of change recipients’ specific change concerns and context. Whereas some readiness beliefs need to be addressed clearly and deliberately early on, others can be affected more easily at later points during the change initiative. Specifically, change recipients need to be convinced that the proposed changes are in fact suitable to engender significant organizational benefits – otherwise all other efforts to affect other change-related attitudes appear to be moot.”

Anchor the Change

A final best practice is for leaders to anchor the change. Kotter recommended that leaders “anchor new approaches in the culture.” Atkins et al. related the story of a failed change effort which relied too heavily upon a single person and dissolved upon that individual’s retirement: “The most significant barrier [to continuing the change effort]… …was the retirement of and failure to replace the director of sustainability. This… …affected virtually all aspects of empowerment through authority. The long-established director position was eliminated… It had created a point person…, but after the person who had held the job retired, support from the Academic Affairs Office declined in awareness, structural support, and resources. With no one assigned to report to the university president about sustainability or lead university-wide efforts, the academic branch… …met with significant setbacks that jeopardized its upward trajectory in gaining participation of both faculty and students on its campuses. The vital role… …was placed at risk.”

Wei and Clegg also addressed anchoring approaches in the culture through their research on the dominance of organizational cultures during acquisition. They found that several trends related to the acquiring company’s culture, the target company’s culture, the power differential between these organizations, and how those impacted the post-acquisition culture of the organization. They found that organizations in the acquisition process pass through three phases—resistance, conformity, and integration. These phases also may be present in other change efforts. Finally, Jeong and Shin found that “when high-performance work practices are paired with organizational change, organizations have a much better chance of survival and prosperity.”

Case Studies

The following case studies offer valuable insights into the organizational change process.

Talent Culture

Li discussed his own experiences building a talent culture at HKBN, a leading Hong Kong news agency.

The Change Process

Li developed a blended approach to organizational change drawing from Kotter’s eight-step model and Yu’s 3H (heart-head-hand) model.. Li spread his blended approach across three super-steps for change: creating the climate for change, engaging and enabling the organization, and implementing and sustaining for change, and explained how he implemented these super-steps at HKBN.

In creating the climate for change, Li created urgency, formed a coalition, and created a vision; in engaging and enabling the organization, he communicated the vision, empowered action, and created the quick win; and in implementing and sustaining for change, he built on the change and made it stick.

The Outcome

Li was successful in creating the talent culture he envisioned. He attributed his success in part to how he balanced the 3H model with Kotter’s eight steps.

Suture Situation

Graamans et al. explained how one Dutch hospital’s effort to reduce expenses by purchasing a different brand of suture backfired.

Although the hospital management thought this was a “relatively small-scale change initiative,” they still utilized some change-management principles. These included building a guiding coalition, consulting department heads, and communicating the change to the surgeons. In fact, this change was believed to be so simple that it would have been one of the guiding coalition’s early wins as they had more cost-cutting measures planned for the future. One manager even stated it, “This appeared to us as an easy win.”

Unfortunately, appearances are sometimes misleading, and this was not an easy win. The surgeons refused to use the new suture, citing patient safety, and the management abandoned the mew suture. One reason for this outcome is that the management team tried to make a change that was not necessary. Another reason the initiative failed is because the hospital management team did not effectively rally the troops.

Integrated Offender Management

King et al. examined the limited success of the United Kingdom’s Integrated Offender Management system, a multi-agency approach to criminal justice and rehabilitation. This program coordinated the efforts of police officers, probation officers, drug addiction counselors, and other stakeholders within the system.

After seeing the system fail to maximize its potential, King et al. retroactively evaluated the implementation of the system using Kotter’s eight-step change model to identify its shortcomings. They found significant issues at several stages. While the police and probation officers saw the urgent need for change, some of the supporting agencies did not and this hindered the entire process. The system had no guiding coalition and no strategic plan to implement its vision. King et al. also found issues with communicating the vision to adjacent law enforcement and probation units and empowering others to act.

Kotter stated that “successful change of any magnitude goes through all eight stages.” King et al. found that the lack of a strategic plan led to later difficulty creating short-term wins, consolidating gains and producing more change, and institutionalizing the new approaches.

King et al. made numerous recommendations for improvement to the system implementation at every stage of Kotter’s process. They acknowledged the difficulty of public-sector inter-agency cooperation, but stated that “the possible tensions between occupational cultures could be mitigated through some of the early phases of Kotter’s model.”

Self-Directed Teams

Vito addressed a failed case of implementing self-directed teams at a large mental health and development services agency.

Two new, inexperienced directors at this agency implemented a rapid-fire change to the organization’s vision, mission, values, strategic direction and structure. The changes all happened in a matter of months with poor preparation, minimal communication, and inadequate support systems.

For many reasons, this change initiative ultimately failed. While the reasons for the failure are varied, they have much more to do with the change process than the change’s intended outcome. Every organization has a limit to the amount of change it may withstand before it reaches critical mass. This study demonstrates precisely why managing change is so vitally important to an organization’s health.

Leading Librarian

Watts described his experience establishing the Department of Knowledge Production at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Watts began with what he knew from experience. As he considered his plans, which consisted of “practical and cutting-edge technologies, furniture ideas, and job descriptions that were applicable to the UNLV campus context.” Watts realized that he was still missing some necessary information: “However, understanding and communicating how learners and researchers would make use of the new services and spaces did not easily unfold. A list of topics and technologies and a sheaf of carpet samples will not help a librarian or project team identify the behaviors that indicate learning or the evidence to demonstrate that a space or service meets an instructional or research need. Further exploration was required. The objectives for the initiative had to be further clarified.” In addition to Watts (2019) explaining how he developed a better plan, he also provided guidance for how to handle what he termed “side-eye” and fear when leading organizational change. Watts succeeded in launching the department.

Case studies contain a wealth of information for aspiring leaders. The case studies in this paper highlighted four best practices—implementing necessary changes, beginning with the end in mind, rallying the team, and anchoring the changes in the organization’s culture. Additionally, the case studies tell the stories of leadership successes, like those of Li and Watts; of leadership failures, such as Graamans et al. and Vito; and of reflective leaders, like King et al. Their experiences help develop the next generation of organizational change leaders.

