Transformational Leadership - Essay Example

 Leadership is all about social influence which enables a person to win the support of other people throughout the process of accomplishing an organizational goal (Northhouse 2007). In line with this, the application of leadership in military plays a significant role in enabling a command officer able to accomplish military task. In most cases, this can be done after being able to identify, communicate and implement the main purpose of the military task to a group of soldiers. For 18 years, I have been working as a soldier in the infantry as Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2). Based at Fort George, the Black Watch is the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) (Army 2011). Serving the Black Watch as a Company Sergeant Major, I handle a total of 120 soldiers under my command. To become successful in each of the military mission, the Army as a group needs good leadership. Considering my role and responsibilities as Company Sergeant Major, this report will focus on applying leadership theories, principles and techniques in my chosen profession. Prior to conclusion, factors that make a good leader will be thoroughly discussed. Application of Leadership Theories, Principles and Techniques in My Profession Leadership Definition Unlike the role of managers who are managing business organizations, leadership in military is not about organizational hierarchy, top-down management, or even the use of positional or authoritative power in terms of controlling a group of soldiers. Likewise, it is a myth that military officers within the army is all about following the chain of command since soldiers who are in the military service treat one another as members of a large family. Even though effective commanders are expected to possess command skills and practice good leadership, the true concept of leadership is not about commanding a group of soldiers who are under the control of the commanders Yukl (2002, p. 2) defined leadership as “a process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to guide, structure, and facilitate activities and relationships in a group or organization”. On the other hand, McNamara (2008) defined leadership as “a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent”. In relation to these definitions, Taylor, Rosenbach and Rosenbach (2009, p. 1) explained that effective leadership “is all about getting people to work together to make things happen that might not otherwise occur or to prevent things from happening that would ordinarily take place”. It simply means that effective military leaders include those individuals who are capable not only in influencing other soldiers to strictly follow what is being commanded to them but also motivate, inspire and empower a group of soldiers as unique individuals under my guidance. Formal and Informal Leadership Training As defined by Winstanley (2005), “a team is composed of a social unit or group of people who interact and communicate with each other and are willing to exert effort to seek common goals and objectives”. As a leader, I spend time and effort trying to motivate and inspire my soldiers to become achievers and self-directed. Because of my ability to develop a strong working relationship with them, I can easily work together with my subordinates as a team each time we need to complete a mission. According to Brungardt (1997), leadership can be taught either by receiving formal or informal leadership training. In line with this, formal leadership training program or seminars can be delivered within the four-corners of a classroom or inside an auditorium whereas informal leadership training program includes each person’s decision to read a book about leadership, leadership learned from on-the-job training activities, discussing the importance of leadership with another student, online learning, or the act of writing one’s own thoughts about leadership (Laver and Matthews 2008, p. 1; McNamara 2008b; Brundrett 2001). In my chosen profession, leadership can be learned either from formal and informal training activities. Specifically in my case, I was able to have the opportunity to receive formal training on leadership even though I spent some of my time trying to improve my leadeship skills on my own learning. As a way to inspire and motivate other soldiers who are under my supervision and control to learn how they can improve their individual leadership skill, I always encourage them to visit the official website of the Army (http://www.army.mod.uk/)1 because each one of them can have the opportunity to have a better understanding on how they can improve themselves as leaders in their own little way. Applicable Leadership Styles The four major elements of the leadership model as proposed by Locke (1991) include not only motives and traits but also knowledge, skills and abilities and developing and implementing organizational vision. In order to satisfy the four major elements of the leadership model, military officers should be aware of the situations where they can effectively use each type of leadership style. Each type of leadership style has its advantages and disadvantages. In line with this, it is necessary for military officers to be aware that there are no fixed rules attached when it comes to choosing the best leadership style. Working as a Company Sergeant Major at the Black Watch, it is crucial on my part to develop my leadership skills in order to win the trust and respect of my fellow soldiers. With regards to the use of leadership style, Lussier and Achua (2009, p. 354) explained that choosing the best leadership style