Multigenerational Leadership: Partnering for the Leading Edge - Research Proposal Example

Multigenerational Leadership: Partnering for the Leading Edge Insert Insert Insert 28 September PurposeGood leadership is essential in any kind of an organizational setup. However, if a company can adapt a multigenerational leadership, then it would have increased its chances of success. According to Goldsmith et al. (2006), multigenerational leadership is a form of leadership in which individuals are lead using different frames of references or ideological differences. This paper explores the topic of multigenerational form of leadership.

The audience of the paper would be business managers operation in different capacities and different industries. Business managers should care about this topic because it is related to their role in their respective departments.According to Bourne (2009), it is necessary to address the perceptions of different individuals in a company. This can only be done through understanding the characteristics of a multidisciplinary team. The topic of multidisciplinary team reveals some of the characteristics that influence its leadership.

Therefore, it is very relevant especially for the type of audience that has been identified for this paper. Currently, majority of the managers cannot be able to distinguish multi-disciplinary leadership and other form of leaderships. Moreover, majority of the managers are not aware of adjustments that they should do on their leadership styles when they encounter a multigenerational team. After reading this paper, the managers would have knowledge about these two concepts thus they would be able to improve their leadership when they encounter multigenerational teams.

IntroductionThe purpose of this paper would be to improve the leadership style of business leaders of different industries. Leaders controls all the decisions made in a company. This makes them to be very crucial to the company they work in making the success of the organization to be always associated with them. However, majority of the leaders in various organizations are currently facing the challenge of handling multigenerational teams. According to Martin & Tulgan (2003), multigenerational teams find it difficult to enhance innovation, productivity, and shared learning.

Therefore, managers need to understand them well when designing their management strategies. The major reason why this study is necessary is that it would make the audience to understand multigenerational teams much better. As a result, they would have the ability to adjust their management strategies whenever they encounter a multigenerational team.Literature reviewSeveral scholars have studied the issue of multigenerational leadership in companies. Watson (2010) found out that the workforce of various organizations consists of individuals of different generations.

This makes organizations in different industries to be facing the issue of managing multigenerational teams. Stanley (2010) revealed that each generation in a workforce has its set of values, views on authority, attitude toward work, communication style, and expectations. This makes each of the generations to have different capabilities. Ballone (2007) indicates that existence of multidisciplinary workforces makes an organization to encounter unique challenges in its business environment. These challenges require the leadership of the company to design new strategic approaches for this kind of a workforce.

Moreover, Cekada (2012) shows that the differences experienced in a multigenerational workforce can hinder collaboration, communication, and personal development among workers. As a result, business leaders find it difficult to manage multigenerational teams arising in the work force.Other scholars have studied on measures that organizations are making to enhance the effectiveness of their multigenerational teams. Cotter (2012) investigated the communication barrier that might exist among a multigenerational team.

He found out that organizations have been employing technology to improve communication in their multigenerational teams. Buahene & Kovary (2003) explored the similarities and differences found between different generational groups in a workforce. The scholars found out that different generational groups in a workforce differ significantly from one another. Scanlan (2009) on the other hand reveals that for a company to get competitive success in the current global economy, it requires to leverage knowledge, skills, and abilities of its every employee.

This can only be achieved through an effective multigenerational leadership strategy. ReferencesBallone, C. (2007). Consulting Your Clients to Leverage the Multi-Generational Workforce. Retrieved from: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jpc/vol2iss1/ballone/JPCVol2Iss1_Ballone.pdf. On 27 September 2012.Bourne, B. B. (2009). Phenomenological Study of Response to Organizational Change: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Ltd.Buahene, A. K., & Kovary, G. (2003). The Road to Performance Success: Understanding and Managing Generational Divide.

Retrieved from: http://www.ngenperformance.com/pdf/white/ManagingGenDivide.Overview.pdf. On 27 September 2012.Cekada, T. L. (2012). Training a Multigenerational Workforce: Understanding Key Needs & Learning Styles. Retrieved from: http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/pastissues/057/03/040_044_F1Cekada_0312.pdf. On 27 September 2012.Cotter, H. A. (2012). Virtual Collaboration: Investigating the Use of Virtual World Conferencing on Multi-Generational Teams in the Workplace. Retrieved from: http://web02.gonzaga.edu/comltheses/proquestftp/Cotter_gonzaga_0736M_10184.pdf. On 27 September 2012.

Goldsmith, M. (2003). Global Leadership: The Next Generation. Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Ltd.Martin, C. A., & Tulgan, B. (2006). Managing the Generation Mix: From Urgency to Opportunity. Amherst, MA: HRD Press.Scanlan, K. (2009). The Multigenerational Workforce: Opportunity for Competitive Success. Retrieved from: http://www.shrm.org/research/articles/articles/documents/09-0027_rq_march_2009_final_no%20ad.pdf. On 27 September 2012.Stanley, D. (2010). Multigenerational Workforce Issues and Their Implications for Leadership in Nursing.

Retrieved from: http://www.sph.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/1879464/Multigenerational-workforce-issues.pdf. On 27 September 2012.Watson, H. L. (2010). The Multigenerational Workforce: Strategies for Managing Four Generations. Retrieved from: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/3209/fulltext.pdf. On 27 September 2012.