Akins, E. E., Giddens, E., Glassmeyer, D., Gruss, A., Kalamas Hedden, M., Slinger-Friedman, V., & Weand, M. (2019). Sustainability education and organizational change: A critical case study of barriers and change drivers at a higher education institution. Sustainability, 11 (2), 501-517. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020501

Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. Simon & Schuster.

Graamans, E., Aij, K., Vonk, A., & Ten Have, W. (2020). Case study: Examining failure in change management. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 33 (2), 319-330. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-06-2019-0204

Grenny, J., Patterson, L., Maxfield, D., McMillian, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change. McGraw-Hill Education.

Hemme, F., Bowers, M. T., & Todd, J. S. (2018). Change readiness as fluid trajectories: A longitudinal multiple-case study. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31 (5), 1153-1175. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-07-2017-0824

Jeong, I. & Shin, S. J. (2019). High-performance work practices and organizational creativity during organizational change: A collective learning perspective. Journal of Management, 45 (3), 909-925. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316685156

King, S., Hopkins, M., & Cornish, N. (2018). Can models of organizational change help to understand ‘success’ and ‘failure’ in community sentences? Appling Kotter’s model of organizational change to an integrated offender management case study. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 18 (3), 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817721274

Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.

Li, E. (2018). A case study of the critical success factors for organizational change of a public listed corporation. Public Administration and Policy, 21 (2), 152-165. https://doi.org/10.1109/PAP-10-2018-010

Muthusamy, S. K. (2019). Power of positive words: Communication, cognition, and organizational transformation. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 32 (1), 103-122. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-05-2018-0140

Merida, T. (2015). Christ-centered exposition commentary: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. B & H Publishing Group.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version (1982). Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Vito, R. (2019). Self-directed teams as an organizational change strategy to empower staff: A teaching/learning case study. Human Service Organizations, Management, Leadership & Governance, 43(2), 146-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2019.1614852

Watts, J. (2019). Navigating the new: A case study on leading organizational change. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 19 (2), 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2019.0013

Wei, T. & Clegg, J. (2018). Effect of organizational identity change on integration approaches in acquisitions: Role of organizational dominance. British Journal of Management, 29 (2), 337-355. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12226

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Technology and Expansion

Organizations as Open Systems

Changes of Organizations

Ready. Set. Scale. Shaping leaders for hypergrowth

Imagine two talented entrepreneurs developing a groundbreaking, solar-powered flying car to revolutionize sustainable mobility. Propelled mainly by entrepreneurial spirit, charisma, and business savvy, their start-up builds a following as quickly as their electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype grabs headlines and dazzles consumers. Orders pour in from across the globe.

Now comes a critical inflection point. Can our hypothetical company scale from building a handful of bespoke eVTOL prototypes to establishing a global assembly line without losing the innovative edge at the heart of its appeal? The founders cannot afford to wait, but start-ups (companies whose funding stage is pre-Series B) face obvious challenges, including securing capital, maintaining differentiation in an emerging market, and contending with competition from more prominent players. A less obvious challenge—but no less essential to success—is bringing new leaders into the ranks (potentially including professional managers from larger companies) and undertaking rapid, effective leadership development to avoid the pitfalls that keep 80 percent of start-ups from succeeding. 1 Based on a sample of 3,164 companies with Series A funding in 2011 to 2013, assuming six to eight years to scale or exit, PitchBook data, April 2021.

Intentionally investing in leadership development can help hypergrowth companies 2 Based on McKinsey analysis, hypergrowth refers to a period of rapid expansion with a CAGR of 20 to 40 percent and three phases: build and launch (annualized return on revenue [ARR] of $0 to $10 million); grow (ARR between $10 million and $100 million); and scale (ARR greater than $100 million). counter the forces that may otherwise stand in their way, such as limited management skill sets, less experienced talent, and relative inexperience leading larger teams. Once start-ups manage to emerge from the early stages in which many fail, they need sustainable leadership capabilities to give the organization the flex and muscle required to adapt as growth continues.

To be sure, this leadership transition will present challenges, especially because leadership development should be what we call “at pace, on purpose”—that is, enabling rapid transformation while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit and the core tenets of the organization’s culture. That’s a tricky balance, whether the CEO founded the company or stepped in during the growth phase. But it’s worth the effort. By recognizing the importance of leadership in the hypergrowth process and investing intentionally in its development, startups can not only make the transition to “scale-ups” (companies whose funding stage is from Series B to IPO) but widen their competitive advantage.

Leadership development is not optional

There are some things in business which, if done suboptimally, will not necessarily impose significant liabilities. Leadership is not one of these things. Well-developed, high-quality leadership has a profound positive impact on an organization and its operating model. 3 Claudy Jules, Alok Kshirsagar, and Kate Lloyd George, “ Scaling up: How founder CEOs and teams can go beyond aspiration to ascent ,” McKinsey, November 9, 2022. McKinsey research shows that the EBITDA of organizations performing in the top quartile of leadership is almost double that of others, while organizations are 1.9 times more likely to have above-median financial performance when the leadership team has a shared, meaningful, and engaging vision.

Case study: Investing early in leadership development

When consumers expressed distrust in providers of housing finance in an Asian market, one multinational conglomerate decided to act. Leveraging its brand reputation, it set out to show the market how housing finance should be done: with honesty, integrity, and care.

The company had successfully built many businesses before, but this was its first financial institution. Its executive committee didn’t want to acquire an existing company that was part of the problem, so it chose to create a start-up and attract the best external real estate and financial talent. Looking at the market potential, the start-up CEO and his new team felt confident and planned for hypergrowth.

But the CEO was also concerned. He noticed that his new team had significant differences in leadership styles and cultural backgrounds that were already leading to friction. And looking at the steep curve in talent attraction plans, he feared inconsistent ways of working and a fuzzy culture would, over time, slow the company’s growth. He wanted to get it right before launch.

