Category: Leadership and Management

Leadership has been a crucial aspect amongst humans since early age. Not confined to humankind, Leadership is found in animals, insects and as it goes in a broader sense, it can also be found in plants. Management, on the other hand, is the process that is the cause or the result of leadership. Apposite to the riddle ‘what comes first? Day or night?’, It is a thin line that determine which among leadership and management is the cause and which one is the result, and this differs from case to case. I would like to explore more about leadership and management in this article.

Their essence traced, Leadership and management are abstract in nature, cannot be weighed and touched but can be felt. I will, at the first place, discuss management, which is usually the cause of leadership, simply because of the fact that the leaders just shoulder the process called management. Management, as defined by Kreitner, is “the art of working with and through others to effectively achieve …objectives…”. In general sense and in simple words, management is maintaining an environment whereby subordinates co-ordinate each other to achieve goals/objectives. Management cannot be contained in a definition. It is all pervasive. Should it have not to be a group work, it can be as simple as managing one’s personal chores. Readers of this article are currently the managers, managing eyes to recognize, body posture to sit comfortably, fingers to scroll the pages, and managing all related things to get the work (reading) done.

Management is a natural process. And one among management-types is involuntary management. Involuntary management can be seen in plant and animal species. Involuntary management or autonomous management is just what manages or gets-managed without one’s control. A man eating an apple can be taken as a situation where autonomous management occurs. The man assimilates the apple in the mouth, and from hereon starts the autonomous management. The morsel then moves to the oesophagus. Oesophagus transfers the morsel to the stomach and so on. All organs of the body respond and co-operate each other, naturally. The apple gets completely processed into energy (and waste) without any direct involvement of the man. And this makes involuntary or autonomous management. And personal body management is also a type of management where an animal (including humankind) manages its limbs and parts of the body. And for the body of an animal species, the leader is brain that controls every action, both involuntary and voluntary.

Management is an important feature of almost every group work/activity, ranging from a hangout to a democracy. Management in non-humans ranges from ants-carrying-food-to-their-nest to lions-hunting-their-prey. Whether management is an art or a science is the question we all should know the answer of. The answer is, Management is mainly an art but it is, nonetheless, a science too. As it is an art, management is based on personalized applications, practice and creativity. As a science, management has systematized body of knowledge. It also has principles derived based on experimentation. But management doesn’t have a universal validity (but differs from case to case) as other sciences do.

Leadership, as defined by Harold Koontz and Heinz Weihrich is “ the art or process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically towards the achievement of group goals.” In general and in simple words, leadership is the process of leading a group to achieve group goals. The word leading refers to managing a group. Thus, Leadership is management, and leader is the manager.

What does it take to become a good leader? Ordway Tead puts some characteristics of a successful leader as: physical and nervous energy, enthusiasm, sense of purpose and direction, technical mastery, friendliness and affection, decisiveness. Apart from these qualities, other qualities such as motivation skills are also important in influencing people.

Personal management is important in the present-day life. The corporate realm seeks for the personnel, competent enough to manage themselves and to a good extent influence others. Not just in corporate world, a person with good personal management is always sought-after in the society. Personal management has some jargons such as manners, greeting, posture maintenance which are not new to the so-called civilized world. Personal management includes personal hygiene, care. Personal management is nothing more than leading a good life and following a good way of life.

In this rapidly-developing world , management of personal body and behaviour is indispensable obligation of every person. It is not a skill to manage personal behaviour, but it is a way of life that a person chooses among many other ways of life. At the first, a person needs to adopt the living style, then adapt to the same. And the key step to be a leader is, as discussed, a good personal management. It is heart-rending to mention that, in today’s modern world, a person inculcates good behaviour just to profess so, in the corporate life. A paradigm-shift, from pretence to reality, is all what the world needs today. A good personal management makes a person, adept leader. And these leaders can change the world.

Managing and leading people has been a topic of great interest for many years with scholars. It is often debated how the style of leadership or management can impact the working environment, relationship, and productivity. Management and leadership theories have evolved over the years. Often the notion of leadership and management are discussed as two separate processes. Moreover, various models of leadership and management can contribute to an individual’s leadership style. This assignment will aim to examine the author’s approach to leadership evolved during his career. Throughout the development of this assignment, the theories and models of management and leadership will be briefly explored. A literature review will be undertaken, and models/theories will be used to evaluate practice. Furthermore, the relationship between management and leadership will be analysed and various facets of leadership will be examined. The author will reflect on his leadership and management skills using evidence of personal evaluation and critical analysis.

For the purpose of this assignment, managerial leadership in organisation will be used to analyse the author’s approach to leadership. Emphasis will be placed on the different styles of leadership used and its relevance in modern nursing. A reflective model will be used to guide the author to reflect on the experience of leadership. The model will be applied throughout the development of this assignment. The Gibbs model of reflection (Gibbs 1988) has been chosen. For clarity on the development of this assignment, it will be presented into five sections: introduction, background, literature review, analysis of work context, conclusion/recommendations.

