Leadership and Management by Steve Jobs - Case Study Example

? Leadership and Management by Steve Jobs and Introduction The modern corporate world is a place where leadership and management take place simultaneously. The simultaneous occurrence of these factors makes it almost impossible to separate the two attributes. However, there is a difference between leadership and management, which is noticeable in theory. Researchers argue that leadership and management are essential because they deal with innovation and creativity, and these are the most critical factors that lead to the success of a business. Tom Peters, one of the renowned researchers in the twenty first century argues that management deals with the arrangement of people and resources; while leadership takes care of organizations (Marbey, & Finch-lees, p. 20). Steve Jobs, the former Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc, is one of the modern managers who led and managed the company effectively. The leadership of Steve Jobs led to the rising of the share price of the company making it is the most expensive stock to purchase in the world. The relationship between leadership and management may be determined through the study of theories and practical techniques applied by Steve Jobs. Leadership Leadership is the act of determining the direction that others follow. Tom peters argues that leadership is the act of influencing people to achieve what they never imagined that they could accomplish (Saiti, 2012, p. 78). The researcher argues that influence is the most essential ingredient in leadership without which the act fails to achieve its desired outcome. Efficient leadership takes place when the leader possesses essential characteristics such as integrity, courage, creativity, objectivity, competence, inspiration, and broad minded (Carter, 2004, p. 1). Courage enhances leaders to face their followers when addressing them; while integrity enhances them to treat others equally. Courage also enables leaders to pursue the goals that they create to help others achieve great dreams. This means that without courage, leadership may fail to achieve more than desirable outcomes. Objectivity enables efficient leaders to determine the right direction for their followers. Creativity and broad mindedness, on the other hand, enables leaders to formulate new techniques and methods of achieving certain goals. Steve Meyers argues that leaders can acquire all characteristics except intelligence through training and experience (Goulet, Jefferson, & Szwed, 2012, p. 84). This argument postulates that leadership may be inborn and acquired at the same time. Cherrie Scott also argues that leaders are made in the world (Carter, 2004, p. 4). This means that a person who is interested in being a leader may attend training sessions and acquire the required skills to lead others. Leadership Theories There various theories of leadership that are classified into trait, behavioral, participative, and situational. Trait theories argue that leaders are born with characteristics, which include self confidence, dependence, assertion, dominance, and ambitious among others (Tompkins, 2005, p. 98). Leaders also possess skills such as fluent communication, persuasion, and creativity. According to this theory, a person who does not possess these characteristics is not an efficient leader (Sharma, & Grant, 2011, p. 10). Behavioral theories, on the other hand, argue that leaders may acquire desirable leadership skills and traits from the environment. An example of behavioral hypothesis is Theory X, which argues that employees are lazy and desire minimum work, and for this reason, a leader should coerce them to perform tasks using available techniques such as punishments (Arnold, 2012, p. 69). Participative leadership theories argue that leaders should be autocratic meaning that they should involve other in making decisions; while participative hypothesis postulates that directors are effective listeners of feedback and they act in response. This form of leadership is said to be democratic. Situational leadership is one where a leader determines the technique to use depending on the circumstance at hand; there is no fixed direction in this style (Marbey, & Finch-lees, p. 90). Management According to Peter Drucker, management is the act of controlling, organizing, planning, and influencing resources and workers in an organization (Tompkins, 2005, p. 107). Planning deals with setting objectives while organizing is the act of arranging resources and workers. Controlling, on the other hand, deals with ensuring that jobs are performed as desired. Warren Bennis differentiates management from leadership by arguing that it is the act of doing things right. Warren argues that while leaders do the right things, managers do the things right (Saiti, 2012, p. 118). Efficient managers possess characteristics that include leadership, excellent communication skills, confidence, creativity, and human attributes. Since managers need to possess leadership skills, they must also acquire the desirable qualities of superior leaders, which include integrity and confidence among others. Excellent communication skills enable managers to carry out their function efficiently because their functions mainly deal with human beings (Carte, 2004, p. 5). Theories of management The theories of management include scientific hypothesis by Fredrick Taylor, administration by Elton Mayol, human relations by Hawthorne, and Bureaucracy by Max weber. The theory of scientific management argues that managers should break down their activities into manageable tasks. The researcher also argues that effective management involves training of employees and assigning them tasks that suit their skills and qualifications. Managers should allocate work equally between themselves and workers, and they should determine the most efficient ways of conducting business. Taylor argues that scientific managers aim at achieving efficiency in their organizations (Tompkins, 2005, p. 112). The human relations theory developed by Mayol argues that efficient management is achieved when workers are involved in the process. The hypothesis postulates that the productivity of workers increase when they work in groups, thus, it encourages managers to formulate teams in their organizations. According to Elton Mayol, managers who fail to employ teamwork also fail to achieve the goals of their companies (Goulet, Jefferson, & Szwed, 55). Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy argues that efficient management is achieved when an organization is split into sections where each division is controlled by another. Weber described such an organization as one that is made of hierarchies. The hierarchies manage the organization by use of regulations which are formulated by executives of every division. Max Weber also argues that managers in the hierarchic organizations should divide work to employees according to their skills and qualifications. Employees are treated equally in such organizations. This theory is applicable mostly in public corporations that have numerous divisions and subdivisions (Arnold, 2012, p. 1040. Researchers argue that the main limitation of this form of management is that the power hierarchies lead to inefficiency and slow decision making (Sharma, & Grant, 2011, p. 25). The administration theory developed by Henry Fayol argues that efficient management is achieved through top down organization. Fayol’s theory advocates for division of work, discipline, and teamwork in his fourteen principles. Relationship between Leadership and Management Researchers argue that leadership and management are inseparable factors in the modern times. A manager may possess leadership qualities by birth of by attending training sessions; therefore, managers are also leaders. Leadership differs from supervision in various ways, for example, while it aims at taking risks to achieve new outcomes, management avoids risks and it aims at achieving known results. Leadership also manages human resource while management controls work. Zig Ziglar argues that leaders and managers in an organization should communicate regularly to ensure coordination and cooperation are efficient in the firm (Tompkins, 2005, p. 137). Steve Jobs Leadership Style Steve Jobs was the former Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc, an electronic producing company. Jobs was also the chief founder of the organization in 1976 when the company produced only computers. Steve Jobs did not use any structured form of management during his time as the executive of Apple. His leadership styles enabled the company to make major achievements like creating the most sophisticated mobile and computer gadgets such as iMac and iPhone (Kark, 2013, p. 3). Charismatic Leadership Style Steve Jobs used charismatic leadership style to lead the employees at apple Inc during his time as the company’s leader. Charismatic leadership style is the one where the employees who are said to be the followers view the leader as a person who possesses charisma. Charisma is the act of performing odd things that no one else is capable of executing. Max Weber defined a charismatic leader as a great man who has the capability of performing exceptional tasks that are impossible to others (Kark, 2013, p. 4). Charismatic leaders possess various characteristics, which include distancing themselves from other employees and having visions. Jobs had a vision of improving the education system by ensuring that all students whether poor or rich own personal computers, which they use in school (Sharma, & Grant, 2011, p. 6). Charismatic leaders also advocate for moral justification; Steve Jobs referred to Apple Inc as David while he compared IBM to Goliath. IBM is a company that also produces electronic products, and this means that this firm is a competitor to Apple Inc (Elliot, 2012, p. 90). The comparison of Apple and IBM with David and Goliath indicates that Steve Jobs was interested in morality and fair competition. Exceptional leaders are also said to discuss the future of businesses rather than referring to immediate goals. Steve Jobs always discussed the goals that the company would achieve in a period of after ten years and above. The leader discussed an education system that had all students owning computers, and this would be enabled by his company (Elliot, & Simon, 104). Charismatic leaders also identify employees in collectivity, and they formulate communal goals for the workers. The leaders also express their ideas both verbally and non-verbally with confidence. Jobs always used gestures besides verbal communication when addressing the employees of Apple. The leader used gestures when addressing workers about computers and mobile phones and the developments he wanted the employees to innovate. The leader used rhetoric whenever he was addressing employees and audiences when releasing reports of the company on the media. The skills enabled him to influence the reactions of the audience, for example, when Jobs addressed the public in 1997 about how Microsoft was investing in Apple, the public reacted in an undesirable way. However, Steve explained the reason for the investment, and the audience appreciated. This change of the audience’s reaction indicated the ability of Jobs to influence public opinion (Kark, 2013, p. 8). This also stressed the visionary character of the manager. Management by Meaning Jobs also used management by meaning leadership style that recognizes customer’s emotions, rational, and cultural values besides creating meaning for the consumers. This form of leadership proposes new goods and services rather than tailoring the current ones to fit the needs of consumers. Management by meaning aims at creating goods that add value to the lives of consumers. Steve Jobs applied this hypothesis by making Apple an innovative company that produces new goods that add meaning to the lives of consumers. Examples of goods that Jobs