Personality Development through Self Management - Woodside Sunshine Snacks - Assignment Example

Woodside has the drive or the motivation (Daft 41) which influences him to exert much effort in innovating new products. For as long as he has the drive, Woodside can show the management of Sunshine Snacks that he deserves the position through his development of innovative products. However, Woodside should not be overly confident with what he can do for it might lead him to egocentricity and become a hindrance to his goal of establishing strong relationships in his new working environment.2. Would you consider Woodside a people-oriented or a task-oriented leader?

Discuss which you think would be best for the new research director at Sunshine.Woodside can be both a people-oriented and a task-oriented leader. Firstly, he is a people-oriented leader because he expresses sympathy and is willing to help his co-workers even at his own expense (covering up for George who has a drinking problem), one reason why his relationship with his former co-workers was intact. Although his being a people-oriented leader tends to become domineering at times, it can help him easily cope up with his new working environment improving the relationship between him and his staff.

Secondly, he is task-oriented because he can keep his focus on a project until it gets finished and eventually gains a positive outcome. Apparently, the two leadership styles would be best applied by Woodside at Sunshine Snacks. The combination of both people-oriented, and task-oriented leaders can lead to a high-high leadership style (Daft 57) which is proven to be an effective leadership style in successful organizations.3. How might an understanding of individualized leadership theory be useful to Woodside in this situation?

Individualized leadership lies on the assumption that "leaders develop a unique relationship with each subordinate" (Daft 52), then becomes the basis of the leaders in their treatment of the individual, group members. In return, it also gives an idea of how the member will respond to the leader's behavior. The understanding of this theory is helpful to Woodside in such a way that it can slowly put an end to the resistance of his co-employees and subordinates at Sunshine Snacks. This will only take place if he will try to reach out to people and communicate with them in a non-authoritative manner.

For instance, he can ask them questions other than work, like their interests in life that will help him determine their different personalities. In doing so, Woodside will have an idea of how he will be treating each one of them, including Harmon Davis, who has been loyal to the former research director and who was not considered for the job due to insufficient technical skills. Once he can establish relationships with his subordinates, Woodside can proceed with another goal which is productivity and do innovative products for the betterment of Sunshine Snacks.