Leader and Organisational Change - Coursework Example

Leader and Organisational Change Leader and Organisational Change My Previous Understanding of Leadership My previous understanding of leadership before I came to have real leadership experience was that it had to be democratic. This form of leadership was in such a way that I could leave those individuals in my team to undertake tasks in a manner that they felt most comfortable with. My relaxed form of leadership, I believed, could yield better results because all of those individuals under my authority could do their best on their own to ensure that they achieved desired results. In addition, it was my belief that delegation of authority was better than having to direct everything to myself. This was in such a way that I made proposals which the members of my team could vote on and decide on the best path to follow. However, as time went by, I came to realise that leadership should not be undertaken using the hands off approach that I believed was the best. Instead, leadership had to be undertaken in such a fashion that even though a leader left some freedom of action to members of the team, he or she was not supposed to lose control over them because to do so would lead to a loss of focus for the whole team (Bedeian, 2004). I realised that it was the responsibility of the leader to constantly check on the progress of the team; especially in situations where responsibility had been delegated because this was the only way to make sure that the team not only achieved its objectives, but also that it worked cohesively in the shortest time possible. Reflection on Change Management Over the years, I have come to realise that the effective management of change is an important aspect of ensuring organisational stability. When I worked as an assistant human resources manager at DowTech, a company that is specialised in the manufacture of surgical equipment, I was tasked with leading a team in laying out and implementing a plan designed to make the transition from traditional manual surgical equipment to electronic one as efficient as possible. This process had to be done in such a way that the desired change could be achieved in as short a time as possible, because it was the only way through which the company could survive the highly competitive market (Goldring, 2010). The task that I was given as leader was one of the most challenging ones that I had experienced because it allowed me to realise that leadership had to be practiced as carefully as possible to ensure that the backing of the team was guaranteed. The first action that I undertook to ensure that the whole team was on board was to convene a meeting, which would ensure that all members of the team got to know each other. Furthermore, intent for this meeting was to ensure that I got an assessment the team members in such a way that their strengths and weaknesses could be realised. This is because only the tasks that were suitable for each of them could be assigned; helping in the process of the delegation of duties so that few mistakes could be made (Lakos & Phipps, 2004). I realised that as a leader, I had to know my team well because it was they who would determine whether the task given could be accomplished as expected. The approach that I chose for the team to begin with was to assess the situation in the company to find out whether the employees were ready for change and if there was possibility for there to be resistance. I found that in such a process, I had to make sure that the team members undertook their tasks in such a way that ensured that accurate information was gathered. I encouraged the team to seek out those individuals who were most knowledgeable concerning the manufacturing activities of the company, especially those who had worked the longest in the company. These individuals would ensure that a clearer perspective of what was at stake was provided as well as help in finding out what was needed to make possible the transition. While I had previously preferred a hands-off approach, I came to realise that it would not work because some members of the team were conducting this assessment for the first time since joining the company. I therefore had to take a strong and assertive approach where I became actively involved in guiding the team members in the process. I ensured that there were constant meetings designed to not only allow the team members to coordinate their activities, but also ensure that I was updated on the process so that I could steer it in a direction that would ensure effective implementation (Maher, 2000). I came to the realisation that the best way that the team could ensure that the changes needed at DowTech were implemented was the introduction of new behaviours within the company. From the assessment that the team had conducted concerning the best way to implement the changes desired, I found that the best way to conduct this activity would be through ensuring that there were constant training sessions for employees (Nastase, Giuclea, & Bold, 2012). These sessions would educate them on the use of new technology in developing the surgical equipment as was required by new company policy. This training would be conducted on a bi-annual basis, where current 200 employees would be divided into four groups in a training cycle that would be complete within two years. In this way, all employees would have received the training necessary to ensure that they were willing to take on the changes needed to make the company a success. Furthermore, I realised that change was a procedure, which would go a long way in affecting the activities of the company, and this would be in such a way as to determining the manner through which it was managed in order to achieve both its long-term and short-term objectives (Arce, 2006). The result was that I took active steps to ensure that there would be minimal resistance from employees, especially those who had got used to the old system. I did this through the introduction of a weekly seminar to enlighten the employees of the company about the advantages of the changes that were being implemented and how these changes would