Question

Personal Skill Builder 5-3: Dealing with People Who Make Your Life Difficult: Roary—the Exploder!

1. Read the following statement from B. J. Karim, an employee at Poore Brothers, a plumbing supply and distribution company:

I have a boss, Ralph Poore, who is the consummate Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On some days, Poore can be the nicest and kindest person, but on others—that’s another story. Behind his back, we call him Roary because when he’s angry, he speaks at such a loud volume that anyone within miles can hear him. He shows his impatience and displeasure by exploding at the drop of a hat. He has meetings where, if someone disagrees with him or delivers bad news about what is happening at the company, he will pound his hands on the table and yell at the top of his lungs. More than once, Poore has ended the meeting with one of these tirades, either by kicking everyone else out or by leaving.

Once, Roary went into one of the salespeople’s offices to ask if he had called on a contractor as asked. When the salesperson answered that the person was not there when he called but that he had sent a fax and a copy of some new fixtures the company had just gotten in, Poore stormed out of the office, shouting obscenities.

When Poore hears bad news, it doesn’t matter whose fault it is—he blows up at whoever is there. Another time, Poore was speaking to another of my co-workers about a delivery she needed to arrange. She told Poore that Crane’s manufacturing facility was about three months behind in its production runs. We couldn’t deliver the product because Crane hadn’t produced it. Poore picked up a flower vase and threw it across the room.

Poore is always right—in his mind. If anyone disagrees with him or tells him something he doesn’t want to hear, he throws a tantrum. This man is a time bomb waiting for something to set him off. I haven’t felt his wrath, but it’s only a matter of time.

Analyze Roary’s leadership style. When might this style be appropriate? What might be some disadvantages of this style?

Based on your findings, what suggestions would you make to Karim on how to cope with Roary?

Answer 1

After analysing the case, the boss Mr. Poore also named by employees as Roary has a quality of 'dictatorship' being a leader. This was concluded based on his behavior as he was rude to his employees.

This type of leadership style become appropriate on the following instances;

1. The company process has some fixed procedure and it will reduce the effectiveness of the system if there is any deviation on the process followed.

2. All the powers are given to one person in order to communicate to the employees where no group positions are shared.

3. If powers are given to one single person, decisions will be made quicker with the single notion.

4. This type of leadership improves communication as there is no intermediator to boss the followers.

5. Due to one flow of communication, the productivity of the employees will get increased.

6. Enhances the perfection of the leaders results in increase of employees' efficiency.

7. Based on the experience, observation and ideas it is easier for the superior to create judgements among the followers.

8. If the process needs perfection and follows only compliance, this type of leadership fall in place.

Disadvantages of Dictatorial Leadership:

1. Due to this leadership, the work culture will get differ.

2. Employees provide negative feedback on their boss and in turn affects his personality.

3. No cultivation of individual thinking of the employees as they simply follow the boss for the process to be followed.

4. It leads to lack of trust among the employees.

5. Employee morale towards the company will drastically get reduced.

6. If morale reduces, then the employee turnover also reduces.

7. This leadership doesn't encourage innovation among the employees front.

8. When resentment festers within a worker, passive-aggressive behavior tend to happen which results in unfavourable situation.

It is suggested for Mr. Karim to just keep in mind to cope up with Mr. Poore.

1. To be perfect in terms of the process followed and avoid any deviation which affects the business.

2. Certain actions are taken in advance to avoid such unfavorable situation.