The Trait Approach Case Study

The Trait Approach Case Study

Naomi J Wheeless

California Southern University

MGT 87525 – Leadership, Ethics and Corporate Governance

July 9, 2013

Dr. Penny Wilkins

The Trait Approach Case Study

In Recruiting for the Bank, readers are introduced to Pat Nelson, the assistant director of human resources for Central Bank. His primary responsibility falls under the umbrella of talent acquisition, whereby he recruits and hires the majority of the organizations credit analysts within the commercial lending segment of Central Bank. For over ten years, Pat has relied on undergraduate campus recruitment strategies to fill these positions and he has been hiring roughly twenty new recruits each calendar year.

        Pat feels that he is just in his methods of recruitment even thought company executives have “begun to question the recruitment and hiring process” (Northouse, 2010, p. 32). The company has been averaging over a turnover rate of over 25% for this particular position. The executives are understandably concerned about the exponential rate at which credit analysts voluntarily separate from the organization.  Pat, however, feels that he is correct in his hiring practices and recruitment strategies and that he is selecting the right people to be future leaders at Central Bank.

Case Analysis

        Employers understand that attrition is one of the most costly expenses incurred. Parts of this cost include not only the expense of recruiting another candidate and training them, but the loss of the knowledge base that leaves with the original employee. The executives at Central Bank are justified in being gravely concerned. It is also understandable that they would begin to question the decision-making skills and recruitment tactics of the individuals tasked with bringing in new talent. In addition to wanting to reduce the turnover rate of credit analysts, the executive are also growing frustrated at the lack of future leaders among the new employees Pat recruits.

        Scholars agree that one of the things great leaders have in common are certain traits.  Centuries ago, when the study of leadership traits first began it was “believed that people were born with these traits, and that only the “great” people possessed them” (Northouse, 2010, p.15). Society believed that a force not understood by man selected certain people who were destined for greatness and bestowed upon them the uncanny ability to be great leaders. Over time scholars now know that “rather than being a quality that individuals possess, leadership was reconceptualized as a relationship between people in a social situation” (Northouse, 2010, p.15). Someone who is an effective leader in one situation will not necessarily be a good leader in all other situations.