Definitions, Objective and Purposeof Leadership and Management Development - Coursework Example

HRM- Individual Report 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 2. Definitions, Objective and Purpose of LMD 3 3. Effectiveness of LMD and Link to Performance 5 4. LMD as a Strategic Process 7 5. Talent Management Link to Management Development Cycle 8 6. Performance Measurement and Assessment 10 7. Training and Development Activities as Part of LMD 12 8. Summary and Conclusion 13 References 16 Bibliography 19 1. Introduction The notion of Leadership and Management Development (LMD) has attracted huge number of academics and specialists. Growing significance of LMD to achieve success in the organisation has further resulted in developing programmes for talent management along with succession planning (Ferres, 2011). There is a huge difference between leadership and management, wherein leadership is considered as all about providing directions and inspirations to the workforce or the team, while management is mainly focused towards bringing efficiency in the organisational operations along with short term planning. The main reason behind providing importance to LMD is that it supports an organisation to obtain a lead factor, which refers to the fact that tactical investment in LMD is believed to have a quantifiable effect on the lag factors like engagement of customers, quality results and financial indicators (Ferres, 2011). Correspondingly, the paper is primarily focused towards examining the various dimensions of the conceptual framework for LMD and its effectiveness as a strategic process. The paper also highlights the linkage between the notion of talent management and management development cycle along with its performance measurement. Training and development activities have also been signified and examines as a part of LMD in this paper. 2. Definitions, Objective and Purpose of LMD LMD can be defined as the function that improves leadership and management quality within an individual along with an organisation. It is believed that LMD mainly focuses on enhancing the personal qualities, behaviours and proficiencies of an individual within an organisation (Ferres, 2011). LMD can also be defined as a planned and measured procedure to help the managers and leaders become more efficient. It is accordingly considered as a method of learning for the managers and leaders as it facilitates identifying certain opportunities that arise in their business functioning and taking adequate measures to mitigate forecasted challenges within time (Crown, 2012). In general, there are four types of objectives, on which the LMD framework is based. These objectives include agricultural objectives, organisational inheritance objective, compensation objective and ceremonial objectives. Agricultural objectives are based on the notion that managers require to grow themselves within an organisation to steer overall organisational growth (CIPD, 2010). The objective of organisational inheritance is based on the rationale that movement of managers and leaders within their jobs is set by proper standards that can be determined from their promotion and movement in the job roles. On the other hand, compensation objective is based on the rationale that managers get rewarded for the process of activities carried out by them through their continuous employment. Likewise, ceremonial objective can be identified as based on the rationale that there are certain rituals that support the path of development for the managers within an organisation, which binds the managers to the organisation celebrating their accomplishments (CIPD, 2010). Apart from the stated objectives, the strategic framework for LMD is also based on four purposes, which includes functional performance as one of its key purposes. Under this purpose, it is assumed that there is an uncomplicated connection within management and performance, which further triggers the interlinkage between LMD and organisational strategy (Collins, 2011). Political reinforcement is another purpose of LMD that focuses towards reinforcing the behaviour and competency level of individuals as valued by the top-level managers. This purpose is based upon the assumption that top managers are accurate in their judgement and recommendation. LMD compensation purpose also views development of management as a facet of rewarding the managers. This purpose presumes that development is a driving factor for motivation and commitment within the managers. Likewise, psychic defence is a purpose of LMD that provides value of protection for management concerns. This purpose presumes competitive careers and related concerns also showing a linkage between LMD and organisational strategy (Collins, 2011). 3. Effectiveness of LMD and Link to Performance In the present day context, it is considered that LMD has been quite important to achieve organisational effectiveness. LMD often acts as a tool that has to be used within an organisation to reshape the culture and alleviate the competency level of various functional areas that would ultimately result in organisational effectiveness. LMD is an effective component that drives change within an organisation aligning the managers and leaders skills as well as proficiencies with the strategic objectives. Accordingly, it has been derived that LMD helps in developing series of managers and leaders for an organisation that results in creating progressions of succession management. Moreover, LMD focuses on improving a positive spiritual contract within the organisation and its employees augmenting their degree of moral and commitment to the organisation, further facilitating overall organisational strategic performance. LMD is also considered as a tool for retaining and engaging the leaders along with managers in an organisation, which relates to the process of talent management. LMD is also effective