innovated as the leader of Apple include the iPod, iPhone, iMac, and iTunes music downloader. The iMac added meaning to the lives of consumers by introducing the use of computers at home. This is because the iMac is a portable computer that consumers can carry from one place to the other. iTunes and iPod increased accessibility of music to users because they are also portable devices that access and store numerous songs and videos (Elliot, 2012, p. 107). The executive used his skill of managing by meaning to direct the employees of Apple. Steve motivated employees to be creative and innovative, and he encouraged them to always aim at achieving goals whenever they set to work. The act of aiming at achieving certain goals brought meaning to the employment lives of employees. The creation of products such as iMac and iPod indicated that the employees’ job life had meaning to themselves as well as to other members of the society (Sharma, & Grant, 2011, p. 26). Evaluation of the Leadership of Steve Jobs The management styles applied by Steve enabled him to lead the company effectively, but despite his achievements, his leadership faced numerous challenges. The main achievements of his leadership are the increase in innovation and creativity at Apple Inc. The innovation and creativity led to the development of the most sophisticated computers and mobile phones such as the iPhone, iMac, and iPod. These devices are the most complex since the evolution of mankind, and each of them makes adds value to consumers by making work easy, increasing accessibility, and convenience (Elliot, & Simon, 2012, p. 110). The leadership of Jobs also enables Apple Inc to hold cash reserves that were greater than those at the United States Treasury in 2011. In the summer of 2011, Apple was also the most highly valued organization in the world with a stock of $342 followed by Exxon (Kark, 2013. P. 16). This indicates that the leadership style used by Steve had a world class potential that no other company has experienced. The management techniques are superior to those that are common such as bureaucracy and human relations. Despite the achievements that Jobs enabled Apple to acquire, his leadership and management styles also led to challenges, some of which led to the bankruptcy severally. The main challenge that Apple faced due to the leadership of Jobs is that of lack of specific goals 9Arnold, 2012, p. 137). Employees would work without aiming at specific objectives during his time because Steve kept changing the direction of the company. Employees of the firm argued that Job led by use of instincts, and whenever they were busy working on projects, he would call upon them to listen to him and begin working on new ideas. This indicates that his leadership ignored also ignored the welfare of workers. Some workers left the company and found employment in competitors such as IBM and Microsoft. The autonomy that Jobs had in the company made him to viewed as a mean person who did not care about others. This occurred because of his charismatic attribute, which made him to behave like the most superior person in the world (Kark, 2013, p. 20). This attribute often led to conflicts with employees and other stakeholders in the company. The disagreements between him and employees often went unsolved; this increased conflicts in the organization. Recommendations The leadership of Steve jobs would have enabled Apple to acquire greater achievements if he had employed a mixture of techniques. Steve would have employed the use of the human relations theory, which stresses teamwork and treatment of employees. The use of teams such as quality circles would increase innovation, and this would increase sales and profits for the firm. Human relations also require an organization to create a favorable working environment for workers. Steve would have allowed workers to contribute their ideas in the company rather than being the sole decision maker of the firm (Tompkins, 2005, p. 110). Employees’ contributions would have enabled the company to discover mistakes early, and this would minimize losses. Employee turnover would also decrease with the creation of favorable work environments and teamwork. The manager of Apple would also control his charisma to ensure that his relationship with employees favored development. The leader would also have employed the use of scientific management, which determines the objectives that a firm aims at achieving. The formulation of clear objectives would have reduced the recessions that apple underwent because of lack of clear aims (Arnold, 2012, p. 109). Efficiency and productivity would increase in the organization as a result of with the determination of desired outcome and expectations from workers. Conclusion Leadership and management are two different factors that are hard to separate because of their close relationship. The fact that leaders also act as managers makes the two inseparable in the modern world. Leadership is the act of influencing workers to perform tasks that help in achieving certain outcomes. Management, on the other hand, is the act of controlling resources in a work environment. Tom Drucker argues that leadership aims at doing desirable things while management aims at achieving the outcomes using the right techniques. Steve Jobs is one of the modern leaders whose leadership and management styles were inseparable. Rather than using common management styles such as scientific and human relations, Jobs led Apple using charismatic and management by meaning. These techniques enabled the company to achieve the highest level of innovation in the electronics field since the evolution of mankind. Steve’s leadership encountered challenges such as high turnover of employees and lack of clear objectives in the company. Steve Job’s management would have been more efficient with a mixture of management styles such as human relations and scientific techniques. Bibliography Arnold, F. 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