Leadership and Leadership Development - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Leadership and Leadership Development Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Table of Content Title : Leadership and Leadership Development 1 Introduction 3 Factors involved in leadership 4 Leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry 5 Business Skills 6 Barriers to effective leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry 7 Leadership theories that can apply in Hospitality Industry 8 Application of theories in Hospitality industry 11 Effective leadership in the hospitality industry 13 Leadership development in the hospitality industry 14 Leadership Selection 15 Leadership training 15 Leadership mentoring 16 A career development policy 16 Conclusion 17 Chen, J. & Silverthorne, C. (2010). Participation and Empowerment: Leadership & Organization Development Journal. Vol: 29 Issue: 7. 20 Introduction 2 Factors involved in leadership 3 Leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry 3 Business Skills 5 Barriers to effective leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry 5 Leadership theories that can apply in Hospitality Industry 6 Application of theories in Hospitality industry 9 Effective leadership in the hospitality industry 11 Leadership development in the hospitality industry 13 Leadership Selection 13 Leadership training 13 Leadership mentoring 14 A career development policy 14 Conclusion 15 Introduction Leadership is the process of socially influencing people towards the achievement of a common goal or task. Basically, it is the art of motivating people top act towards a certain goal. A leader is therefore a person who has the personality and the skills required in influencing others to follow his or her direction. The factors of leadership include the followers, communication and the situation. Leadership development is another concept of leadership that refers to any activity that is done to enhance the quality of leadership in an individual or within an organization. For the development of an organization, leadership development involves strategic investment in, and maximum utilization of human capital in the organization’s activities. However, there is a difference between leader development and leadership development. Leader development therefore focuses on the personal attributes of a leader, developing them in the desired way and also changing his manner of thinking. On the other hand, leadership development focuses on developing the entire process of leadership. This involves aspects such as interpersonal relationships, team dynamics and processes of social influence. All this is done in the context of the organizational goals and processes. This paper looks at various leadership concepts in the hospitality industry (Lawson 2009). Factors involved in leadership The followers are the people who are under the influence of the leader. The success of one’s leadership is determined by the followers and not the leader himself. For one to be successful, he must be able to convince the followers. The other factor of leadership is communication. One leads through a two way communication. This may be non verbal where the leader sets an example without asking people to do things the way one wants. Communication plays an important role in building up the relationship between the leader and the followers. The other factor of leadership is situation. Leadership applies in a situation and the leadership style also differs with the situation. The leader must therefore use his judgement to decide the best leadership style to apply in a certain situation. For example some situations may involve the employees conduct and the leader must therefore decide how to act in such a situation. The situation may also have an impact on the leader’s action more than his character trait. This is because some situation may call for an action that is different from the usual traits of the leader. Leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry High quality leaders have been considered a critical requirement for the long term well being of the hospitality industry. The recent economic change has led to increased value for the hospitality industry since the hotels offering accommodation have become something of luxury to the travellers during their businesses missions. Therefore, leadership of such facilities is very important for the purpose of attracting more customers to the facility. Competition in the hospitality industry is also on increase since all the facilities are working towards gaining the most customers. It is therefore very essential for the managers within the hospitality industry to have the best qualities of leadership to ensure that the facility withstands the competition. Competition has therefore posed a great challenge in the hospitality industry and this can be solved with proper leadership development (Saratoga Institute, American Management Association, 1998). The required leadership skills in the hospitality industry are similar to those required in other successful business industries. This requires both the skills of the people and of business for an effective hospitality industry manager. People skills include fair interaction among the employees, maintaining respect, having ability to solve problems and proper customer relations. According to Crow, Matthews, & McCleary (2006), for a leader to be respected by the followers, he must have the leadership traits that the followers will perceive as a good leader. However, for good leaders to achieve the cooperation and respect of the employees, he or she must create an enjoyable working environment. The main importance of proper leadership qualities in the managers of the hospitality industry is to achieve a mutual respect in the working environment which is very critical for the success of business. Problem solving is the most important skill that is required in management of hospitality industry employees. This is because most of the problems