Transformational Style of Leadership - Coursework Example

Name: Topic: Institution: Date of submission: Instructor Leadership Leadership can be defined as the process through which a person impacts on others to attain a particular objective and directs the organization in a coherent and cohesive manner. As a Leader, I would use the transformational leadership model to implement these process by leveraging on my skills and knowledge on leadership. Transformational leadership can be described as a leadership approach that stimulates change in people and social systems (Beck, 2004). This type of leadership creates positive and valuable change among the followers with the aim of growing followers into leaders. By using Transformational leadership, I would not only improve morale and motivation, but also performance of staff at the pharmacy by utilizing various mechanisms. These mechanism include linking the identity of the employees with the mission and the combined identity of the business; challenging staff to be responsible for their work; acting as a role model to fellow employees so as to inspire them, and understanding the strong and weak points of each employee so that tasks can be optimized for them. Transformational style of leadership, mainly encompasses the ability of the leader to incentivize followers so as to be able to rise beyond their own personal goals (Kippenberger, 2002). Transformational style of leadership is perceived to stem from the personal values that one holds. In this approach to leadership, leaders are inclined to go beyond the common transactional form leadership and are largely characterized as visionary, articulate and are capable of instilling confidence in individuals. Therefore, transformational leaders are able to motivate and enable followers surpass their usual performance and objectives (Winkler, 2010). Transformational leaders achieve this by changing the values, beliefs and attitude of the followers. They tend to encourage their colleagues and workforce to contribute creatively in the workplace through the use of positive motivation (Bass, 1998). The full range of transformational leadership theory involves four elements which include charisma, inspirational motivation, individual consideration, and intellectual stimulation. Charisma As a Transformational leader, I would motivate staff to surpass the set performance standard, and to also put the interest of the business before anything else. In order to attain this, the employees must identify the value that their leader hold, and the vision of the organization. This is however directly dependent on the leaders’ show of concern to the workers. Thus, transformational leadership would help to bring positive change the business by showing employees the importance of change (Aswathappa, 2005). Inspiration motivation Transformational leadership is largely inspirational. Inspirational leaders motivate workers to go beyond their self-interest. Inspiration relies on the ability of the leader to communicate and clarify the vision to the staff and motivate them. Workers at the pharmacy must at all times work toward achieving the vision. One of the most unique characteristics of transformational leadership is its ability to provide purpose and meaning for responsibility, goals, ideals, and objects to the followers. The use of slogans and symbols would be useful in simplifying complex messages to the staff. If the staff at the pharmacy are inspired, they would be willing to commit their time and effort in carrying out their duties, would be optimistic about the future, would be encouraged, and they would have a firm belief in their abilities (Hillestad & Berkowitz, 2013). Individual Consideration Individual considerations tend to relate interpersonal skills. As a Leader, I would show concern to the employees’ development through delegating duties that provide the employees opportunities to grow (Kippenberger, 2002). Leaders who are considerate can easily identify the needs of individuals and know what motivates them. On the other hand, empathy and insight would ensure that all the individual goals and organizational goals are achieved simultaneously. Intellectual Stimulation Intellectual stimulation can be described as the extent to which the leader challenges the norms. Solicits followers’ thoughts and takes risks (Kondalkar, 2010). By exhibiting this leadership style, I would encourage and stimulate creativity among the employees. I would cultivate and develop individuals who reason independently. Unprecedented or unexpected situations would be perceived as a learning opportunity. The staff at the pharmacy would be encouraged to inquire about various aspects of their task, and contemplate on the best formula to tackle issues. Teams Teamwork in a business setting is a vital aspect of ensuring efficiency in the completion of projects and tasks (Secord & Secord, 2003). . One employee is not capable of undertaking all the responsibilities of a business. Each employee has a certain set of skills which they can contribute collectively in a team to ensure the realization of the business objectives. As the person in charge at the pharmacy, I would employ Tuckman’s group development model in the development of a team environment in the pharmacy. This model entails five phases that ensure the growth of a team that can handle challenges, find