Leadership of Organisation - Case Study Example

Leadership of Organization Degree: Department: Introduction Leadership has always been a popular topic in many training modules and programmes. In fact, many organizations today consult “leadership” experts to tap into their employees’ potentials in leading. In many instances, leadership skills are evaluated as early as job application. Simply leadership is vital to any organization. There are eight (8) popular theories in leadership (changingminds.org, 2002). These are: 1) Great Man Theory; 2) Trait Theory; 3) Behavioural Theory; 4) Participative Theory; 5) Situational Leadership; 6) Contingency Theories; 7) Transactional Leadership; and 8) Transformational Leadership. For the purpose of this paper, two of these theories have been selected. The first is Transformational Leadership. And the other is Situational Leadership. The two theories were selected for the simple reason that they are the most adaptive and arguably the most applicable (McNamara, 2008) in organizational settings of today. In many organizations today, leadership is no longer about power or domination (Burns, 1982). Organizational leaders today put emphasis on relationships. It is about sharing a vision and showing the way on how to attain this vision (Doyle & Smith, 2001). This paper aims to show how Transformational Leadership can create an effective leader of today. At the same time, relating this with Situational Leadership, it will provide very useful points in furthering effectiveness of leaders in organizations. This paper will also explore the various factors that affect leadership effectiveness in organizations. It will outline the prevailing characteristics of leadership today and how they play in the current demands of organizations. At the same time, this paper will also look into probable characteristics of leadership that may have bearing on future demands of ever evolving organizational structures. In the end, this paper will identify an appropriate training design that will put all these elements together to increase effectiveness in organizational leadership. Task 1 Current theories and models of leadership and their applicability to diffrent sub-divisions,organitaions,industries and sectors. Transformational Leadership Relationships are significant in leadership. This is the strong working assumption behind Transformational Leadership. It was James MacGregor Burns who first introduced this theory in 1977. Transformational Leadership builds on the relationship that prevails between leader and follower. In this theory, the motives and values are essentially shared between the two (Fairholm, 2001). It is a dynamic relationship (London, 2008) that includes a lot of open exchange among people. The process behind Transformational Leadership is simple. There are four elements that make up this theory. First is developing a vision. This vision is ultimately the view of the future that attracts interest and provides excitement (changingminds.org, 2002). The second part of this theory is keeping the vision alive. This vision provides the direction. It is always important to stay focused on the path and maintain the level of excitement and interest. Motivation is the most important in this stage. Third is finding ways to move forward (changingminds.org, 2002). The theory is called Transformational Leadership because it is assumed that people are consequently changed in the process of moving forward. In fact, leaders practicing this theory are likened with change agents (Doyle & Smith, 2001). They inspire change. They develop people and create a desire to ultimately lead. An effective Transformational Leader makes pivotal decisions that lead to the unquestionable achievement of organizational goals. Burns’ theory remains one of the most popular models for organizational leadership. It promotes development, teamwork and service (Fairholm, 2001) while being fair to culture, style and value differences. On paper, Transformational Leadership is an ideal theory to base programmes and designs. However this theory is not free from its own limitations. Many argue that since Transformational Leadership focuses on the big picture all the time, leaders have the tendency to neglect details (changingminds.org, 2002). It is in the details that usually problems arise and leaders might not be as equip to address them when they are not properly assessed. Another criticism about this theory is that Transformational Leaders have a tendency to be overly enthusiastic. Usually they are very passionate about their vision that can rub off two different ways. People are driven to enthusiasm and energy they are generally inspired by passionate leaders (Burns, 1982). However, an overly eager leader has a greater tendency to wear people down. It is important to always strike a balance to make this theory work as an advantage rather than a deterrent to progress. Situational Leadership The most popular proponents of Situational Leadership are Kenneth Blanchard and his partner Paul Hershey (Chimaera Consulting Ltd., 1999). The two have released several books individually and collectively in aid of adapting the theory to real life situations. They support the Situational Leadership theory for its simplicity and its direct approach. Situational Leadership adjusts leadership