Leadership - Four Skill Areas to Work on - Business Plan Example

Leadership Overview In the current day phenomenon, a substantial interest is being rendered towards developing the leadership qualities amid professionals. Leadership traits among professionals, especially those who are associated with the management areas, are termed to be among the most crucial aspects which is mandatory to obtain success in the real life scenario (Winston & Patterson, 2006). Traditionally, the significance of leadership skills or qualities was related with executives and top level decision makers in any organisation. However, with the growing concern towards a greater democratisation of the organisational decision making process, leadership qualities are today perceived to be essential in every dimension of a modern day workplace (Bartram & Glennon, 2011; Morgeson, DeRue, & Karam, 2009). Based on this particular aspect, graduate schools have become increasingly focused on developing the leadership qualities of the students who are to be the upcoming employee generation in the global workplace (Jackson, 2009). Nevertheless, as leadership is termed to be more of an art rather than a science, it is essential to identify the personal limitations and development needs which should be managed accordingly to exemplify superior leadership capabilities in the practical scenario (Goleman, 2012). Based on these aspects, the discussion henceforth will aim at describing four skills area which I need to develop to grow as an effective leader in future. The description will be followed by a development plan which I think might be beneficial in my overall development as a leader. Four Skill Areas to Work On It is quite necessary to understand the concept of leadership and obtain a generalised view regarding the qualities that should be possessed by a leader prior to the elaboration and justification of the skills areas which I need to develop in order to become an effective leader. Since the theory of leadership was coined in the early 1900s, it has attracted a substantial number of studies and rigorous assessments till date (Perkins, 2009). Apparently, with the all evolving new dimensions, the concept has become more delicate, significant and complex. It is often related with scientific and strategic aspects related to organisational practices (Smith & Tapscott, 2009). It is also related with social and philosophical dimensions of management in accordance with various business and non-business environments. In the words of Lubitz (2008: 63), “Leadership is, therefore, never a straightforward task: it involves a set of complex skills whose employment is contingent on the level at which leadership is practiced, its place within the chain of task execution, and the nature of the task at hand”. Thus, it can be affirmed that leadership is a situational phenomenon where individual skills play a major role in depicting the effectiveness of such practices (DeRue & Ashford, 2010). From a generalised point of view, leaders in the contemporary context are required to possess various skills which accumulatively intend to enhance the qualities of the professionals and thus reward increasing efficiency (Campbell, Hays, Core, Birch, Bosack, & Clark, 2011). As stated by Klingborg, Moore & Varea-Hammond (2006), leaders in today’s contemporary era should possess organisational skills, learning skills, motivating skills, creative skills, critical thinking abilities as well as forward thinking and problem-solving skills. These skills are expected to augment flexibility among leaders to adapt changes and steer the team towards improvement. Another most significant ability which should be possessed by a 21st century leader is regarded to be the communication skills. As stated by Decker (2006), effective communication not only assists in developing the team in a consistent manner but also helps to develop a mutual relationship and a stronger influence as well as control over the team performances. After learning about the skills required to be established as an effective leader, I have identified various skill areas which I need to develop in my education process. From gaining invaluable theoretical understanding in relation to my experiences through the teamwork conducted during the preparation of assignment based on the organisational competencies of General Motors Company, I was able to identify that I need to develop my abilities in the areas of organisational skills, problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills and communication skills. As revealed by Johnson (2009), classroom experiences along with researches and theoretical understandings play a vital role in identifying and addressing the development needs among students effectively which I found to be quite realistic from my experiences. During the preparation of my assignment coursework as a team, I recognised that organisation of the required data within the determined time-frame is quite essential in order to complete a given task in a planned and superiorly controlled way. However, in doing so, teamwork through collaboration is quite essential where I had to witness various challenges in terms of lack of understanding regarding the requirements of the assignment which further limited the allocation of responsibilities to the team members at the initial stage. As stated by Ryan (2010), teamwork facilitated with collaboration within the team members is perceived to be one of the foremost qualities required to be possessed by an effective leader. Another skill area which I believe I should develop within myself is the problem-solving skill. Moore, Odom, & Wied (2011) in this regard depicted that problem-solving skills assist leaders in identifying the potential risks and the opportunities associated with a particular project. However, at the initial stage of the assignment, I had to face difficulties in searching for alternatives when obstructed due to either lack of data availability or team collaboration. Hence, I had to continuously take the help from my professor