in aligning the organisational competence with certain changes and strategy implementation. In addition, decision-making is argued to become more effective through LMD as it helps in building an understanding about uncertain situations. Overall, it has been viewed that LMD is one best approaches that results in positive outcomes for a business and helps in enhancing the performance of an individual along with the overall organisation (Ferres, 2011). Accordingly, it has been observed that LMD has a huge link with the performance of an organisation, as the primary objective of LMD is to enhance the performance of the organisation. It has accordingly been viewed that acting as a strategic tool, LMD has been quite efficient in driving a cultural change within an organisation. Moreover, it has also been quite effective in improving the quality of employees’ productivity within an organisation that in turn would result in cost reduction and increase the overall profitability prospects for an organisation. In addition, LMD also contributes in structuring the outlooks of the people within an organisation that further contributes towards evolving a learning organisation, which would support self-development of individuals (CIPD, 2010). Thus, it can be asserted that LMD is an effective tool for an organisation to improve the overall performance along with inducing positive changes in organisational strategy practices. Likewise, it can be stated that LMD has a linkage with performance, as it is directly interrelated with the human resources that helps in identifying the collective proficiency level of these individuals to prioritise their performances (Ferres, 2011). 4. LMD as a Strategic Process In the present day changing business scenario, it has been viewed that LMD has been used extensively by modern organisations, as a strategic process owing to its effectiveness in producing positive outcomes through effective utilisation of organisational resources and strategy. Herein, LMD can be considered as a strategic process as it helps in identifying the skills and behaviours of the individual in an organisation and results in bringing change as per the business requirements, therefore bridging the gaps between organisational vision, mission external market trends. LMD also helps in overcoming certain problems being faced by an organisation, encouraging leaders for quick decision-making (Bolden, 2010). When describing LMD as a strategic process, it has been viewed that aligning both leaders and managers fall under the strategic objective of a company. This is because LMD is an operational component that initiates change within an organisation, which in turn results in effectiveness and increase in the overall performance of the organisation. LMD is mainly concerned with developing certain skills that would meet the organisational strategy, which means that LMD can be regarded as a strategic process. LMD as a strategic process includes direction setting, structure and processes, learning development, learning transfer, and evaluation as well as review. Direction setting is the strategic process, which includes identifying mutual values, goals, mutual identity and priorities of strategy within an organisation. In this process group and organisational goals is determined and a direction is provided to achieve the determined goals. Structure and processes herein include reviewing the HR practices, allocating the resources, developing a communication process, adopting an approach for effective management and leadership to ensure that the organisational structure is firm and sound (Bolden, 2010). The next strategic process includes leadership development wherein multiple channels are created to induce an organisational change for a long term that would result in overall improvement of employees along with facilitated organisational succession. The next strategic process includes learning-transfer wherein learning is inserted within an organisational system, barriers of learning are eliminated and the acquired knowledge is transferred among employees within the organisational structure. However, this strategic process requires huge support from the top-level management along with their involvement. The final strategic process of LMD includes evaluation and review wherein the extent of success for LMD is identified along with the identification of future requirements that would further result in positively affecting the organisation and increase in the overall performance (Bolden, 2010). 5. Talent Management Link to Management Development Cycle From a generalised perspective, talent management can be described as the process, which involves identification, management and development of individuals in an organisation to prepare them in the present day and the coming future. Talent management mainly focuses on creating a strategy to meet the requirements of the organisation, as per the present and future forecasted demands. It is also concerned with building a procedure in order to measure the available skills and skills that are required within an organisation. Talent management also emphasises on crafting certain management development tools in order to provide customised approaches based upon the requirements of the employees. In brief, talent management is primarily concerned with the individual requirements to generate the potentiality of each employee and retain them with an assurance of better productivity in the competitive business environment (Cannon & McGee, 2011). At a broader context, the dimensions of talent management can be linked with management development cycle, which is considered as the process of reviewing the requirements for leadership and management in an organisation to implement the evaluated requirements with greater efficiency. It has been accordingly observed that there are five phases in an effective and all-inclusive