Part $3$: Case Analysis: The redeemer!

Please read the following case and answer its questions $(5$ Marks$)$

Douglas Ludwig is the director of design services at a large office furniture manufacturing company that employs about $1,200$ people. The design department is made up of $80$ people who are divided into eight working teams, all of which report to Mr$.$ Ludwig. Douglas is new to the company, having been hired away from a smaller competitor where he was vice president for research and development. His reputation as a leader at the previous company was generally favorable.

During his first year, Douglas has spent a lot of time trying to enhance the culture in his department. Unlike the previous director, who had spent a good portion of his time monitoring projects and emphasizing company goals, Douglas has involved himself with the mood, climate, and tenor of the department. To that end, Douglas has instituted a new department meeting schedule for the purpose of allowing everyone to share his or her ideas and concerns. While continuing to do the "nutsand$-$bolts" things, Douglas has tried to promote greater esprit de corps in the department by having brown$-$bag lunches on Fridays. Each week, Douglas meets informally with the team leaders to get a feel for what they need and how they are doing.

Douglas is also a strong supporter of social events outside of work. In the summer, the design department held an outdoor family barbecuethe first ever for some of the older employees in the company. Over the holidays. Douglas held an open house at his home that was catered by the company. Employees thought it was "first class" and talked about it for many months. Douglas was also instrumental in getting the company to sponsor a coed indoor soccer team, made up completely of employees from the design department.

Most people in the department give Douglas Ludwig positive reviews for his first year as director. Designers and staffers alike are impressed by what a nice guy Mr$.$ Ludwig seems to be$.$ For years, the mood in the design department had been somewhat stale, but with Douglas's arrival some life came back into the place. People began to enjoy the new vitality in the department, and they found themselves chatting more and complaining less.

Questions:

$1-$ Douglas Ludwig's leadership clearly is one of the major behavior in the behavioral approach of leadership. What style is it$?$

$2-$ Does it sound as if it is effective in the context of a design department at a furniture company?

$3-$Would you or would you not like to work for a leader like Douglas Ludwig?

$4-$Is there a downside $($negative outcomes $)$ to this style of leadership? If so$,$ describe it