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Summary
This report discusses the different programs of developing leadership skills in employees in Qatar with special interest in Qatar Water Electricity Corporation. The report focuses on the various programs and how they are applied. In addition, the criteria of choosing the most appropriate candidates to be trained in leadership skills together with ways through which the company can facilitate will also be discussed.
Moreover, there are employees who work for QEWC whose leadership skills have not been recognized hence the organization does not give them a chance to improve their skills. With regard to this issue, the report presents ways of identifying the employees who should be trained in leadership skills.
The research will be conducted through primary and secondary methods. Primary methods include conducting interviews for QEWC workers to get their views on training in leadership skills. The secondary methods of research include getting information from books, websites, articles and newspapers.
Definition of a Leader
A leader can be defined as a person who motivates people or employees in a bid to ensure that they direct their efforts towards achievement of a common goal. Good leadership emanates from ideas but the ideas must be passed on to the relevant people in an engaging manner . In other words, leaders inspire the rest of the team members and give directions on what should be done.
The term leadership is at times used interchangeably with management making reference to the management system of a company to be its leadership or managers as the leaders of teams involved in management .
Types of Leaders
Autocratic Leaders
Autocratic leaders possess most of the powers and authority to make decisions. The employees are never consulted when decisions are being made neither are they given a chance to make their contribution.
They are expected to comply with orders given without asking any questions. Since a motivating environment is important for the employees, this is created by coming up with a system of punishments and rewards. Autocratic leadership faces a lot of criticism since organizations which practice it are associated with high rates of employee absenteeism as compared with other organizations.
Bureaucratic Leaders
In bureaucratic style of leadership, the leader adheres to strict policies and procedures to run the organization. If anything is not in the laid down procedures, the leaders consult those who are above them. Such leaders are comparable to police officers since their work is to enforce rules.
This type of leadership can be used when the employees are involved in performing repetitive tasks. It can also be used when there is need for the employees to understand certain procedures or when they handle dangerous machines that make it necessary for operation procedures to be given repeatedly (Kippenberger, 2002).
Charismatic Leaders
This type of leadership is very close to transformational leadership since charismatic leaders imbue the team members with enthusiasm and powerfully influence the team to move forward. However, charismatic leaders may believe in themselves more than they believe in the team members.
This poses a risk of slowing down some projects or even collapsing of organizations when the leaders leave. Charismatic leaders have followers who believe that success in the organization is tied to the leaders. They are therefore considered to carry heavy responsibilities which call for great commitment (Sadler, 2000).
Democratic/Participative Leaders
Democratic leaders encourage other members of the team to give their views during decision making although they are the final decision makers. This is advantageous in that it enhances satisfaction of the team members and also helps them improve their skills.
The employees have a feeling of being in control of what goes on in the organization and this increases their motivation. Democratic leadership style may slow down things to allow members to contribute but the results are always worth the effort. Democratic leaders are appropriate in situations that are focused on quality and team participation.
Importance of Leadership
Leadership is important in any organization since it increases efficiency and ensures that the goals of the organization are achieved. The first importance of leadership is that it initiates action in organizations . Leaders begin the work by informing other employees about the policies and plans to be followed. The second importance of leadership is that leaders motivate employees through non-economic and economic means hence increasing the productivity.
The third importance of leadership is that leaders offer guidance to the rest of the employees. Leaders are not only supposed to supervise the subordinates but also offer guidance to them. The fourth importance of leadership in organizations is that leaders increase the morale of other employees hence enhancing efficiency at the workplace (Management study guide, 2008).
Leadership in Qatar Companies
Structure
Leadership is very important for companies that run their businesses in Qatar. There are different leadership structures that Qatar companies adopt but the most common structure is the functional structure (Communication talk, 2007).This is a structure used by companies to organize their leadership on the basis of the demands and the roles of the company.
The different groups and teams in the companies are recognized on the basis of similar functions in the companies. The structure operates in a bottom-up system which means that leadership in the companies is not entitled to a single individual. It comprises of small functional sections such as marketing, human resources, and finance with their leaders.
These small sections are controlled by the overall leaders of the companies to ensure that every department is run effectively. Functional structure of leadership gives the top leaders of companies in Qatar the opportunity to run the companies effectively.