solutions, tackle problems, plan work and achieve results (Midura & Glover, 2005). These stages include; forming, storming, performing and adjourning. Forming The initial stages of building a team is forming. At this stage, the behavior of individuals is determined by their desire to be accepted by others, and avoidance of conflict or controversy (Wong, Radel, & Ramsaran-Fowdar, 2011). People are focused on the routines such as team organization with regard to the assignment of roles while serious feelings and issues are avoided. At this stage, individuals form impressions and gather information about each other, and about the nature of the task at hand and how to approach it. The teams meets and learns about the challenges and opportunities, sets goals and objective, and begins to tackle the tasks (Lee, D., 2012). This stage is vital because enables the team members to know each other, make new friends, and exchange some personal information. Storming. The next stage is storming. This stage is characterized by conflict and competition in terms of personal and task function dimension. Conflict may occur due to the personal relations of the team members as they attempt to organize for tasks. Individuals have to be flexible and considerate with regard to their attitudes, feelings and beliefs in order to fit within the group’s organization (Winkler, 2010). As a result of fearing failure or exposure, individuals will have an increased desire of commitment and structural clarification. Conflict may arise as the group contemplates on their roles, what the reward system will entail, what will be the rules, and what will be the criteria for evaluation. These issues reflect conflict over structure, leadership, power, and authority. At this stage, some group members may choose to remain silent due to the discomfort generated by these conflicts, while others will try dominate. For team to move forward, the members have to overcome the testing and providing mentality and focus on a problem solving mentality (Winkler, 2010). The ability of individuals to listen would be key in helping the group. Norming. The norming stage is characterized by cohesion. The group members are engaged in community building and maintenance, active acknowledgment of all members and solving of issues pertaining to the team. Members are willing to accommodate the ideas and contributions made by other individuals within the group. When members of the team start to identify and know each other, the level of trust in terms of their personal relations lead to the development of group cohesion. During this stage of group development, individuals are relieved because they have been able to resolve personal conflicts, and they have a sense of group belonging (Shonk, 1992).  Performing When the group reaches this stage, their range, capacity and depth of their personal relations to expand and become truly interdependent. At this stage, members can work in a total unit with equal facility, in subgroups, or independently. Their roles and responsibilities adapt dynamically in order to accommodate changing individual and group needs. By now, the group is most productive since group no longer needs any approval and members are self-assuring. At the performing stage, the morale, loyalty and unity is very intense. Optimal solutions stem from genuine problem solving, thus leading to optimum group development (Shonk, 1992). The general goal or objective of this stage is productivity through work and problem solving. Adjourning The final stage in Tuckman’s group development model is adjourning. It entails the detachment and termination task behaviors and relationships. When the conclusion is planned, members get a chance to say personal goodbyes. If the dissolution of the group was unplanned, the process can be stressful for the members. The dissolution of the group is degenerating movement involving control and inclusion to the team. The termination and disengaging process can be aided by effective interventions (Slack, & Parent, 2006). . Implementing change Organizational change is a strategic effort that aims to improve the capacity of business to get work done and serve its customers better. This change is centered on individuals. Real change occurs at the pharmacy when the staff recognize that the new process, methodology or technology allows them to be more efficient, productive or able to satisfy the customer needs. Successful implementation of change in the business can only be achieved if the employees involved in the change program comprehend and have confidence in its value. In order to properly implement a change in the pharmacy an understanding of Kurt lewin model of change is required. This theory explains the relevant stages of change in three dimensions. According to this model, change is a journey and not just a simple step. The process of change is complex and may lead to confusion or misunderstanding before people get used to the new program (Kippenberger, 2002). By employing Kurts Lewin’s theory of change, I would be able to induce creativity amongst the employees at the pharmacy. The theory comprises of three main stages of unfreeze, change, and freezing. Unfreeze This is the stage where individuals are transitioned from a state of being unready to a level where they are willing and ready to make the first step. The unfreezing stage