Meg Whitman Case
Meg Whitman Case Writing Assignment
Raymond McDaniel Jr.
Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Professor Dennis Darlak
May 15, 2010
In the following I will discuss certain questions and views dealing with Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay Case. I will discuss how Meg Whitman’s leadership reflects transaction leadership. I will identify the aspects of Meg Whitman’s leadership that reflect authentic leadership. I will discuss how Meg Whitman used her leadership skills to transform the company from an online auction house into a general- purpose shopping destination company. Finally, I will discuss how the employees at eBay respond to Meg Whitman’s leadership style.
Discuss how Meg Whitman’s leadership reflects transaction leadership. Transaction leadership involves motivating and directing primarily through appealing to employees self-interest. Whitman shows this by her employees being cheerful and formal but at the same time hardworking and successful. Whitman being the CEO of eBay shows she has the primary power of being a transactional leader, which comes from their formal authority in the organization. Whitman also focuses on the basic management of controlling, organizing, and short-term planning. When a manager was asked what it like is to report to Whitman, he replied “I have numbers, I know them. They’re very clear. And the expectations are high” (Organizational Behavior, 2009). This shows that Whitman focuses on controlling, organizing, and short-term planning by the way manager’s report to Whitman. A manager being comfortable with reporting to his CEO also shows that Whitman has an effective way of motivating her employees. There are five practices in which effective transactional leaders are likely to engage in. Two of these practices are in the form of questions. They are, “what needs to be done” and “what is right.” During Whitman’s first arrival at eBay, she promised to transform eBay from an online auction house into a much
Raymond McDaniel Jr.
Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Professor Dennis Darlak
May 15, 2010
In the following I will discuss certain questions and views dealing with Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay Case. I will discuss how Meg Whitman’s leadership reflects transaction leadership. I will identify the aspects of Meg Whitman’s leadership that reflect authentic leadership. I will discuss how Meg Whitman used her leadership skills to transform the company from an online auction house into a general- purpose shopping destination company. Finally, I will discuss how the employees at eBay respond to Meg Whitman’s leadership style.
Discuss how Meg Whitman’s leadership reflects transaction leadership. Transaction leadership involves motivating and directing primarily through appealing to employees self-interest. Whitman shows this by her employees being cheerful and formal but at the same time hardworking and successful. Whitman being the CEO of eBay shows she has the primary power of being a transactional leader, which comes from their formal authority in the organization. Whitman also focuses on the basic management of controlling, organizing, and short-term planning. When a manager was asked what it like is to report to Whitman, he replied “I have numbers, I know them. They’re very clear. And the expectations are high” (Organizational Behavior, 2009). This shows that Whitman focuses on controlling, organizing, and short-term planning by the way manager’s report to Whitman. A manager being comfortable with reporting to his CEO also shows that Whitman has an effective way of motivating her employees. There are five practices in which effective transactional leaders are likely to engage in. Two of these practices are in the form of questions. They are, “what needs to be done” and “what is right.” During Whitman’s first arrival at eBay, she promised to transform eBay from an online auction house into a much
References: Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J.W., Jr. (2009). Organizational Behavior: 2010 Custom Edition (12th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengate Learning (2010). Meg Whitman: Why She Matters. Retrieved M arch 15,2010 , from http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Meg_Whitman#Path_to_Power