management development cycle, which includes needs assessment, objectives setting, programme design, programme implementation and evaluation along with follow up of the programme implemented (Analoui & Al-Madhoun, 2006). The first step of management development cycle includes needs assessment wherein the manager requires to be prepared to deal with the new changes in the business by managing their talents and techniques, which further increases the demand for an effective talent management framework. The second stage includes objectives setting wherein the objectives of training the managers have to be identified and the programme for training has to be accordingly designed that would support talent management in the organisation (Kubr & Prokopenko, 1989). The third phase includes programme design wherein framework, sequence and plan are designed to undertake the training and development programme through talent management. Subsequently, programme implementation is identified as the fourth phase wherein the plan for training and development is finally implemented within an organisation. Under this stage, it is considered that the programme should be complex in nature and it must take certain time to get implemented. This in turn would ensure that the training and development programme is effective for the leaders and managers and hence, can be beneficial for the organisation in the coming future promoting effective talent management. Evaluation and follow up is the last phase of management development cycle wherein the results obtained from the programme is examined thoroughly in order to ensure that the training and development programme undertaken comes into actual practice without any error. Moreover, the skills and talent acquired by the managers is also reviewed in this phase of management development cycle showing a direct link with talent management and LMD subsequently (Kubr & Prokopenko, 1989). 6. Performance Measurement and Assessment As already mentioned above, LMD, in the present day context, has gained an increased importance. LMD approach involves certain set of frameworks to measure the overall organisational strategic performance. It is worth mentioning in this context that affecting the rudimental organisational structure, LMD can impose various impacts at the individual level, organisational level and business level. Correspondingly, performance measurement can be identified as an essential aspect to measure the impact of LMD at various levels within an organisation. Moreover, if LMD is to be completely aligned with the organisational strategy, performance measurement of LMD must be conducted in advance. In order to gain efficiencies in these paradigms, contemporary organisations are often viewed to use competency frameworks for LMD to measure the performance of managers through assessment, training and other practices that would further ensure that LMD is aligned with the organisational strategy (Rothwell & Kazanas, 1999). According to Boyatzi’s competency framework, various clusters provide a clear understanding regarding the performance of LMD in alignment with organisational strategy. Goal and action cluster further helps in measuring the performance of LMD in the organisational context through efficiency direction, proactivity and analytical use of concepts (Mumford & et. al., 2012). Leadership cluster is another framework for measuring the performance of LMD in an organisation, which helps in encouraging self-confidence among the managers who use oral presentations, rational beliefs and conceptualisations to align LMD with the organisational strategy effectively. Human resource cluster can hereby be identified as an effective approach for performance measurement and assessment of LMD wherein the managers use socialised power to manage the group of employees in an organisation along with providing them with a positive regard and likewise, encourages them for their self-assessment. This in turn makes it quite easy for the organisations to align the organisational strategy with the various dimensions of LMD (Palan, 2014). The framework for directing subordinate cluster helps in assessing the requirement of LMD in developing the employees within an organisation by using unilateral power to meet the goals related to organisational strategy. Likewise, the framework also emphasises other clusters, which includes the ability of self-control within the managers and their responsibility in the organisation along with employee relationship, helping in aligning the organisational strategy with LMD. Additionally, there are various stages identifiable for the implementation of competency frameworks to align LMD with the organisational strategy. These stages include the research process wherein the managers are interviewed and various ideas are drawn from their observations. Design framework is another stage wherein description is provided for each competency framework to determine objectives for managers as well as other employees and certain strategies are framed to meet the organisational strategy. The third stage includes performance assessment in which the performance of managers is assessed in order to identify the effectiveness of these frameworks to meet the requirement of aligning organisational strategy with LMD (Boyatzis & et. al., 2013). 