Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Pat Greene: From Jarhead to Egghead

Powell, Elizabeth ...

Case

Pat Greene: From Jarhead to Egghead

Powell, Elizabeth A.; Goldberg, Rebecca; Zegarelli, James

BC-0271 | Published December 7, 2018 | 7 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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This case challenges the adage, "You can take a man out of the Marines, but you can't take the Marines out of the man." Newly transitioning as a Marine officer into his first civilian job, Pat Greene will need to learn how to flex his leadership communication style to meet the demands of his new work culture. The case illustrates the contingent and situational nature of effective communication, or in other words, how a communication style that may be highly effective in one context can be a real misfit in another. This case is designed to introduce a model for communication strategy that takes into account the influence of context, work culture, and role expectations on leadership voice and style. The model can be used to (1) analyze how things got to where they are, and (2) coach Greene to modify his style intentionally for better results in the future. Key discussion points may include (1) contrasting communicating out of habit to communicating with awareness and intention; (2) the value of style flexing effectively across contexts, audiences, and situations; and (3) the pros and cons of "tell/sell" and "consult/join" approaches. This case is suitable for traditional MBA and executive audiences, particularly ones that include a significant number of transitioning military and/or "career switching" learners.