that arise in this industry are between the employees and not with the industry equipments. It is therefore important for the manager to be able to identify the cause of the conflicts and bring the parties together. Business Skills Business skills in the hospitality industry include ability to use the computer technology, the procedures for book keeping and having a business sense. These are the most important business skills that are required when leading in the hospitality industry. Computer technology carries most of the tasks in leadership since most of them are computerized such as communication, reservations and also book keeping. Accuracy is highly recommended in book keeping. Irregularities in the financial records of the business may land the manager in jail. Business sense is the ability to understand all the concepts of business in the area of hospitality. This involves the policies and procedures followed when doing such business (Palmisano 2008). Barriers to effective leadership and leadership development in hospitality industry There are various challenges in the hospitality industry that act as barriers to leadership and leadership development. One of the barriers to leadership development in the hospitality industry is lack of a leadership development program. Most of the corporations lack an effective leadership development in the world. The few who have are the best corporations in the world such as the military. Leadership development therefore becomes a problem in the hospitality industry because they have not devised one effective program (Tanke 2000). Another barrier to leadership development is lack of leadership development courses in the universities. The few universities that offer this training base their focus on general business field and are not specific on the hospitality industry. There is therefore no basic course on leadership development in the hospitality industry. Since there is no proper curriculum for this training, the methods used in leadership development are usually faulty. The most obvious barrier to leadership development in the hospitality industry is ignorance. Ignorance comes because most people do not see the value of leadership development and they assume that people seek leadership for the sake of respect and recognition. Other people also fear taking up the leadership roles because they do not want to face the challenges associated with it. Others do not believe in themselves and think that they cannot manage to take up leadership roles. It is therefore important for people to end their ignorant feelings to succeed in leadership. There are so many leadership opportunities in the hospitality industry where people can develop themselves and their leadership skills (Hannum, Martineau, & Reinelt 2007). Leadership theories that can apply in Hospitality Industry There are various leadership theories that may be of great relevance in the hospitality industry. Most of these theories focus on common aspects of leadership such as leadership as a relationship, a combination of personal traits, or leadership as a combination of certain behaviours. These include: i. Trait Theory Leadership trait theory is the notion that people are born with certain character traits and since these traits are associated with skilful leadership, it is assumed if these people can be identified through these traits, then one would be identifying leaders or potential leaders. These traits are mostly considered to be part of the individual’s natural personality that is acquired since birth. From this point, leadership traits theory therefore tends to assume that people are born as leaders and others are not. Identification of a character trait that makes up a leader in an individual is very valuable since the followers will look at that trait and will be attracted to the leader bearing that trait (Gill, 2006). Generally, this theory is based on the assumptions that people are born with inherited traits, some of the inherited traits are suitable for leadership and that people who make good leaders have the best combination of traits. Scholars take some of these traits as physiological, demographic, socioeconomic background, personality and task related characteristics. ii. Contingency theories Contingency theories of leadership are based on the notion that there is no effective way to lead a corporation, or to make decisions concerning a corporation. Instead, the most favourable course of action is contingent/dependent on both the external and internal factors. That is, on the underlying situation. The contingent theories therefore focus on the factors related to the environment of that particular situation to see which leadership style best fits the situation. Success of this leadership depends on various factors such as the leadership style, the qualities of the followers, and the aspects in that particular situation. Contingent theory is closely similar to the situational theory apart from that situational theory focuses on the behaviours that a leader should take up depending on the type of situation under which he is leading, whereas the contingent theory makes a broader focus which includes the dependent factors about the capability of the leader and other variables within the situation (Saari 2001). iii. Behavioural Theories Behavioural theories are based on the notion that great leaders are made and are not born. This theory is founded on the concept of behaviourism and hence focuses on the actions of the leaders and not their mental qualities. This theory therefore believes that one can learn how to become an effective leader, and not necessarily born as a leader. The behavioural theories do not look at the ability of an individual to do something, or his inborn traits; instead, it looks at what the person is capable of doing. Therefore if the success of leadership is based on one’s visible actions, then any one can learn on how to act in a similar manner. The concept of learning how to be a leader therefore opens way to