is conceivably the most important stage to get right since it is about getting prepared to change. It involves understanding that change is essential, and it prepares one to get primed to move away from the present comfort zone. This stage is about creating an ideal situation in that is accommodative to change. Change (Transition) Transition is the inner journey or movement that individuals make in reaction to a change. This stage occurs as people make the necessary changes. People are ‘unfrozen’ and moved to a new way of being. This stage is usually the hardest since people are fearful or unsure. It becomes hard for individuals as they try to adopt and learn about the changes. Therefore, it is imperative that employees are accorded enough time to get settled. At this stage, support in the form coaching, training and expecting general mistakes as part of the change process (Sadler, 2003). Allowing staff to develop their own solutions and use of role models also helps to make the changes. Constant communication is really useful as it gives a clear picture of the preferred change to the employees. Moreover, it is beneficial to individuals as it keeps them on track in term of achieving their own goals. Freezing (refreezing) The third stage in implementing change at the pharmacy is the freezing stage. People are moved from the state of being in transition and taken to a productive and stable state. This stage is usually about establishing stability once the changes are made. The changes are accepted and they become the new standard. Individuals in the organization form new relationships and develop routines they are comfortable with. Although this model of implementing change might be considered as relatively static, it provides better environmental organization and greater stability to the business. Motivation Motivation is an important aspect of improving employee productivity. Proper understanding of how motivation is related to job satisfaction and reward system is critical in the implementation of the entire process. In order to properly motivate josh, a deeper comprehension of Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory is required. This theory is the most appropriate option in this scenario because it focuses on the sources of motivation that are most relevant to the accomplishment of work. Certain factors such as chatting with female customers at the pharmacy result in job satisfaction for josh, but the absence of such a factor would not lead to dissatisfaction, but to no satisfaction. Moreover, accepting the personality of josh will further make him feel valued at the workplace. According to this theory, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are as a result of two different factors: motivating factors and hygiene factors. The motivating factors are also known as satisfiers while the hygiene factors are also known as the disatisfiers. The satisfiers include achievement, responsibility, recognition, advancement, and growth. On the other hand, the disatisfiers include the working conditions, supervision, company policy, interpersonal relations, status, salary, personal life, and security. The hygiene factors comprise of the psychological, love and safety needs derived from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These are factors that are not directly connected to the job but are connected to the job environment. For instance, the fact that the pharmacy requires josh to be available during weekends and the routine of assisting with the management of stock and the dispensary of scripts does not motivate him. These factors are considered as hygiene factors since they required in the maintenance of relative satisfaction and they can also be a source of dissatisfaction. Therefore, it is imperative to utilize the hygiene factors at the pharmacy as a starting point for motivating josh. The motivating factors entail the job itself. These factors are the psychological need for growth and recognition. The presence of these factors immensely increase the levels of motivation thus resulting in good performance of the job. The motivating factors include recognition, achievement, advancement, the possibility of personal growth, the work itself, and responsibility. On the other hand, when these factors are absent, it is not highly dissatisfying. In the josh’s case, the best way to motivate him would be through the optimal combination of both hygiene and motivating factors so as to satisfy him and get the best out of him. In order to further eliminate josh’s job dissatisfaction and increase his motivation, the obstructive pharmacy policies would be fixed and he would be provided with effective support and non-intrusive supervision. By fostering a culture that encourages respect and the dignity of all team members at the pharmacy, josh would feel like a valued and important member of the workforce. Since he often finds the managing stock routines boring, building a job status that provides meaningful work for all positions would help in addressing this issue. Ultimately, it is important for job dissatisfaction to be eliminated by addressing the abovementioned issues before the staff are motivated Marketing A marketing plan for the pharmacy would be geared toward offering high quality products that are competitively priced compared to our competitors. The main of the plan would