The CEO chose to take his 30-person leadership team beyond the technical plans for growth. In multiple workshops with external facilitators, he and the team jointly defined the identity of the company by including its higher purpose, desired culture, and aspirational leadership style. The process provided not only a point of reference for the existing team but also a clear set of criteria for hiring future talent. With significantly increased cohesion, clarity, and confidence, the company entered the market.

In the eyes of investors, leadership quality can affect a company’s market value by up to 30 percent. 4 Derek Matthews, “Why founders should focus more on people development to increase startup value,” Forbes, January 31, 2019. In addition, savvy general partners in private equity know that founders and their top teams have an outsize effect on the culture and operations of a start-up—and they have a keen interest in evaluating leadership potential as they make investment decisions. This is because effective founder-led companies have the potential to outperform peers. For instance, S&P 500 companies in which the founder is still the CEO generate 31 percent more patents than the rest. 5 Chris Zook, “Founder-led companies outperform the rest—here’s why,” Harvard Business Review, March 24, 2016.

Yet investors also know that leadership is not a static characteristic and that leaders must evolve for a company to grow. This is especially true for start-ups, in which the skill sets and approaches crucial to early success are often quite different from those required as an organization rapidly grows. Why? Because start-ups typically have less infrastructure and fewer processes, rapidly changing environments, a strong sense of culture, founder CEOs who are often also direct managers, and senior leaders who take on multiple roles. Start-ups can’t wait until the dust settles to acquire and develop the leadership capabilities they need. For hypergrowth companies and typical market disruptors, the dust does not settle, and founders may not want it to: the excitement of the start-up mentality is arguably part of the ride that appeals to visionary founders (see sidebar “Case study: Investing early in leadership development”).

Priorities in tension: Moving at pace while retaining purpose

Two vital elements are essential for building leadership capabilities in a growing, founder-led organization: pace and purpose. Understanding each in the context of leadership development and capability building is crucial, as is understanding their interplay.

Pace is important because rapid growth often leads to instability, along with sizable gaps in leaders’ experience, skills, and capabilities. When it comes to purpose, the challenge lies in transforming leadership mindsets and skills targeted to the scaling ambitions of the organization, together with its vision. This is difficult, because the target is inherently a moving one: leaders need the stability to function with the size and scope of their existing teams but must also embrace the dynamism and ongoing growth that will match the organization’s evolution. 6 Chris Zook, “Founder-led companies outperform the rest—here’s why,” Harvard Business Review, March 24, 2016. Moreover, CEOs must manage any tension created between leaders who have been there from the beginning and those who arrive during the growth stage—coming from different company cultures and with potentially different ideas for how to scale.

The trick is determining how to keep the ongoing transformation occurring at a tempo that maximizes performance and aligns disparate units of the fast-growing organization while staying true to the company’s purpose. This means leadership development has to be “at pace, on purpose” to enable rapid transformation while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit and the core tenets of the organization’s culture.

Four essential questions to guide leadership development

As the founders of our imaginary eVTOL start-up grapple with the challenges of growing their successful enterprise, they often ponder big questions that get to the heart of the company’s present and future:

• Who leads? Expand focus beyond the early few leaders to the top 40 to 50 critical roles and build capabilities early.
• How do we empower leaders? Give leaders authority as a way to expand their strengths and confidence.
• How do we keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive? Create a “founder mentality” throughout the organization and infuse the energy of the early days throughout all layers.
• What’s needed from us? Founders and top leaders need to shift priorities from building to managing relationships with shareholders and investors and preparing for a potential IPO or challenging times ahead.

1. Who leads?

As an organization expands beyond the start-up phase, it’s vital to understand what its leadership entails and demands. This requires a fundamental shift in how leadership is conceptualized: for example, from focusing on founders and a handful of senior leaders to a broader scope, shaping a few dozen critical top roles into one connected leadership team.

As leadership grows in structure and scope, the vital task becomes clarifying and articulating the company’s culture—the values and behaviors essential to the next generation of leaders. This is a delicate task involving some tension: founding teams must simultaneously embrace adaptation while doubling down on core values (see sidebar “Case study: The top-team leadership journey at an e-commerce platform”).

Case study: The top-team leadership journey at an e-commerce platform

A European e-commerce company experienced high growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a hard correction. To boost competitiveness and move faster, they sharpened their strategy, updated their operating model, and evolved their culture. The executive team realized that the key to improvement was changing the leadership behavior of the executive team and the surrounding top 50 roles. These leaders needed to work in different ways with each other and with the company. A project team was convened to create a nine-month leadership development journey comprising diagnostics, multiday workshops, and one-on-one coaching. The executive team aligned on priorities in the new strategy, drove decision making according to new roles, and mutually supported each other’s growth and development. The top-50 team shifted from a strict functional focus to a shared understanding of full company context, developed new behaviors around decision making and empowerment to speed up processes, and integrated new communication mechanisms to stay more connected.

Specific roles may change even as the founders and top team are charged with stewardship of the company and its culture. While leaders may wear multiple hats in the early stages, organizational growth will likely call for more structure and clearer roles. Moreover, the small circle of early leaders must acknowledge that the expanding enterprise will demand leadership and people skills that may be outside of their current knowledge and experience. As the company expands, it becomes crucial to enhance the matching of roles and profiles within the organization. This requires a thoughtful evaluation to “match the A players to the A jobs.” It may require hiring new people with different skills or investing in upskilling current employees to ensure the right individuals are in the right roles.

2. How do we empower leaders?

As start-ups grow exponentially, new hires are rapidly brought on, mostly for expertise. This often results in a wide range of leadership experience and leaders facing an ever-changing and expanding scope.

Case study: How tailoring leadership development built capabilities at a new joint venture

Leadership development should support both the business and cultural growth. A Philippines-based telecom company created a leadership development program that began with these objectives in mind, tying business skills and capabilities to the company’s vision and values. After carefully examining where things stood, it envisioned and built solutions, implemented them, and then—crucially—sought to ensure the changes and benefits could be maintained. Ultimately, leaders were able to draw clearer links between business objectives and their individual and collective roles. They were also equipped to cascade core skills and capabilities to the rest of the enterprise.