leadership development which implies instilling the factors required for one to be an effective leader (Northouse 2009). iv. Participative Theories This theory suggests that the most effective style of leadership is the one that considers the input of other people. These are the type of leaders who encourage others to participate and contribute either as a group or individuals. Such a leader helps the members to feel their relevance in the organization especially when involved in decision making. This also increases the commitment of other members. This type of leadership is very important for marinating proper relationship between the employer and the employees (Chen & Silverthorne 2010). v. Management Theories Management theories, also known as transactional theories focus on managerial roles of supervision, organization and group performance. This theory bases leadership on a system of rewards and punishments. These theories are mainly used in businesses where employees get wards for their success and punishment for their failure. In organization, the mangers base their judgment on the already laid system of administration, union and team performance (Winkler 2009). vi. Relationship theories Relationship theories, also known as transformational theories, consider the relationship between the leaders and the followers. The transformational leaders motivate and encourage their followers by helping members of various groups realise the importance and high value of the task they are doing. The focus of these leaders is mainly on the performance of the members of the group but at the same time they assist individuals to achieve everyone’s potential. Such leaders usually maintain higher ethical and moral standards (Barrett, & Sutcliffe, 2003). Application of theories in Hospitality industry All the above theories can be applied in the hospitality industry to facilitate proper relationship between the employees and the manager. Trait theory can be applied by the board of directors in selecting the various leaders to head different departments in the hotel. This is where the directors can look for personality traits that can best fit the work to be done. Contingent theory can be used by the manager to decide the best course of action depending on both the external and internal environmental factors. The manger has to analyse the factors related to his tasks and make a decision on how to act (Dalakoura 2010). Behavioural theories can be applied in leadership development where individuals are helped to adapt certain behaviours that will be applied in leading a certain group of people. This is based on the notion that leaders are made, and not born. The hospitality industry can make its own leaders depending on the prevailing conditions and the job requirements. Such a leader can be from among the employees (Lussier & Achua 2009). Participative theories can be applied in involving the employees in decision making activities in the industry. According to Chemers, (2001), this can motivate the employees since they will feel part of the organization and will also take the responsibility of finding ways of dealing with various situations in the organization. Relationship theories can also be applied in motivating the employees since the manager will develop relationships that promote cooperation with the employees. In the hospitality industry, all things are done to make the customers comfortable in the hotel facilities. Therefore, to achieve this comfort, the manager and the employees have to work closely for the sake of customer’s comfort (Black 2009). The most effective theory is the managerial theory that focuses on supervision, organization and group performance. These are the main managerial duties and it is important for the manager to handle them with all the intelligence. The manager should ensure that in his supervisory duties, he maintains a good relationship with the employees and that he is not oppressive. An oppressive supervisor may demoralise the employees and this may affect their overall performance. The manager should also be able to properly organize all the employees so that they can work as a close team. He should enable the employees to work closely with each other and also close with their manager. All these aspects are very important in the hospitality industry especially with the current increased demand for the hospitality facilities in the world (Walker, Miller & McBee, 2009). Effective leadership in the hospitality industry The most important aspect to be considered in for the effective leadership performance of the hospitality industry is the nature of the relationship between the manager and his subordinates. This is dependent on the type of leadership process that is involved, the leadership style that the leader chooses, and the managerial behaviour that is involved. According to Tosi, Mero, & Rizzo (2000), a good hospitality manager must maintain solid character traits, proper leadership skills and also maintain good management ethics. A good hospitality leader’s temperament involves various indicators. Self control is one of the leadership indicators that are considered in hospitality industry. Self control indicates the ability of a leader to control themselves when dealing with other employees. The other one is to have a sense of value which is indicated by the respect for the intangible and also an upright spiritual life of the person. A strong drive is also another very important factor. The leader must also poses sensitivity where he or she must be sensitive to self as well as other people. This is very important for managerial success. Self awareness is also a factor for a leader who does not concentrate more on recognition for self contribution but for organization contribution. Ability of the leader to motivate the followers is also another very important aspect. This is because apart from setting the examples, the employees must be motivated so that they may agree to follow the example that is set (Wagen, & Davies, 