Leaders and Job Performance - Assignment Example

Leaders and Job Performance al Affiliation Leaders and Job Performance Q Leaders and Job Performance Leadership plays a crucial role in ensuring organizational success. Pearce and Conger (2003) argue that leadership is all about listening to followers, supporting and motivating them, and considering their views and perspectives decision-making and problem-solving processes. They also noted that leadership is also about establishing teams and enhancing their abilities to make effective decisions. Doing so under the guidance of a leader ensures organizational success. A leader in this case is an individual who has the authority over a team and is in charge of their actions. Effective leadership is important to an organization since it has the effect of positively influencing the performance of employees. Poor leadership, on the other hand, is detrimental to an organization since it negatively influences employee job performance. One way through which a leader can positively influence the performance is by rewarding employees for their effort. Ng, Ang and Chan (2008) indicate that most employees are motivated through rewards. Reward in this case may take the form of promotion from a lower level cadre to a higher-level cadre or salary increment. Rewarding employees through these strategies has the motivational effect on employees, which influences them to increase their effort and productivity. Research has shown that organizations that pay their employees well perform well because their employees are highly motivated. Therefore, a good leader should consider motivating their employees by rewarding them for their effort. The same way as good leadership can positively influence employee job performance; bad leadership can negatively influence employee job performance. Poor remuneration packages are one way through which poor leadership can negatively influence employee job performance. Mumford, Campion and Morgeson (2007) note that some leaders have the habit of paying employees very little salary that does not commensurate with the nature of job they do. This has the effect of demoralizing employees in the work place. Demoralized employees are less committed to their work resulting in reduced performance. In fact, most employees look for companies that pay well for an employee effort. The success of an organization also depends largely on the way leaders relate with their employees. The leadership style has the potential of affecting the relations either negatively or positively. Bureaucratic leadership style has the effect of influencing employee relations in a negative way. This is attributable to the fact that bureaucratic leaders normally slows down communication by ensuring that all communication in the organization comes from the top and follows strict company guidelines. Bureaucratic leaders also do not involve employees in management in decision-making process affecting their welfare (Morgeson and Ilies, 2007). This has the effect of breaking down employee relations in an organization. Future strategy The success of an organization begins by ensuring that employees themselves are satisfied. As such, it is very important for leaders to ensure that workers are motivated in their workstations. Therefore, to reduce the negative impacts of employee job performance, it will be prudent to adopt a strategy aimed at motivating employees in the organization. This will include offering rewards for exceptional performance, praising employees, offering salary increments, job security, as well as improving work environment. In addressing the negative impacts of leadership on employee relation, leaders need to adopt a democratic leadership style, which incorporates employee’s view in the decision-making process. Democratic leadership style will empower employees thereby improving the relations between them and the leaders of the organization. Q#2. Critical Factors Influencing Employee Job Attitudes Below are some of the critical factors that influence employee job attitudes. These include how employees are treated, stress level on the job, characteristics of the job and the relationships employees form with managers and colleagues. How employees are treated The way employers treat, their employees have a huge impact on employee job attitude. In this regard, research shows that employees tend to feel comfortable and satisfied with employers that accords them fair treatment. In this regard, LeBreton et al (2004) note that employees tend to look at how fairness of the job is with regard to company procedures and policies, salary packages, how kind or fair the supervisors are, as well as other rewards provided by the employer. As such, employees normally express positive attitudes only to jobs that they feel are fair enough. However, employees tend to avoid and show negative attitude towards jobs that oppresses them and has no regard for their welfare. Stress The level of stress on a job impacts largely employee attitude (Kaiser, Hogan and Craig, 2008). Some of the workplace stressors that impact employee attitude include noise, organizational politics, difficult tasks to accomplish in a short time, inadequate ventilation and antagonism with co-workers, just to name but a few. In this regard, employees tend to feel satisfied and express positive attitude to jobs that are less stressful than jobs that are stressful. In