Managing Change through Responsible Leadership - Assignment Example

Title: Leadership Competency in Managing Organizational Change Name Institution Leadership and Change Managing complexity is the biggest challenge most of the managers/leaders face in the contemporary organizations. Back in the ancient times, the role of leading people in an organisation was rather straightforward. Change came as a result of influence and authority and led to development of boundaries of decision making. Apparently, the aim of any other business is to become relatively stable with an orderly system. A research by Lawler (2005) shows that organizations in the current society embrace social and environmental responsibilities as far as their missions are concerned. However, the main issue among others is how do institutions go about effecting these practices fair and square in order to conventionally guide the achievement of organizational goals? Guiding question How businesses can promotes understanding on practices of responsible leadership in developing management competences for the purpose of corporate responsibility? The main focus (issues) here is implanting effective leadership practices into an organization. Basically, the paper is trying to identify management competencies that are required to promote corporate responsibility into organizational practices. Why competency structure/framework during management of change? Often, organizations use proficiency/competency to promote and achieve high performance (Goleman, 2000). Leaders and all those individuals responsible should know that competence entails three main elements. These elements are; a) The skills and capabilities leaders and managers demonstrates during their everyday activities, b) The knowledge and good understanding that guide effective decisions , and c) The kind of values and qualities leaders advocate during their work practices. The three elements describe a comprehensive view of a leader who is able to implement a corporate strategy. The combination of the three would lead to the development of key behaviours that are recommendable for people working in an organization. Corporate responsibility incorporates decision making process, actions as well as behaviours of all individuals in an organization (Wilson, Lenssen and Hind, 2006). This happens at all levels and across all functions within the organization and evidently falling into a theory of leadership and change. Who changes? An organization or an individual? The process of inquiry has two underlying themes; 1) The link between managerial discretion and organizational influence. A research by (Wilson, Lenssen and Hind, 2006) shows that some organizational factors can either inspire or discourage individual leadership actions as well as the behaviours that are perhaps corresponding to the success factors of corporate responsibility. For example, a business may be operating in a new environment defined by factors like prevalent economic conditions, initial stage of business development and complexity in general. Apparently, these factors will influence how leaders address social and environmental issues relating to the business in such kind of an environment. Competency is all that is needed. Also, organizational culture and strategy limits incompetent leaders while embracing broader aspects of collective and environmental responsibilities. Therefore, this issue emerges sluggish corporate climate as well as low performance. In this case, the theme shows that the locus of control is basically from organizations and leaders should learn and develop competencies in order to promote the required behaviours needed to boost effective decisions. 2) How leaders use managerial discretion? A focus beyond leadership culture and individual capabilities (transformational leadership) would describe a transactional leadership style where leader ensures that there is optimal responsibility during daily business practices (Busher, 2006). As a fact, organizational system needs change (transformational leadership) to enhance high performance. However, transactional leadership is important since it implants the necessary skills and knowledge (three elements of competencies) to individuals for effective organizational change (transformational leadership). Therefore, a changed system has to be transacted to achieve good results. As mentioned above, competency in leadership is an issue, then what defines a competent leader who is responsible? The three core elements (skills, knowledge and values) derive the following attributes. A competent leader should; Act with integrity, Care people within the organization and promote ethical behaviour, Be an open minded and managing responsibility outside the institution. Acting with integrity as well as caring of individuals normally emerges as great elements of responsible leadership (Madlock, 2008). It is important to understand that the skills and knowledge needed by the future leaders in any organizations are changing. Normally, low performers organizations are associated with traditional and hard type of leadership skills (Litwin and Stringer, 1968). On the other side, high performers organizations are a subject matter of softer skills and new knowledge which are the current approach to effective leadership. A research by Madlock (2008) shows that 54% of the high performers organizations have developed future leadership talent. This has been achieved through; Development of leadership aspects, for example, emphasizing human resource management practices, Adoption of options to improve performance, for example, outsourcing practices, Globalization- this has led to interchange of leadership programs between the collaborated businesses around the world. Challenges and weaknesses of leadership change 1) Organizations often struggle to determine exactly the right process of appointing a new leader. Although most of the organizations have clear set of required qualifications, to get a leader who demonstrates these functions perhaps may be hard. 2) Even with the organizations with strongest performance, it is hard to identify the next generation of leaders that would form the right corporate culture. The reason being a fast changing technology. For example, in the 21st century office functions can be done anywhere as long as one is equipped with a tablet. How to manage leadership change challenges in the current business environment 1) Leaders and managers needs strategic thinking minds: The results of any strategic activity perhaps may take years to get. The good thing about this is that they are effective and raises business performance with low cost whatsoever. 2) Leaders should measure the correct outcomes of the activities: Change is inevitable. Therefore, changing the position within the organization particularly with the promising candidates definitely influences good performance. Also, employing job-specific skills and evaluation of talents leads to the development of leadership competencies. 