A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness - Literature review Example

Running Head: Organizational Behavior Organizational Behavior [Institute’s Organizational Behavior Since centuries, human societies continued to witness certain individuals that possess extraordinary skills and ability to dominate others with their elegant personality, such as Lincoln, Hitler, Constantine, Achilles, Clinton, Mandela, etc. However, a few decades ago, the term ‘leadership’ remained limited to politics and leaders were only responsible for leading nations and societies (Fiedler, pp. 19-20, 1967). However, recent literature (Holland, pp. 23-25, 2000) related to leadership has indicated that contemporary society has initiated to acknowledge leaders in other fields, such as business, education, sports, science, etc. In other words, leadership has now become a notion of daily practices rather than political or national ruling. A number of experts (Reed, pp. 11-21, 2003) have endeavored to define leadership and indicated skills essential for a leader; however, some definitions vary while others are similar in terms of their roles. For instance, some experts believe that leader plays a significant role in an organization, civilization, or a nation, and he is responsible for bringing required change individually (Carlyle, pp. 59-63, 1993). Cardiff Business School (2009) is one of the leading academic institutions of the United Kingdom, and there will be need for an individual with extraordinary skills who will be able to maintain the leading position of the Cardiff Business School, and at the same time, ensure some performance of the institution. Literature on leadership indicates that people used to identify leaders from their own charisma and influence; however, recent literature (Smith, pp. 48-56, 2003) is focusing more on organizational performance and change that is now more imperative in analyzing the effectiveness of a leader. Few experts (Allio, pp. 37-38, 2003) consider leader as an agent for the required change in the organization, and leader plays the role of an agent that arranges organization’s way from one destination to another. In specific, individual should carry the organization into an 8-stage process (Kotter, pp. 23-42, 1995) that is essential for positive change in the organization. It is an opinion that all the stages of this process indicates different attributes and factors of leadership that are likely to influence the decision-making process of choosing new leader for the Cardiff Business School. Firstly, an effective leader should create a sense of need in the organization that may bring people under one platform. Secondly, a successful leader always endeavors for the creation of a partnership that is essential for benefiting from people with different characteristics: power, abilities, and experience. Thirdly, literature has indicated that it is very imperative for a leader to have a vision that is crucial for organizational performance, and fourthly, communication skills to communicate his vision to the followers/employees/etc (Kotter, pp. 23-42, 1995). In addition, it is an observation that a number of individuals consider and implement the abovementioned factors; however, overlook the remaining important phases of organizational performance that results in unproductive outcomes. In this regard, one of the other factors matter for a successful leader is employee empowerment. Every organization or institution confronts some structural obstacles and issues; however, the effective leader knows how to empower employees in appropriate manner that is often a key to the success. Moreover, analysis of the literature has indicated that besides communicator, decision-maker, and visionary boss, leadership is synonymous to motivation. In other words, a successful leader always looks for motivational indicators that may motivate and encourage employees in continuing their work in competent manner. In this regard, the individual that will be the new Dean of the Cardiff Business School should be aware of short-term, as well as long-term factors that may encourage employees and staff of the school in a continuous manner. Furthermore, a leader must not focus on a single gain, and thus, should be visionary enough to consolidate gains to reach new avenues, and lastly and most importantly, a leader becomes successful when he is able to maintain the positive change in the organization in a way that it later becomes a norm of the organization. Combination of all such attributes makes a true and successful leader, and it is anticipation that new leader of the Cardiff Business School will be encompassing all such attributes that will take the institution to new heights and success. Following figure has effectively illustrated the discussed stage that is significant for efficient relationship of leadership and organizational performance. The abovementioned discussion of different leadership skills indicated that there is a huge relationship of leadership with organizational performance. Although every employee plays a significant role in the performance of an organization; however, it is the responsibility of a leader to provide a vision to the employees that is essential for benefiting from strengths and capabilities of diverse employees. This is the