actions (changingminds.org, 2002) in accordance to situations present. And the various leadership styles applied depend on the amount of direction and support (Chimaera Consulting Ltd., 1999). In Situational Leadership, the leader is tasked to adapt to the developmental ability of the follower. Maturity in this theory plays a huge role in determining the roadmap to accomplishing goals. There are four (4) development styles of followers and therefore also four (4) leadership styles can be applied (Chimaera Consulting Ltd., 1999). The first leadership style is Directing. Directing is simply providing the goal and the way it can be attained. This approach is usually when followers are not equipped to do the job. Relationships in this approach are not given priority, merely the accomplishment of tasks (changingmind.org, 2002). The second style is Coaching. This is done when the follower has some competence in accomplishing tasks but not skilled enough to follow through. It is up to the leader to properly manoeuvre the follower to remain in sync with the rest of the team. In this approach there is a stronger connection between the leader and the follower. Supporting is the third leadership style practiced in this theory. It is common among leaders who have competent followers who are not totally committed to the accomplishment of the goal. In this case the leader dwells more on developing the leader-follower relationship so that the follower becomes more interested with the task at hand. The last leadership style is Observing. It is ideally applied to teams that are highly skilled and highly motivated to do the job. The leader in this case stands by and rarely interferes with the flow. The leader has full confidence on the followers but keeps a distant eye just to make sure that everything is working according to plan. Blanchard in his book “The One-Minute Manager” provides a deeper insight to how Situational Leadership works (Blanchard, 1994). There are three elements in Situational Leadership that essentially dictates the level of its effectiveness when applied to real situations. Reminding followers of goals constantly provides better direction. Situational Leaders make sure that all responsibilities are clearly communicated to the team (Blanchard, 1994). Followers always know their plan of action and uncertainties are addressed even before work begins to ensure that goals are accomplished on time. When good work is being done, leaders immediately provide encouragement. Praise is given to tasks accomplished well. On the other hand, when redirection is required, the leader also immediately steps in. And when reprimand is necessary, the leader does not hesitate to level with the follower. Blanchard insists that an open communication is maintained to make Situational Leaders more effective. Goals, praises and even reprimands should be clearly and immediately stated (Blanchard, 1994). With this theory, there is no room for indecision. Details are addressed equally with the ultimate objective. There are three secrets to making Situational Leadership work in accordance to the “One-Minute Manager” (Blanchard, 1992). The first is the Power of Goal-Setting. The right goal is the strongest foundation of good behaviour (Blanchard, 1992). There is nothing more inspiring to know that goals are attainable. It encourages people to act and be more committed. The second is to Catch People Doing Something Right (Blanchard, 1992). Leaders should keep an eye on the team to spot good work. Leaders are not meant to police the followers but instead provide the right motivation to keep the work going. Praise should not be kept for special occasions only. Praise should be given freely and as often as good work is seen. Praise should also be specific to the good work done. It gives affirmation on the capability of the follower. When reprimand is necessary use it to Get People Back on Course. Reprimand should not be discouraging but should make people feel that they can do better. It should ignite the lingering ambers of desire. Describe two current leadership theories, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each.For each theory explain how it might benefit a named organisation as well as how it could be incorparated effectively into the organisation. Transformational Leadership and Situational Leadership Together Transformational Leadership and Situational Leadership both bring very strong attributes to create more effective organizational leaders. The two theories essentially complement each other by bringing to the table ideas that can possibly work well together. Leadership is not an absolute practice. It usually requires the right combination of different styles, approaches and schools to get the right fit for an organization. And at this time when organizations are rapidly changing and cultural changes are very rampant, getting the right skills and attitudes (Grobler, 1996) is very important. The two theories put high importance to relationship between leader and follower, an imperative element to a successful leadership (prnewswire.com, 2006). Leaders should be able to create an inspiring work environment that is equally productive as it is creative. Only leaders who have a solid relationship with their followers can create this environment. And organizations today are the