highly depends on what the current situation calls for. The process of selecting the best leadership approach highly depends on the situation a military officer is dealing. In case there is a stable situation in the military, it is best to use transactional military leadership style when managing a group of soldiers. In case there is a need to motivate, inspire, and influence a soldier, the use of transformational or authentic military leadership style over the use of transactional military leadership style is more effective. Transactional Leadership Style Transactional leadership approach a.k.a. “contingent reward leadership” is based on reinforcement and exchanges (Lussier and Achua 2009, p. 354; Aarons 2006). In line with this, transactional military leaders are more likely to define the specific role and task requirements given to each of the soldiers. Once the soldiers are able to successfully completed the mission given to them, transactional military leaders would normally give them award for acknowledging their good work performance (Lussier and Achua 2009, p. 354). Motivating the soldiers with the use of reward system have different effect on the soldiers. Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, each individual should be able to satisfy the basic physiological needs which includes food and shelter. Since the basic physiological needs of each individual can be solved by rewarding the soldiers with financial rewards such as retirement plan or cash bonuses, the use of extrinsic rewards can be considered effective in motivating each of the soldiers to deliver better work performance. Before attaining the highest part of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, each individual should be able to satisfy the self-esteem needs before reaching the self-actualization stage. With this in mind, the use of intrinsic rewards such as the act of congratulating or publicly acknowledging the work achievements of each soldier is way more effective as compared to the use of financial rewards. Knowing that the use of intrinsic rewards is better than extrinsic rewards, I made it a habit to acknowledge the job performance of other soldiers by giving them praises. Transformational Leadership Style Transformational leadership style is composed of four components known as: (1) charisma or idealized influence; (2) inspirational motivation; (3) intellectual stimulation; (4) and individual consideration (Bass 1998). In line with this, personal charisma is a form of referrent power which makes a leader effectively attract soldiers to cooperate with the military officer in terms of making the organizational goal attainable (Palmer et al. 2001; Posakoff and Schriesheim 1985). Given that transformational military leaders are intellectually inclined, Johannsen (2004) explained that this type of leaders have the ability to effectively implement a new military policy. Aside from being flexible in the implementation of organizational change, transformational military leaders could readily become accustomed with the implementation of new strategic plan. Given that soldiers under the command of a transformational military leader works with clear and accurate organizational vision and mission, a more successful teamwork performance is likely to take place (Johnson and Scholes 2006; Kirkpatrick and Locke 1996). Instead of using authoritative power, transformational military leaders are able to commit themselves in training soldiers to become one of the future military leaders. This makes the military leaders able to easily win the trust and respect of his team mates. Given that a military official needs to implement a significant organizational change, Tichy and Devanna (1986) explained that it is best to use transformational leadership style in order to enable the military officer win the strong support of the soldiers. According to Kelley (1995), transformational military leaders treat themselves equally with the rest of the soldiers. Since the self-confidence level of 120 soldiers increases, soldiers are expected to work under less supervision (Salovey and Mayer 1990). This makes the soldiers learn to become self-directed and committed in accomplishing the organizational goal (Homig 2001). The problem with using too much transformational leadership style is that this technique is applicable to limited organizational situations. Likewise, transformational leadership in military is not effective when the situation requires strict authority in commanding the soldiers to follow the leader. Authentic Leadership Style Since the 20th century, the use of authentic leadership style is gaining equal importance as compared to other forms of leadership style. By acknowledging the unique talents and capabilities of each soldier, authentic leadership approach can be practiced based on trust and reliability (Shirley 2006; Luthans and Avolio 2003; George 2003). It simply means that authentic military leaders recognize and value the unique personality, knowledge and skills, purpose and potential of each soldier (George 2004). Similar to the qualities of transformational leaders, authentic military leaders have strong communication skills which makes them able to gain recognition from other soldiers. In general, authentic military leaders are capable in making soldiers feel special by constantly inspiring, motivating, valuing, and allowing them to grow intellectually (Luthans and Avolio 2003). Since authentic military leaders practice and implement two-way communication line with the rest of the soldiers, the rest of the team members are expected to feel valued and respected. Aside from having good