Padraig Mulholland

OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Structural Frame Worksheet
Worksheet Objectives:

1. Describe the structural frame

2. Apply the structural frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

In April 2022, The Walt Disney Company fired its CEO, Bob Chapek, giving him
$20 million as part of his leaving package. This study looks at why Chapek was let go,
focusing on what he did well and where he fell short. It also explores how the other
leaders at Disney made this decision. Furthermore, the study explores the appointment of
Robert Iger as Chapek's successor, Iger's incentive package, leadership style, and his
current achievements and shortcomings. The Walt Disney Company, known for its
remarkable successes, has also faced its share of failures. This case study aims to
highlight how companies can learn from missteps and ultimately thrive when sound
decisions are made. As an administrative assistant at Disney, I see how these changes
affect everyone on the team. This includes changes in rules and how we do things, and
also how much time we spend on our work. My job lets me see how decisions made by
the big bosses impact everyone, including me.

2) Describe how the structure of the organization influenced the situation.

The one-boss organizational structure has been described as “Information and

decisions flow from the top. Group members offer information to and communicate
primarily with the official leader, rather than with one another. This array is efficient and

1
 fast and works best in relatively simple and straightforward situations when it is easy for
the boss to stay on top of things” (Bolman, 101). This can be helpful because it’s a
straightforward business plan, and everybody knows who’s on top, who’s making the
decisions, and where to go to win, needing high-up decisions in a quick manner.
However, with the failing leadership of Chapek, we are more exposed to how this
structure can cause difficulties when dealing with a board with large decisions to make
for an entire company. “Circumstances that are more complicated or volatile can overload
the boss, producing delays or bad decisions, unless the person in charge has an unusual
level of skill, expertise, and energy” (Bolman, 101).

We see The Walt Disney Company lean more towards the structure of one boss.
This organizational structure has worked essentially since the creation of the company a
little over 100 years ago. However, with the most recent acquisition of Chapek being in
the highest level position, we noticed while he might have the level of skill and expertise,
he is lacking somewhat in energy and overall accountability. The team, from the
executive boards all the way down to the lowest on the organizational structure, had
noticed Chapek’s failing performance and “out of touch” decision-making.

3) Recommend how you would use structure for an alternative course of action
regarding your case.

I think, when figuring out an alternative course of action regarding the removal of
Chapek, it would have to be the organizational structure of the company that led to his
acquisition of his role as CEO. The company has a history of a one-boss organizational
structure, and it’s been known to work for certain CEOs and not been too successful with
others. This can lead to almost a roller coaster, like an up-and-down wave of successes
and failures, based on who is sitting at that top position.

When choosing a CEO, it's crucial for the company to consider its one-boss
organizational structure. This style emphasizes a single leader at the top, making
decisions without peers at the same level. While someone might excel in a group setting,
leading independently requires different skills. Therefore, it's essential to find a candidate
who can thrive in this specific style of leadership. I would note that Chapek had success
with his previous roles before CEO but there was flaws in him the company didn’t for-
see because of these. Just because someone is successful on a board doesn't guarantee
they'll perform well as the sole leader of the company. By carefully assessing candidates
based on their compatibility with the one-boss structure, the company can ensure a better
fit for the role of CEO.

2
4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

I think if I were in the position to decide and vote on the next CEO of The Walt
Disney Company, I would most likely have ultimately made the same decision that was
already made because of the experience that Chapek had previously possessed. Wild
noted earlier that someone who works well in large team settings might not always be
suited for solo endeavors. It is hard to identify these issues or red flags prior to the
decision of who overtakes this responsibility and large role in the company.

All this being said, when trying to learn from these mistakes, going forward, I
think something good to implement rather than changing the structure, which has been
proven to work with its slight flaws. We could implement probation periods for roles. We
see this a lot with lower levels of management having a six-month probation period to
make sure that the candidate is the right fit for the role. However, we see it fade away as
the positions get higher. I don’t understand why we do this considering the higher the
role, the more the team would want to ensure that the person is the best fit for the role.
With this probation, the board of executives is able to identify if this is the right fit.
Importantly, we have to make this a standard, without biases or loopholes.

3
 Reference or References

Disney - leadership, history, Corporate Social Responsibility. The Walt Disney Company. (2020,
March 2). https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/

Bolman & Deal Wiley (Jossey-Bass), Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and
Leadership, 7e. (Accessed 2024, March 24)