2001). Motivation in the workplace is very important for the success of the leader. The leader may poses the specific behaviour required for leadership but may be unable to set the right environment that may motivate people to follow his direction. The right environment is where the people want to feel involved and this may increase their commitment towards their duties in the organization. Another factor that may motivate the employees is what Maslow referred to in his theory of hierarchy of needs. His theory states that some needs are very basic to an individual and they can be met through working. However, some people have more advanced needs that the leader can develop an environment that will satisfy them (Woods & King 2006). Therefore the leader must be able to motivate his followers so that they can adopt his directions. The nature of work that is involved in the hospitality industry may sometimes de-motivate the employees is they are not well motivate. The working environment in the hospitality industry is characterised by a lot of interactions with the customers who may of varied nature (Pizam 2009). Some of these customers may be intimidating to the employees and they may feel demoralized. It is therefore the role of the manager to apply his or her leadership skills in helping such employees to have back their morale. This requires a lot of intelligence since the manager must maintain the employee in the organization and at the same time please the customer. The manager must therefore have strong personality to achieve this (Ryan 2007). Leadership development in the hospitality industry To enable the leaders that have been selected in the hospitality industry face the leadership challenges in this industry, leadership development is very vital. This process starts by leadership selection where the board of directors under behavioural theory of making leaders, they choose the person whom they think can fit the leadership role, this is then followed by leadership training, leadership mentoring and a career development policy. Leadership Selection This is the process of selecting the people to fill certain positions. In the hospitality industry, this can be done internally or externally. Internal selection is where a person who is currently working in the organization is promoted to fill the team leader position. This person may be given the chance on short term basis without facing competition from other candidates for the position. External selection is where applications are invited from people outside the organization. They may be people entering the hospitality industry for the first time or those working for another organization within the hospitality industry. Those in charge of recruitment will therefore look for leadership traits among the applicants Siguaw & Smith, 2010). Leadership training After the leader has been selected, training is important so as to change their supervisory attitude. According to Russell (2003), training helps in instilling management aspects into the selected leader. During training, the leaders are encourage to think more on a broad category of customers, to think more commercially, and also their leadership roles in various departments and units through developing high performance teams. Leadership training is very important in the hospitality industry due to the varied nature of customers who required various types of attendants. These attendants require efficient leadership to help them in their interactions with the customers (Russell 2005). Leadership mentoring Most of the hospitality managers who are selected through the internal selection learn of their leadership skills from those leading them. They may learn on how to lead like a particular manager or not to lead like him depending on the success of that particular manager. Sheldon (2010) states that it is therefore important for a manager to recognize his role in developing and mentoring his subordinates since this will have an impact on their future leadership skills. Mentoring involves taking a personal responsibility of developing another person’s leadership skills. It involves one’s understanding of being an example an example to other young managers since they will benefit from observing his leadership skills (Woods & King 2002). A career development policy Most of the companies that think forward especially those in the competitive hospitality industry work hard in ensuring that they have an existing policy that will give the employees an opportunity to develop their career within that organization (Patton & McMahon 2006). This policy helps the employees to believe that their future careers are based on that organization. This therefore motivates the employees and they get empowered to realise their potential within the existing posts and they may give enough attention to career development. Such a policy will also result in creation of leaders from among the organization (Sindell & Hoang 2001). Conclusion The current business trends in the hospitality industry are calling for improved leadership to meet the rising demands of the customers. This can be achieved by developing leaders in the aspect of hospitality instilling the most relevant concepts related to that field of work. There are many theories that can be applied when developing leaders in hospitality industry. These can be applied by the board of directors as they make choices of leaders in various departments within the hospitality facilities. Generally, with the challenging working environment in the hospitality industry, it is necessary to have leaders who can keep the other employees motivated to work. Bibliography Palmisano, D. (2008). On leadership: essential principles for success. New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc. Lussier, R. & Achua, C. (2009). Leadership: Theory, Application, & Skill Development. New York: Cengage Learning. Northouse, P. (2009). Leadership: Theory and Practice. London: SAGE. Crow, G. 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