and my team members to discuss and to resolve the obstruction. Apart from organisational and problem-solving skills, I also have to develop professionally in the skill area of critical-thinking. As stated by Sherlock & Morgan (2009), critical thinking among leaders assists them in assessing the criticality of a situation and reacting accordingly. This skill area also plays a vital role in influencing and controlling the team with efficiency. Contextually, when performing the assignment, I realised that I should develop my interpreting skills and understand the perceptions of other team members through critical thinking which shall also assist me in applying my classroom learning more effectively in my real life practices. It is worth mentioning in this context that the assignment also included a presentation of 10 minutes where the team had to communicate the research findings obtained to the class. It was during this phase when I realised that I should develop my communication skills which is also quite essential in performing as an effective leader (Kass & Grandzol, 2011). Even though I believe that my communication skills are reasonable, when comparing it with the skills possessed by other members, I realised that further development is required which shall assist me in developing as an effective leader in future. Development Plan Stating precisely, I intend to develop my abilities related with organisational skills, problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills and communication skills. As stated by Crowne, Pathak, Salunkhe, & Shivarajan (2011) and Badger, Bopp, & Wiezel (2006), there is no particular framework to develop organisational skills within an individual; rather, such developments depend on the experiences and the intentions of the person (O’Donnell & Boyle, 2008). Thus, I shall intend to get involved with social events and programs held in the academic sessions which will render me a better scope to obtain experiences and thus develop my organisational skills. Similarly, in order to develop my problem-solving abilities, I shall render greater focus on undertaking challenging tasks. According to my understanding, teamwork and performing with different individuals in different situations shall be beneficial in developing my problem-solving abilities. This particular action is also likely to assist me in developing my communication skills as well as rendering the opportunity to interact with different members of my class along with my community and therefore understand the role of individual perceptions in the overall team performances. Subsequently, I shall be able to obtain better control over the group and persuade them bureaucratically towards the achievement of the determined goals (Styles, 2001). Additionally, to foster my critical thinking ability, I shall attempt to stay updated with the happenings in my surroundings as well as pay due consideration towards participating in group discussions. As affirmed by Gifford, Cannon, Stedman & Telg, (2011) and Styles (2001), involvement in meetings, social debates and group discussions tends to substantially contribute towards the improvement of critical thinking skills among learners and professionals as well. As my sole intention in the development process will be to obtain better experiences and practical knowledge regarding the leadership phenomenon, I will also intend to join a working culture through a part-time or a full-time job option. However, I shall also pay due attention towards my responsibilities as a learner during the entire process which I believe to be equally essential in obtaining a complete development. Accordingly, I shall also intend to actively participate in such activities in order to develop my leadership capabilities and attain better efficiency in my professional career. However, in doing so, I shall require the assistance of my supervisors owing to the fact that they are mush experienced and skilled and therefore can help me substantially with my professional development plan. Based on my aims and the development needs discussed above, an action plan is being presented underneath depicting the procedural flow of my intended strategies which I believe shall effectively contribute in my improvement as a leader. Action Steps Timeline Expected Outcomes Resources Potential Barriers Identifying the development needs 15 days Obtain better understanding of the curriculum design and leadership expectations Academic publishing, group discussions, course materials Time constraints Assessing the possible steps to mitigate the limitations and accomplish the development needs 30 days Obtain critical understanding of the practical leadership scenario and get actively involved with the business environment of the 21st century Academic publishing, case references, real life information based on leadership skills development processes Limited availability of data Discussion with the supervisors At frequent intervals during the development process Obtain better realisation of the expectations from graduates by the potential employers and the community on the whole; identifying the requirements and the probable challenges when implementing the process Assistance from the peers and the supervisors Differing viewpoints of the supervisors and the peers may create an obstructions in the smooth implementation of the plan Participating in group discussions At frequent intervals during the development process Developing critical thinking and better communication skills Networking facilities Limited availability of such scopes Participating in social debates At frequent intervals during the development process Developing critical thinking and problem solving skills Networking facilities Specified qualifications for the participants Availing a job opportunity 60 days Gain practical experience to develop the required skills Information through media Time constraints to maintain a balance between the curriculum and the job responsibilities References Badger, W. 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