fact, research shows high labour turnover for jobs that are more stressful than jobs that are less stressful. Relationships at workplace The relationships that employees have with their managers and co-workers greatly determine their satisfaction and level of dedication to the company. Kahai, Sosik and Avolio (1997) argue that most employees feel happy, working for companies where the people they are working with understand them, show them respect, love, and care. Research also shows that employees feel happy and satisfied working with managers that fair, considerate and understanding. Job characteristics The characteristic of a job also impacts largely on the employee job attitude. Fulmer and Conger (2004) observed that most employees feel happy and satisfied in jobs that involve certain features. In this regard, most employees are happy working in jobs that provide job security, provide them with great autonomy, ability to use their skills, provide opportunity for growth, just to name but a few. Employees, however, avoid jobs that lack all or some of these characteristics, which relate to job satisfaction and commitment. Ways of facilitating positive employee attitude Leaders can use a number of strategies to facilitate positive employee attitude in the jobs they do. Firstly, employee attitude can be enhanced by reducing the amount of stressors in an organization. This is achievable by enhancing the level of flexibility in the workplace. This includes providing work/life environment, reducing pressure on jobs, ensuring clarity on job assignments, reducing noise, as well as establishing an environment of love and respect for one another. Secondly, facilitating positive attitude of employees in their work requires creating an environment where employees and managers get along with utmost respect and understanding for one another. Such environments can be created by establishing forums where employees, supervisors and employers meet to discuss issues affecting their jobs (Bennis, 2007). In so doing, a positive relationship will be built that enhances employee attitude in their jobs. Thirdly, enhancing positive employee attitude in their jobs would require according employees fair treatment. Managers can ensure fair treatment by awarding a fair remuneration packages, awarding promotion, and appreciating employees for their effort. In addition, employers can enhance employee attitude by ensuring that the work policies and procedures, as well as supervisors are fair to the employees. Lastly, employee attitude towards a job can be enhanced by providing employees with greater autonomy on their jobs, and an environment where they can freely utilize their skills. In addition, managers can also ensure this by providing employees with the opportunity for growth in their careers. Q#3. Consequences Related to Employee Attitudes The attitude that an employee have on the job that he or she performs can have either negative or positive impacts. Employee retention is one of the major challenges facing most organizations today. Burke et al (2006) notes that employees that have positive attitudes in their job assignments tend to become more involved in their jobs to ensure the success of the company. Since they are satisfied in their job assignments, they are likely to stay as long as it takes to ensure that the company succeeds in achieving their goals. Research has indicated that employees that show positive attitude stays longer working for an organization than employees who have negative attitude in the workplace. Negative employee attitude, on the other hand, is associated with high turnover. Pearce and Conger (2003 showed that employees who are not satisfied with the job assignments and treatments they receive in an organization tend to look for alternative organizations where their desires and needs can be met. This normally results in high turnover. In fact, research has found that most employees that provide unfair treatment to their employees make employees develop negative attitude towards the company, resulting in turnover. Ways these consequences might impact the effectiveness of organizations As earlier stated, positive employee attitude increases retention level in the workplace. This is important for the success of a company since positive employee attitude enhance productive workplace. Retention of employees, which is associated with positive attitude, promotes the development of existing employees in the company. This enhances the development of a strong team, resulting in high productivity and success of a company. Retention of employees is also important for an organization since it ensure that an organization does not run short of workers to perform tasks (Bennis, 2007). Normally, when an employee leaves a company, the operations of the organization are often affected due to lack of someone to perform the duties that the employee had been doing. As such, the high retention level provide by positive attitude is beneficial for a company in ensuring continuous running of an organization with interruption, resulting in productivity and success. Negative employee attitude, as earlier mentioned often results in turnover. This is very counterproductive to an organization. Firstly, when an employee resigns from an organization, most processes in an organization get interrupted. This is detrimental to the organization since it negatively affects the productivity of