communication skills, authentic leaders are known for having self-discipline and the ability to balance their personal and professional responsibilities in life. By establishing good inter-connection with the rest of the soldiers, authentic military leaders value work relationship building and human connections. By sharing their professional knowledge and expertise with the soldiers, authentic military leaders could effectively develop trust and work intimacy with the soldiers (Strarrat 2004, p. 71). Aside from being able to communicate their recognition in such a way that the leader’s subordinates would feel valued as a unique and special part of the group, authentic military leaders are able to recognize and value the personality, purpose, and potential of each soldier. Among the best traits of authentic military leaders includes inspiring, motivating, valuing and allowing the soldiers to grow intellectually by each time they communicate with the leader. Since authentic leadership style enables the soldiers to undergo through the process of self-reflection and self-awareness, soldiers can learn to express themselves verbally and inspires the rest of the team members as a result (Covey 2004). The use of pure authentic leadership style is not effective in terms of controlling all soldiers. In fact, there will always be the possibility that other type of leadership style is more appropriate and more effective especially in the case of the military, army or navy. In line with this, it may be best for military officers to use authoritative leadership style when there is a need to impose strict military command to a group of soldiers. However, the use of excessive authoritative leadership style can make the military organizations lose the loyalty of most of its competitive and valuable soldiers. Implementing Military Organizational Change When implementing organizational change, the use of transformational leadership style is more effective as compared to the use of transactional leadership style. Even though chain in command is part of the military protocol, good leaders within the military forces are able to convince and persuade a group of soldiers without the need to make use of authoritative power. As explained by Kotter (1990), effective leaders in military are those individuals with the ability to establish a clear organizational vision and eventually implement strategic plans that can make the entire group attain the preferred organizational change. By effectively communicating the new military vision to the rest of the soldiers, military officer will be able to make the soldiers committed and supportive of the proposed organizational change. Failure to win the support and active participation of the soldiers can develop internal problems which could arise out of resistance-to-change. There are many ways in which military officers can avoid facing the challenges associated with resistance-to-change. First, it is necessary on the part of the military officers to inspire and motivate the soldiers as a way of establishing a strong interpersonal relation with these people. Likewise, it is equally important on the part of the military officers to communicate the reasons behind the need to implement the proposed organizational change. By making them understand the rationale behind the proposed strategic plan, military leaders can achieve a successful outcome. Factors that Makes a Good Military Leader It is wrong to believe that effective leadership skill is an inborn trait which can never be acquired by going through proper training (Vokoun 2009). Specifically the study that was conducted by Brungardt (1997) revealed that leadership can be taught. Since leadership skills can be improved by learning and doing, a lot of educational institutions are providing the students the opportunity to learn what good leadership is all about (Blanchard 2007). Aside from being able to delegate and entrust authority and responsibility to a team of soldiers, Carpenter (2005, p. 16) revealed that “effective military leadership is a function of both inherent traits and resultant behaviours”. One of the major tasks of military officer is to make important life or death decisions. In line with this, it is possible to empower the soldiers by giving them more freedom, self-control, and autonomy when making important decision on behalf of the team. Basically, this particular leadership approach can make the military group able to come up with a more effective solution when solving criminal-related problems. With regards to the traits that military officers should possess in order to become effective leaders, Bennis (1989) elaborated the need for leaders to become innovative, creative and has the ability to establish interpersonal relation with other people. Doing so will make the military officers able to inspire and win the trust of the soldiers. Military officers, just like the rest of the soldiers, have limited knowledge and skills when it comes to solving a mission. Therefore, there will always be the possibility wherein the soldiers have better knowledge and skills as compared to the military officers. With regards to this idea, effective leaders in military are those who bother to ask and receive suggestions coming from the team members especially when it comes to making important team decisions. Aside from having high levels of self-respect, self-awareness, and self-confidence, Davies (1972) explained that effective leaders should have higher intelligence and work experience as compared to the rest of the soldiers in order to maintain their trust, respect and loyalty to the leader. Listening to the main