Leadership Research and Implications for the Effective Management of People and Outcomes - Assignment Example

Leadership Research and Implications for the Effective Management of People and Outcomes Course Tutor Date Introduction Leadership is all about aligning the people with organisational vision and mission through inspirational communication. While this may not be the only definition for leadership, existing online (Forbes, 2014) and physical forums have come up with an endless list of terms that have become synonymous with this crucial term. Most of these definitions are actually affiliated with leader’s expected behaviours which are mainly; sense of direction and vision, vigour in aligning employees to achieve the company’s goals, the urge to motivate and inspire employees and finally a bid to overcome organisational challenges through strategic approaches that are agreeable with the work groups. While a leader may be confused with a manager, these two are separable in that managers are only concerned with the profit making essence of an organisation or what is commonly referred to as the bottom line effect. In order to understand the implications of leadership on effective management of people and desirable outcomes, researches (Bass and Bass, 2009; Benjamin and O'Reilly, 2011; Lambert et al., 2012; Mujtaba et al., 2013) have been set up. The concepts and finding of various authors have been found to be worthy for development of effective leadership skills and capabilities especially when it comes to people motivation and achievement of organisational set of goals. This study therefore looks into various literatures related to leadership and the impacts that they pose on motivation of people in a bid to achieve organisational outcomes. These outcomes may be partly profit oriented and partly people oriented but they majorly include high employee retention, engagement and productivity. Leadership Research and Implications for the Effective Management of People and Outcomes Leadership Development Research has resulted to establishment of extensive theories that are bent towards gaining a better understanding of leadership foundation (Fiedler, 1967; Stogdill, 1948). Leadership has been found to lean towards certain physical traits, behaviours and qualities across different cultures. It has always been cited by various organisations that leadership is significant for the sake of organisational growth (Benjamin & O'Reilly, 2011). Leadership development is an important study that is meant to prove the hell bent belief that leaders are born (Bernard, 1926) otherwise. In their research Benjamin and O'Reilly (2011) investigate challenges faced by MBA graduates in their early year careers as a way of substantiating the transitional nature of leadership. These researchers identify some of the most basic challenges that leaders are faced by during their early years and how experience curves them into better leaders. The fact that leadership traits can be attained through continuous learning is a consolation to contemporary leaders who seek knowledge in existing literature. According to Bandura (2001), social cognitive theory on which self-characterisation and subsequent attainment of quality functioning for purposes of gaining one’s personal life pursuits is based, has proven trait development as a learning process. Based on this understanding, the research by Benjamin and O'Reilly (2011) is a very important guide to upcoming leaders. Established studies have indicated that 70% of world leadership is established through development – an estimate that is worth recounting to modern leaders who have lost hope. Outstanding performances have been attributed to coaching, experience and practice which have resulted to leadership development. It is however evident that in order for leadership to develop effectively a person, special attention needs to be paid in the early years of a person’s career. Mostovicz (2009) echoes the sentiments of Benjamin and O'Reilly (2011) in upholding the debate that leadership is actually as a result of development. In support of this study, Mostovicz concludes that the ‘great man’ naturally possesses the basic skills that allow him to perform his mandates as a leader. However, when it comes to developmental leadership, it is argued that the existentialist phenomenology creates awareness of the present through past experiences. MacDonald (2000) argues that human existence is based on the possibility ideology and anticipation for the future as a basis for behavioural evolution. The developmental school of thought maintains that some of the leadership qualities that are identified are naturally distinct and therefore, academic endeavours are worth pursuing if the dynamic leadership theory is to go by. According to Benjamin and O'Reilly (2011) inasmuch as adopting a managerial mind-set in upcoming leaders may be a challenging task, it is indeed achievable through a well-designed curriculum that aims at addressing the specific day to day operational encounters. Transformational Leadership Relationship-oriented (Ohio State Studies) and task-oriented (University of Michigan Studies) leadership has also been studied closely as part of leadership improvement approach. It has summarily been examined the extent to which relationships and tasks may affect leadership meritoriously with arising reviews indicating that the impacts of these orientations are based on the satisfaction of the subordinate parties. More details on relationship-orientated leadership are documented by Bass and Bass (2009) who champion for superior leadership performance based on elevating and broadening the interests of the employees. Through illustrative case studies, the researchers (Molero et al., 2007: Bass & Bass, 2009) have shown that leadership styles are important for the success of organisations. Transformational leadership has been described as a style in which the employees are made to understand that the purposes and interests of a team are far much important than self-interest if only success is to be achieved. Leaders are expected to exhibit charismatic behaviour in order to meet the emotional needs of the employees who in return do their best to perform. Contrary to the traits exhibited by transactional leaderships, transformational leadership aims at gaining power and influence through excitement and inspiration of employees that efforts may be necessary to achieve required goals. Figure 1: Relationship between leadership training and performance. It has been found that employees usually want to identify with charismatic leaders who are also known to be relationship-oriented. Intellectual simulation also said to promote intelligence and rationality for amicable problem solving. This coupled together with individualised consideration gives a coaching aspect of leadership a boost in order to attain the best results. Kelloway and Barling (2000), in a research to establish the lessons that can be learned from transformational leadership, they gave affirmations that this kind of leadership results into effective employee commitment to work. This form of leadership brings a sense of fairness and trust in leader thereby enhancing the outcomes. It has also been established by Bass and Bass (2009) that there is indeed a big payoff from managers who behave in a transformational manner. Organisations