Case Study: A Clean Slate
Question 1
Nick’s vision is to transition the newspaper from traditional paper to a digital format. The owner’s vision was to reduce weekly printing times to three and move the remainder to digital editions. In a way, Nick and the newspaper owner’s vision are similar in the sense that they believed that the time was ripe to go digital. For instance, Nick is aware the move to digital editions is necessary because more readers were turning to the internet to get news. Nick’s plan slightly differed from that of his boss because while the newspaper owner expected 75% of his employees to lose their jobs, Nick ended up retaining about eighty percent of the employees. Additionally, Nick did not discuss with the others his boss’s intention to print for three days. Instead, he looked into the future and made plans for full digitalization. This case study highlights some of the challenges that leaders may face when required to implement the visions of their superiors. For example, leaders may find it difficult to supervise employees who might be resistant to new ideas or changes. Additionally, leaders may also find it difficult to implement the visions of their leaders, especially when they do not agree with them.
Question 2
There are a number of reasons why Nick wanted the newspaper’s works made public. For instance, moving the newspaper to a public place was a way to show that the paper’s inner workings were open to suggestions of the public, and to also assure the public that they are still there for them as before. Considering that Nick’s plan would do away with the physical paper, it seemed necessary to have something that seemed physical or material for the public. In other words, it was a way of letting the public knows that the paper was still there; by openly displaying the workings of the paper publicly, Nick was ensuring that the paper’s operations still remained visible to the public so that they do not think it had disappeared. I think another reason for moving the paper to the public was so that the staff members would constantly be aware of the greater public demand, and hence work hard.
Question 3
One desired change in values highlighted in this case is the need to let go of the past and look into the future. Nick understood that for him to succeed in digitalizing the newspaper, he had to change the entrenched belief system and culture of his staff members and the readers. He encourages the staff members not to mourn about the past and join him in forging the future of journalism. Even though he himself did not like the idea of going digital, he knew that the move was inevitable, and he believed that it did not matter what format people got the news in. Upon the newspaper’s announcement that it was going digital, many readers canceled their subscriptions, advertisers ran away, and the overall reaction was generally hard. After two years, however, the newspaper began to win back its readers, and it even experienced more traffic on its website.
Question 4
I think Nick’s articulation of his vision for the paper was excellent, judging from the high number of employees who get rehired when they apply for jobs again. He not only informs the other staff members of the need to look into the future and the reasons why going digital would be beneficial for the paper. He explains to them that they cannot move forward if they do not let go of the past, and he welcomes them to join him in forging the future of journalism. In the end, Nick ends up retaining 80 percent of the employees, meaning that a majority of them shared and believed in his vision. Judging from this, therefore, I can confidently say that Nick articulated his vision very well. If I was in his shoes, I think I would articulate my vision in almost the same way. After Nick informed the staff members of his vision, he gave time to think about what he had told them, and he also took the time to pick the brightest. I would, therefore, do things in the same way.
Question 5
Yes, I strongly believe that the paper will thrive under his leadership for a number of reasons. First, he strongly believes in his vision, and he is committed to pursuing it. For leaders to achieve their visions, they must believe it. Second, Nick understands the importance of teamwork, and this is the reason why he articulates his vision to the other team members and asks them to join him in changing the future of journalism. As a leader, he understands that the task ahead is difficult, but he also believes that by inviting others to join in his vision, together they will achieve. Third, he has the support of the brightest and the best people or staff members who share in his vision and whom he is working with. For a leader to achieve his vision, he must work with people who share in his vision. Fourth, he understands that mistakes will be made along the way, and he stresses to his staffers that he does not expect perfection. Good leaders – like Nick – understand that mistakes in the workplace are inevitable.
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