reason why a huge number of organizations despite of competent employees fail in their fields as they confront absence of a true leader. Thus, it is very important that individuals that will be deciding the new replacement of the Dean position of Cardiff Business School (2009) must consider discussed attributes of leadership in a comprehensive manner that will decide the future of the institution that has continued to lead the business schools in the region through its vision of research, teaching, and learning. As discussed, it is evident that leadership is a crucial factor in terms of organizational performance, and both factors enjoy a strong relationship with each other. It is an observation that today’s market is an innovative and rivalry-based market that requires prompt leadership responses during times of confrontations and challenges, and thus, nowadays, an effective leadership decision can change the fate of an organization in a significant manner (Eikenberry, pp. 64-69, 2007). In this regard, while choosing a new Cardiff leader, it will be important to focus on the previous performances of the individuals in terms of their organizational performance rather only their individual performances, as performances of their previous organizations will allow a comprehensive analysis of his abilities to dominate the processes under his leadership. Lastly, a number of literatures provide information on various leadership styles, types, paradigms; however, the new dean must have a true vision for the Cardiff Business School along with his competencies and abilities in the field of research and education that will be assurance for Cardiff’s success in the future. In brief, analysis of Cardiff’s school structure indicated that it practices ‘organic leadership’ style that is an innovative leadership style encouraging empowerment of various individuals at a time that is significant attribute of Cardiff Business School where individuals work in partnership to achieve goals and objectives of the institution. A major example of organic leadership comes from my personal experience of an event during which, I was the team leader during an event; however, it was not possible to lead the team in a charismatic manner, and an organic leadership style was essential. For such purpose, I identified major responsibilities, empowered my team members with different authorities, and promoted construction of partnerships between them. In this way, although I lead the team during the event; however, distribution of authorities provided a sense of leadership to team members that resulted in the success of our group in a collective manner. In this regard, the new Dean will have to encourage and strengthen partnerships in the institution; however, at the same time, he will have to take charismatic style to motivate faculty in following vision of the new leader. References Allio, Robert J. (2003). The seven faces of leadership. McGraw Hill. Cardiff. (2009). Official Website. Retrieved on December 05, 2009: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/carbs/index.php Carlyle, Thomas. (1993). on heroes, hero-worship, and the heroic in History. University of California Press. Eikenberry. Kevin. (2007) Remarkable Leadership. Jossey-Bass. Fiedler, F.E. (1967). A theory of Leadership Effectiveness. McGraw Hill. Holland, Winford E. (2000), Change Is the Rule. WinHope Press. Kotter, J. P. (1995). “Leading change.” Harvard business review. Issue of March/April 1995, pp. 59-67. Reed, Peter J. (2003) Extraordinary Leadership. Kogan Page Publishers. Smith, Dayle M. (2003). The Eleven Keys to Leadership. McGraw Hill. Advertisement Cardiff Business School is a leading business school in the United Kingdom with a standing of providing opportunities of research, teaching, and learning to students and teachers from all over the world. The academic institution has been efficiently delivering high-class education of international standards to 2,500 students annually. The institution has maintained its global ranking by carrying out research of international repute, and its ranking as the fourth in the United Kingdom is an evident indication of its success and repute in the academic field. It is the vision of Cardiff Business School to contribute extensively in the field of research and education that is achieved by distinctive students and internationally reputed faculty. Faculty of the institution holds significant place in international academic environment and has been involved in the production of numerous internationally standing research publications globally. For the year 2010, the Cardiff Business School welcomes individuals that are interested in escorting this leading institution as a Dean to new avenues and heights of success by their long-term vision, highly augmented academic experience, and leadership qualities to guide the faculty in fulfilling the mandate of the institution in a motivational and directional manner. The Dean will be responsible to lead the faculty that involves forty-seven professors of international repute and more than 2,500 undergraduate, postgraduate, as well as PhD students. The individual should be able to construct efficient partnership among the faculty while empowering employees with motivation and direction to achieve more in the future. Read More