concerns of the soldiers is one factor that enables me to develop a mutual and strong working relationship with the soldiers. As part of having empathy to other people, effective leaders are usually goal-oriented and are socially inclined (Goleman 1996; Mayer and Salovey 1995). In determining the factors that will make each person become a competitive leader, Barling, Slater and Kelloway (2000) revealed that there is so much empirical inquiry on leadership and management theory that focuses on questioning the ability of a leader to influence other people’s motivation in an efficient and effective manner. In line with this, military officers with effective leadership skill should be familiar with the theory of McGregor’s X and Y (McGregor 1960). In line with this, theory X managers are known for being lazy and avoid work for their own personal satisfaction. For this reason, the use of transactional leadership style is much more effective as compared to the use of transformational leadership style. Given that McGregor’s theory Y managers are known for their ability to become self-directed and responsible hardworking workers, the use of transformational leadership style is more effective than the use of transactional leadership style simply because transformational leadership style is more focused on inspiring and motivating the soldiers to become self-directed and constantly seek personal improvements to make them a better soldier. In line with this, Northhouse (2007, p. 183) explained that communicating with the soldiers makes transformational leaders able to effectively inspire a group of soldiers and make them committed in sharing and participating in making the organizational vision and mission possible. The quality of work delegation is related to empowering the soldiers. In line with this, Whetten et al. (2000) explained that there is a link between allowing the soldiers to work and improve work satisfaction, commitment and overall work productivity. When delegating tasks to the soldiers, competitive military officers should still consider McGregor’s theory X and Y. Aside from learning more about the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the soldiers, it is necessary to determine whether or not a soldier is type X or type Y workers. Given that a soldier refuses or dislikes work-related responsibilities, it is necessary on the part of the military officer to make use of transactional leadership style when managing the soldier. In case the soldier is mature and responsible type of worker who can work best under less supervision, the use of transformational or authentic leadership style is more effective in terms of maximizing the work potential of the soldier. Conclusion Effective leaders should serve as a good example to all soldiers. Serving the Black Watch as a Company Sergeant Major, part of my duties and responsibilities include the need to discipline and educate a total of 120 soldiers under my command by coaching, mentoring and training. To make me able to successfully fulfil my duty as the Company Sergeant Major of my team, establishing and enhancing my leadership skills is possible through the use of 360 degree feedback since this tool can enable me identify the strength and weaknesses of my leadership skill. Self-awareness is one step towards self-improvement and that leadership development can be attained by learning from other people or by going through formal skills training either from a seminar or short-term courses that are offered by the local universities (Rajan 2000). In line with this, becoming aware of my weak point in leadership can make it is possible for me to personally address the problem and act upon further developments in my own leadership skills. Specifically the act of coaching and training a group of 120 soldiers requires good interpersonal skills. Aside from having the intellectual capacity to teach a large group of soldiers, it is necessary on my part to develop strong integrity and strategic thinking. Likewise, possessing good leadership and communication skills is equally important in terms of enabling me to make the rest of the soldiers able to comprehend the meaning and purpose of our organizational vision, mission and goals. Resistance-to-change is normally expected each time there is a need to implement organizational change. To effectively manage internal conflicts and issues related to power, it is important to avoid confrontation as much as possible to avoid making the situation worst. Instead, the military leader should take time to listen to both sides of the argument to prevent coming up with ineffective solutions. In line with this, having good communication skills which promotes the importance of two-way communication between the leaders and the soldiers and/or among the soldiers is necessary in terms of solving the conflict. According to Hunt and Weintraub (2002), military officials who are responsible in delegating task to the soldiers should avoid the application of ‘sink’ or ‘swim’ theory of career development. When delegating important task to each of the soldiers, the military officers should not only identify the ability of the soldier to complete the task by learning more about the knowledge, skills and work-related experience of the soldier. During the process of completing a military mission, each and every Army Officers are working under pressure. In fact, the role of military officers is very complex by nature. Aside from aiming to accomplish the organizational mission, the military officers are also responsible in protecting the welfare of other soldiers. 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