Case Assignment #1: Leadership and Fairness in Organizations, BUS-4460

This case study analyzes a leadership scenario involving Rhett, a sales leader exhibiting traits of psychopathy. The assignment explores whether Rhett's behaviors align with psychopathic traits, providing specific examples of superficial charm, manipulation, irresponsibility, and lack of empathy. It then delves into strategies to minimize the damage Rhett could inflict on employees, including policy implementations and training programs. The analysis further considers the implications of hiring Rhett, given his personality traits, and concludes with a discussion on whether to retain or dismiss him, considering legal, ethical, and strategic factors. The solution emphasizes HR policies, organizational structures, and ethical considerations in managing such situations.

Case Assignment #1
Leadership and Fairness in Complex Organizations
BUS-4460-001
Katherine Breward

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1.
traits associated with psychopathy? Why or why not? Be specific about the traits
and behaviours that you are considering in your assessment. (6 marks)
I agree that Rhett displays traits associated with psychopathy.
He displays behaviours and traits such as superficial charm, manipulative, irresponsible, gets
bored easy, sexual behaviour, lack of empathy, and grandiose sense of self-worth. For instance,
he demonstrates on multiple occasions to have superficial charm which drew people to him and
allows him to easily manipulate and negotiate with others, which what makes him a very skilled
salesperson and a natural leader. He uses this charm to make employees feel special, which
allowed him to manipulate his employees into going out with him to party, or to sleep with him.
He shows to have irresponsible behaviour which is linked with psychopathy. He goes out
drinking and partying and convinces coworkers to stay out late. He shows that he gets bored
easily, especially in his marriage because of the countless acts of sexual behaviour with dozens
of female employees. He enjoys the challenge of getting his coworkers to sleep with him. He
clearly shows callousness/lack of empathy when his co-worker is expressing his marital issues
and Rhett just laughed instead of consoling him. As well, he shows to have a grandiose sense of
self-worth by having an unrealistic sense of superiority, and often considers himself to be better
than others. He shows this by getting everyone to laugh at another employee, and his informal
power that he assumingly has because everyone listens to him and does what he says.
2. Assuming that Rhett is a psychopath, what is the most effective way to minimize
the damage he can do to other employees? Consider personal interventions with

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Rhett as well as broader policy-based and institutional responses in your answer.
(12 marks)
I would avoid personal interventions with him as best as I can because
any documentation that proves his sexual misconduct, or have any
done, he can easily counterargue me and do everything he can to make it seem like he will
. Assuming he is a psychopath, the only thing that would come out of the
personal intervention is his new knowledge that I am aware of his misconduct which can cause a
very awkward situation in the workplace, or he could use his cunning intellect and alliances with
other employees to somehow get me fired.
The most effective way to minimize his damage to other employees would be to implement
new policies and training programs, as well as have a department-wide meeting to remind
everyone of existing code of conducts, and power structures within the company. It is key that
ve to him and to others that he
has no power in the department. He has informal power because everyone gave it to him, and
Therefore, the first step would be to have a personal chat with the VP sales and sales
manager and remind them that they are the true leaders in the sales department and when they
are trying to encourage organizational culture values onto their employees, it is not through
funded after-work clubbing but through performance reviews, reward programs, and promotions
that go directly through them and the HR department, not Rhett. It is important that they
themselves know who is in charge, and that they feel comfortable enough to take actual control
of their department. Next step would be for HR and the sales VP to hold a department-wide
mandatory meeting for all sales employees. During the meeting, they will go over the

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organisational values, behavioural statements, and code of conduct to remind everyone,
including Rhett, how to behave and act in a workplace environment. As well, everyone will be
informed that all promotions will be based on performance reviews that go directly through the
sales department VP and manager. This further shows to everyone that Rhett has no power in
deciding who gets a promotion, so no one has to feel compelled to depend on him or do as he
says.
HR and the sales VP will also communicate and explain their open-door policy and if anyone
has any concerns, they are encouraged to raise these concerns with the department manager or
with HR. Often, the ,
so it is key that the employees feel comfortable enough with their workplace leaders to go to
them and report anything. Therefore, if Rhett continues to act maliciously and perform illegal,
immoral or harmful acts, the employees will report it and the company will have legal
documentation that they can use when firing him. During this meeting, HR and VP sales will
disclose how they are implementing an organizational structure that encourages interaction
across teams. This will limit the ability of Rhett to tell one story to one person and another story
to another. The more interactive the organisation structure the more difficult it will be for Rhett
to manipulate, lie, and deceive.
As well, it is best to create a training program that gets everyone, especially the sales
manager and VP sales to be on the same level of product knowledge and strategy tactics that
Rhett has, so no one feels that they must depend on others to get the information they need to do
their job correctly. As a result, this lessens the chance for an employee to depend on Rhett for
help, which depletes his informal power in the department that usually gave him easy access to
manipulate others.

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3. Assume that you knew ahead of time (before making an offer of employment)
sales role? Why or why not? (4 marks)
I would not hire him for a sales role because he easily can become destructive not only for
himself and others, but for the organization as a whole. As we have seen, Rhett is using his
power within the company to manipulate and exploit others which creates a very uncomfortable,
unsafe, and unethical environment for everyone. He has the traits to become a destructive leader
and if I knew that ahead of time, I would not hire him in order to prevent any misconduct that
could happen if he was hired. Although he seems to have a very charismatic and alluring
personality that fits the job role, the repercussions of his actions would be detrimental for the
organizational culture. As well, it would prove to be difficult to align his interests with the
properly, he would do things for his own selfish
gain which would be incredibly toxic which can destroy the organizational culture they are trying
to build and maintain.
4. At this point should Jasmine fire Rhett or keep employing him? Why or why
not? Remember to consider legal, ethical, strategic, and practical issues when
answering. (You may want to review what you learned about employee
dismissals in BUS 2440 when considering your answer.) Justify your perspective.
(4 marks)
Jasmine should keep employing him because at the moment she has no evidence for
misconduct or illegal actions, or any formal complains of sexual harassment/misconduct.
Thinking in a strategic manner, his position, skills, product knowledge, and relationships with

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clients do benefit the company a lot, and if they were to fire him without just cause, they would
be losing a high-performing worker, which could be detrimental to their success, as Verizon
Horizon is in the midst of a major company-wide transition. In Ontario it is legal to fire someone
without just-cause, so she can fire him legally without any evidence of misconduct, however, she
must make sure to pay him in lieu, in my
actions and behaviour. Seeing as she is the head of HR, she should implement more policies and
training regarding sexual misconduct and mistreatment of others. She should also have more
conversations with the employees regarding this so they will feel more comfortable making a
report against their coworkers when they see anything unethical, or illegal being done in the
workplace. To come full circle, , she should keep him on payroll
for now, have a conversation with him and with other employees regarding sexual misconduct,
and implement more policies and training to cover all bases. , but
she should give him the chance to align his interests with the interests of the overall company.