Working with and Leading People - Assignment Example

? School: Topic: Working with and Leading People Lecturer: WORKING WITH AND LEADING PEOPLE Leadership is an important catalyst in the growth and development of any organization, especially those such as Thomas Cook Group that operate in a highly competitive market. This is because leaders act as the heads of the companies directing the course of growth and development agenda. In the absence of effective leadership, companies suffer stagnation in growth and development because there becomes lack of focus for operational growth (Guo and Sanchez, 2005). It is not surprising therefore that Thomas Cook places so much emphasis on leadership and the management of its companies all across the globe. An important aspect of leadership has always been the kind of interpersonal relationship that exists between the leader and his subordinates and how the leader is able to influence subjects to buy into his visions and plans to join hands in the business growth agenda. Once this process takes place, it is said that the act of working with and leading people has been activated (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2010). The approaches different leaders use in working with and leading people are referred to as leadership styles. In the following answers some of the key leadership styles and other leadership related issues about Thomas Cook Group are dealt with into detail. 1. The skills and attributes that Thomas Cook values and cherishes are directly rooted into the collective culture and climate of business operations, practiced within the company. For instance for the fact that the company operates an overseas staffing system, it requires of its managers and leaders to possess the attitude and skill of adaptability to different culture and environments. This of course includes the ability of these leaders and managers to have an interpersonal relationship skill that will make them get along easily with international clients, stakeholders and customers. Apart from adaptability to different cultures and environments, and interpersonal relationship skills, the company also cherishes and values a sense of personal development skills within its managers and leaders. Generally, Thomas Cook has a vision that ensures that employees are able to gain self development and empowerment. So apart from the organized training and induction program for its new staff, the company expects that employees will have the self zeal to push themselves up to the ladder. Finally, given the volume of people that managers and leaders work with, the company requires organizational skills among all its leaders and managers. 2. The leadership style encouraged for practice at Thomas Cook is the democratic leadership style, which encourages the involvement of subjects in most decision making processes. Again, this leadership style is preferred and encouraged as part of the organizational culture of the company. It would be noted that Thomas Cook has a culture of giving so much freedom to its employee base into controlling some levels of business operations affair within the company. It is not surprising such events as massive as the organization of fund raisers can be left in the hands and care of employees. Democratic leadership is therefore the most effective style of leadership to ensure that subjects learn directly under their leaders, whiles having their actions and initiations totally checked (Guo and Sanchez, 2005). There are other leadership styles that allow subjects to take charge of decision making such as democratic leadership but this leadership style known as the laissez faire leadership style give too much freedom to subject, not making it ideal for new employees and others whose skills and knowledge have not been adequately tested. 3. The major different between leadership and management is directly linked to the tasks given to leaders and managers respectively. Whereas managers have been said to have the role of organization and coordination, leaders are said to be inspirers and motivators (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2010). In effect, management and leadership can go hand-in-hand and can be coordinated to bring about the achievement of common goals for companies but they are never the same concept. Theoretically, leadership has been said to be a sub-component of management, meaning that all managers are leaders but not all leaders are managers (Tourish, 2010). This is because leaders are merely the forerunners who are used to get followers walking into the dream and getting basic tasks accomplished. But for managers, they have to do this and even more, such as getting much of the board room and paperwork done. In the case of Thomas Cook, it can be seen that the company makes adequate use of the principle that training two managers could equal the training for two leaders and so it focuses more on raising managers as much as it raises leaders. 4. Motivation comes in different ways and forms, and is used to achieve different aims and purposes. Generally, motivation may be either intrinsic or extrinsic, involving intangible and tangible offers respectively (Tourish, 2010). When intrinsic motivation is given, people are given intangible offers such as words of encouragement, opportunities of developing themselves, holidays, and conducive working environments. Extrinsic motivation on the other hand involves physical offers such as money, presents and scholarships. Generally, Thomas Cook uses any of these forms of motivation, depending on the prevailing situation in which it finds itself. The staff involved also plays much role in determining the type of motivation that will be used as studies have showed that different people react to different forms of motivation differently (Locker, 2000). Through the emotional intelligence module that is used by the company for instance, it becomes possible to know through the Myers Briggs tool the right kind of motivation to apply to different employees. Generally, though, the company has a policy of paying attention to intrinsic motivation, particularly the training of staff using overseas management development program (OMDP). 5. Employee monitoring is a very important practice for assessing general employee contribution to organizational productivity and work output. This is why management performance practices are so important to the company. At Thomas Cook the most fundamental way of monitoring and assessing employee performance is through the evaluation outcome of the STARTS programme. For instance, through the evaluation of the STARTS programme, managers with a degree of experience are eligible to apply for more advanced programmes such as the overseas management development program (OMDP). Performance management is a critical aspect of personal development as it helps in keeping staff on truck with their key personality identities and the organisational identity of the company. Performance management at Thomas Cook therefore takes place through both formal and informal strategies. 6. Delivery of assessment performance takes place in two major forms just as the actual assessment process. Through the formal assessment method, managers and the staff are handed certificates, which specifies their performance. There is also a performance criterion that gives recommendations to the staff and managers on areas of their performance that they need improvements. Of course the quantum of motivation within the work fold is an informal way for a staff or manager to have an idea of his performance assessment outcome. At Thomas Cook, the essence of delivering performance assessment report is aimed at making staff even better employees for the company and for their personal development. This is because the assessment performance when delivered serves as indicators for organisational and personal development strengths and weaknesses. Where employees have weaknesses, they are urged to improve on those areas and where there are strengths, they are empowered to better them. 7. So far, the assessment process of Thomas Cook has been contributory to the overall success and development of the company. There are however major merits and weaknesses with the assessment process that requires mentioning. The merits must be built upon and developed whiles the weaknesses must be either changed or restructured. A major strength of the assessment process is the fact that the assessment programme is made to centre on the personalities of the trainees. By this, training becomes more individualised and able to solve specific problems for individual staff, especially when very credible tools are used for personality test such as Myers Briggs and Emotional Intelligence (EQi) is used. The weakness with the assessment process however has to do with how it assessment proceedings are delivered to staff, which is made in a more enclosed format. Indeed, if nonperformers and the reprimand they receive are made known to others, it will serve as deterrent to others. REFERENCE LIST Guo F. & Sanchez T. (2005) “Workplace Communication Organisational Behaviour in Health Care” John and Bartlett Publications, p. 77-110. Locker, K. O. (2000) Business and administrative communication 5th ed. Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Lutgen-Sandvik, P. (2010) Destructive organizational communication: Processes, consequences, and constructive ways of organizing. New York, NY: Routledge. Tourish, D. (2010) Auditing organizational communication: A handbook of research, theory, and practice. New York, NY: Routledge. Read More