Managerial Work Issues - Essay Example

Managerial Work The purpose of this essay is to provide an answer to the question of whether or not leadership, motivation and team building skills are the keys to successful management as it has been argued that all organizational outcomes, including financial outcomes flow from these three key factors. This essay will comment critically on this assertion however it should be noted that these three factors may not be mutually exclusive and it is the case that truly successful, well managed organizations often rely on all three factors. Leading and by extension leadership can be defined as a managerial activity that is specifically dedicated to coordinating as well as motivating the human resources of an organization (Wheelan et al, 2005). The research of Allport & Odbert (1936) revealed that there are over four thousands words in the English language that can be utilized to provide description to ones personality trait and as such is dubbed Trait Theory to effective leadership. Three different categories in which words can be classified are cardinal, central and secondary. Under the cardinal category a words are used to describe the whole picture of the individual, such as “Ruthless” or “Demanding”. Central traits can be described as the actual character of the individual in question and as such one can use words such as foolish, intelligent, outgoing etc. The last category is secondary traits, which can be described as the traits that are generally event specific. As it is the case that many different organizations desire managers with different traits, the point behind this leadership theory is to determine what exact personality traits that a typical organization would desire in their prospective leaders and as such design human resource policies that can attract people with the desired traits. One of the main criticisms of trait theory is that it is a process of ‘cherry picking’ personnel with personalities that the company believes is the best for the organization however one could argue that in many circumstances having a workforce filled with diverse personalities can be best for creative thinking. However in organizations in which there is a strong, corporate culture one could argue that selecting candidates with traits that best match the already established culture could be beneficial. What evolved from the leadership model is the style theory (Katz,1955) who postulated that there are a number of different skills that a manager should possess in order to effectively lead an organization. The first skill that is to be covered are technical skills, secondly there are human skills and lastly there are conceptual skills which are dedicated to effective allocation of resources for a specific organization. The model used to apply this model is the Blake and McCanse (1991) management grid which formulates a balance for the concern for people and the concern for production based on the corporate culture of an organization and the goals needed. This theory further suggests methods for achieving transitions from one section into another based again on the objectives of the organization. The largest criticism of this theory is that much like trait theory puts managerial skills into very tight categories, and as highlighted earlier it may be the case that employees that have different strengths within these skill sets that may be able to generate new and creative methods of management. However when an organization is trying to make a shift I its corporate objectives and culture style theory could be beneficial in achieving this transition as it lays out a simple method for achieving all goals. What evolved from the style theory is Hersey and Blanchard’s (1972) situational leadership model which proposed that there is no one perfect leader or leadership style rather it is the case that optimal leadership has to be task and objective specific. This model identifies four different leadership styles that can be employed but are applicable to different situations. The first leadership style is ‘Telling’ which simply provides orders from superiors. Secondly there is the ‘Selling’ leadership style which recognizes a two-way relationship between superiors and their subordinates. Thirdly there is ‘Participating’ which emphasizes a shared relationship between superior and subordinate. Lastly there is delegating which highlights the importance of a leader simply passing the responsibility to team members and monitoring their progress. Whilst it may be the case that this process works very well for some teams the most obvious criticism is that by being formulaic in the leadership process an organization in turn becomes rigid and would face difficulty in developing new approaches to organization problems. All of the different leadership models are not without their faults however the situational leadership model allows for the implementation of shifting the situational leadership style to accommodate the changing dynamic of the team can arguably better accommodate changes in group dynamics whereas style and trait theory are both more rigid in their implementation. Building on the ideas of leadership models, it is the case that in order for a leadership role to be relevant one must give special consideration to organizational structure. With major decisions regarding organizational direction being given from the top it is important for managers/leaders to relay that message to their subordinates in order to effectively achieve organizational goals. Contrarily it would be the case that without effective management the achievement of these organizational goals would be difficult if not impossible. In a case presented by Grant et al (1999), Harley Davidson had reached a number of strategic dead ends. The aging motorcycle company had by 1982 seen their sales plummet by more than 30% from 1979 levels and was seeing losses of $60 million annually. The solution was a processed dubbed “Continual management innovation: in which ever worker belongs to a ‘natural work group’ of 8-15 people who constantly monitor and provide feedback. Through a reciprocal relationship the management of the company was able to