Balancing the competing objectives of efficiency and service typically requires management compromises to be made. However, some call centers have found that a compromise is not necessary. By using a``sacrificial HR strategy'', they achieve both efficiency and high levels of service at the same time. This is possible because part of the sacrificial HR strategy is the deliberate, frequent replacement of employees in order to provide enthusiastic, motivated customer service at low cost to the organization. Describes a multiple-case analysis of four call centers and the sacrificial HR strategy they used. The contingencies leading to the appearance of this strategy are discussed.

Based on the experience of a hotel corporation, it is argued that the implementation of a re‐orientation is more likely to be successful if its leadership is shared between a task‐oriented and a relations‐oriented leader. The paper builds on the work of Nadler and Tushman who, for re‐orientations, prescribed shared charismatic and instrumental leadership at the top as well as throughout an organization. However, a little bit of charisma can go a long way. In the implementation phase the critical roles to share are those of task and relations, close to where the change is taking place. The implications for research and for management are noted.

There are contexts where, in order to be effective, a management team needs to display different leadership behaviours as well as possessing a wide range of experiences and skills. But achieving heterogeneity of behaviours is difficult if there are behavioural-similarity biases affecting a selection process. A sample of 126 participants completed a simulation of a selection process for a management team. They compared selection criteria and chose either a task or relations-oriented applicant for an advertised position as well as reporting their perception of their own preferred leadership style. The results of the simulation indicate that leadership behaviour can be a basis for similarity-attraction in the selection of a management team.

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