**Case-based Questions – Application 3 Group Assessment (Worth 10%)**

**The Rise and Fall of Barry Biswell**

For a long time, Barry B. (‘Bazzaz’) Biswell was one of the best-known CEOs in Australia, if not the world. Brought in as Human-Design’s (HD) CEO in 2009, Bazzaz was instantly recognizable for his charisma, visibility, and aggressiveness. He was featured on front pages across the country and was a frequent guest on morning media panels across Australia and New Zealand. He was even mentioned as a possible cabinet member for both Federal and State Government. Widely praised as a change agent and a visionary leader at Anatomical Technologies (an innovative and agile medical research company)—which he led before joining HD—Biswell had a way of generating enthusiasm and excitement in his staff. Some called him a ‘rock star’ CEO.

However, under Biswell’s leadership, HD struggled as the world’s second-largest medical instrument company. Although revenue climbed steadily, profits did not. Nor did the stock price—an investor who bought HD stock the day Bazzaz was hired would have paid around $25 AUD per share. Only 10 years later in mid-2019, that same share certificate was worth only $11.55 AUD. In 2015, he pushed for and won a bid to acquire Anterior Designs (a body mapping company specializing in deep cell imaging). This went against the express wishes of the board and the two founding directors. The resulting outcome, just two years later, was a major disaster for him and the firm. The acquisition cost HD $3.5 billion, but in 2017, HD was forced to sell off Anterior Designs, and while they did gain some crucial 3-D mapping technology which boosted their sales, they eventually sold the company for just less than $1 billion. This loss placed a big strain on the company, and they were forced to fire 25% of their workforce.

As a result of these struggles, the HD board tried to find a way to limit Biswell’s powers and give more authority to other executives. A month before his final dismissal, Bazzaz was told point-blank by three board members that he had to change his leadership style and be more receptive to the company’s internal operations, its staff, and align with the long-term goals and financial sustainability of the company. He adamantly refused. A month later, when informed of the board’s decision to fire him, Biswell was ‘stunned’. After his firing, experts pointed out his failings. Some felt that Biswell spent too much time on the road talking to groups, motivating staff, and engaging with customers and suppliers, and not enough time inside the company, consolidating operations, refining strategy, and focusing on bottom-line issues. Others felt he overpromised results and was overly positive and lacking realism.

One HD executive stated there were people inside HD who loved Bazzaz because of his ability to envision a strategic dream that inspired people to move forward and work harder. However, others thought he was drawn to all the ‘pomp and circumstance,’ stuck in ‘big picture mode,’ and failed to see the finer details and cracks that were beginning to undermine his overarching enthusiasm. Another HD observer claimed after Bazzaz was ousted, "The talk on the grapevine is that nobody really liked Bazzaz’s leadership all that much." Others argued that HD employees never accepted Biswell’s attempts to change HD culture or his high-profile ways. (He placed his portrait in HD headquarters next to the HD founders, and he frequently rubbed elbows with rock stars from bands such as U2, Cold Chisel, and Savage Garden.)

**Week B Questions**

1. Some have argued that Biswell failed because his personality was ‘too big’ and that he became more focused on himself than on the nuts-and-bolts of business.
- a. Can a person’s personality be too strong?
- b. How is this the case?

2. Biswell had to complete a two-hour, 900-question personality test as part of the process to select him as CEO.
- a. Does this suggest that personality testing has little value?
- b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of personality testing?

3. Use the Myers-Briggs Model of personality dimensions to characterize Biswell. Complete the chart below by placing an ‘X’ in each scale and explain your reasoning with theory and case justification:
- Extroverted vs. Introverted:
- Sensing vs. Intuitive:
- Thinking vs. Feeling:
- Judging vs. Perceiving:

4. Using the framework for the six differences in happiness between East & West, characterize Biswell’s management approach and discuss ways you might shift his style one way or the other.
- East: self-transcendence, eudaemonism, harmony, contentment, valuing suffering, spiritual foundation
- West: self-enhancement, hedonism, mastery, satisfaction, avoiding suffering, relative disconnect from spiritualism