The Importance of Leadership in the Organization - Essay Example

Leadership essay AFFILIATION: Introduction to leadership argument In today’s dynamic and competitive environment, it has become mandatory for the organisations to ensure that they have a competent pool of resources that will provide them support in addressing all challenges in an effective way. Simultaneously, it is equally important to have leaders in the organisation that can motivate other people to carry on the important tasks and these are the professionals who ensure that problems are eradicated when they are in their initial stages (Nyabadza, 2010). According to Martin, Currie and Finn (2009), leadership is defined as the process by which an individual has influence over others to motivate them in attaining the goals that will help the organisation to move in a right direction. I agree with the notion that better leadership is too often proposed as a panacea of organisational problems which have other origins as people who have good and effective leadership skills can address all problems in a highly efficient manner. In every organisation, there are various problems and all of them can be resolved when their root causes are identified and remedial steps are taken to eradicate the foundation of the issues as it will ensure that organisational productivity is enhanced (Hays, 2008). Dissatisfaction with job / Job-personality conflict In my opinion, better leadership is the solution for various organisational issues such as job dissatisfaction as there can be a gap between the job requirements and the jobholder’s personal attributes; with the help of an influencing leader, the jobholder can be motivated to deliver a good performance. However, it can be argued that a person’s job should be redesigned so that he/she is willing to make a productive contribution in the organisation’s required level of performances (Yukle, 2006). According to Bass and Bass (2008) and Howard and Wellins (2008), although leaders can motivate the employees to increase their efforts but if there is a conflict between the job requirements and employee’s skill level then the root cause should be eliminated. Wheelen and Hunger (2005) argue that leadership can temporarily resolve the problem but in the long-term it can hamper the performance of employees which can create ineffectiveness in the organisation. In my opinion, better leadership can definitely influence the employees to enhance their productivity which can improve their contribution level for organisation’s improved performance. Importance of work culture support for enhanced performance It has been rightly stated by Mayo and Nohria (2005) that better leadership will provide more chances for resolving the organisational issues that have other origins but it is equally important that more in-depth analysis is done to enhance the productivity level of the employees. In order to have a better influence of leadership, it is important that the organisation culture is supportive towards increased performance of the organisation (Wheelen & Hunger, 2005). It has been argued by Hays (2008) that leadership along with a supportive working culture and all other factors are in place that will provide support for enhancing the performance of the organisation. The work culture is created by implementation of various key elements such as designing of policies that will provide freedom to employees for making important decisions, giving them the power of carrying out important projects, improving their skills base by equipping them with latest knowledge and enhancing their satisfaction level with the job. All of these factors can be made evident only when the leaders demonstrate these aspects by their behaviour; therefore, better leadership will be an ideal option for solving any issues related to the work culture (Martin, 2007; Martin, Currie & Finn, 2009). Likewise, for instance, if a subordinate needs help in a certain project that has to be completed by the person on his own, then providing guidance on some critical aspects will give a positive impact such that the leader is co-operative and supports his/her subordinate in completing the project on time. The leaders have to ensure that the work environment is conducive and favourable for the employees so that they feel calm and relaxed and enjoy performing their work. Similarly, there should be a rewarding system for those employees who accomplish their goals so that they can be shown that their efficiency is appreciated (Nyabadza, 2010). Motivating employees for enhanced organisational performance In my opinion, better leadership is often the best solution for any dissatisfaction with the job, as a leader can provide guidance and influence the subordinates to be motivated so that they make valuable contribution in the organisation (Martin, 2007; Yukl, 2006). However, it is a known fact that employees will be motivated to make valuable contribution in the organisation only when they will see that they are considered to be a valuable asset by the organisation and their mangers give importance to their opinions. The managers often do not show their appreciation for the employees’ suggestions and it gives a negative signal to them about their contribution in the organisation. (Mayo & Nohria, 2005) Although it is viewed that an effective leadership is vital for improved performance of the organisation but there should be supportive mechanisms in place so that there are no issues regarding the leadership perception in the organisation. In order to motivate the employees, leaders of an organisation have to ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to increase the employee’s sense of belongingness (Wheelen & Hunger, 2005). For