Programs offered
To ensure good leadership in Qatar companies, different programs are offered to enhance the leadership skills of the leaders . Companies in Qatar conduct specialized programs to assist their employees in enhancing their skills of leadership.
The companies endeavor to ensure that their employees have leadership skills that conform to international standards of best practice. Such programs result in long-term plans of improving the leadership capacity of the employees.
The leadership programs offered give employees organizational and personal leadership skills that impact the companies positively. The programs are characterized by universal principles and equip the employees with capabilities that eliminate the need for relying on consultations all the time. The programs address specific problems that face leaders in their attempts to come up with strategies of improving work performance in the companies .
Structure of School Leadership in Qatar
Research has shown that school leaders in Qatar often find themselves in difficult situations due to the pressure that is associated with running the schools. As a result, schools in Qatar have adopted leadership strategies such as increasing the tasks of non-teaching staff and distributing leadership in a clear manner. Most schools in Qatar consist of governing bodies which are comprised of the parents, the community, local authorities, trust governors and staff.
The senior leadership of the schools includes the head teacher, deputy head teacher, assistant head teacher and business managers of the schools. In some schools, there might be more than one deputy and assistant head teachers . The leadership is also comprised of a middle leadership structure with departmental leaders who are accountable to members of the senior leadership.
Programs
There are different leadership programs for schools in Qatar that are designed to meet the leadership needs of all those who hold leadership positions. For example, leadership seminars and workshops are held for school heads to equip them with the knowledge of managing their schools. During the seminars, school heads get the opportunity of sharing leadership experiences with their colleagues and discussing ways of improving leadership in their schools.
Since there are student leaders in the schools, there are also programs that target student leaders. For instance, there are leadership academies in Qatar where student leaders can acquire leadership skills. The leadership offered by students in schools is important since it makes the leadership of senior leaders in the schools effective.
Structure of Community Leadership in Qatar
The structure of community leadership in Qatar is characterized by hereditary dynasties. These dynasties take the form of local governments which are accountable to the federal government. Individuals from ruling families are the occupants of the most senior political positions, information which has been backed research conducted by Northwestern University of Qatar (Qatar Northwestern University, n.d).
The political system manages to preserve some of its formal and informal values while adapting to the social changes and economic changes. In the leadership structure of the community, sheikhs are recognized for their roles of keeping the cultural heritage and functioning as modernizers. Traditional Majlis are also part of the leadership structure through which the local people can gain access to the senior leaders.
Programs
There are different programs in Qatar aimed at enhancing community leadership. The programs are geared towards enhancing a progressive society, promoting cultural life and dealing with the community needs. Some of the programs of fostering community leadership through a progressive society include Doha debate, Qatar career fair and Qatar debate. The ultimate goal of these programs is to produce community leaders who have the capacity to address the various social needs in the community.
Other programs like reach out to Asia and Social Development Center are aimed at producing leaders who can meet the social needs of the community members. In addition, there are programs like Arab and Islamic Heritage Library which train leaders who can preserve the heritage of the country .
Leadership in QEWC
Structure
The company was formed in 1990 and is one of the largest public companies in Qatar. It is mandated with the management of generation of power and stations involved in desalination of water. The structure of the company comprises of a board of directors which has a total of eleven members.
The board is headed by a chairman assisted by the deputy prime minister. The leadership structure of the company is crucial since all parties involved must work together to ensure that the company meets the power needs of the country .
Identifying Leaders at QEWC
As already mentioned, leadership is very important in any company since it is through leadership that the performance can be improved (McConnell, 2003). There is a reasonable number of employees working for QEWC who have demonstrable leadership skills. Identifying employees with leadership skills and ensuring that they realize their full potential is one way through which QEWC can improve its performance.
When a company has a wealth of employees with good leadership skills, it is assured of good performance since they have the capacity of influencing all the other employees of the company . To identify employees with potential leadership skills, the company should conduct an assessment by assigning employees various tasks without revealing to them that they are conducting an assessment.
Such assessments are normally designed to measure particular leadership skills. The employees can also be monitored in their daily activities and through a close monitoring process, it is easy to identify employees with leadership skills.
