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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] Carrie faces a pivotal career decision: stay at her current company, where she's
viewed as a potential candidate for the VP role—a challenging position—or leave to accept a
senior role at a government agency regulating her industry.
As Carrie's coach, what advice would you offer to guide her through this significant decision?
or
If you were in Carrie's shoes, would you be prepared to leave a company where you've dedicated
30 years, or would you choose to wait for the opportunity to become VP?
(Answer in 100-150 words)
Hint: If you are a seasoned professional, assume the role of Carrie's coach; if you are a young learner,
step into Carrie's shoes.
Response Type : Alphanumeric
Evaluation Required For SA : No
Max Word Count : 150
If I were in Carrie’s shoes, I would carefully weigh both options, but I would lean towards staying at the company to pursue the VP role. Having invested 30 years and built strong networks, institutional knowledge, and a proven track record of leadership, Carrie is well-positioned to take on this next challenge. The VP role, though demanding, offers a chance to influence the company at a strategic level and complete her professional journey with impact. Moreover, taking on this challenge could bring personal fulfillment and closure to her long corporate career. However, if the organizational culture has shifted or she feels her growth is stalling, the government role could offer new perspectives and meaningful work in public service. Ultimately, Carrie should reflect on her long-term goals, values, and readiness for change before making a decision.
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In videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, learners in online or hybrid programs can easily
withhold communication by turning off their microphones and video functions. Similarly, in
organisations, like an elephant in the Zoom, employees might withhold information, ideas, or
feedback (positive or negative) during virtual meetings.
What drives this behaviour? Could there be any positive outcomes for teams or the organization
from it? (Answer in 100 words)
This behavior is often driven by fear of judgment, lack of psychological safety, perceived power imbalances, or disengagement. Employees may fear repercussions, feel their input isn't valued, or prefer to avoid conflict in virtual settings. Cultural norms and unclear meeting dynamics can also contribute. While withholding communication generally hampers collaboration, a possible positive outcome is that it can signal deeper issues—like poor leadership or low trust—that organizations can then address. Additionally, silence may allow introverted team members time to process information, potentially leading to more thoughtful contributions later through written or one-on-one communication
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Based on the Week 5 case study, PEOPLEFIRST INC.: A STAR EMPLOYEE BUT A TERRIBLE MANAGER
in the course, answer this question in approximately 150-200 words. Ensure that your responses
are supported with relevant content from the course and the case study.
Synopsis: PeopleFirst was a management consulting company founded and run by Renne Janssen.
Janssen had recently promoted a star employee, Marcela Lopez, to the position of manager.
However, Lopez’s first foray into management was turning into a disaster... Lopez’s team lacked
psychological safety. Janssen was faced with the challenge of determining how to persuade Lopez
to become a more effective manager and how to increase the morale of the employees in Lopez’s
team...
[PeopleFirst] You had identified components of emotional intelligence that Lopez is strong in.
Mention areas in which she could improve and some actions she could take to improve upon
these components.
Guidelines: Use the 6R framework to advise Lopez on how to improve.
Based on the PeopleFirst Inc. case, while Marcela Lopez excels as a high-performing individual contributor, her transition to management reveals gaps in key emotional intelligence (EI) components, particularly in relationship management and social awareness. Her team lacks psychological safety, suggesting that her leadership style may be overly task-focused, critical, or disconnected from team dynamics.
Using the 6R framework (Recognize, Release, Reframe, Replace, Repeat, and Relate), Lopez can take the following actions:
Recognize: Acknowledge her behavior’s impact on team morale and recognize the signs of low psychological safety (e.g., hesitation to speak up, high stress).
Release: Let go of the belief that technical excellence alone defines leadership. Embrace that empathy, trust-building, and communication are equally critical.
Reframe: Shift her mindset from control to collaboration—seeing her role as enabling others to succeed rather than managing tasks.
Replace: Practice active listening, encourage feedback, and regularly acknowledge team contributions to build trust.
Repeat: Continuously practice empathetic behaviors, reinforce positive habits, and seek coaching or mentoring support.
Relate: Strengthen team relationships by showing vulnerability, asking open-ended questions, and promoting a supportive culture.
Improving in these areas will enhance Lopez’s leadership and rebuild her team’s engagement and morale.
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[PeopleFirst] From the case study, what behaviours might indicate that psychological safety was
absent in the team led by Lopez?
Guidelines: Provide three instances from the case study that you have analyzed and explain why they led
to low levels of psychological safety.
Team Members Hesitated to Speak Up:
Lopez’s team members were reluctant to share ideas or raise concerns in meetings. This hesitation suggests they feared negative judgment or repercussions, a hallmark of low psychological safety, where individuals don't feel safe to express themselves freely.
Avoidance of One-on-One Interactions:
Several employees actively avoided direct interactions with Lopez. This behavior indicates discomfort and a breakdown in trust between the manager and her team. When employees distance themselves from leadership, it reflects an unsafe emotional climate.
Increased Stress and Withdrawal:
Team members showed signs of stress, disengagement, and low morale. Some even considered leaving the team. These reactions are typical when individuals feel undervalued, criticized, or unsupported—conditions that undermine psychological safety.
Each of these behaviors signals that the team did not feel secure, respected, or empowered under Lopez’s management style, directly impacting collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion
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[PeopleFirst] Out of the two options available to Lopez — (i) salvaging her career at PeopleFirst or
(ii) looking outside — what do you think Lopez must do?
Guidelines: Choose an option and justify your response with reasons or suitable examples.
Marcela Lopez should choose Option (i): Salvaging her career at PeopleFirst. While her initial transition into management has been challenging, she remains a high-performing and valuable employee with significant potential for growth. PeopleFirst has already invested in her development, and her promotion signals the organization's belief in her abilities.
Instead of leaving, Lopez should treat this experience as a critical learning opportunity. With targeted support—such as coaching, leadership training, and feedback mechanisms—she can develop the emotional intelligence and people-management skills necessary for effective leadership. For example, adopting the 6R framework and working on social awareness and relationship management can help her rebuild team trust and morale.
Moreover, remaining at PeopleFirst allows her to demonstrate resilience and growth, qualities highly valued in leaders. If she leaves now, it might appear as avoidance of accountability. Salvaging her role will not only strengthen her leadership capabilities but also show her commitment to personal and professional development.
In sum, staying offers a chance to turn a setback into a powerful leadership success story.