to give customers a reason to buy the pharmaceutical products from the pharmacy. The marketing plan would outline the game plan for success that the business intends to follow. The plan is important in establishing how the pharmacy will combine pricing, product, distribution and promotion create offering that will be attractive to customers (Hillestad & Berkowitz, 2013). It would also help in the control, refinement and implementation of these decisions. A tactical plan that deals with specific market segments and development of marketing programs that would satisfy customer needs, would be established. The development of a marketing plan for the pharmacy would involve internal analysis that would entail information on the firm’s performance and current strategy, as well as the current and future accessibility of resources. Competitive intelligence would involve analyzing the vulnerabilities, capabilities, and intentions of the competitors. The next step in the development of a marketing plan would involve an analysis of the economic, legal, political, cultural and technological events and trends that would affect the future of the business and its marketing affects. The marketing plan would be centered on the development of competitive advantage. The pharmacy would come up with a promotion campaign that would enable the business have a competitive an edge over its competitors with regard to serving the needs of the customers and in mutually satisfying shareholders. Therefore, the plan would be vital in setting the tone and the strategic focus of whole marketing program. The development of the marketing plan would also entail the application of marketing strategic decisions. These decisions would involve decisions regarding market segmentation and target markets. In terms of market segmentation, the total market would be divided into smaller markets that are relatively homogeneous and share similar wants, needs and characteristics. In terms of target markets, one or more segments of business target would be identified so as to focus marketing efforts on it. Product positioning within the pharmacy includes the positioning of the product that offering relative to competitor offerings in the minds of the target customers. Pricing decisions are a major element as the price is the first and only component of the marketing mix that results to revenue and profit. Additionally, the pricing is the easiest aspect of the marketing program to change. Also, Pricing is a key component that acts as a quality cue for buyers (Slavkin, 2010). The marketing plan would involve distributional and supply chain decisions. The objective of these decisions would be to get the pharmaceutical products to the right place, at the right time, in the appropriate quantities and at the lowest cost possible. The distribution and supply of the products would be critical for the purpose of distribution cost and product availability. The promotion decisions involve integrated marketing communication, implementation and control. The integrated marketing communication is the coordination of all activates such as media advertising, personal selling and sales promotion, in order to come up with a customer faced message. The marketing plan would then be executed through the marketing process implementation (Slavkin, 2010). Accounting/ Finance Cash flow is vital in in the management of small businesses, especially when it is not easy to obtain credit. During hard economic times, financial service providers may be reluctant to lend money to businesses. In such a case, borrowing also becomes more expensive as interests rates escalate in order to partially offset the risk of borrowers defaulting on their lone payment. Therefore, it is imperative for the pharmacy to control cash by ensuring that sufficient cash is available for investment by not holding up cash in terms unnecessary of stock (Winkler, 2010). Also, procedures would be put in place in order to clear up any outstanding debts. Controlling different levels of cash flows in relation to the business size. Managing cash flow is imperative for both the survival of the business and its future growth. Analyzing cash flow starts with the establishment of a solid base on the current and projects cash requirements of the business. Cash inflows is money that comes to the business mostly through the sale of products while the cash outflows is money that is used to cater for the cost of labour, transport, and rent. The difference between the two is known net cash flow. The net cash flow can either be positive or negative. In case the net cash flow is passive, then the business is able to receive more money than it spends (Slavkin, 2010). A negative cash flow means that the business is receiving less cash than it is spending. In this case, the business may struggle to pay bills and they need to borrow in order to overcome the shortfall. Bibliography Aswathappa, K. (2005). Human resource and personnel management: text and cases. New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill. Bass, B. M., 1998. Transformational leadership : industrial, military, and educational impact. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Beck, R. C. (. C. (2004). Motivation: theories and principles. Upper Saddle River, N.J., Pearson Education. Cohen, W. A. 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