be beneficial for them. The steps that the team took under my leadership proved to be successful because not only was the team able to ensure a smooth transition within the company, but also ensured the complete cooperation of employees. Leadership in a Multicultural Environment My time at DowTech was one of the most interesting in my work experience because for the first time, I worked in a truly multicultural environment. This experience was facilitated through my being posted to the company’s subsidiary in Saudi Arabia for a year. It was during this period that, after watching the way that DowTech’s rivals, some that had subsidiaries in the Middle East, managed themselves that I came to realise that ‘the era of globalisation has come about so fast that many companies have a hard time in keeping pace with the sudden expansion of their markets (Smith, 2007). I found it essential for managers to get to learn about the management history of the countries where they wanted to set up operations because this was the only way through which they could be able to operate successfully in new market environments. Such a study would ensure that the managers had the necessary knowledge to help them to navigate the new environment in such a way that they could not only attain the loyalty of local employees, but also motivate them to increase their output. From my position as a human resources manager, I realised that even in management, there is the need for cultural relativism, especially during that time when DowTech was operating on a global scale and interacting with diverse cultures. I found cultural relativism to be important because it propagates the idea that cultural values are relative to the specific culture within which a business is operating and this ensures that there is a need for the company involved in an area dominated by a certain culture to adapt to its values in order to survive the market. I found that as a leader, observing cultural relativism was important in ensuring that I had a better understanding of the best way to interact with employees within the new environment and helped me attain their support in circumstances where previous managers had not been successful (Palmer, 2009). I came to realise that my seeking to understand the local business culture was inspired by the unique practices that were common in Saudi Arabia but not in my home country. This, I believe, has come about because of globalisation in such a way that companies are increasingly operating in regions that practice cultures different from their own to such an extent that they have to learn local business cultures to ensure that their businesses thrive in the new environment. The critical study of the methods of Saudi Arabian business management ensured that I have to make an analysis of the local management practices. My experiences in Saudi Arabia, as a result of my understanding of the local culture, was to ensure that I developed a human resources team that was capable of taking on this new environment in such a way that made DowTech’s operations a success. In order to achieve this success, I chose to recruit mostly local individuals who were knowledgeable with the different circumstances in the Saudi market because in this way, I could always have constant advice concerning the best way to manage the employees to ensure their high productivity (Hood, 2003). However, despite learning about the local culture, I also chose to include some aspects of western business practices that were constructive such as the provision of bonuses for those employees who had done outstanding work; motivating other employees to do the same. One of the reasons why I chose to ensure that I understood local work and business culture was to ensure that I did not take away the autonomy that makes employees innovative. This is because through the innovation of employees, DowTech would end up benefiting because it would lead to a situation where there was an increase in production at low cost (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2011). It is my belief that a study of management history from a multicultural perspective would reveal to managers that in the highly competitive economy that exists today, it would be disastrous for them to adopt a management practice that might end up taking away the autonomy of their employees because this would decrease innovation among the latter. My realisation that the Saudi Arabian market had attracted a significant number of rivals came about through local members of my team who stated that innovation is one of the most fundamental aspects in the Saudi Arabian market because it gave a company an advantage over its competitors. This is the reason why I chose to create a human resources model where DowTech Saudi Arabia would end up being highly dependent on the creation of new and efficient products to put in the market so that it could better be able to remain competitive. Therefore, my ability to take the time to learn the local culture helped me to not only get a better perspective of the ways that the Saudi business environment worked. It also allowed me to build a team that would ensure employees were kept constantly motivated while at the same time achieving job satisfaction; hence being of benefit to the company. Team Empowerment I believe that it is essential for a leader to ensure that the team that he or she leads is empowered to take actions that are necessary for the achievement of its goals. Teams that are not empowered often rely on the leader to make all decisions and this creates a situation where it becomes difficult for the team to function without the leader being present (Davison & Martinsons, 2002). Such a situation was one that I have had to deal with as a team leader from time to time. When I was first appointed to lead a team, I felt that the only way through which it could achieve success was through ensuring that I had absolute control and this in such a way that I made all the decisions. I did not realise that my actions were detrimental for the team’s activities because instead of all members working independently on the tasks that they had been assigned, they