3) Organizations should adopt methodical approach in leadership: Leadership competencies are all about skills, knowledge and talent management. This normally varies across different organizations. In this case, validation of business strategy through integration of the right skills across all practices within an organization would strengthen the current culture to promote high results and sustain any undefined movement. Marc and Voltero (2002) found that high performers (leaders in this case); Identify the existing gaps in terms of skills and knowledge and fill them effectively, Invest more in talents by developing them within the organization through customized training programs, They proactive in that they can identify future leaders who can succeed them and plan for robust succession procedures. These are soft leadership skills that define the needs of the contemporary organizational culture and values especially in the complex business environment that would prepare the anticipated volatile organizational climate. Leadership and organizational change According to Gilmore (1988), leadership is all about change. These changes are brought about by; 1. The effect of information technology, specifically the introduction of internet services in the business environment. 2. Raising force plus the intensity in the global market, 3. Increase in complexity due to diverse needs of the customers in the market, 4. Change of social values and the growing concerns in sustaining the current best business practices. The nature of leader’s on organizational change Leaders can be democratic in that they discuss and involve employees on business projects. This allows a centralized decision making process that at the end of the day every other employee is involved in whatever the business is pursuing. Competency level is high and the performance of individuals are always exceptional unless otherwise. Leaders can be autocratic. This means they guide employees by giving orders on what to do as far as change is concerned. Normally, they explain less about practices and actions within the organization. Somehow there is demonstration of competency but at lower concern by this leadership style. Laissez-faire leaders just give instructions to individuals in the organization and perhaps offer limited assistance when their attentions are needed. Basically, competency may be there but not practised in perfection by this kind of a leader. Change therefore will be negative depending on the kind of input from the responsible individuals. Leading and Managing Change Effective leading and managing change depends on the competency of leadership output. These are the specific applications that guides leadership practices in an organization. A competent leader; Scans the environment in order to get a valid and relevant evident of environmental nature, assess the resources available on the best practice and identify the challenges. This would help the leader derive the right decision for change. Focuses on the kind of challenges an organization faces and define the time for addressing them in order to achieve good results. Aligns responsibilities as well as resources with the work practices to achieve desired results, and Inspires groups within the organization to be committed and learn to improve and have innovative minds. The intermediate outcomes of such kind of a leader develops better workplace climate and effective changes in the management system of the organization as far as the main objective is concern. What every leader in an organization must do Every other leader is expected to use the core competencies in their leadership practice to promote a balanced and healthy enterprise environment. This is achieved through a focus on mission operations, business support and change readiness (Wilson Lenssen and Hind, 2006). Mission operations: A competent leader knows the capabilities of the people aligned to work on a corporate mission of the business (Owen and Demb, 2004). For example, when an unfavourable economic condition hits the business, the mission should not change whatsoever. This would be managed by competent leaders by drawing a fundamental mission protection structure to the individuals within the organization. A mission operation is also maintained through constant assessment of stakeholders needs. Mainstreaming the components in the budget to safe costs and increase profitability sustain mission operations as well. Business support: A competent leader would ‘spent money to save money’ (Owen and Demb, 2004). Of course technology advance would offer significant opportunities to raise enterprise’s investment through virtualization, collaborations tools (internet) and advance innovations. Leading an effective budget on the investment on information technology definitely would raise the concern on individuals’ competencies as a key issue in leadership. Change readiness and alertness: Most incompetent leaders do not assess the need for change and when to initialize change. This normally affects the output of individuals working in an organization. However, competent leaders implement fact-based choices, at the right place during the right time. He/she also institutionalize whatever needs to be changed in order to get a centralized approach in working for the change. This will be important since the leader will have joint solutions as well as relevant information pertaining business practices (Owen and Demb, 2004). Generally, the three theories explaining leadership is true depending on the competencies a leader has. A leader can be born or can be made out of a circumstance. Change on the other side is inevitable and a good leader with competence promotes an effective change. Reference Busher, H. (2006). Understanding educational leadership people, power and culture. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Gilmore, T. N. (1988). Making a leadership change: How organizations and leaders can handle transitions successfully. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that Gets results: Harvard Business Review. 77-89. Lawler, J. (2005). The essence of leadership? Existentialism and leadership, Leadership, 1(2), 213-225. Leadership in the Workplace (n.d). leadership in The Workplace. Rtrvd Jan 2014, from http://www.slideshare.net/20019092/leadership-in-the-workplace Litwin, G. H. and Stringer, R. A. (1968). Motivation and Organizational Climate. Boston: Harvard University Press. Madlock, P. E. (2008). The Link Between Leadership Style, Communicator Competence, and Employee Satisfaction, Journal of Business Communication, 24 (1), 61-78. Marc, L. and Voltero, L. (2002). Performance Improvement:Stages Steps and Tools. Chapel Hill. Owen, P. S. and Demb, A. (2004). Change Dynamics and Leadership in Technology Implementation. The Journal of Higher Education, 75 (6), 636-666. Wilson, A., Lenssen, G. and Hind, P. (2006). Leadership qualities and management competencies for corporate responsibility: A Research Report for the European Academy of Business in Society. European Academy of business in Society. Read More