Josh Breitt, Rachel Starr, and Justin Diamond started an advertising agency to serve the needs of small businesses selling in and around their metropolitan area. Breitt contributed a talent for writing scripts and wooing clients. Starr brought a wealth of media contacts, and Diamond handled art and graphic design. Their quirky ad campaigns soon attracted a stream of projects from car dealers, community banks, and small retailers. Since the agency’s first year, these clients keep the doors open while the firm wins contracts from other companies. Breitt, Starr & Diamond (BS&D)
prospered by helping clients stay current, and the agency grew to meet demand, adding two administrative assistants, three salespeople, a social media expert, and a retired human resource manager, who works 10 hours per week.
As the firm grew, the partners were being pulled away from their areas of expertise to answer questions from the staff and solve problems about how to coordinate work, define jobs, and set priorities. They realized that none of them had any management training—and had no desire to be a manager. They decided to hire a manager of operations to be responsible for supervising employees, making sure expenses didn’t go over budget, and planning the resources needed for further growth.
The partners interviewed several candidates and hired Brad Howser, a longtime manager for a four-physician medical office. He quickly began to make changes. Howser required all employees to start by 9:00 each morning. Some of the staff complained that flexible hours were necessary for their child care arrangements, but Howser was unyielding. He also believed the firm was spending too much on office supplies, so all purchases would be made by him and any requests needed to be submitted in writing on a form he supplied to the staff.
Finally, to promote what he called “team spirit,” Howser began scheduling weekly Monday morning staff meetings. He would offer motivational thoughts based on his experience and invite employees to share any work-related concerns or ideas they might have. Generally, the employees chose not to share.
Initially, the partners were impressed with Howser’s vigorous approach to his job. They felt more productive than they had been in years because Howser was handling employee concerns. Then the top salesperson quit, followed by the social media expert. Then another salesperson asked if she might meet with the partners. “Is it something you should be discussing with Brad?” Rachel asked her. The bookkeeper replied that, no, it was about Brad. All the employees were unhappy with him, and more were likely to leave.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What leader behaviors did Brad Howser exhibit? How well did they fit the needs of the ad agency and the expectations of the staff?
2. Assume that hiring a manager of operations was a good idea. What leadership style would have been more effective in this position? Why?
3. Consider your own leadership style. What are some of your behavioral tendencies, and how might you change your approach to situations like the one at BSD?