Subjective Questions
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the case study "CARRIE WAGNER: CLIMBING THE CORPORATE
LADDER (A & B)". Question 5 is independent of the case study. Ensure that your responses are supported with relevant content from the course and the case study.
Case Summary:
Part (A) - Early Career, from Student to Manager:
Carrie joins a large multinational as a summer student, then works part-time while finishing her undergraduate degree in history. Upon graduation, she takes a job in the budget but fully expects to pursue a graduate degree. After six months, Jim, an Executive Director, takes an interest in Carrie and she is promoted to manager, working for an extremely difficult boss named Edith.
The case details several aspects of Carrie’s first experiences as manager:
- her difficulties with Edith, her direct supervisor, who is disliked by Carrie and her team and how Carrie deals with - and avoids this problem; Carrie’s increasing investment in her work, her inability to say no to requests from higher-ups and her development of an informal network within the company;
- how she manager her 10-employee team, in particular, how she evaluates their performance;
- how Carrie compensates for her lack of technical knowledge (finance, budgeting) and still manages to succeed in this management position.
Part (B) - Towards Senior Management:
Carrie climbs several management levels up to the position of Executive Director. her first steps as Regional Director of Sales (at 32) and how she wins the support of the displaced‘heir apparent’ to the job; her promotion to Executive Director of Customer Services (at 38), coinciding with the beginning of a part-time MBA, and how she improves the performance of this underperforming division by accumulating a series of ‘small successes’;
- Her appointment (at 44) as head of a major strategic initiative (a logistic service for businesses), despite her reluctance to accept this position. It is a high, high-visibility project and Carrie has to develop relationships with the powerful steering committee. Case describes, how she confronts
Indra, the VP Marketing, at a steering committee meeting, and how Carrie decides to experiment with a new sales approach without the prior approval of committee.
[Carrie Wagner] Evaluate Carrie’s path to leadership using Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence
Hint: Mention 4 constructs of the EI framework
Ans:-Carrie Wagner’s leadership journey strongly reflects Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) framework, particularly in four key constructs:
Self-Awareness: Carrie understands her limitations, especially in technical knowledge, and compensates by learning and leveraging her strengths in communication and people skills.
Self-Management: Despite challenges, such as a difficult boss and heavy workloads, Carrie remains composed and committed. Her discipline and ability to handle pressure are evident throughout her career growth.
Social Awareness: Carrie builds strong informal networks and navigates complex interpersonal dynamics, such as gaining support from the displaced heir and confronting Indra tactfully.
Relationship Management: She motivates and manages teams effectively, resolves conflicts, and experiments with new approaches, showing courage and vision, particularly in strategic roles.These EI components help Carrie rise through the ranks and lead with influence and adaptability across varied roles.
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Q (Creativity and Thinking Skills)
(a) The creativity process involves Preparation, Incubation, Illumination, and Verification, where ideas are generated, refined, and tested. (Word count: 15)
(b) A recent issue at IITM BS degree program is students struggling with peer collaboration in online courses. Applying the creativity process:
Preparation: Identify lack of real-time interaction.
Incubation: Brainstorm solutions like forums, group calls.
Illumination: Idea of a “Peer Circle” small groups with scheduled online discussions.
Verification: Pilot sessions can improve bonding and problem solving.
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(Growth Mindset – Four Zones Model)
(a)Comfort Zone: Attending lectures passively.
Fear Zone: Avoiding doubts due to hesitation.
Learning Zone: Actively engaging in coding projects.
Growth Zone: Presenting solutions to peers confidently.
(b)From Comfort → Fear: Start asking one question per lecture.
From Fear → Learning: Practice small coding tasks to build confidence.
From Learning → Growth: Take leadership in group projects.
From Growth → Beyond: Mentor juniors, fostering collaborative learning.