Maximizing leadership growth across a growing company hinges on creating highly customized programs that focus on the development of specific leadership skills and enabling leaders to understand their roles within the company’s big picture. Leaders at every level need to see how they contribute to the strategic evolution of the organization and have a shared understanding of the full company context in order to act as enterprise leaders beyond their functional scope. To do so, they need the opportunity and support to rise above daily firefighting. This is particularly relevant for younger talent with less experience leading others. A fast-growing consumer tech and media company implemented this by sharing internal data, such as subscription evolutions, with all employees to ensure organizational focus went in the right direction.

In addition, it’s common for leaders to feel overwhelmed or even burned out due to the execution pace. Companies can get ahead of this by building resilience through nuanced exposure to high-stress situations with the opportunity for reflection and debriefs (see sidebar “Case study: How tailoring leadership development built capabilities at a new joint venture”).

3. How do we keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive?

To ensure the continuity of a start-up’s original energy and spirit throughout its growth, it is vital to infuse the core “founder mentality” across all layers of the organization. This can be especially crucial at the stage when the company has grown such that core leaders feel more removed from employees. That’s when it can be particularly powerful to ensure all individuals—regardless of level or function—feel empowered to take ownership of the company’s culture, while also embracing the dynamism and agility that fuel growth (see sidebar “Case study: How a hypergrowth tech company cascaded its culture”).

Case study: How a hypergrowth tech company cascaded its culture

A rapidly growing Singapore-based tech company needed to ensure that its core business culture evolved from tacit to intentional as it entered its next phase of growth and prepared for an upcoming IPO.

The company invited about 100 functional and business leaders to participate in an 18-month program to build leadership skills that reinforced its values and future direction. This approach enabled participating leaders to test and pass along what they learned, generating an amplifying effect that allowed more than 2,000 colleagues to benefit from the program.

As companies expand, senior leaders can recognize their essential roles as coaches, mentors, and champions of the company empowering the next cohort of leaders. From a leadership development standpoint, it is valuable to work with individuals who excel at handling challenges and help shape them into purposeful leaders who grasp the bigger picture. In our experience, founders who adhere to proper delegation also tend to see empowered employees in response.

As organizations become more complex, there is merit to functions implementing their own objectives and key results (OKRs) to imbue structure and accountability in a more scaled environment. However, there is a risk of functions becoming overly focused on those OKRs, which is where leaders can benefit from fostering a “one organization” mindset and identifying early on what sets the company apart. 7 Blair Epstein, Caitlin Hewes, and Scott Keller, “ Capturing the value of ‘one firm,’ ” McKinsey Quarterly , May 9, 2023.

Embracing creative disruption is critical in maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit. But the founding company culture itself must change so that the company may scale. Gone are the days when growth was the only metric that mattered; investors want returns, which can incite companies to take actions that go against the founding culture, such as eliminating perks and cutting the workforce. A healthy culture can keep company spirit alive while also adapting to new realities.

4. What is needed from us?

All CEOs overseeing a growing organization—regardless of whether they founded it—are not leading the same organization in the scaling-growth stage as they were at the start-up stage. This may sound obvious, but, in practice, it is no small feat for founders and early-stage CEOs to acknowledge they need to grow and adapt to the same extent as their organizations—let alone take action to do so.

Complexity multiplies as companies grow. This necessitates, of course, increased delegation so leaders and top teams can prioritize what will become their most important role: the management of relationships with key stakeholders, including shareholders and investors (especially in turbulent times or in preparation for an IPO). If this results in a compounding number of granular daily tasks and decisions flowing to top leadership for vetting, it spells trouble: the speed of decisions will no longer match the organization’s speed.

Case study: Scaling a food pioneer in North America

A fast-growing food company found its broad ambitions challenged by the limits of its operating model. The CEO was the sole owner of enterprise finances, making accountability unclear across functions and geographies. Resources weren’t allocated for strategic effectiveness and efficiency, and SG&A expenses were spiraling as a result. Talent shortages in critical roles were hampering growth, and the enterprise lacked a performance culture. The company acted, starting with a comprehensive diagnostic followed by the design of a blueprint for how it should evolve. A talent “win room” accelerated hiring for key roles and helped build out the performance management ecosystem. Early results indicate that the company’s operating model is now more intentional, with appropriate profit and loss accountability and resource allocation as well as tighter control over SG&A spending. And the right people are in the right positions, with employees across the enterprise understanding their roles and being held accountable for their performance.

CEOs of growing firms must discern what is needed from them as the company evolves. How do they want to show up? Instead of trying to do everything—as they may have during the early days—leaders need to ascertain what they can and should do, delegating the rest to a top-quality team. But they also need to marry this distance from everyday tasks with keeping the needs of customers at the forefront of their minds. Managing this simultaneous awareness and delegation is at the core of how founders can drive business value as the company grows (see sidebar “Case study: Scaling a food pioneer in North America”).

Engage the questions to drive growth

While every company is unique, all must adapt as they grow. We recommend leaders take these four questions to heart, reflect on them, and discuss them in depth within the organization. It’s worth investing time and space to dig in because leaders who discern and articulate meaningful answers to all four may derive tremendous value for their organizations. This simple checklist provides founders with an effective way to assess their own leadership health, as well as that of their top teams:

• What have we done to focus closely on our top 15–20 critical roles that drive strategic value, understanding what they are and what they do?
• Beyond existing leadership skills, which additional skills are needed to scale to the next level?
• Which efforts help us define the values and behavioral characteristics of a shaper-leader?
• What crucial learning experiences have we developed with ongoing development pushes and apprenticeship opportunities?
• What highly customized programs, including comprehensive class options for different topics, do we have for learners?
• What pilot projects are creating resilience to prepare leaders in advance?
• How are we developing purposeful leaders with a strong understanding of why they are leaders?
• How have we developed a unified organization with a culture of “whatever it takes” for customer impact?
• How do we continually ask how we can make it better, disrupt, and create “business insurgency”?