Training
Once QEWC identifies employees who have good leadership skills, it is important for the company to train the employees in various leadership skills. Leadership is natural but it is enhanced through training since there are particular competencies that good leaders should possess (Hubpages, 2011). The training process enables the employees to realize their full potential since some of them do not even have the knowledge that they can become good leaders (Noe, 2002).
Problems in the Process
The process of identifying and training leaders may be faced with some problems. The first problem that may arise during the process is that not all employees are contended when their colleagues are identified as potential leaders. Some might feel that they also deserve to be leaders despite the fact that they might not be in possession of leadership skills.
Such employees become difficult to deal with since they might lack respect for the new leaders. Another problem is that the process of training leaders may be costly. This implies that the company has to use a lot of money and resources in training the new leaders, something that may affect the financial strength of the company.
People Interested in becoming leaders at QEWC
QEWC has the responsibility of ensuring that employees who are interested in becoming leaders at the company meet certain standards. This implies that the company has to come up with selection criteria to select the best leaders. There are different methods that can be used to select the employees who have the capacity of becoming leaders.
The first method that the company can use is conducting surveys. The surveys involve analyzing the performance record of the employees and identifying those who have demonstrated leadership skills in their work. The second method that can be used to select the leaders is conducting interviews. This is an appropriate method since it identifies the best candidates who perform well in the interviews.
Testing the Employees
In order to identify the best employees to be trained as leaders, the company can use various testing methods. The first method that can be used is administering written tests. Written tests are designed with questions related to leadership that require the candidate’s response. The tests are then marked to identify the employees who score high marks.
The second method that can be used to test the employees is giving them project tasks. Some of the projects require the employees to apply certain leadership skills which can be used to identify the best candidates. In some situations, case studies may also be applicable in testing the candidates to undergo the training programs (Employee Testing, 2003).
Starting the Tests
The time of conducting the tests is also important to the company. They should be conducted during a period when the candidates do not have much pressure since this might affect the credibility of the results. The tests can be administered either during working periods or in seminars.
Sometimes it is advisable to organize seminars that train employees on leadership then administer the tests after the seminars. This gives the employees a good chance of applying the knowledge they gain from the seminars and also ensuring that all the employees are given equal opportunity.
Interview with QEWC Employee
Interviewer: Do you think there are employees working at QEWC who have leadership skills?
Employee: Yes, there are many QEWC employees who have leadership skills.
Interviewer: has the company been doing enough to ensure that such employees realize their leadership potential?
Employee: I think the company has done little to ensure that such employees realize their potential in leadership.
Interviewer: do you think it would be a wise decision for the company to train such employees in leadership?
Employee: Definitely, this would benefit the company.
Interviewer: What is your final comment regarding the leadership QEWC?
Employee: The leadership is not bad but the company needs to invest more in training more leaders.
Results and Interpretation of the Interview
The results of this interview indicate that QEWC employees believe that there are individuals in the company who have the potential of becoming good leaders. However, the company has not given them a chance of realizing their potential in leadership. The employees have a feeling that there is more that the company can do to promote this but little effort has been made.
The interpretation of the results of this interview are that there is need for QEWC to come up with strategies of ensuring that QEWC employees who have the potential of becoming good leaders are trained in leadership skills. This is because there is a clear interpretation that the employees are not fully satisfied with the leadership of the company.
Conclusion
Leadership is very important in organizations since it plays a crucial role in achieving the organizational goals. Without leaders, it would be difficult to achieve the goals of an organization because leaders ensure that employees perform their work effectively. There are different types of leadership styles that may be used in different situations.
However, it is important for organizations to identify the most suitable types of leaders to enhance achievement of the goals. QEWC is an important company in Qatar that is concerned with provision of electricity services hence good leadership is crucial.
Recommendations
QEWC should adopt certain leadership skills to ensure that the company meets its goals in serving the people. It is important for the company to put the interest of the employees first since employees play an important role in the company. This can be achieved by using a leadership style that values employees.
One of the most appropriate leadership styles that the organization can use is democratic leadership style. This style of leadership gives the employees a chance to express their views which makes them feel motivated. QEWC should also increase its programs in order to identify more employees who have the potential of becoming good leaders.
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