Test Of Leadership - Essay Example

Test Of Leadership Introduction: With the questionnaire result out, it was a 50-50 mix of leader-supervisor responsibility. The composite of both authorities, in my opinion, is advantageous because an individual can benefit from both personality traits. However, the test of character is always when we are encountered with some problem or obstruction. Hence in the present work, we will discuss the ability of a leader-supervisor in resolving a conflict and as of how the strengths of both the personalities apply to the situations ignoring which potential conflicts within the organization can crop up. Conflicts at workplace are generated mainly because of miscommunication or simply the lack of it. The leader-supervisor in an ideal situation works toward maintaining good and healthy communication between him/her and the rest of the staff in every permutation or combination possible. By ensuring that employees exchange opinions and work-related problems, a good leader-supervisor is always in the driving seat to make excellent workgroup. Communication is a two-way process, the fastest traveling communication is the informal type (gossips and rumors) which gives employees certain background information of a particular area of interest. But authenticating an informal communication is a serious issue and sometimes leads to direct conflicts (if rumors are diverging). A leader-supervisor has the strength and authority to clear the differences that arise in workforce in a rational way. But too much of interference of a leader-supervisor in resolving a conflict between employees is also not advisable. Hence the leader-supervisor can keep a moral check on the people and should only take action if there is harm to organization’s image and moral values. It would be best if the employees resolve conflicts themselves and with little cues from management. Another potential conflict generator is the uneven distribution of work and the related remunerations. The leader-supervisor has to use his/her authority in this scenario to divide the work according to the skill type and with the employee’s consent and motivation level in mind. A leader-supervisor has many different roles (e.g., organizer, leader, evaluator, director, planner, developer, and resource manager). Leader-Supervisor’s position allows him/her to combine the talents of employees under leadership-supervision to accomplish the objectives of the organization. This employee-supervisor relationship helps to meet two of the most significant challenges – to accomplish the task effectively and efficiently, and to provide fulfilling work experiences that develop employee capabilities and potential. No one else in the organization can offer employees what a supervisor can – a valuable perspective on their abilities and job performance. A leader-supervisor is in the best position to observe work behavior, know what tasks need to be done, know how well an employee performs tasks, identify when an employee is underutilized and expand his or her responsibilities, and know how a particular job or employee fits into the larger organization. A good leader-supervisor knows that the best way to resolve the conflict is to get the two parties together in a professionally stable environment and initiate a mutually open communication between the two (even if the conflict is between employees and management or even supervisor him/herself). It involves selecting a location where everyone feels comfortable and at ease and creating an atmosphere that allows the issues to be addressed openly and honestly during a time convenient for all and no one is feeling pressured. The opening statements should let others know that the leader-supervisor is ready and willing to approach conflict in a team-like attitude that focuses on positive results. Talking face to face (with leader-supervisor) about the conflict removes any misunderstanding present previously. The leader-supervisor has to take a stand against any informal (and sometimes not authentic) communication that can lead to the polarity of perceptions within the organization, which is an inherent ability (a vision for that matter) of a leader-supervisor to foresee any future conflict. When the conflict in the workplace goes unchecked and is prolonged, it can be professionally disabling to all affected individuals and the organization. Productivity is lost and employees eventually may develop serious physical and emotional strains. The workplace is robbed of growth as people fail to develop and produce to their fullest potential. Conflict is a hidden, and high cost to employers. Its cost is hidden in salary budgets in the form of wasted, non-productive time. It is hidden in recruiting budgets in the form of unnecessary turnover. It is hidden in the consequences of poor decisions. Hence, the impacts of conflicts are in form of unaccountable damage to the organization. There is a saying that “prevention is better than cure”, which holds equally (if not largely) true in case of conflict resolution. As a leader-supervisor, try to understand what happened with past conflicts and avoid repeating the same mistakes over. For example, it would be an optimistic and a positive step is taken if the leader-supervisor analyses the structure of workforce and then come up with steps and rules of working that are first of all productive (i.e. do not come in way of organization’s aims and objectives). Secondly, such rules make the working environment free from any potential conflict (by dividing the responsibilities equally among the employees and by making the individual work clearly defined). A leader-supervisor should, at any point of time, be able to control the situation by experience and the knowledge of the variables that govern human as well as organizational behavior. A mix match of leadership and supervisory responsibility can sometimes be insulating towards overall workforce performance. This trait can in some case lead to conflicts because the leader-cum-supervisor (due to personal indulgence in work) has less time to overlook the workforce. From the viewpoint of a leader, be concerned about meeting other people’s needs besides your own & recognize the fact that in an organization, everyone needs each other to resolve the conflict. Hence, a leader-supervisor mix authority should ensure beforehand that the responsibilities are adequately designated and the most deserving employees should get equally responsible work. This hierarchy of division of work will keep the workforce happy (as everyone gets the work that he/she can do with utmost professionalism and motivation). The mixed style of leader and supervisor should also ensure periodic meeting and interaction among the individuals to discuss future goals and the achievements in retrospect. This will ensure a humane understanding between the employees and the management. The equal combination of a leader and supervisor can benefit from the positive personality traits of both by keeping a set aim for the future as well as maintaining a supervisory eye on the progress of work. In the concluding part, we can assert that a leader-supervisor mix works toward identifying common goals of the employees and makes sure that they are occupied in completing those goals rather than falling in for conflicts. By ensuring the above-said points a leader-supervisor mix excels at resolving conflicts with no compromise on his/her own professional performance and he/she also ensures that sufficient workspace is provided to every individual to achieve optimum performance. Read More