The leadership role - Essay Example

The Leadership Role1. In the forming stage, the leadership roles have to be clearly defined as a lot of information is required to set the goals and procedures (Wyoming, n.d.) while this leadership is challenged in the storming stage as resistance builds up (McGreevy, 2006). According to McGreevy (2006 the atmosphere is still artificially polite but enthusiasm is high, although commitment is low both in the forming stage and the storming stage. In the norming stage cooperation, communication, expression, cohesion, team building efforts, group unity and increased sharing of responsibilities takes place which matures into interdependence in the performing stage.

The group is now cohesive and works towards goal attainment but chances of complacency and downfall are high. In the adjourning stage the relationships and the tasks have to come to an end and they enter the renewal cycle where development process begins again. 2. Teams can bring together skills and experience that far exceeds those of any individual (Castka, Bamber, Sharp & Belohoubek, 2001). Team communications support real-time problem-solving and initiative. A social dimension through teams enhances the economic and administrative aspects of work.

Ownes, Mannix and Neale (2003) contend that the negative effect can also result because diversity makes it difficult for team members to work together. Diverse teams are more likely to overspend the budget, miss important deadlines, take longer to make decision than homogenous teams. Tasks which require high levels of trust, interdependence and communication, may be adversely affected. Thus heterogeneity based on knowledge and skills can interfere with team’s ability to foster social relationships. 3. Communication refers to understanding of the meaning by the receiver.

The four functions of communication include control, motivation, emotional expression and information. Communication can be interpersonal or organizational. Organizational communication can be formal or informal – the formal helps the employees to perform their task while the informal allows them to satisfy their need for social interaction (CSUN, 2005). Certain activities have to be formally coordinated like profiling and branding (Aberg, 1998). Informal communication can be a more effective channel and can improve an organizations performance.

According to Aberg (1998) organizational communication can be linked to strategic management. Although it is a function under the communications manager, it is inherent in all managers. A manager should be able to recognize the weak signals and take corrective actions. 4. Both situational leadership theory of Heresy and Blanchard and the path-goal theory of House are alternative models for understanding leader emergence and performance (Marta, Leritz & Mumford, 2005). The situational leadership depends on the task behavior or the amount of direction demonstrated by the leader while the House’s path-goal theory addresses the effect of leaders on the motivation of immediate subordinates (Kap2, 2006).

In the path-goal theory the efficiency of the leader depends upon the ability to positively influence the subordinates and is motivational in nature whereas in the situational leadership the emotional support of the leader can be determined. It also demonstrates the maturity and the ability of the followers in performing the task which is not available in the path-goal theory. References: Aberg, L., (1998), Organizational Communication as a Strategic Resource, 14 July 2007 Castka, P., Bamber, C. J., Sharp, J.

& Belohoubek, P., (2001), Factors affecting succesful implementation of high performance teams, Team Performance Management, Vol. 7 No. 7/8 pp. 123-134 CSUN (2005), Ch 11 - Communication & IT, 14 July 2007 Kap2, (2006). Leadership Theories, 14 July 2007 Marta, S., Leritz, L. E., & Mumford, M. D., (2005), Leadership skills and the group performance: Situational demands, behavioral requirements, and planning, The Leadership Quarterly 16 (2005) 97–120 McGreevy, M., (2006), Team working: part 2 – how are teams chosen and developed?

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING, VOL. 38 NO. 7 2006, pp. 365-370 Owens, D. A., Mannix, E. A., & Neale, M. G., (2003), Strategic Formation of Groups: Issues in Task Performance and Team Member Selection, 14 July 2007 Wyoming (n.d.), Peak Pointers, Group Dynamics, 14 July 2007