The Leader as a Relationship Builder - Coursework Example

Management The Leader as a Relationship Builder Introduction In order to succeed in relationship, building a leader is expected to undertake a significant role of interconnecting people in the organization. Organizations with increasing number of people lead to diverse workforce, whereby these people have jobs as sources of livelihood; hence, they need relationship to work effectively (Lorensen, 3). On the other hand, the organizations need complex relationships with other parties such as customers, vendors and regulators. Reasons for building Relationship Relationships are built to in order to facilitate people’s involvement in a group and organization; in fact, this involvement is facilitated by a conviction associated with the cause. On other hand, people are involved in a group or a community due to the influence by other people that are already involved (Lorensen, 3). Relationships are required in order to establish allies, who can offer support from either outside or inside the organization. Moreover, relationships are needed in order to involve trustworthy people, thereby giving a meaning to the wealth of organization and other people’s lives. Furthermore, relationships are established in order to provide a way of sharing ideas and dealing with problems through collective effort in the organization. Therefore, relationship facilities change and this leads increased organization performance. Leadership models for Relationship building Style Approach This is approach focuses on the leadership perspective determines behaviors that leaders should portray in order to build relationship successfully, and this approach focuses on the recognition of this relationship as a significant component of the organization. In fact, the style approach to leadership establishes a leadership style dependent on integration of task and relationship behaviors (Lorensen, 4). On the other hand, focusing on relationship behaviors involves a process that determines satisfaction and benefits that are likely to be derived from the relationships. People portrays behaviors in leadership conditions; in fact they tend develop preferences for their behaviors; in fact, these behaviors are relevant for relationship building. Nonetheless, there are situation that requires concentration on tasks behaviors, while others require relationship behaviors (Lorensen, 4). Therefore, relationships are significant elements in the process of leadership; thus, effective leaders ensure that they are able to apply relevant relationship behaviors. Apparently, style approach focuses on facilitating understanding of people and their ability to form effective relationship as aspects of emotional intelligence. Relational Model of Leadership This approach to leadership is focused on establishment of connections and relationships through; in fact, this is supported by a notion that leadership does not occur in a vacuum, but in a context. This model involves engagement in a leadership condition with consideration of people’s relationship as principal focus of this approach. On the other hand, this approach entails five elements that are considered approaches of inclusiveness, purposefulness, empowerment, process-orientation and ethics (Lorensen, 5). In addition, these components are considered guidelines that assist leaders in determining behaviors that assist them in establishing a concrete relationship. Inclusiveness: in this case, leaders focus on offering a chance for various stakeholders and perspective, whereby they seek diverse ideas regard diverse ideas and relevant inputs (Lorensen, 5). Therefore, they ensure that people are working together towards achievement of set objective in the most effective means. Purposeful: this element is based on idea that objective that people have several objectives. In this case, they determine the most appropriate way of accomplishing the desired objectives by ensuring that, every step of the relationship building process is intentional and that it is focused on a certain objective (Lorensen, 5). Empowering: Leaders involves numerous people in the process of relationship building, instead of involving a single person or leader. In this case, leaders focus on disseminating information and sharing ideas with other in order to empower them, thereby facilitating their involvement in a way that offers them a chance to contribute to decision-making (Lorensen, 5). Ethics: in the process of relationship building leader are not expected to ask members of the group to participate in thing that are against their values; in fact, the leader ensure that people are treated with dignity and respected. On the other hand, leaders ensure that objectives are perceived to be things of best interest by members of the group based on honesty, fairness, and support (Lorensen, 5). Process-Oriented: leaders are not expected to avoid hierarchical structures in building relationships, whereby a single person is not supposed to issue directive along a chain of command. In this case, this approach embraces a group that empowers all individuals in a way that they can communicate and share ideas (Lorensen, 5). On the other hand, the focus is on the end objective, which is achieved through involvement by a group people with relevant experience. Attributes of Relationship builders Friendly and Approachable Relationship builders are friendly people, whereby they are welcoming, open and approachable. On the other hand, they are not judgmental and they have an optimistic perception towards all people, given that they treat people with respect and substantial consideration (Hagberg and Forem, 9). Furthermore, they have sympathy and offer significant attention to other people; in fact, they recognize good performers by rewarding them. In addition, leaders who are relationship builders value people ad they are devoted to cultivation of relationship. Therefore, this attributes draws people towards them, whereby they feel comfortable being associated with them. Besides, these leaders are caring and sensitive to other people’s need, and this is manifested through their concern and perspective. Socially Skillful Relationship builders have significant social skills, whereby they are able to understand people and motivate them, while assessing their response. On the other hand, they portray substantial sensitivity to feeling of other people and have effective ways of adjusting through this approach in order to be in accordance with people moods, needs, and styles (Hagberg and Forem, 10). This approach sets leaders out to capture social dynamics concerning their work group and organization. Therefore, this requires effective social skills, whereby they are attentive in listening to other people, and they are able to communicate their interest. Consequently, this creates a bond by giving feedback to people by showing their understanding and care. Valuing and encouraging diversity of views Relationship builders achieve ability to communicate freely with people from different backgrounds and areas of the organization; while other has different perspectives and objectives. Therefore, this enables leaders to derive ideas that are applied in improving process, which enable people to share knowledge and experience (Hagberg and Forem, 10). Conflict Management Skills Relationship builders utilize their personal attribute of being sensitive to others feeling in order to manage conflicts, whereby they are motivated by these feeling and the need to eliminate problems that emanate from conflicts. In this case, these leaders have ability to deal with cases of distrust and disunity among group members, which may lead to frustration. Moreover, a relationship builder does not blame other people for his or her mischief, which may lead to confrontations (Hagberg and Forem, 11). Therefore, relationship builder utilize interpersonal skills in these situations, whereby they offer chances for parties to express their ideas and feelings and the problems are resolved. Moreover, conflicting parties participate in a discussion which is established by these leaders, which leads to resolution of their problems. Flexible Relationship builder have ability to adapt to different conditions, whereby they pay attention to others and they open into input. On the other hand, they are highly flexible given that they can take a different course of pursuing things in an organization by focusing on different opinions from different people (Hagberg and Forem, 12). Therefore, their flexibility can also be attributed to their transparency and ability to shift into modern approaches of solving different problems. In addition, this facilitates effective interaction among team members and organizations. Challenges and Vulnerabilities There are some challenges and points of vulnerabilities associated with relationship building, where cluster of leadership problems resonates around warm and sympathetic nature. In this case, leaders experience challenges caused by problems in making decisions to undertaking strong actions such as firing or punishing employees (Hagberg and Forem, 13). In fact, this is a decision that may hamper their effort to build relationship among employees and management. Other cases of vulnerabilities involve laying-off employees during economic recessions, when the organizations has to decrease their running costs. On the other hand, there are cases that involve making decision that may lender them unpopular; thus, this is considered a point of vulnerability. Conclusion In conclusion, the paper has explored issues regarding relationship building by leaders, whereby the paper commenced with an overview of the relationship that are involved, while the next section covered purpose of building this relationship and their importance to groups. On the other hand, the paper has gathered pertinent theories to support these arguments, whereby two leadership models for relationship building have been explored which include; style approach and relational model of leadership. Works Cited Hagberg Richard and Forem Jack. “The Relationship Builder”. HCG INSIGHTS Spring 2005. Web. 22 June 2013 Lorensen Marianne. “Leadership in Action: A Leadership Curriculum for College Students: Building Relationships Workshop Guide Module 5”. University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Madison, & Purdue University. October 2009. Web. 22 June 2013 Read More