Question

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Hansen, the CEO of Cengage, met with his employees every week. His message was straightforward - the company wanted to keep employees safe, and it also wanted to keep the business safe. Keeping the business safe would require that employees change their behaviors because the world of higher education was changing rapidly. Hansen emphasized his expectations for the employees, managers, and the company repeatedly. What technique was he using to execute his strategy? Clear roles and accountability Visible leadership Appropriate HR practices Candid communication

Answer 1

Michael Hansen used candid communication to clearly convey his strategic expectations to Cengage employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on safety and adaptability.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CEO of Cengage, Michael Hansen, employed the technique of candid communication to execute his company's strategy. Through these regular meetings, he clearly emphasized safety and adaptability, highlighting his expectations for behaviors that would ensure both employee well-being and the business's viability in the rapidly changing educational landscape. This openness and repetition is a classic method of ensuring that a strategic message is both received and acted upon, and that driving changes in employee behavior is aligned with the company's adapting strategy in response to external pressures and opportunities.

Answer 2

Michael Hansen employed a candid communication approach by holding weekly meetings and clearly articulating his expectations to adapt to a rapidly changing environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Hansen, the CEO of Cengage, utilized a leadership technique characterized by candid communication. By meeting with his employees every week and expressing his expectations clearly and consistently, he made sure that the employees understood the necessity for change within the company to keep the business safe in the rapidly changing world of higher education. This routine and direct form of communication ensured that the message of adapting to the new challenges was well transmitted throughout the organization.