the organization thereby resulting in a decline in organizational performance. Turnover also impact negatively on an organization since it dents the reputation of an organization in the eyes of the organization stakeholders. The turnover also impacts negatively on an organization since it has financial impacts associated with new recruitment (Fulmer and Conger, 2004). When an employee leaves an organization, the company is forced to replace the employee by recruiting a new employ. This requires financial input, which affects the profitability of the organization. Finally, explain two ways situational constraints might affect positive and negative employee attitudes. Fulmer and Conger (2004) note that situational constraints normally affect the attitudes of employees at the workplace. Some of the situational constraints that might affect employee attitude include poor equipment; lack of equipment; inadequate training; lack of vital information concerning what to do; organizational procedures and rules; conflicting job requirements; interference by others; and incorrect instructions. Lack of equipment and supplies, for example, can affect the attitude of an employee negatively by making it difficult for an employee to do his work effectively. On the other hand, availability of equipment and supplies enhances the attitude of an employee positively resulting in job satisfaction. Conflicting job requirements is also another situational constraint that might affect the attitude of an employee negatively, according to Burke et al (2006). This is because conflicting job requirements normally brings confusion resulting in annoyance thus triggering negative attitude towards the job. On the other hand, clear job assignments promote the development of a positive attitude towards the job. This is because clear job requirements make it easy for employee to understand what the demands of the job. Q#4. Leader Selection Selection of leaders is one of the greatest challenges facing most organizations today. However, some theories have been developed that might help organizations in selecting the right leaders that might steer an organization into success. The most commonly applied theories include the trait theories and behavioural theories. However, these theories have both benefits and shortcomings that need to be taken into consideration. Trait theories of leadership Trait theory of leadership is used to predict the effectiveness of a leader. In applying this theory, a list of traits is identified after which the traits are matched with those of a potential leader to evaluate the possibility of success or failure. This theory is associated with certain benefits, which include the fact that: The theory is based o n comprehensive research, which has proved its effectiveness in the selection of leaders. The theory is also beneficial in the sense that it is naturally pleasant. The theory is also detailed in the sense that it enables an organization to have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the leadership style likely to be adopted by a leader. The trait theory serves as a measure against which leadership characteristics of an individual is evaluated. However, the trait theory also has many shortcomings that ought to be taken consideration when applying it in selecting leaders. The shortcomings include: Trait theory is based on subjective judgment, which might be misleading. The trait theory also fails to identify which trait is the most crucial for effective leadership. The trait theory is also very complex. The theory is also based on generalities since more than 100 different traits for leadership. Behavioural theory of leadership selection Behavioural theory of leadership selection has also been widely used by organizations in selecting effective leaders who are capable of steering an organization into success. Like the trait theory, behavioural theory has certain benefits. In this regard, behavioural theory of leadership selection has been found to be of immense value to managers in the selection process (Mumford, Campion and Morgeson, 2007). This is attributable to the fact that the theory helps them in assessing their personal leadership styles through the grid training technique. This is done using a questionnaire that assists managers in identifying their position regarding people and productivity. However, behavioural theory is also has certain shortcomings. Firstly, the theory fails to take into consideration the value of internal and external boundaries. In addition, behavioural theory ignores some aspects of leadership, which needs to be taken into consideration. Even though both trait and behavioural theories have been proposed as useful theories in leadership selection, both theirs appears ineffective and ought not to be used. This is because both theories are ambiguous and general in nature (Fulmer and Conger, 2004). In this regard, the theories fail to come up with the most effective leadership styles that a leader need to have in order to steer an organization into success. Therefore, managers should ignore the two theories of leadership selection in totality. Q#5. Participative Leadership Bennis (2007) argues that effective leadership is very important in ensuring organizational success. However, the effectiveness of a leader is mainly looked at with regards to the leadership style that a leader adopts. Participative leadership is one of