Professional IT Culture - Essay Example

Professional IT Culture Group Assignment Name: Institution: Professional It Culture Group Assignment Introduction Leadership is among the most important aspects that separate successfully from unsuccessful businesses. Although most organizations concentrate on the importance of operational success, it is impossible to realize better and efficient results through pioneering such activities under the supervision of leaders. Leadership involves ensuring that people employ the desirable set of skills and expertise that will ensure the workforce maintains some degree of performance to improve the functionality and success of the business. Therefore, it involves an understanding of the roles, responsibilities, employees, and situation before making any decision. Among the areas that have been highly evaluated include leadership under the several information technologies (IT) cultures. People working in such disciplines often associate in teams because of the segmentation of activities and number of projects that they encounter. Such business orientations, therefore, require a concise understanding of the skills, experiences, and expertise of each team player for task allocation and distribution of human resources. Leaders often employ different sets of leadership styles under the IT system culture that assists highly in enlightening the performance and success of the team. Discussion Autocratic leaders often employ a unique set of skills that take into account the supremacy of their positions regarding making and implementing decisions. In this case, authoritarian leaders may fail to recognize the importance of engaging their team members and working towards improving performance. However, a unique approach to authoritarian leadership may create a significant impact on the team by concentrating on the nature of activities and the differences of workers within the IT culture (Kayworth & Leidner, 2002). Therefore, the idea of autocratic leadership may improve performance primarily during instances where the team requires a new vision. They may achieve such constraints through acting as an inspiration to the workforce once the constructs of a project change. For instance, once variables of a particular networking project change and requires the workers to be flexible towards the concept, the autocratic leader can direct the change. Such an entrepreneurial charisma and gusto towards the objective may increase the success level of the team. Democratic leaders take into account the importance of participation in each team member and consider them as an integral part of success while dealing with projects. The nature of involvement that Democratic leaders take into account has a significant effect on the team since it offers them an opportunity to feel part of a project. Therefore, such a leadership style may be employed for driving the workforce into a decision, plan, or objective (Wirba, 2012). In this case, for instance, the democratic leader may seek informed opinions and expert ideas from the workforce taking each into consideration. Considering the importance of the support player as well as the critical player in the networking and design segment of the project will assist team members in the programming and data management section to help to realize the overall goal, particularly through participation. Although it may not be a functional style while dealing with emergency situations in the IT culture, it assists in developing confidence within the workforce regarding participation. Strategic leaders are considered leaders within the higher ranking positions who mainly interact with co-workers in similar positions. They are tasked with the responsibility of creative thinking concerning allocating resources and selecting teams that meet the requirement criteria regarding experience, proficiency, and values. Strategic leaders have the influencing abilities that can be employed to realize the organizational long-term success objectives (Zakaria, Amelinckx, & Wilemon, 2004). For instance, team members with direct access to the leader acquire values and knowledge based on data and participation, which may be used as a force of influence. Any desire to win is placed highly on the preparedness of the employees throughout the organization. It assists them to understand the strategic resolve and carry out the existing scheme by adopting it in real time. Therefore, in this case, the strategic leader is expected to ensure that the employees are smart and motivated to make sure that the strategy is executed desirably. It implies making the workforce part of the strategy segmenting them into the human dimension and the analytical aspect. Although most teams can recognize the implications and effects of any interference to a project, they may be limited by the capacity of the leader to ensure diversity regarding approach. Such limitations warrant the exploitation of transformational leaders to step in and steer change within the team. This style of leadership is primarily used when trying to modify the attitudes, behaviors, and values within the team. For instance, an IT culture that has exposed team members to constant communication challenges, it is likely that the project experiences constant interference that may affect the deadline and cost of the project (Thite, 2000). In this case, transformational leaders may employ their skills and expertise by concentrating on building the sense of identity as well as the collective identity. Through idealizing influence, maintaining inspirational motivation, ensuring consideration is maintained and implementing intellectual simulation to develop the innovative and collective abilities of the members, the leaders provide better and positive results from team players. Most team members are productive once they are operating within a team. Qualitative and quantitative performance is achieved better once a leader works in association with the team to guarantee that they feel a sense of belonging and build equality among the members. For instance, the IT culture that involves a combination of activities that take into account strategic reasoning and logical thought to implement enterprise technology. To motivate the team, such leaders ensure that the members have a shared vision, ensure that they conform to the actions, progress, and results of the logical and reasoned activities, maintain unification and lead as examples to the members (Zakaria, Amelinckx, & Wilemon, 2004). Team members are expected to learn the skills, disciplines, basic problem-solving methods, and use the personal sense of self as a guide by observing and interacting with an active team leader. Such skills are later translated to the various projects as it ensures that they develop a positive attitude towards the future accomplishments. A healthy IT culture is composed of team members who represent different age groups, communities, genders, and racial classifications. It comprises of a cross-cultural environment that accommodates the availability of the same status quo that can meet the objectives. Different projects involve a workforce from diverse backgrounds based on their knowledge and exposure to certain constraints and variables of a project. For instance, the IT culture in Apple Inc. involves employees able to implement programming, support, networks and testing features. Therefore, it is likely to find some projects engaging various team members to ensure timely and operational delivery (Keegan & Den, 2004). In this case, cross-cultural leadership proves active in creating a successful team by making sure that the members understand the importance of working in a multicultural environment by acting as a role model. It includes bridging the communication gap that exists between the team members allowing them to engage in constant personal talks and team based recreational activities. It also proves efficient when dealing with groups that experience constant conflicts based on values and methods of approach. Interaction mediated by a cross-cultural leader eliminates the possibility of conflicts among the members. Laissez-faire leadership is one of the most criticized styles that are used in organizations and IT project team based on the negative results that are acquired. Although the concept has been neglected, the likelihood that leaders with such skills still operate within project teams cannot be ignored. In this case, laissez-faire leaders may employ their unique skills in groups and organizations to be able to realize more from their projects. The ability to allow team members to make their decisions can be managed by a set of rules that warrants accountability and performance conformity to the desirable objectives (Lewis, 1993). For instance, a programmers IT culture may allow testers and lead program writers to operate within their jurisdiction. However, their performance and outcomes may be met with consequences. In case the team players have the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge to address the requirements of the project, laissez-faire leaders may enforce this style through offering constant availability for consultation as a way of promoting performance. Over the years, leaders have considered transactional leadership as the most practical approach towards improving the performance of the team. Such leaders use a rewards and punishment approach to appeal employee performance. It establishes the progress and variable applications of a project at different performance levels to assess their success and outcome rates to acquire recommendations for future growth. An IT culture that consists of continuously improving technologies needs a transactional leader because of the possibility of emergency situations that may include hacks. In this case, the success of the team can be enhanced by ensuring that the leader provides constant feedback regarding immediate and tangible rewards such as monetary forms to promote better performance (Keegan & Den, 2004). Once leaders feel motivated, they are likely to change their attitudes and values towards the project in pursuit of rewards that are dependent on their performance. On the other hand, punishments regarding demotion or reduced pay may enable team members to work towards improving their performance individually and in overall as a team. Conclusion Leadership poses as a great benefit to the success of an organization. The IT culture consists of an organizational structure that is oriented towards team performance. Under such circumstances, it is highly likely to encounter teams and groups working on an array of different projects. Therefore, leaders impose different leadership styles while dealing with such a culture to ensure that the group maintains a high nature throughout its course of operation. Leadership styles ensure that the workforce understands the importance of developing skills, experiences, and attributes from interactions with a diverse workforce. Similarly, leaders in the IT culture learn ways in which they can distribute resources based on the tasks and team orientation that takes into account the concept of efficiency and productivity. Nonetheless, it is important to consider the different types of leaders and their probable impact on the workforce and shaping their experiences. References Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Kayworth, T. R., & Leidner, D. E. (2002). Leadership effectiveness in global virtual teams. Journal of management information systems, 18(3), 7-40. Keegan, A. E., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2004). Transformational leadership in a project-based environment: a comparative study of the leadership styles of project managers and line managers. International journal of project management, 22(8), 609-617. Lewis, A. C. (1993). Leadership styles. Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators. Thite, M. (2000). Leadership styles in information technology projects. International Journal of Project Management, 18(4), 235-241. Wirba, A. V. (2012). Leadership Styles. Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Zakaria, N., Amelinckx, A., & Wilemon, D. (2004). Working together apart? Building a knowledge‐sharing culture for global virtual teams. Creativity and innovation management, 13(1), 15-29. Bottom of Form Top of Form Read More

