This approach demonstrates leadership by taking ownership of the situation. It balances transparency about the risk with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset. It respects the sponsor’s business need while firmly advocating for the non-negotiable principle of security, seeking a collaborative path forward rather than a purely confrontational or avoidant one.

Executive audiences are most influenced by arguments tied to strategic value and risk mitigation. While cost savings (C) and alignment (B) are good supporting points, the ability to protect revenue and ensure business continuity (D) frames the investment as essential for safeguarding the core business, which is a top-tier concern for leadership.

Leadership involves moving from a reactive to a strategic posture. While benchmarking (D) is a good analytical step, it should follow or be part of a deeper conversation. Option C prioritizes relationship management and seeks to understand the underlying driver (e.g., raw material costs, logistics issues). This approach can reveal opportunities for joint cost-saving initiatives or more favorable terms, preserving a potentially valuable partnership before resorting to a costly and disruptive competitive bid.

True leadership is proactive and influential, shaping outcomes rather than just policing them. While A, B, and D are important compliance and communication activities, option C shows leadership by embedding sustainability into the core business process (design). It uses the influence of the supply function to create systemic, upstream change, which is more impactful than downstream monitoring alone.

This solution addresses the root cause through stakeholder management and process clarity. It demonstrates leadership by engaging other leaders to solve a cross-functional problem. Options A and B are internal fixes that may create friction, while D is a temporary financial solution. Option C builds a governed, understood framework that manages expectations, legitimizes the team’s strategic time, and provides a controlled mechanism for true emergencies.

Ethical leadership requires adhering to established governance procedures. Confronting the employee directly (A) bypasses proper channels and may not ensure an impartial investigation. Indirect actions (B) or increased monitoring (D) fail to meet the leader’s obligation to address a potential policy violation. Option C is correct because it follows due process, protects confidentiality, and ensures the matter is handled by the appropriate, independent authority as defined by organizational policy.

The leader’s role in innovation is strategic and facilitative, not just evaluative or transactional. While competitions (B) and new supplier programs (D) can be tactics, the core leadership function is to build bridges. Option C describes this perfectly: understanding internal strategic goals, deeply knowing the supply market’s evolving capabilities, and creating the partnerships and conversations where innovation can occur collaboratively.

A board-level audience needs to understand the strategic management of risk, not just a list of threats (A) or a single tool (B). The absence of a recent disruption (D) could indicate luck, not maturity. Option C demonstrates a holistic, process-driven program. It shows you identify, govern, act, and measure—translating supply chain activity into the business language of performance and resilience that the board cares about.

Leadership involves problem-solving and preserving value. A high-performing long-term supplier represents significant invested relationship capital. The first step should be diagnostic and collaborative (B), not punitive (A, D) or purely analytical (C). A direct, in-person engagement demonstrates commitment, allows for open dialogue, and can uncover issues (e.g., a change in their management, a sub-tier supplier problem) that can be jointly solved, potentially restoring performance and strengthening the partnership.

This approach demonstrates leadership by taking ownership of the situation. It balances transparency about the risk with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset. It respects the sponsor’s business need while firmly advocating for the non-negotiable principle of security, seeking a collaborative path forward rather than a purely confrontational or avoidant one.0