After reading Chapter 4, the Behavioral Approach, please discuss the following questions on Case C4.2:  Eating Lunch Standing Up on pages 84 in our text Leadership:

According to the Behavioral Approach, how would you describe Susan’s leadership style?
Based on this reading, why does her leadership behavior create such a reaction from her subordinates?
Do you think she should change her behavior? Why or why not?
Would she be effective is she changed?  Why or why not? 

Case 4.2: Eating Lunch Standing Up
Susan Parks is the part-owner and manager of Marathon Sports, an athletic equipment store that specializes in running
shoes and accessories. The store employs about 10 people, most of whom are college students who work part-time during
the week and full-time on weekends. Marathon Sports is the only store of its kind in a college town with a population of
125,000. The annual sales figures for the store have shown 15% growth each year.
Susan has a lot invested in the store, and she works very hard to make sure the store continues to maintain its reputation
and pattern of growth. She works 50 hours a week at the store, where she wears many hats, including those of buyer,
scheduler, trainer, planner, and salesperson. There is never a moment when Susan is not doing something. Rumor has it
that she eats her lunch standing up.
Employees reactions to Susan are strong and varied. Some people like her style, and others do not. Those who like her
style talk about how organized and efficient the store is when she is in charge. Susan makes the tasks and goals for
everyone very clear. She keeps everyone busy; when they go home at night, they feel as if they have accomplished
something. They like to work for Susan because she knows what she is doing. Those who do not like her style complain
that she is too driven. It seems that her sole purpose for being at the store is to get the job done. She seldom, if ever, takes a
break or just hangs out with the staff. These people say Susan is pretty hard to relate to, and as a result, it is not much fun
working at Marathon Sports.
Susan is beginning to sense that employees have a mixed reaction to her leadership style. This bothers her, but she does
not know what to do about it. In addition to her work at the store, Susan struggles hard to be a good spouse and mother of
three children.

Questions
1. According to the behavioral approach, how would you describe Susans leadership?
2. Why does her leadership behavior create such a pronounced reaction from her employees?
3. Do you think she should change her behavior?
4. Would she be effective if she changed?