Questions:

1 (a) Where does Hewitt’s leadership fall on the Managerial Grid discussed in the chapter? Explain (100-150 words)

2. What deficiencies or shortcomings would you identify in Hewitt’s leadership? (100-150 words)

3. (a) Is Hewitt’s leadership style appropriate for Greensburg’s situation? (b) Explain your answer using insights drawn from Fiedler’s LPC theory. (100-150 words)

City of Greensburg, Kansas: Leadership

Summary: The morning after the powerful EF-5 tornado whipped through the area, everyone knew Greensburg was gone—perhaps forever. But in a subsequent press conference, Mayor Lonnie McCollum announced that the town would rebuild as a model green community, and named Steve Hewitt as a full- time administrator to make the changes. While Mayor McCollum offered a vision for rebuilding Greensburg, it is Hewitt who stepped up to ensure that the vision became a reality. Hewitt quickly went to work on a plan for rebuilding. City workers give Hewitt high marks for his handling of the crisis. Like most good leaders, Hewitt hasn’t been afraid to ruffle feathers as needed.

Task: Read the “City of Greensburg, Kansas: Leadership” case below and then consider the following questions.

>> I hit the command center about 11 and started dealing immediately with the search and rescue and first responders. I'm Steve Hewitt, I'm a city administrator for Greensburg, Kansas. On dealing with utilities from gas to electrical issues, to water issues, to safety issues, to rescue issues.

>> I was really, really concerned at that time that we might have a real high death count. Hello, I'm Lonny McCollum, I'm formal resident of Greensburg. Maybe that Saturday afternoon or Sunday that we were having a news conference and that's when I said, well, I see this as a real opportunity for this town. You know, just for the simple fact that we can build back energy efficient homes. But you're going to make some mistakes in the early days like that you're just going to. And, you know, you do the best you can. And fully realize you're going to do right things, you're going to do wrong things. I resigned as mayor because, you know, they didn't need me. They had good leadership. I just thought maybe it was time that, you know, I took care of some other people besides just enjoying leading another crusade.

>> I mean, the most compelling story is when he quit and he quit because he was really frustrated at people's inability to see this vision of what was possible and what could be. Which, in fact, we're now realizing. I'm Daniel Wollok [phonetic], executive director of Greensburg Greentown. Lonny is a very passionate, inspiring, emotional guy. He took it personally. Steve Hewitt, on the other hand, is one I think of as an almost like a cold blooded athlete of who you want taking the last shot in the basketball game.

>> So we just need to talk, we'll talk about [inaudible].

>> He's very calculating, strategic, he does have a big heart and he connects to people that way. But he's much more analytical. He has incredible capacity and endurance. And that is what suited him perfectly for the role in this community to help bring it back.

>> I will tell you the struggle this community is at. Lot of TV cameras around, a lot of media attention. And a lot of people want to be heroes. You know, the heroes are every guy that shows up every day at my office. They work every day. Those are heroes. Those are true heroes. Heroes aren't the ones who stand in front of the cameras and say we're going to do this as much as the heroes are the one that are actually doing it. I don't like the politics. It comes with the job. We did not need an election during a recovery process and now I've got three now counselors and one new mayor. They're good people, I think. But why did we need that? I don't think we did need that. But that is, it is what it is and I don't like politics and I don't like dealing with new people and I don't like dealing with the new direction. I'm now my third mayor in one year and I think that's ridiculous. But it is what it is, and I have to work with these people and we're going to get it done.

>> Steve. Hi, Ruth. Oh, absolutely, it would be great to talk to somebody who. Our goal is to go to back up generation power plant, yes.

>> Steve is the one that has been the face of Greensburg, he's been in front of the media telling the story about Greensburg, has been there since day one. I'm Kim Aldefer [phonetic], and I'm the recovery coordinator and the assistant city administrator for the City of Greensburg. I would say prior to the tornado he dealt with a lot of manager type issues as far as the day to day on the city level. But after the tornado, he had to hire different people to handle those different manager-type duties. And that's my role with the city. Everything that Steve does, I also know about. And so he's very open as far as information and knowing that somebody else has to know what's going on. That not one person can handle it. And he's very good about delegating authority. He gives you the authority to do your job. He doesn't micromanage. He'll set out goals and, you know, that's what you need to do. And he really doesn't have time to micromanage anybody.

>> More than ever I have allowed my department heads to be true department heads. Take their guys and take their team and lead. And to work with them and give them a true direction and a true plan and say, hey guys, we need. These are our goals, we need to accomplish these things. Now take your staff out and do it. We had a staff about 20 before the storm. Now we have a staff about 35. We didn't have a full time fire department, we got a full time fire department. Got a planning department. I got a community development department. I've got new people, new positions, and new departments. You know, you've got to not just be that team leader but you also got to be that, you got to do that, you know, counselor, that friend. And also you got to be tough to be the boss. Because you know what, we got to get this done, get it done now. But they also are dealing with major issues.

They're trying to build their own homes back. I didn't have any staff leave. They all came back. And that's a testimony of what true teammates who believe in a leader. Listen, I have to, I'm only as good as a team. And, you know what, the fact that they've all stood behind me. You know, I really appreciate that because, you know, that's the only way we're going to get it done. You know, I dealt with people early on who said I don't want building codes, I want you to leave me alone, I'm going to do what I want to do. And I said, no. I said you're going to build it right, you're going to build it to code. Make a safer, better community. We're not going to have this patched together. You know, we're not going to have this free for all. We got to be focused and dedicated. We have to have goals, we have to have a plan. I think I'm young enough and dumb enough, to be honest with you. I'm dumb enough not to care what people say. And I'm young enough to have the energy to get through it. And I really feel like I'm the guy that was here at the right time to get us where we're at today. You know, there's going to be a time when I am no longer needed and I understand that. And the town will tell me that. But right now I think I am the right guy to help us and I'm excited about that. I'm humbled by that, but I'm arrogant enough to see that, you know what, you know, let's get this thing done. And I think I'm the guy that can do it. And that's, so probably no leader that's influenced me except for many leaders. And to say that, you know what, I want to be the guy that sticks his neck out there and says you know we can do it. You don't like it, chop it off, get somebody else. But you know what, while I'm here, we're doing it this way and going that direction because that's the right thing to do.