Problem: Company X has been in the printing industry for decades. Its CEO is widely known for making Company X a great place to work-it has competitive salaries, great benefits, and its employees consistently report job satisfaction levels that are amongst the highest in the country. Aside from treating employees well, the CEO also has a strong sense of ethics, making sure to reduce the company's carbon footprint, give proceeds of the company's revenue to charity, and provide transparency in all business practices. Despite all of this, the company's profits have been steadily decreasing over the past few years. The board of directors believes that the company is not being as productive or innovative as it could be. After a difficult meeting, the board decides it is time for a new CEO.
1. If you were advising Company X, what type of leader would you suggest that they hire and why?
2. If YOU were that leader, what 2 actions would you take to make employees more innovative?
3. What 2 actions would you take to improve employees' productivity, excluding ideas you wrote about in question 1?
4. Be sure to explain why each of these actions would achieve their desired goals.