most adaptable to this kind of exchange. Following are ideas that better define the organizational leader of today. Explain how leadership effectiveness is influenced by factors such as efficency, innovation and human resources in an organisation with which you are familiar. What other factors might influence leadership? Provide examples to support your answer. An actual application of an informal leadership training will be applied to an actual organization. However, for confidential reasons the real name of the organization as well as the leader involved will not be given. Instead, from this point on the organization shall be known as Organization L and the leader involved will be named Mr. S. Organization L is a manufacturing company that specializes on fast-moving consumer products. It has been in the business for over 20 years. Although it has thrived in the local market for many years, it is developing a stronger line for the world market. At the helm of its Marketing Division is Mr. S. Mr. S only joined the organization less than five (5) years ago. Under him are people who have been with the organization longer. The first challenge of Mr. S is to gain the confidence of the people he assumes leadership upon. The second challenge of Mr. S is to bring the organization into the world market while maintaining the 20-year-old vision of the organization. Mr. S faces a number of hurdles to overcome. By acquiring the appropriate skills in leadership he can easily accomplish his goals. One tough hurdle for Mr. S is gaining the confidence of the people. As mentioned before many of those he is leading have been with the company longer. These people have been used to ways of accomplishing tasks and achieving goals. Mr. S brings with him new ways and ideas. He needs to sell these ways and ideas to the people. Transformational and Situational Leadership both speak highly of interpersonal relationships between leader and follower. Mr. S can easily apply the theory to win people over. Ever morning Mr. S does the rounds. He develops rapport with people by getting to know them better. He knows each person’s first name, where they come from and their family life. He also shares a little of himself to them whenever he can. While he gains a personal understanding of the people, he learns the right way to approach them. Mr. S promotes open communication. He literally keeps his office door open so that people can readily get to him when they need him. At the same time he makes it a point to conduct regular meetings to ensure that everyone is on track with goals and objectives. As a Marketing person, Mr. S is good with public relations. Not too long he has gained the respect of people and the trust to lead them. Another hurdle that Mr. S has to overcome is to maintain an old vision and carry it through an ever changing and highly demanding new market. He immerses in materials that would familiarize him with the world market. He makes it a point to generate a bigger network. He studies, he learns and he adapts new standards of the world market. Mr. S clearly shapes an organizational strategy based on his new learning and the vision he protects. An implicit part of Situational Leadership is to be able to incorporate various polarized elements and make them work together cohesively (prnewswire.com, 2006). Mr. S by proper assessment of market demands and organizational strengths is able to come up with a feasible plan to achieve their goals. In recent times, through the leadership of Mr. S, Organization L has openly embarked on the world market. Leaders need to take risks. They need to translate their passion into action. Mr. S has done so. Although Organization L has yet to solidify its place in the world market, Mr. S has no doubt it will. He has the organization behind him. He has an inspired group of people to do the work. And he still has a strong vision for the future that provides their direction. Even though Mr. S seems well on his way to success, he continues to learn. He constantly conducts self-assessment to make sure that he is still on track. He builds on his relationships with people. He opens himself to feedback exchange. Mr. S understands that effective leadership is a constant building process that all leaders should be willing to undergo. Task 2 Current and future reqirements Describe four current requirement for leadership. Identify what external factors have an impact on each requirement. Consider likley future leadership requirements.Describe three requirements and explain why such needs are likley to arise within an organisation. Requirements on Organizational Leaders Today The view of leadership has changed along with the demands of the market on organizations today. Leaders are no longer viewed as autocratic figures that impose ideas and rule on power and domination (prnewswire.com, 2006). The new leaders today are engineered to inspire, motivate and at many instances become hands-on. Although the requirements of trust, purposefulness, enthusiasm and confidence (White, 2008) remain constant, other characteristics are becoming more necessary. A recent study shows a decline in business acumen among organizational leaders (Gilmore, 2008). This is quite disconcerting as business acumen is an imperative part of organizational leadership. In fact one of the growing