increase sales year over year from 1994 to 1997 whilst implementing a no-firing policy and increasing paid maternity leave to twelve weeks and increase sick leave to unlimited days for salaried workers. Effective leadership it is not necessarily though one specific leadership model being implemented to achieve operational improvements rather it can be the case that organizations can achieve management objectives through improving the methods of communication within the organization. Had it been that Harley Davidson had started a Trait theory of managerial recruitment they may not have found suitable candidates to recognize the problems within the organization. Had Harley Davidson examined a style leadership policy in which they sought to recruit managers with a balance between technical, human and conceptual styles of leadership, it may again be that upper management would not have gained access to crucial information from across all the organization. Lastly, one could argued that if Harley Davidson had utilized a situational leadership model again it may have been the case that the company would have entrenched themselves deeper into policies by not utilizing a “Participating” model, which brought about their economic woes in the first place. One can argue that there is no one perfect fit of leadership theory for all organizations rather it may be the case that some organizations implement a combination of leadership models to better accommodate a changing work environment. For example it may be the case that across product lines in an organization one could implement a situational leadership model to better accommodates the different work teams; however across the company as a whole one could institute a trait leadership model to attract personnel that best match the existing corporate culture. Even with effective leadership there remains a debate on whether individuals need to be motivated in order to successfully accomplish their job function. Building on this point is the idea postulated by Maslow (1943) that individuals have a hierarchy of needs encompassing five categories (See Appendix #1). In terms of work requirements by simply working and generating income one takes care of basic needs by virtue of having employment. However it could be argued that motivation covers how to recognize many of our self actualization and esteem needs by finding fulfillment in our job roles. There have been three triggers identified that to stir a response. Firstly there is the need or goal that can be used to trigger an action, secondly there is the selection process that directs the course of action and lastly there is the actual effort that is imparted on the course of action. According to Deci (1972) it is the case that there are two basic forms of motivation which are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the internal value that comes from performing a task itself which can be expressed as simple enjoyment. For example some people play video games as a hobby and it find an intrinsic motivation to complete a level of the game for the pleasure of it. The second type of motivation comes from external factors and as such is referred to as extrinsic motivation. In its most simple terms extrinsic motivation is any external stimuli that prompts an individual to perform a task. In terms of motivation Stern (2008) identified four key drivers for motivational success within an organization each of which is jut as important as the others, the first of which is referred to as the drive to acquire (rewards and experiences). In a way this can be considered external stimuli in order to gain intrinsic experience. As it is the case that most people want to build their own organizational experience as well as improve their marketability. In terms of rewards it is the case that people often appreciate recognition however it is our intrinsic reaction to these rewards that proves to be a driver of success. For example receiving a honey ham as a reward for improved performance probably won’t be received very well by vegetarians. The second motivational driver is the so called drive to bond (Stern, 2008), which is an important tool for people to build their sense of belonging within an organization. There is little question that many people enjoy being part of a team as well as enjoying the associated camaraderie, so it should come as little surprise that this can be a powerful force in driving people within an organization to strive to achieve organizational goals. The third critical success factor as highlighted by Stern (2008) is the drive to comprehend which ultimately relates to an individual striving to find meaning in their work. The last key driver of success is the so called drive to bond (Stern, 2008) which emphasizes the concept of fair play. As it should go without question that there are a number of people working in organizations that have witnessed some sort of injustice. Naturally the reflex reaction within a number of people is to act in some sort of a productive fashion in order to bring some justice to the situation. It should be noted that Stern (2008) highlighted that in a recent study it was the case that interviewees indicated that if managers fell behind on even one of these key drivers that it proved an overall low rating for the manager in general. As such one could conclude that all four of these drivers are a key success factor in effectively motivating employees. In order to effectively manage one must take into consideration different personality types. According to McGregor (1960) there are two personality types which translate to two management motivational styles. There are theory X mangers who assume that people want only their most basic needs and believe that your average person is passive, and self centered. These people are more likely to use financial incentives and negative reinforcement in order to help achieve organizational goals. Secondly it is the case that there are theory Y managers who generally believe that people are generally speaking good in nature and are as such motivated by goals that help them realize higher-order growth needs. As such one could argue that these people tend to use