Although it may not be a functional style while dealing with emergency situations in the IT culture, it assists in developing confidence within the workforce regarding participation. Strategic leaders are considered leaders within the higher ranking positions who mainly interact with co-workers in similar positions. They are tasked with the responsibility of creative thinking concerning allocating resources and selecting teams that meet the requirement criteria regarding experience, proficiency, and values.

Strategic leaders have the influencing abilities that can be employed to realize the organizational long-term success objectives (Zakaria, Amelinckx, & Wilemon, 2004). For instance, team members with direct access to the leader acquire values and knowledge based on data and participation, which may be used as a force of influence. Any desire to win is placed highly on the preparedness of the employees throughout the organization. It assists them to understand the strategic resolve and carry out the existing scheme by adopting it in real time.

Therefore, in this case, the strategic leader is expected to ensure that the employees are smart and motivated to make sure that the strategy is executed desirably. It implies making the workforce part of the strategy segmenting them into the human dimension and the analytical aspect. Although most teams can recognize the implications and effects of any interference to a project, they may be limited by the capacity of the leader to ensure diversity regarding approach. Such limitations warrant the exploitation of transformational leaders to step in and steer change within the team.

This style of leadership is primarily used when trying to modify the attitudes, behaviors, and values within the team. For instance, an IT culture that has exposed team members to constant communication challenges, it is likely that the project experiences constant interference that may affect the deadline and cost of the project (Thite, 2000). In this case, transformational leaders may employ their skills and expertise by concentrating on building the sense of identity as well as the collective identity.

Through idealizing influence, maintaining inspirational motivation, ensuring consideration is maintained and implementing intellectual simulation to develop the innovative and collective abilities of the members, the leaders provide better and positive results from team players. Most team members are productive once they are operating within a team. Qualitative and quantitative performance is achieved better once a leader works in association with the team to guarantee that they feel a sense of belonging and build equality among the members.

For instance, the IT culture that involves a combination of activities that take into account strategic reasoning and logical thought to implement enterprise technology. To motivate the team, such leaders ensure that the members have a shared vision, ensure that they conform to the actions, progress, and results of the logical and reasoned activities, maintain unification and lead as examples to the members (Zakaria, Amelinckx, & Wilemon, 2004). Team members are expected to learn the skills, disciplines, basic problem-solving methods, and use the personal sense of self as a guide by observing and interacting with an active team leader.

Such skills are later translated to the various projects as it ensures that they develop a positive attitude towards the future accomplishments. A healthy IT culture is composed of team members who represent different age groups, communities, genders, and racial classifications. It comprises of a cross-cultural environment that accommodates the availability of the same status quo that can meet the objectives. Different projects involve a workforce from diverse backgrounds based on their knowledge and exposure to certain constraints and variables of a project.

For instance, the IT culture in Apple Inc. involves employees able to implement programming, support, networks and testing features.

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