Reference no: EM133740734
Case Study:
When Cheryl Bachelder was named CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in 2007, the company was in a tailspin. Guest visits had been falling for years, restaurant sales and profit trends were negative, and the company's stock price had fallen to $13 from $34. The brand was stagnant, and the relationship between the company and its franchise owners was strained. To turn the company around, Bachelder leveraged the power of transformational leadership to reinvent the company.
Bachelder made it a priority to transform the workplace to one where employees were treated with respect and dignity while being challenged to perform at the highest level. Rigorous metrics were established to track progress and to keep decisions focused on data. Bachelder first focused her attention on the company's restaurant owners, listening to their needs and responding with solutions to maintain their passion and engagement. Bachelder and her team found that too many leaders sought and wanted to stay in the spotlight, forgetting to share some of the spotlight with others. Self-serving leaders were transitioned out as collaboration increased and employees felt more valued. This improved the customer experience, improving customer loyalty. The turnaround was so successful, the stock quadrupled in price and Bachelder received the 2015 Norman Award from the U.S. restaurant industry, recognizing an industry executive whose leadership made a significant impact on industry peers.
Read the Case Study: Leading a Transformation at Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen. Answer the following questions using the textbook and 1 outside resource to prove your points.
1. Explain how Bachelder might further exhibit a transformational leadership style in her role as CEO.
2. Which of Fiedler's leadership styles do you think would be most appropriate in the situation Bachelder found herself when she became CEO?
3. If you were Bachelder, how might you use the information you learned in this chapter to continue to transform Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen into a high performing company with engaged employees?