4. What is needed from founders?

• How effectively am I delegating, spending less time with day-to-day operations and more time on big moves to drive enterprise strategy, such as M&A or product expansion?
• What can we let go of so we can stop trying to do everything and work on things we care about instead?
• How are we staying in touch with customers to ensure we maintain a deep “frontline obsession”?

Like our imaginary sustainable-mobility founders who hit on something revolutionary, today’s hyperscalers often have the potential to disrupt life as we know it with new ideas and the energy, discipline, teamwork, and persistence it takes to turn those ideas into reality. That opportunity is a compelling call to leadership. But achieving it requires a steadfast growth mindset, a tremendous dose of self-awareness, a commitment to ongoing adaptation, and a clear understanding that in the ranks of the world’s best organizations, leadership development is never finished.

Arne Gast is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Amsterdam office, where Fleur Tonies is an associate partner; Claudy Jules is a partner in the Washington, DC, office; and Alok Kshirsagar is a senior partner in the Mumbai office.

The authors wish to thank Cornelius Chang, Kate Lloyd George, Michael Park, Karolina Rosa, and Joachim Talloen for their contributions to this article.

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How To Write A Leadership Case Study (Sample) 

Table of Contents

Writing a case study isn’t as straightforward as writing essays. But it has proven to be an effective way of teaching complex topics, even in organizations. Want to know how to write a leadership case study ? That’s not surprising. Leadership is a dynamic topic. Hence, a case study simplifies the analysis of various leadership techniques and complexities. Since you’ve got to learn how to write one, let’s talk leadership case studies .

What Is a Case Study?

A case study is a research method that analyzes an in-depth, detailed look at a particular situation or event . It may involve examining specific events or contexts in detail and considering their implications for similar events. A case study may require gathering information from multiple sources, like interviews or observations, to understand the context of a problem or phenomenon. The research results help you develop insights and an understanding of how individual experiences fit into the broader framework of their environment. Case studies are commonly used in business research, social science, education, psychology, and health sciences.

Benefits Of Case Study In Leadership

Case reports are time-consuming and tiring. But is it worth the stress? What are the benefits of the case study? Case studies in leadership can be highly beneficial, offering invaluable lessons and insights into becoming an effective leader. They provide a practical approach to understanding the complexities of real-world leadership experiences. Here are some of the benefits that case study in leadership provides: 1) Increased knowledge – By examining specific examples from history or current events, leaders can gain new perspectives on various leadership styles. 2) Improved decision-making – Case studies allow for critical analysis of existing data. It also covers potential future scenarios, which helps leaders make more informed decisions. 3) Greater self-awareness – Examining other leaders’ successes and failures gives insight into our values, beliefs, and biases, leading to better self-knowledge and development. 4) Enhanced problem-solving skills – Studying successful strategies used by other leaders provides ideas and frameworks for dealing with similar challenges in the future. 5) Increased collaboration – Through discussions surrounding case studies, team members can develop a greater understanding of each others’ viewpoints and work together more effectively.

How To Write A Leadership Case Study

A leadership case study effectively shares real-life leadership success or failure. To write such a study, one should include inspiring and educational details for readers. Begin by researching the subject thoroughly to ensure accuracy in facts and figures. Then, craft the narrative around this data, adding a personal flair with anecdotes and quotes from those who have worked directly with the subject. Emphasize key points with relevant examples and create impactful transitions between ideas. Finally, consider providing insight into possible lessons learned from the experience to help others facing similar challenges.

Leadership Case Study Example

Kiara, a tech executive at a startup, is an exemplary leader. She has been in her position for over two years and continues to be successful despite the challenges of managing a rapidly growing team. Kiara’s leadership style is based on empathy and trust-building. Her primary focus is creating an environment where each person can reach their fullest potential and feel supported by their colleagues. Kiara frequently facilitates meetings with open dialogue and encourages her team to voice their opinions without fear of judgment. She also emphasizes direct communication whenever possible so that everyone knows what is expected of them and feels connected to one another. Kiara puts forth additional effort when it comes to decision-making. Before any significant changes or initiatives are implemented, she thoroughly researches and solicits feedback from other leaders. She also consults experts within the company. This ensures that choices are well thought out and align with the organization’s mission. Kiara seeks regular employee feedback to continue fostering a healthy work culture. She holds weekly “check-ins” with individuals and teams to address issues as they arise. Ultimately she creates a congenial working atmosphere for all. Kiara exemplifies authentic leadership – putting the needs of her team before her own. She takes calculated risks, trusts her gut intuition, and communicates effectively with those around her. Through these actions, she demonstrates excellent tenacity and selflessness while pushing her team toward success. This case study highlights the importance of feedback and seeking quality counsel to make appropriate decisions for your organization. It shows that leaders who are willing to put more effort into communication can find ways to thrive even under challenging circumstances.

Final Words

A good leadership case study should be an engaging read. It’s crucial to present your expertise in clear language that is easy for readers to follow. Include real examples of successes or failures when possible, as this adds substance to your writing. Draw inspiration from the sample in this article to learn how to write a leadership case study . Or use INK’s Command Mode to craft a personalized case study!

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Personal Leadership Experience: Case Analysis

Introduction, introduction to management frames, political frame theory, symbolic frame, political and symbolic frame model’s application in my case study.

This paper is a personal leadership experience analysis of my encounter with a community-based organization where I worked as an intern in 2018. The organization faced serious management challenges triggered by the decision to focus on gender dynamics in the community. The organization’s primary objective is to alleviate poverty from society and developed a turnaround strategy of women inclusion in their programs to increase the overall effectiveness. Arguably, the changes were implemented without involving various stakeholders, leading to reluctance and conflicts among different stakeholders, employees, and departmental heads. I differed with the administration on the gender inclusion implementation strategies adopted. In my view, specific organizational effectiveness models such as the four effectiveness frames proposed by Bolman and Deal (2017) could help alleviate the challenge. This paper will analyze the leadership challenges I experienced with the community-based organization based on leadership effectiveness frames with a primary focus centered on the political and symbolic approaches. In the paper, I will introduce the management frames as studied in the course, discuss political and symbolic strategies, and give an account of critical analysis of the effectiveness of the frame model’s application in addressing conflicts in the community-based organization before reviewing the management frames application.