characteristics of a leader that is sought after today is the knowledge of the person about the business. It is not enough for a leader to inspire or develop a vision, it is important that the leader has a deep understanding of how this vision plays into the business as a whole (Broadbent & Kitzis, 2004). The leader should be able to translate vision into reality by merging the vision with the business. An effective leader should be able to convincingly sell an idea, a vision. Only confidence in business acumen can translate (Mowday, 1979) to an effective organizational leadership. The growing diversification of organizations compels leaders to acquire skills to promote change and cohesion among people (prnewswire.com, 2006) that is acceptable among a diversified group. Skills in communication should be honed and constantly improved. Leaders today should be more aware of cultural differences and work around them. Organizations deal with different cultures as well for business partners and clients. It is imperative that their leaders are able to handle these situations well. Organizational representation today has become more of a universal task. Leaders must be equipped to represent they organizations well. Another growing requirement from organizational leaders today is the ability to weave a business strategy (Broadbent & Kitzis, 2004) that is highly adaptive to an ever-evolving global market. Organizations today have to be competitive both in the local and world markets. With the emergence of Information Technology, leaders need to have a broader view of their market. Even Small and Medium Enterprises require their leaders to raise standards to suit the global market. It is all the more important that leaders inspire and motivate their followers as demands on productive becomes greater because of the world market. Task 3 - Propose a detailed programme for leadership development within your own organisation or one with which you are familiar.Explain each step of your programme with appropiate reasons for your choice. Programme Designed for Leadership Today An effective leader is always expected to know how own actions affect others. He is a visionary (Burns, 1982) with the ability to foresee impending challenges along the way of progress and prepare for them. At the same time the leader should be able to build and maintain productive relationships. It is not only important that he sets directions but should also be provide inspiration while moving towards these directions. There are several ways to develop such leaders. Leadership development and training can either be informal or formal, and other-directed or self-directed, or a combination of different styles. However the important thing to note is that the programme should be well suited for the person tapped to lead. Informal training is usually self-initiated. The leader takes time out to study leadership through own readings, self-assessment and modelling. Formal training on the other hand is usually others-directed. Leaders attend workshops, seminars and work with experts to gain a more rounded view of leadership. This paper will propose an informal leadership development programme that is most suited using the theories of Transformational Leadership and Situational Leadership. An informal leadership development programme is most ideal in this situation as the elements of both theories delve on self-assessment, coaching and modelling. Essentially an effective leader is one that projects a sense of control and command not only of the entire group but of him as well. In fact the best leaders are those who are capable of managing their own learning to suit the demands of the situation. The demands of business today prevent leaders from being away from their organizations at long periods of time that a formal training would require. An informal training is more ideal since leaders continue to be in the loop of the organization while brushing up on the right skills and attitudes. At the same time an informal training will allow immediate modelling with people and the organization. Bibliography Blanchard, K. (1994). The one-minute manager. Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. Blanchard, K. (1992). Three secrets of the one-minute manager. Retrieved on May 10, 2008 from http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/old/12268852.htm Broadbent, M. & Kitzis, E. (2004). The new CIO leader: Setting the agenda and delivering results. 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Retrieved on May 10, 2008 from http://www.scottlondon.com/review/burns.html McNamara, C. (2008). Overview of leadership in organization. Retrieved on May 10, 2008 from http://www.managementhelp.org/ldrship.htm Mowday, R. (1979). Leadership characteristics, self-confidence, and methods of upward influence in organizational decision situation. Academy of Management Journal. 22 (4) 709-725 prnewswire.com (2006). Transformational leaders for the new millennium demand. Retrieved on May 10, 2008 from http//www.prnewswire.com/cquibin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&story=/www/story/11-27-2006/0004480149&EDATE= White, B. (2008). Seven personal characteristics of a good leader. Retrieved on May 10, 2008 from http://ezinearticles.com/?seven-personal-characteristics-of-a-good-leader&id=59305 Read More