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Small Business Leadership Case Studies
Ready-to-run training activities with editable files, for in-person and virtual sessions. Instant download after purchase.
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Each purchase is licensed to one organization for use in one LMS, with unlimited learners. By buying, you agree to the License Agreement and Terms of Use.
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About this activity pack
Twelve original leadership cases set in small businesses, each with a participant handout, discussion questions and a full page of facilitator notes.
Who it is for
Trainers and L&D teams running leadership or supervisor programs
HR professionals who want realistic material for manager development
Small-business owners developing their first managers and shift leads
New supervisors and shift leads practicing judgment with peers
Experienced managers leading a monthly discussion with their own leaders
The problem it solves
Most leadership case studies are set in large corporations, and many come without guidance on how to lead the discussion. These twelve cases are set where most leaders work: a cafe, a landscaping company, a furniture store, a heating company, a bakery, a hardware store, a print shop, a restaurant, a cleaning company, a dental clinic, a warehouse and an insurance agency. Each covers a real leadership question, such as leading former peers, letting go of work you do well, a top performer who damages the team, a respected employee whose work has slipped, a customer who mistreats staff, owning your own mistake, hiring under personal pressure, and leading a change people resist. The facilitator notes give the key issues, what strong answers include, options with trade-offs, the most common trap in discussion, a follow-up twist, and in-person and virtual running orders.
What is inside
Copyright, how to use the pack and terms explained (3 pages)
Guide (4 pages): what case studies teach, running a case discussion, facilitation skills and common mistakes, formats and running cases online
Case chooser (1 page): all 12 cases by theme, setting and leadership question
12 cases (24 pages): a one-page participant handout and one page of facilitator notes for each
Case discussion planner (2 pages): blank and filled in
Write your own case template (2 pages): blank and filled in
Editable Word file (43 pages): every case handout and its facilitator notes, plus both templates
How to use it
Choose a case from the chooser by theme or by the question your leaders face.
Print the handout for each participant and read the facilitator notes.
Run the discussion: read, think alone, small groups, plenary, the follow-up twist, and the link to work.
End with each person naming one situation in their own work and what they will do.
Formats and file types
PDF guide, cases and templates, 36 pages, US Letter, print or screen
Word (.docx), editable cases, notes and templates, 43 pages
Licensed for internal use by the purchasing organization
Frequently asked questions
Is there a right answer to each case?
No. Each case has stronger and weaker answers, and the facilitator notes explain the reasoning, the options and their trade-offs.
How long does one case take?
Forty to sixty minutes for a full discussion, or twenty minutes using three of the five questions.
Can I change the industry or names?
Yes. The Word file is fully editable, so you can set a case in your own type of business while keeping the core of the story.
One price, yours to keep. Licensed for use within your organization.