Leadership challenges are typical for any organization operating as a going concern, and flawed approaches to addressing the challenges can lead to failure. According to Bolman and Deal (2017), while different leadership models exist, the most appropriate strategies depend on circumstances. Leadership frames include the human resource, symbolic, structural, and political. They also involve behaviors, practices, and philosophies associated with good leadership. The premise is that when the effective models are implemented in the right way, they improve the organization regardless of the industry the organization operates. However, the practice is that leaders do not apply all the four frames equally but concentrate on one or two of their preference. Most leaders also lack the skills, experience, and expertise in using the model (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Effective leadership coordinates the employees and organizational departments, boosts morale, and promotes team spirit. An effective leader is effective in mobilizing employees towards achieving corporate objectives.

The political frame is a leadership philosophy that views an organization as a political system composed of people with diverse goals. The theory assumes that all employees and groups in an organization have individual goals to achieve that are different from that of the business. Healthy politics involves ensuring that a leader incorporates employees’ and groups’ interests in developing organizational objectives. Political frame theory requires a leader to manipulate the allocating of corporate resources to influence organizational goals.

In managing politics, an effective leader addresses decision-making skills, power, and conflict. Power is the component of politics that equips a leader with convincing followers to buy their ideas of achieving organizational goals. A leader adopts position power, alliance power, coercive control, or expertise to influence the people. Decision-making is the component of politics that determines the courses of action a leader should take in different situations. It includes defining the problem, critical examination, developing a possible course of action to be adopted, acting on the most appropriate course of action. Poor management of politics leads to conflict, which hinders people and groups from achieving common goals.

Symbolic frame holds that organizational leadership can be made effective by supporting the firm’s goals and vision through upholding its historical background, values, and popular stories. The organization’s history as held by the people is integrated and maintained in creating a culture that supports the organizational vision. According to Bolman and Deal (2017), institutional faith culture believes formidable from the culture of attaining organizations objectives. Organizational goals, activities, and decisions are promoted using events, ceremonies, and rituals. The different symbolic undertakings create meaning to the culture and help a leader identify figurative representations that motivate people to work (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Based on the theory, a leader can only achieve organizational goals if the goals define and be defined by symbolic expressions.

My leadership case had experienced poor leadership at different levels of management. The four leadership approaches proposed by Bolman and Deal (2017) could help the organization alleviate the management challenges the community-based entity faced. The above discussed management frames could all be used to develop the organization’s leadership policy. However, political and extended structures have more application in addressing the challenges faced. The challenge of varied opinions on how to run the organization can be addressed through adopting political frame elements. The theory requires the manager to adopt excellent decision-making conflict resolution skills and eliminate competition wasteful competition for power (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The down-up decision-making technique should be implemented in making important decisions for the organization. Employees will not resist the changes they proposed to the organization. The leadership should not implement gender-based changes without adequate sensitization to all the employees. In my leadership case study, when the organization sensitized the stakeholders on including women in the poverty eradication program, a section of the employees supported the idea. The support was a clear indication that the collaborative decision-making associated with the political frame worked in the study case.

The symbolic frame requires the integration of the community norms in decision-making. The society, in my case, perceives women inclusion as a way of benefiting women at the expense of men. The firm should participate in integrating its norms, values, and culture in designing organizational visions. Notably, most policies did not welcome the gender dynamic policies. They felt that the organization would get viewed as advancing the women’s gender instead of addressing the entire community poverty eradication.

Analysis of the leadership frames helps understand that they are not the only techniques of reshaping organizations and improve their productivity. Other important insights to be emphasized in the case beyond the four frames include cross-sector collaboration, sustainability, communication, differences’ handling, globalization, and virtual environment model. Again, the frames should not be used in isolation or one after the other, but their implementation should be concurrent (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The four frames are equally important and include management ways of thinking which should be adopted by all managers at different levels. The application of the leadership is not successful where there is poor goal selection. The frames are ambiguous as they do not explain the exact approaches to be adopted at a time. After analyzing the structures, the central question of concern remains: How can I effectively apply cross-sector collaboration, sustainability, communication, differences’ handling, globalization, and virtual environment model to attain the organizational vision of my leadership experience case.

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations . Jossey-Bass.

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Technology leadership master's student honored for pioneering work in autoimmune disease care

Transforming her personal battles into an inspirational mission, Laurel Cipriani's innovative healthcare initiative has the potential to revolutionize patient-centric care, earning her the Master's Award for Professional Excellence.

Since her teens, Laurel Cipriani ’24 Sc.M. has battled a complex and debilitating autoimmune condition. Throughout her early life and into college, she faced frequent medical appointments, procedures and surgeries.

Despite these obstacles, Cipriani earned two degrees from Vanderbilt University and launched a successful career in healthcare. In her role as a vice president at Premise Health, the world’s leading direct healthcare provider, Cipriani continues her lifelong dedication to improving healthcare for others. However, she sensed a deeper calling to expand her impact.

Through Brown’s master’s in technology leadership program, Cipriani has embarked on a mission to revolutionize the treatment and care of individuals with autoimmune disease (AD), the largest class of illness in the United States.

Her pioneering efforts in this area have earned her the 2024 Master's Award for Professional Excellence, which honors a Brown University master’s student whose outstanding contributions have influenced or contributed to their field.

Cipriani’s capstone project — embodied in an entrepreneurial initiative she named “Lotus” — lays the foundation for a transformative approach to healthcare that prioritizes patient empowerment, education, and the integration of long-standing, effective therapies into modern treatment plans. Her vision addresses not only the immediate needs of the 50 million people living with AD in the United States, but also the systemic inequities in healthcare. 

