Mandatory question (50 points): This question is based the mini-case below. Please read the case and then answer the question that follows the case.

Imagine that you have recently been promoted to the position of general manager at the retail distribution center for Home Depot. The distribution center lies just outside the limits of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex (DFW). Your distribution center supplies retail inventory for 9 DFW Home Depot locations. Previously, you had worked at the distribution center as the floor manager. In this role you were responsible for all activities related to the receiving dock, the storage area, and the shipping dock. In your new role, you are now responsible for the floor, the HR department, facilities management, the delivery department, and the IT department. Each of these departments has a departmental manager that reports to you.

Your new role is much more demanding than was your previous role. You are responsible for the performance of the entire distribution center. Your personal workload has increased substantially with your promotion. You have been working 12 hours days, 6 days each week for the past two months, but it doesnt seem like you have been getting as much done as you could. Your days are filled with interruptions as the department managers are constantly asking you questions, your email inbox is always full, and the managers from the 9 stores that you supply seem to call almost every day. You know that you could be much more efficient and effective, but you havent really slowed down enough to develop a strategy for achieving this.

To decompress, you take walks around the distribution floor. Ashley, the newly promoted floor manager (previously your assistant floor manager) doesnt do things exactly the way that you did, and you find that you usually need to give a few orders to the workers on the floor during your walks. You have noticed over the past month that your relationship with Ashley seems strained. She has started avoiding you. The two of you got along very well when you were the floor manager.

In addition, you have discovered that there are problems in the HR department. For example, personnel files are hard to find. If you can find them, they are sometimes incomplete. If they are complete, they are unorganized. Bob, the HR manager doesnt seem to think that there is a problem. He has been doing this job for about 7 years and the previous general manager gave him positive performance reviews. Bobs lack of attention to detail in this area troubles you.

Finally, you have been hearing complaints from the delivery drivers. They are upset with Jane, the delivery manager. They say that she is too demanding and is unpleasable. Several of them are threatening to quit. You know that Jane is a strict manager, but she is the best delivery manager in the business. Her delivery times are among the shortest in the corporation, and the delivery trucks that she sends out are packed almost to capacity, which reduces costs considerably for the distribution center. The lower delivery costs contribute directly to distribution centers bottom line. In fact, Jane was offered the general manager position before you were, but she turned it down because (once performance bonuses are added to her base salary) as the delivery manager she is the companys the highest paid employee in the DFW area. Accepting the promotion would have meant a pay cut for her.

Question: What should your plan be for achieving success in your role as general manager? Your answer should address each of the four problem areasyour workload, Ashley, Bob, and Janegiven in the case.

Option 1: Are males and females equally effective leaders? Explain the differences between how male and female leaders are perceived and why these differences exist. Explain how females can overcome negative perceptions about their leadership effectiveness.

Option 2: Develop a plan of action that would help a leader avoid encouraging deviant behaviors among his/her employees. At the same time, explain how leaders can influence employees to engage in ethical behaviors and ethical decision-making.