the leadership styles that are observed in most organizations of the 21st century. As the name suggest, a participative leadership is people-oriented. In participative leadership, all members of a team are involved in the decision-making process affective them. In participative leadership, the leader acts only as a facilitator rather than just issuing orders to followers. This leadership has both strengths and weaknesses that need to managers need to take into consideration. Strengths of participative leadership One of the greatest benefits of participative leadership is that it promotes the development of new leaders who may serve at leadership position later. This is attributable to the fact that participative leaders encourage the involvement of members of a team in decision-making. In addition, participative leadership style offers individual members of a team a chance to demonstrate their skills, abilities, and talent through participating in the decision-making processes in the organizational (Mumford, Campion and Morgeson, 2007). Participative leadership also enhances job satisfaction by empowering employees. This is beneficial since it results in high retention of employees. Employee empowerment has been linked to high retention rate, which is beneficial for an organization. Further, participative leadership helps in building mutual understanding between managers and employees in an organization. This encourages teamwork, resulting in improved productivity. Weaknesses of Participative leadership One of the greatest disadvantages of participative leadership style is that it might result in ineffective decision, especially where employees are given many powers in the decision-making process without guidance of management. Ineffective decisions might affect the productivity of an organization. Participative leadership also slows down the decision-making process (Bennis, 2007). This is attributable to the fact that every member of a team is allowed to take part in the decision-making process. Delegation/employee empowerment Normally, participative leadership involves delegation or empowerment of employees in the decision making process (Burke et al., 2006). However, delegation is only suitable in certain situations, which managers need to know. Firstly, delegation or employee empowerment under participative leadership is suitable for use when the management feels that the duties and decisions delegated to an employee might not impact much on the overall performance of an organization. In addition, delegation is suitable when management is available to give guidance whenever necessary. Strengths of delegation/employee empowerment One of the greatest strength of delegation or employee empowerment under participative leadership is that it enhances the satisfaction level of employees (Pearce and Conger, 2003). Normally, giving an employee the power to participate in decision-making is motivational to most employees. These results in increased effort, resulting in increased productivity. Secondly, the motivational effects of employee empowerment results in high retention. This is because it increases the commitment level of employees. Limitations of delegation/employee empowerment The greatest limitation of delegation is that it gives employees too much power, which might be abused, resulting in organizational failure. In addition, since the employees given decision-making responsibilities lack experience, this might result in poor decisions, which might impact negatively on the performance of an organization. References Bennis, W. G. (2007). The challenges of leadership in the modem world - Introduction to the special issue. American Psychologist, 62, 2-5. Burke, C. S., Stagl, K. C., Klein, C., Goodwin, G. F., Salas, E., & Halpin, S. A. (2006). What types of leadership behaviours are functional in teams? A meta-analysis. Leadership Quarterly, 17, 288-307. Fulmer, R. M., & Conger, J. A. (2004). Growing your companys leaders: How great organizations use succession management to sustain competitive advantage. New York, NY: AMACOM. Kaiser, R. B., Hogan, R., & Craig, S. B. (2008). Leadership and the fate of organizations. American Psychologist, 63, 96-110. Kahai, S. S., Sosik, J. J., & Avolio, B. J. (1997). Effects of leadership style and problem structure on work group process and outcomes in an electronic meeting system environment. Personnel Psychology, 50, 121-146. LeBreton, J. M., Binning, J. F., Adorno, A. J., & Melcher, K. M. (2004). Importance of personality and job-specific affect for predicting job attitudes and withdrawal behaviour. Organizational Research Methods, 7, 300-325. Morgeson, F. P., & Ilies, R. (2007). Correlations between leadership traits and leadership styles. Unpublished raw data. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University. Mumford, T. V., Campion, M. A., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). The leadership skills strataplex: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels. Leadership Quarterly, 18, 154-166. Ng, K.Y., Ang, S., & Chan, K.Y. (2008). Personality and leader effectiveness: A moderated mediation model of leadership self-efficacy, job demands, and job autonomy. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 733-743. Pearce, C. L., & Conger, J. A. (2003). Shared leadership: Reframing the hows and whys of leadership. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Read More