tools to motivate that involve job satisfaction and self actualization needs. According to Child (2002) effective motivation is a critical success factor for implementing organizational change and a key success factor in employee satisfaction. One obvious drawback of employee dissatisfaction is the high rate of turnover, which carries with it high ancillary costs. Verran (2004) identified that the cost of high employee turnover are fixed at between 25% and 33% of one year’s salary plus benefits in a sales organization. As this can represent a huge cost it is little question that employee motivation can be a critical success factor for an organization. By implementing a policy of continual feedback from employees to manager’s organizations gain critical knowledge and can adjust their future policies to better accommodate the needs of all parties. Whilst there are many methods used for motivation; team building can be an effective catalyst for improving workplace morale and also serve as a type of motivational tool. According to Armstrong (2005) it is the case that teams often form when the resources available from multiple people are required in order to accomplish an activity in which a single individual would be ill suited. Building on this point Srinivasan (2009) Identified four critical success factors to team development which are forming, storming, norming and performing. Under the first stage this is simply the time when group members assemble and become acquainted ultimately avoiding initial conflict and gaining the trust of the team leader. With the second stage conflict is introduced and competition begins ultimately with the help of effective team leadership the divergence between members can be brought back to create effective relationships and achieve group goals. With the third stage it is the case that the team becomes cohesive and begins to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their partners. Lastly, under the fourth stage the final identity is created and the team is ready to undertake massive challenges. A number of different team building models have been established such as the Belbin Team Roles Model (2009) which utilizes a number of games which according to a study conducted in the Journal of Management Studies concluded that the model has convergent validity in effecting team performance through the tools and equipment available (Arizita et al. 2007). When teams are able to work in harmony towards a collective goal it is the case that objectives can potentially be achieved faster and more efficiently. Contrarily it may be the case that the failure of groups to cooperate can bring about ancillary costs such as delayed deadlines, inefficient allocation of resources and at the extreme end even lawsuits between employees. It can be argued that there is no one solution to effective leadership, motivation or team building exercise for all organizations rather it is the case that there are an infinite number of combinations that can be adjusted to meet the specific requirements of an organization as well as their corporate culture. References Allport, G.W. & Odbert, H.S. (1936). Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monographs, 47(211). Arizita, A., Swailes, S.& Senior, B. (2007) Belbins Team Role Model: Development, Validity and Applications for Team Building. Journal of Management Studies. Volume 44, Issue 1. pp 96-118 Armstrong, R. (2005) Requirements of a Self-Managed Team Leader. Leadervalues. [online] Available at http://www.leader-values.com/Content/detail.asp?ContentDetailID=1004 Accessed on January 3rd 2010. Belbin Team Roles Model (2009) Belbin company website. [online] Available at http://www.belbin.com/ Accessed on January 3rd 2010. Blake, R. R., &. McCanse, A.A. (1991). Leadership dilemmas-Grid solutions .Houston: Gulf. Child, J. (2002) Organizational Structure, Environment and Performance. In, Strategy: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management. Edited by Faulkner, D. Routledge .New York, New York Deci, E. (1972), "Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Reinforcement, and Inequity", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 22 (1): 113–120 Grant, R., Escudero, L., Flavin, N. Trevino, J., Gergen, C., Quillen, B. (1999) Harley Davidson Inc. In Crossan, M., Bansal, P., Fry, J., Killing, J.P., Nicholls-Nixon, C., White, R. (2005) Strategic Management: A Casebook. Pearson/Prentice Hall. 7th Edition. Hersey, P. and Blanchard, K. H. (1972). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources (2nd ed.) New Jersey/Prentice Hall Katz, R.L. (1955, January-February) “Skills of an effective administrator.” Harvard Business Review. Maslow, A. (1943) A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review 50(4):370-96 McGregor, D. (1960) The Human Side of Enterprise. Mcgraw-Hill Professional Smith, A, (1904) An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: Methuen and Co., Ltd., ed. Edwin Cannan, 1904. 5th edition. Orig Published 1776. Srinivasan, R.G., Effective Team Building For Organizational Success. EzineArticles.com[online] Available at http://ezinearticles.com/?Effective-Team-Building-For-Organizational-Success&id=20619 Accessed on January 3rd 2010. Stern, S. (Aug, 2008) Keep Up Motivation Levels through Long Summer Days. Financial Times [online] Available at http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8df052bc-6231-11dd-9ff9-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1 Accessed on January 3rd 2010. Verran, M (2004) Report for Pitney Bowes; Orientation Benchmark Data. Leader Exchange [online] Available at http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:dl8cNbe09voJ:developmenttoolkit.com/files/NewHireOrientation%26NewLeaderAssimilation.doc+pitney+bowes+staff+turnover&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=firefox-a Accessed on January 3rd 2010. Wheelan, T.L., Hunger, J.D., Wicks, D. (2005) Concepts in Strategic Management. Pearson Publishing. 8th Edition Some of the first example of organizational/operational success through Appendices Appendix #1 Source. http://theskooloflife.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/maslows-hierarchy.gif Read More