"Laurel innately understands the patient experience because she has lived it," said Larisa Leventon, academic director of the master’s in technology leadership program. "Her stereoscopic perspective allows her to identify transformative opportunities in a way few can."

At the heart of Lotus is a patient-centric methodology combining web-based community building, hands-on workshops, proven therapies like hydrotherapy and temperature contrast therapy, and a new breed of "patient advisors" integrated into healthcare systems. Small pilot studies have already demonstrated Lotus's ability to improve wellbeing and quality of life for autoimmune patients while realizing significant potential cost savings for the employer and payer.

“Throughout her time in the technology leadership program, Laurel has distinguished herself as a top student. Despite experiencing more health setbacks during her studies, she demonstrated unstoppable resilience and was the academic standout of her program’s cohort,” Leventon added.

Honored for her pioneering vision, strength of character and ability to create collaborative change, Laurel Cipriani embodies the ideals and professional contributions this award was created to celebrate.

Master's Award for Professional Excellence

This award recognizes outstanding contributions by a Brown University master’s student that influence or contribute to the field or profession.

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Master’s student in biotechnology selected for engaged citizenship and community service award, biotechnology master’s student recognized for outstanding academic accomplishment, alice plane recognized for outstanding contributions to master’s students.

Case Study Research Method in Psychology

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Case studies are in-depth investigations of a person, group, event, or community. Typically, data is gathered from various sources using several methods (e.g., observations & interviews).

The case study research method originated in clinical medicine (the case history, i.e., the patient’s personal history). In psychology, case studies are often confined to the study of a particular individual.

The information is mainly biographical and relates to events in the individual’s past (i.e., retrospective), as well as to significant events that are currently occurring in his or her everyday life.

The case study is not a research method, but researchers select methods of data collection and analysis that will generate material suitable for case studies.

Freud (1909a, 1909b) conducted very detailed investigations into the private lives of his patients in an attempt to both understand and help them overcome their illnesses.

This makes it clear that the case study is a method that should only be used by a psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist, i.e., someone with a professional qualification.

There is an ethical issue of competence. Only someone qualified to diagnose and treat a person can conduct a formal case study relating to atypical (i.e., abnormal) behavior or atypical development.

 Famous Case Studies

• Anna O – One of the most famous case studies, documenting psychoanalyst Josef Breuer’s treatment of “Anna O” (real name Bertha Pappenheim) for hysteria in the late 1800s using early psychoanalytic theory.
• Little Hans – A child psychoanalysis case study published by Sigmund Freud in 1909 analyzing his five-year-old patient Herbert Graf’s house phobia as related to the Oedipus complex.
• Bruce/Brenda – Gender identity case of the boy (Bruce) whose botched circumcision led psychologist John Money to advise gender reassignment and raise him as a girl (Brenda) in the 1960s.
• Genie Wiley – Linguistics/psychological development case of the victim of extreme isolation abuse who was studied in 1970s California for effects of early language deprivation on acquiring speech later in life.
• Phineas Gage – One of the most famous neuropsychology case studies analyzes personality changes in railroad worker Phineas Gage after an 1848 brain injury involving a tamping iron piercing his skull.

Clinical Case Studies

• Studying the effectiveness of psychotherapy approaches with an individual patient
• Assessing and treating mental illnesses like depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD
• Neuropsychological cases investigating brain injuries or disorders

Child Psychology Case Studies

• Studying psychological development from birth through adolescence
• Cases of learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD
• Effects of trauma, abuse, deprivation on development

Types of Case Studies

• Explanatory case studies : Used to explore causation in order to find underlying principles. Helpful for doing qualitative analysis to explain presumed causal links.
• Exploratory case studies : Used to explore situations where an intervention being evaluated has no clear set of outcomes. It helps define questions and hypotheses for future research.
• Descriptive case studies : Describe an intervention or phenomenon and the real-life context in which it occurred. It is helpful for illustrating certain topics within an evaluation.
• Multiple-case studies : Used to explore differences between cases and replicate findings across cases. Helpful for comparing and contrasting specific cases.
• Intrinsic : Used to gain a better understanding of a particular case. Helpful for capturing the complexity of a single case.
• Collective : Used to explore a general phenomenon using multiple case studies. Helpful for jointly studying a group of cases in order to inquire into the phenomenon.

Where Do You Find Data for a Case Study?

There are several places to find data for a case study. The key is to gather data from multiple sources to get a complete picture of the case and corroborate facts or findings through triangulation of evidence. Most of this information is likely qualitative (i.e., verbal description rather than measurement), but the psychologist might also collect numerical data.

1. Primary sources

• Interviews – Interviewing key people related to the case to get their perspectives and insights. The interview is an extremely effective procedure for obtaining information about an individual, and it may be used to collect comments from the person’s friends, parents, employer, workmates, and others who have a good knowledge of the person, as well as to obtain facts from the person him or herself.
• Observations – Observing behaviors, interactions, processes, etc., related to the case as they unfold in real-time.
• Documents & Records – Reviewing private documents, diaries, public records, correspondence, meeting minutes, etc., relevant to the case.

2. Secondary sources

• News/Media – News coverage of events related to the case study.
• Academic articles – Journal articles, dissertations etc. that discuss the case.
• Government reports – Official data and records related to the case context.
• Books/films – Books, documentaries or films discussing the case.

3. Archival records

Searching historical archives, museum collections and databases to find relevant documents, visual/audio records related to the case history and context.

Public archives like newspapers, organizational records, photographic collections could all include potentially relevant pieces of information to shed light on attitudes, cultural perspectives, common practices and historical contexts related to psychology.

4. Organizational records

Organizational records offer the advantage of often having large datasets collected over time that can reveal or confirm psychological insights.

Of course, privacy and ethical concerns regarding confidential data must be navigated carefully.

However, with proper protocols, organizational records can provide invaluable context and empirical depth to qualitative case studies exploring the intersection of psychology and organizations.