7. Training and Development Activities as Part of LMD The activities of training and development can be apparently identified as important facets of LMD. As mentioned above, LMD involves the activity of training and developing an individual to become effective managers and leaders within an organisation, directly contributing to the overall organisational efficiency (Burgoyne & et. al., 2004). There are various training and development programmes offered in LMD on individual level, which includes internal training wherein the managers are trained internally within an organisation. E-learning is also identifiable as an activity of LMD, which offers a huge platform for training and developing the managers using the internet. Likewise, induction is also a part of the training activity for the managers wherein new skills and competencies are introduced to the managers, facilitating them for better involvement in the organisational strategy (Cummings & Worley, 2014). Internal job rotation also falls under the training and development activity for the managers through which managers can understand job responsibilities in different areas of an organisation. Training and development activities can also be undertaken collectively by integrating group learning that would develop the team effectiveness and the concept of leadership would be distributed to the entire team members through which, employees can be encouraged to become future leaders (Mabey & Lees, 2007). In addition, it has been observed that training activities for LMD are undertaken both internally and externally, which helps the mangers in enhancing their abilities, knowledge and competency levels that would result in meeting the organisational strategy (Siftar, 2013). Cross-cultural awareness training is another part of LMD that is mainly intended to reduce the problem of low productivity within an organisation that functions globally. This training is provided to the managers that enhance their ability to integrate the entire global workforce that results in improving the productivity level of the organisation. Through this training activity, managers are able to grasp certain opportunities that would ensure that organisational image is alleviated. Work Based Learning (WBL) is another training and development activity that falls under the paradigms of LMD wherein the managers integrate their work with learning that helps them in enhancing their managerial ability to achieve the goals associated with organisational strategy (Hanney, n.d.). Furthermore, Problem Based Learning (PBL) can also be used as a training activity by organisations for the process of LMD wherein the managers acquire knowledge from the problem being faced that enhances their skills to manage the problem meet the organisational strategy objectives (Hanney, n.d.). Thus, it can be asserted that training and development activities are a part of LMD, contributing largely in aligning organisational strategy with LMD. 8. Summary and Conclusion Organisations are subjected to various uncertain changes both externally and internally, in the present business scenario. It is in this context that LMD helps various organisations to adopt the changing business scenario. LMD is commonly referred as a strategic investment for a company that helps in achieving competitive advantages through the overall enhancement of the quality of management and leadership within an individual. LMD can be referred to as an approach through which the interpersonal skills, attitudes and competency level of an individual reach to a greater height to meet the goals of organisational strategy. Correspondingly, it has viewed that there are four set of objectives for LMD, which includes Agricultural, Organisational inheritance, Compensation and Ceremonial objective. The study also helped revealing the various purposes of LMD for an organisation that involve functional performance, political reinforcement, compensation, psychic defence. To a major extent, it was due to these purposes that LMD has gained its reputation as an important approach for contemporary organisations to enhance their overall performance and develop managers in an organisation to meet the organisational strategy. It would be worth mentioning in this regard that LMD is quite effective in nature as it helps in redesigning the traditional organisational culture and alleviating the overall performance of various functional areas within an organisation. It is a tool for driving change within an organisation, aligning the leadership and management function with the organisational strategy. Correspondingly, it has been revealed that LMD has a huge link with the performance of an organisation, as the concept is mainly intended to increase organisational efficiency along with the efficiency level of individuals that in turn would alleviate the performance of the organisational strategy overall. Likewise, it can be considered that LMD is a strategic process as it helps in meeting the organisational strategy by initiating change in the management process of the organisation. Talent management is also regarded as a process that falls under the management development cycle. Moreover, performance measurement can be identified as an aspect of LMD as it helps in determining the impact of the same within an organisation. Overall, it can be asserted that LMD must be aligned with the organisational strategy that would enhance the skills of managers and leaders to meet the organisational objectives more efficiently. References Analoui, F. & Al-Madhoun, M., 2006. 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Building In-house Leadership and Management Development Programs: Their Creation, Management, and Continuous Improvement. Greenwood Publishing Group. Siftar, M., 2013. Cultural Awareness Training: A New Must For Business. Guest Comment. [Online] Available at: http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/blog/guest-comment/2013/04/cultural-awareness-training-a-new.html?page=all [Accessed April 18, 2014]. Bibliography Bolder, R., 2007. Trends and Perspectives in Management and Leadership Development. Business Leadership Review, Vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 1-13. Boyatzis, R. E., 2008. Competencies in the 21st Century. Journal of Management Development, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 5-12. Lockwood, N. R., 2006. Talent Management: Driver for Organizational Success. HRM Research Quarterly, pp. 1-11. Read More