Topic > Analysis of Anne M. Mulcahy's Leadership Approach and Leadership Challenges

IndexIntroductionConfidence During SetbacksEncouraging Constructive DissentWhat steps did you take to address this challengeWhat does this tell us about your approach to leadership?In How Do Theories and Frameworks Help Us Understand His Approach?IntroductionWhen Mulcahy was named CEO of Xerox Corp. in 2001, many people were surprised. Immediately she was faced with the crisis, the consultants urged her to declare bankruptcy to remedy the situation, but she did not agree. Instead, he chose the path that not many would allow. In fact, he said that “failure is never a victory.” When he took over the company, he only intended to take the company to a higher level and envisioned Xerox becoming a high-tech player. It has refused to reduce research and development or field sales, despite shareholder petitions to shut down all research and development. Instead, he attacked Xerox's bloated infrastructure, sold parts from Fuji Xerox, the company's flagship, and outsourced manufacturing to Flextronics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Confidence During Setbacks Keeping Focus on the Future Moving away from expensive consumer printers, Mulcahy took a gamble and focused on new high-end color digital printer technology and consulting services. He realized that the world was changing and that Xerox needed to anticipate the change. “Companies disappear because they fail to reinvent themselves,” he said. Encouraging constructive dissent She didn't hold back when furious shareholders hurled angry comments and threats at the company. Alternatively, he prioritized attempts to allay worries and fears. He also verbally promised to 'fly anywhere to save any customer for Xerox.' “So instead of spending a lot of time putting out fires,” he said, “we focused on the source of the fuel leak, which really became critically important to solving real problems.” What steps did he take to address this challenge I personally think Mulcahy handled the situation well and differently than other leaders would have done. Many companies would have taken the easy way out and filed for bankruptcy, but she didn't. She took the lead and set the tone her visions so high that no one believed the company was capable of realizing them. She had evidently proven them wrong, she and her team took advantage of the crisis and thought they would like to do more than that they did. I believe that if there had been a different leader, the turnaround would not have been as successful and effective. What does this tell us about his approach to leadership? His strategy for dealing with the critical situation was to promote honesty and trust, which are especially important in that case. He emphasized that in times when your company is struggling, you need to give employees and customers a sense of direction and resolution. In return, Mulcahy would expect the utmost commitment and support from his executive team or any Xerox employee. “I gave people a choice to make: roll up their sleeves and go to work or leave Xerox.” How do theories and frameworks help us understand his approach? I believe his leadership style was democratic because he took his team's choices into consideration and ultimately made an effective choice. In that way, it is’.