perform well financially with a better retention, engagement and productivity as compared to areas where transactional leaders are deployed. It is also established that the transactional essence of leadership requires a lot of efforts due to its passive nature and only intervene when the expectations are not being met. The fit: consideration and psychological needs From the existing literature, it is evident that leadership traits are achievable through coaching and learning. The consideration and initiating structure has been identified by Ohio State University in a study carried out in 1960s. Consideration is a term used to refer to the humanness in a person i.e. by being approachable and warm to the subordinates. Structural initiation on the other side calls for clarification of task responsibilities. Leader behaviours were found to be predictive based on the contingency and situational theories which are very stringent when it comes to initiating the actions. Situational leadership (Fiedler, 1967) contained in the contingency list of theories was also found to be important in establishing the modern leadership theories. The Ohio State University dimensions for example have been very helpful in establishing the satisfaction levels against a leader’s performance, unit performance and motivation levels of employees was shown to be very vital in the development of leadership (Lambert, Carr, Holt, & Barelka, 2012). Justifiable findings have been made regarding the consideration and initiating structure’s effectiveness. Leaders can now apply this theory without overlooking the social essence of leadership through implicit maximization of the available literature. As part of this theory other studies have indicated that leadership behaviour fits followers. Thus the situational factors are believed to have prominent impact on the kind of outcomes that are expected. In explaining the path-goal theory House (1996) utilised the leader’s behaviour as independent variable; a clarification that an organisation’s performance is dependent on the leadership skills of a leader. In his research, house highlighted the four kinds of behaviour expected of a leader such as the directive path of a leader’s behaviour, a supportive leader’s, participative and achievement oriented behaviour. Having these four behaviours or traits was found to have a major impact on the subordinate’s needs and eventual task delivery. For example directive path goal behaviour was found to have ambiguous perceptions on employees, a fact that affected the successful performance. In cases where leaders were supportive, it was noted that self confidence went high, frustration and stress was alleviated and eventually, performance was increased (House & Mitchell, 1974). Figure 2: Path-Goal Leadership Theory (MSG Experts, 2014) Task and Relationship Orientation Relationship and task oriented leadership behaviour has been found to be a proactive form of leadership. These forms of behaviours exhibit an organisation’s performance based on the performance of subordinates. Unlike the great men theory individuals taking up on this form of leadership are likely to learn new things which do not appear in their lineage’s natural traits (Brown, 2003). In a study to establish the “Task and relationship orientation of Chinese students and managers in the automotive industry”, Mujtaba et al., (2013) set up a structured study based on 181 graduate students and 200 working managers. The background on which this case was based is China where it is believed that due to a higher population, the Chinese managers are likely to be highly relationship oriented other than task oriented. This study was also aimed at discovering the effects of leadership research on the future managers. Technological changes that have been faced by the world in creating a competitive edge in day to day lives have triggered leaders’ attention to context and other communication modes. The relational aspect of leadership has emerged as the best form in terms of the experience that is imparted to employees in making them more efficient. The mutual cultural accommodation is attributed to the Confucianism concept which has greatly impacted on leader’s morals. The remarkable economic growth of China has attributed to a need to have a Confucian harmony which requires leaders to treat their subordinates as fellow family members. In another study carried out by Mujtaba et al. (2010), it was established that the competitive world requires leaders who understand people’s behaviours in order to realize the best in terms of production. Task oriented leadership is mention on a negative light since it produces workaholics who cannot be distracted even by humanity themselves. Therefore it is important for leaders to learn that they have to establish relationships before they forge ahead to attain organisational goals. While relationship oriented leadership has been closely associated with subordinate satisfaction, task oriented leadership has always been connected to group performance. In comparison to students, the experienced managers were found to score higher in both task and relationship oriented leadership; a fact that is attributed to experience or continuous learning experience. High context culture i.e. multicultural background has found to be committed to competition, success and achievement. It is concluded that Confucius principles have positive implications on leadership owing to development and cognitive nature of human beings (Mujtaba, Cai, Lian, & Ping, 2013). Conclusion The developmental aspect of leadership is very important for upcoming and existing managers and leaders. The tagline which goes ‘leaders are born’ can be authoritatively challenged from the developmental perspective as humans learn on a continuous basis. The performance aspect of leadership is widely mentioned in this literature with a praise being put on the transformational leadership as compared to transactional leadership. Likewise, relationship oriented leadership is matched against task oriented leadership to show how effective a good working relationship may affect organisational performance. References Bandura, A. (2001). Social Cognitive Theory: An Agentic Perspective. Annual Review Psychology , 1-26. Bass, B. M., & Bass, R. (2009). 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What we have learned about developing transformational leaders. Leadership and Orgnisation Development Journal , 21 (7), 355-362. Lambert, L. S., Carr, J. C., Holt, D. T., & Barelka, A. J. (2012). Forgotten but Not Gone: An Examination of Fit Between Leader Consideration and Initiating Structure Needed and Received. Journal of Applied Psychology , 97 (5), 913-930. MacDonald, P. S. (2000). The Existential Reader. Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh. Molero, F., Cuadrado, I., Navas, M., & Morales, J. F. (2007). Relations and Effects of Transformational Leadership: A Comparative Analysis with Traditional Leadership Styles. The Spanish Journal of Psychology , 358-368. Mostovicz, E. (2009). A Dynamic Theory of Leadership Development. Leadership & Organization Development Journal , 563-576. MSG Experts. (2014). House’s Path Goal Theory. Retrieved April 15, 2014, from Management Study Guide: http://managementstudyguide.com/houses-path-goal-theory.htm Mujtaba, B. 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