Leadership and Bottom Line Mentality: A Conversation with Professor Rebecca Greenbaum

How does a narrow focus on outcomes shape leadership behavior? Professor Rebecca Greenbaum, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University, shares insights from her groundbreaking research on bottom-line mentality and the ethical dilemmas it creates.

A Unique Journey to Leadership Research 

Professor Greenbaum’s career path reflects a fusion of real-world experience and academic insight. “I worked as a claims adjuster in the insurance industry, and while my leaders weren’t outright unethical, they often engaged in practices that felt exploitative,” she recalls. "At my company, for instance, we were expected to meet with car accident victims within two hours to get them to sign releases limiting future claims. It felt wrong, especially since many people don’t realize they’re injured right away." 

These experiences laid the groundwork for Greenbaum’s focus on ethics in leadership. “When I got to UCF, my advisor, Rob Folger, noted that little research had been done on unethical leadership at the time, and I was shocked. It seemed so pervasive to me," she explains. "Through long brainstorming sessions, we developed the idea of bottom-line mentality: a narrow focus on outcomes tied to profits or performance, often at the expense of other values."

Teaching Ethics in Leadership 

In her classes, Greenbaum incorporates real-world scenarios to illustrate the dual nature of bottom line mentality. "It’s a concept that can be functional because it can lead to efficient and productive behaviors, but also dysfunctional because it can result in ignoring all else.”

“I often discuss how organizations reward behavior and how that relates to a bottom-line mentality,” she says. “Students connect with it when we examine the real-world implications." 

She encourages students to think critically about how bottom-line thinking can shape leadership decisions. “It’s not just about profits or performance—it’s about the trade-offs leaders make,” she explains. "What values are sacrificed, and what are the long-term consequences?"

Future Directions in Research 

Greenbaum is now diving deeper into the situational triggers of bottom-line mentality. "We’re studying how family financial pressure can lead to this mindset temporarily," she explains. "Using threat rigidity theory, we’re exploring how anxiety from financial strain can cause people to narrow their focus on improving financial outcomes. Sometimes, this leads to positive results, but it can also have unintended consequences." 

Looking ahead, Greenbaum is excited about expanding her research into other domains. "I’d love to write a book on narrow thinking in various aspects of life—not just business but relationships, education, and even health care," she shares. "There’s so much to explore about how this mindset shapes our decisions and behaviors." 

Rebecca Greenbaum’s insights challenge leaders to balance performance goals with ethical considerations. “It’s not just about meeting numbers,” she emphasizes. "It’s about finding your voice and creating something lasting that aligns with your values."