• Organizational/industrial psychology research : Organizational records like employee surveys, turnover/retention data, policies, incident reports etc. may provide insight into topics like job satisfaction, workplace culture and dynamics, leadership issues, employee behaviors etc.
• Clinical psychology : Therapists/hospitals may grant access to anonymized medical records to study aspects like assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans etc. This could shed light on clinical practices.
• School psychology : Studies could utilize anonymized student records like test scores, grades, disciplinary issues, and counseling referrals to study child development, learning barriers, effectiveness of support programs, and more.

How do I Write a Case Study in Psychology?

Follow specified case study guidelines provided by a journal or your psychology tutor. General components of clinical case studies include: background, symptoms, assessments, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Interpreting the information means the researcher decides what to include or leave out. A good case study should always clarify which information is the factual description and which is an inference or the researcher’s opinion.

1. Introduction

• Provide background on the case context and why it is of interest, presenting background information like demographics, relevant history, and presenting problem.
• Compare briefly to similar published cases if applicable. Clearly state the focus/importance of the case.

2. Case Presentation

• Describe the presenting problem in detail, including symptoms, duration,and impact on daily life.
• Include client demographics like age and gender, information about social relationships, and mental health history.
• Describe all physical, emotional, and/or sensory symptoms reported by the client.
• Use patient quotes to describe the initial complaint verbatim. Follow with full-sentence summaries of relevant history details gathered, including key components that led to a working diagnosis.
• Summarize clinical exam results, namely orthopedic/neurological tests, imaging, lab tests, etc. Note actual results rather than subjective conclusions. Provide images if clearly reproducible/anonymized.
• Clearly state the working diagnosis or clinical impression before transitioning to management.

3. Management and Outcome

• Indicate the total duration of care and number of treatments given over what timeframe. Use specific names/descriptions for any therapies/interventions applied.
• Present the results of the intervention,including any quantitative or qualitative data collected.
• For outcomes, utilize visual analog scales for pain, medication usage logs, etc., if possible. Include patient self-reports of improvement/worsening of symptoms. Note the reason for discharge/end of care.

4. Discussion

• Analyze the case, exploring contributing factors, limitations of the study, and connections to existing research.
• Analyze the effectiveness of the intervention,considering factors like participant adherence, limitations of the study, and potential alternative explanations for the results.
• Identify any questions raised in the case analysis and relate insights to established theories and current research if applicable. Avoid definitive claims about physiological explanations.
• Offer clinical implications, and suggest future research directions.

5. Additional Items

• Thank specific assistants for writing support only. No patient acknowledgments.
• References should directly support any key claims or quotes included.
• Use tables/figures/images only if substantially informative. Include permissions and legends/explanatory notes.
• Provides detailed (rich qualitative) information.
• Provides insight for further research.
• Permitting investigation of otherwise impractical (or unethical) situations.

Case studies allow a researcher to investigate a topic in far more detail than might be possible if they were trying to deal with a large number of research participants (nomothetic approach) with the aim of ‘averaging’.

Because of their in-depth, multi-sided approach, case studies often shed light on aspects of human thinking and behavior that would be unethical or impractical to study in other ways.

Research that only looks into the measurable aspects of human behavior is not likely to give us insights into the subjective dimension of experience, which is important to psychoanalytic and humanistic psychologists.

Case studies are often used in exploratory research. They can help us generate new ideas (that might be tested by other methods). They are an important way of illustrating theories and can help show how different aspects of a person’s life are related to each other.

The method is, therefore, important for psychologists who adopt a holistic point of view (i.e., humanistic psychologists ).

Limitations

• Lacking scientific rigor and providing little basis for generalization of results to the wider population.
• Researchers’ own subjective feelings may influence the case study (researcher bias).
• Difficult to replicate.
• Time-consuming and expensive.
• The volume of data, together with the time restrictions in place, impacted the depth of analysis that was possible within the available resources.

Because a case study deals with only one person/event/group, we can never be sure if the case study investigated is representative of the wider body of “similar” instances. This means the conclusions drawn from a particular case may not be transferable to other settings.

Because case studies are based on the analysis of qualitative (i.e., descriptive) data , a lot depends on the psychologist’s interpretation of the information she has acquired.

This means that there is a lot of scope for Anna O , and it could be that the subjective opinions of the psychologist intrude in the assessment of what the data means.

For example, Freud has been criticized for producing case studies in which the information was sometimes distorted to fit particular behavioral theories (e.g., Little Hans ).

This is also true of Money’s interpretation of the Bruce/Brenda case study (Diamond, 1997) when he ignored evidence that went against his theory.

Breuer, J., & Freud, S. (1895).  Studies on hysteria . Standard Edition 2: London.

Curtiss, S. (1981). Genie: The case of a modern wild child .

Diamond, M., & Sigmundson, K. (1997). Sex Reassignment at Birth: Long-term Review and Clinical Implications. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine , 151(3), 298-304

Freud, S. (1909a). Analysis of a phobia of a five year old boy. In The Pelican Freud Library (1977), Vol 8, Case Histories 1, pages 169-306

Freud, S. (1909b). Bemerkungen über einen Fall von Zwangsneurose (Der “Rattenmann”). Jb. psychoanal. psychopathol. Forsch ., I, p. 357-421; GW, VII, p. 379-463; Notes upon a case of obsessional neurosis, SE , 10: 151-318.

Harlow J. M. (1848). Passage of an iron rod through the head.  Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 39 , 389–393.

Harlow, J. M. (1868).  Recovery from the Passage of an Iron Bar through the Head .  Publications of the Massachusetts Medical Society. 2  (3), 327-347.

Money, J., & Ehrhardt, A. A. (1972).  Man & Woman, Boy & Girl : The Differentiation and Dimorphism of Gender Identity from Conception to Maturity. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Money, J., & Tucker, P. (1975). Sexual signatures: On being a man or a woman.

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• Case Study Approach
• Case Study Method
• Enhancing the Quality of Case Studies in Health Services Research
• “We do things together” A case study of “couplehood” in dementia
• Using mixed methods for evaluating an integrative approach to cancer care: a case study

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