instance, the subordinates of a department should be involved in the key decision making processes so that they feel valued and their suggestions should be incorporated if they appear to be practical options. It will tend to enhance the job satisfaction of employees that will result in improved performance of the organisation (Elenkov, Judge & Wright, 2005). Likewise, when subordinates are given the discretion of making some decisions on their own such as setting their monthly goals, deciding about their project schedule, developing teams for the project and etc., then they are willing to make a more productive contribution that can raise the position of the company in its respective industry (Nayabadza, 2010). Leadership is greatly influenced by the management structure In most of the organisations, leadership and management are used interchangeably; however, there is a huge difference between the two terminologies. The management function involves planning, staffing, controlling, directing and organizing the company’s resources so that every subordinate is well-aware of the objectives that he/she needs to achieve and all of these functions are performed by a manager (Howard & Wellins, 2008). On the other hand, leadership element deals with the power of influence and this attribute can be found in any employee; a manager may not necessarily be an effective dealer (Bass & Bass, 2008). Although leadership is important for effective performance of the organisation but the work culture should support proper implementation of leadership aspects so that the enhanced performance can be made evident in the financial results. On the contrary, the research studies of Hays (2008), Hoyle (2006), Martin, Currie and Finn (2009) and Nyabadza (2010) state that better leadership needs to be accompanied by other important factors that can enhance the productivity of an organisation as there are many issues that can be resolved by using other approaches such as counselling sessions, open discussion forums and resolving conflicts on a consensus basis. According to Hays (2008), the conflict theory suggested by Marx can be applied to resolve any kind of issue that is resulting in negative productivity of employees. Since there are many factors that can cause problems in the organisations, it is important that all issues are addressed beforehand so that they don’t create any severe problem within its business operations. Better leadership cures organisational problems Everyone within the organisation has to ensure that there is clarity about the organisational objectives along with a culture of trust and integrity so that a better leadership style can resolve the organisational problem (Elenkov, Judge & Wright, 2005). Also, in-depth analysis is vital for complete eradication of the problem. It can be argued that the top management has to ensure that it has well-trained leaders who can motivate the workforce but the people at the top level have to also show their support and follow the rules set by them so that a positive signal is given to the employees. An effective leadership culture can be created when the top management can influence the people and motivate them to make valuable contributions in the organisation (Martin, Currie & Finn, 2009). Conclusion In order to ensure that everything within the organisation is well-synchronized and organisational problems are effectively addressed, it is important for the leaders to demonstrate the leadership style that is compatible with the working environment. I agree with the notion that better leadership is too often a panacea for organisational issues which have other origins because it can effectively motivate the employees to undertake those actions that will be beneficial for the organisation in the long-run. However, it can be argued that along with leadership, other factors will have to be implemented such as friendly and supportive top management, freedom to make decisions, calm and relaxing work culture and discretion to resolve low level issues at the employee’s level. In order to demonstrate good leadership behaviour, the leaders will have to ensure that they develop their own non-verbal communication skills. Similarly, it is important for them to do their self-analysis so that they are aware about their identity, strengths and weaknesses. Since the followers tend to learn from the practices that are followed by the leaders, it is important for the leaders to ensure that they show an ethical behaviour, develop a charismatic personality so that they can have a positive impact on the subordinates and ensure that they reward exceptional performance so that the employees’ satisfaction and motivation level gets enhanced. When there are better leadership styles demonstrated by the managers, there are more chances that the organisational problems are resolved in their preliminary stages and the performance of an organisation gets more enhanced in its respective market. References Bass, B. and Bass, R., 2008. The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Applications. New York, USA: Simon and Schuster, Inc. Elenkov, D.S., Judge, W., and Wright, P., 2005. Strategic Leadership and executive innovation influence - An International Multi-cluster comparative study. Strategic Management Journal, 26(7), pp. 665-682. Hays, S.M., 2008. The High Cost of Apathy: Why Leadership Coaching is needed in Health Care. Journal of Strategic Leadership, 1(1), pp. 25-30. Howard, A. and Wellins, R., 2008. Global Leadership Forecast 2008/2009. Pittsburgh, PA: Development Dimensions International. Hoyle, J.R., 2006. Leadership and Futuring – Making Visions Happen. CA: Corwin Press. Martin, A., 2007. 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