often had to seek my blessing before undertaking any aspect of the tasks given. The result tended to be that my team was often one of the slowest in dealing with projects. At the same time, team members were often demoralised because they felt that I did not give them too many opportunities to work as they saw fit. As a result, I came to realise that it was my responsibility as a leader to lead the team by example and this was through ensuring that I displayed those essential ethical values to ensure that I had the team’s respect. I realised that when team members saw that I was willing to show honesty and commitment to the tasks that we had been given, they would more likely than not be willing to ensure that they worked harder to achieve our goals. Through my being honest with them at all times, my team came to be confident in my integrity and this ensured that when the time came for tough decisions to be made, they gave my their full support in the tasks that had been assigned to us. This discovery allowed me to ensure that all the members of my team were treated fairly while at the same time allowing me to share all information concerning the tasks that I had been given to ensure that they worked towards making possible an environment where they were willing to do their best (Caldwell, Hayes, Bernal, & Karri, 2008). I found that withholding information from the team resulted in the loss of confidence in my leadership to such an extent that there was a possibility of the group falling into leadership crisis. A leadership crisis creates a situation where individual team members end up seeking to undertake tasks on their own leading to the destruction of group cohesion because of lack of leadership. I have strived to ensure that some members of the team are not favoured over others because of the realisation that unequal treatment brings about a situation where there are unnecessary rivalries within the team, which tend to distract the team’s performance and productivity when it comes to projects. Moreover, I have come to realise that I have to ensure that members of my team are empowered to such an extent that they feel safe in the work environment. This is to ensure they have a strong sense of empowerment that will allow them to perform better than in one where the team is not empowered by the leader (Avey, Palanski, & Walumbwa, 2011). I have found that leadership that empowers team members enables these individuals to have the freedom necessary to be open and honest with me about the different problems that might arise and interfere with their activities. The empowerment of the team allows for an environment to be developed where there are no negative consequences if members of the team openly express their ideas and opinions in such a way that it allows for the development of diverse perspectives about the best way to handle different situations. It is a fact that if the team feels comfortable in its environment, it is likely to perform better than in a situation where a leader has not been able to create a comfortable environment. A comfortable environment is one where the team leader encourages improvements in how team members work in such a way that it is beneficial for the organisation for which they work (Toor & Ofori, 2009). Pursuing a type of leadership that empowers team members provides a team with the means to become innovative to such an extent that the coordination of the team members is better than where the leader makes all the decisions himself. The empowerment of team members has become a basic tenet of my leadership style and it has ensured that most of the tasks that are assigned the team are done in a swift and efficient way; thus saving time and money. Conclusion My perception of leadership has come to change over time, and this has mainly been because of my experiences in different circumstances. I have come to realise that it is essential for a leader to retain some control over his team while at the same time ensuring that he empowers the members to make the decisions that they feel would be best for the team. The empowerment of team members is an essential part of ensuring success and this is the reason why I have developed the view that a team should be a collaborative effort where I do not have to make all decisions on my own but rather ensure that all members have given their input. Listening to the team can be extremely helpful in the decision making process because it not only facilitates the development of a better understanding of the matters at hand, but it also allows for innovative ideas being brought forward by team members. In addition, working in a multicultural setting has also provided me with the much needed experience to realise that as a leader, I should not live in a vacuum and should instead strive to ensure that I learn as much as possible about any environment in which I work; especially a multicultural one. Furthermore, I have found that being able to lead in a multicultural environment will enable me to function on a global scale, where I can interact with people of different cultures to achieve my leadership objectives. In addition, my experience has allowed me to come to the realisation that I have to make a careful study of the work environment around me to ensure that I know the best way to motivate the members of my team to be more productive. Moreover, a study of the work environment as well as working within a multicultural setting has been most helpful for me as a leader, especially when working in an environment of crisis, because it has equipped me with the ability to navigate my team through such crisis. I have therefore found that working with a team that is empowered as well as being able to lead in a multicultural environment is necessary in ensuring the successful execution of my leadership in achieving assigned goals; bringing about a situation where I am able to help in the growth of the company for which I work. References Arce, D. G. (2006). Taking corporate culture seriously: Group effects in the trust game.  Southern Economic Journal, 73(1), 27-36. Avey, J. B., Palanski, M. 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