Background

The author works within a large acute NHS trust organisation. Arrowe Park hospital provides a comprehensive range of high-quality acute care services serving a population of about 400,000 people across Wirral, Ellesmere Port, Neston, North Wales and the wider North West footprint (Wirral University Teaching Hospitals, 2018b). The author joined this organisation after qualifying as a registered nurse in 2005. Having secured a job as staff nurse, the author worked on an acute urology ward. Over the years, the author worked in various leadership capacity and managerial roles. As a staff nurse, leadership skills were limited to the team you worked within and how workload was organised. Although there were opportunities to deputised in the absence of the ward manager, it depended mainly on seniority rather that ability to be in charge. From an earlier stage of his career, the author was passionate about career progression and acquiring new skills. The opportunity came in the first eighteen months of his career when the author was successful in securing the post of primary nurse (senior ward nurse). Although there was no financial remuneration, the status of being a primary nurse gave the author the opportunity to oversee the running of the ward . The leadership approach at the time was of a transactional nature as it was task orientated. However, being able to be in charge gave the author the opportunity to explore his leadership qualities. In addition to this new role, being a mentor to student nurses helped the author developed his coaching and mentoring skills. However, despite having some element of leadership skills, the line of sight remained with patient care on the ward. It felt quite isolated not knowing about the organisation’s visions and any plans for service development. There was limited exposure to senior management staffs and it felt like there was very strong hierarchical approach from the organisation. The author’s second career transition was from a staff nurse to a deputy ward manager within the urology ward. This transition was a challenge initially as the author had to detached himself from his peers to be their manager. Being in a managerial role gave more exposure to processes, people management, and organising work load. The lack of leadership skills development and mentoring resulted in the author having to deal with conflict and situations that he had not dealt with before. Learning by experience proved difficult but also helped in discovering the author’s traits and style of preferred leadership style. Staff engagement and support became a key part of the author’s leadership style. After spending two years in the deputy ward manager post, the author was successful in securing the ward manager’s post. This role came with huge responsibilities as it included the running of a ward, responsible for a team of nurses, staff development, financial responsibilities, responsibility for achieving ward key performance indicators, patient care and safety. This role was pivotal in determining the author’s leadership style. Following on from previous traits, knowledge and experience, the author further developed his leadership skills. The author’s own personal values, motives, social role and self-image helped him established an open and honest relationship with staffs but also incorporating a culture of inclusivity to achieve common goals. Also, the use of emotional intelligence was helpful in empowering others in delivering better performance. Values, principle, traits and motives drive our decision as human. Values tend to involve a judgmental base of what is right or wrong and tend to be stable and enduring, though as with personality traits, can change over time.

Currently the author is working as a matron within the trauma and orthopaedics department. This role demands a more strategic view and involves service development but also having a bigger workforce to engage with. In order to deliver on patient care improvement, staffs must be able to share the visions of the organisations and worked towards common goals. Staff engagement and development is vital in achieving these goals, hence a transformational approach is required. Over the course of his career, the author has seen a shift in his management and leadership style. The career progression from staff nurse to matron has exposed the author to various leadership styles. In order to have a successful transition from nurse to manager, the author had to relinquish some of the clinical duties and behaviours.

Analysis

Management and leadership are integral to the running of an organisation. Leadership has been defined in several ways following years of research. The role of the leader is still being explored and different methodologies are used to analyse the qualities of a successful leader. In the past, most research has been based on the determinant of effective leadership rather that the aspects of leadership that contributes to its effectiveness. Yulk (2002) confers that research has mostly evolved around effectiveness of the leader rather than analysing the leadership skills and qualities. The notion of leadership is complex in nature as it cannot only reflects on an individual’s ability to lead but also on an individual’s understanding of leadership. Hughes et al (2006, Part 1) see ‘leadership as a process rather than a position’. It is difficult to have one true definition of leadership due to the vast amount of literature available and the aspects that the role covers. Although, ‘inspirational’ and ‘influential’ are the most used words to describe leadership, the author believes that leadership should be defined in terms of its effectiveness based on traits, power, style and social process. Yulk (2002) defined leadership as a process whereby intentional influence is exerted over a group of people. Similarly, Bernard and Walsh (1995) identify leadership as a process that is ‘used to move a group towards goal setting and goal achievement and can be learned’. On the contrary Rafferty (1993) described leadership as people, who inspire you, and others will follow and trust their integrity. Most definitions differ in the way or purpose that influence is exerted which reflect the disagreement between researchers about leadership and its process. As individuals, everyone manifests a certain degree of leadership in their day to day job. However, to excel in any leadership role, one must understand what leadership is. Arguably, the author believes that leaders should have their own definition of what an effective leadership should be as it is directly related to their leadership style, traits and behaviour. Effectiveness of leadership depends on the leadership style of the leader (Yulk, 2002). Bernard and Walsh (1995) notion of leadership as a process assumes that any person can become a leader if the process is followed. The author disagrees with this notion and believes there are certain personality traits, skill sets and motivations that need to be present in a leader for effective leadership to take place. On reflection, the author’s feels that his paradigm of effective leadership in his field of practice is someone who has a clear vision of goals, is motivational, supportive and is able to identify the strength and weaknesses of his team/followers but also be able to bring out the best out of the team to achieve the desired outcome.

Kotter (1990) cited in Yulk (2002 p6) differentiate leadership and management in terms of their core process and intended outcomes. Some researchers argue that leadership and management are two separate processes. Bennis and Nanus (1985, P21) cited in Yulk (2002) states that ‘managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing’. Conversely scholars like Mintzberg (1973) and Kotter (1988) cited in Yulk (2002) also view leadership and management as separate processes but argue that leaders and managers are not different people. There is a consensus between scholars that a successful manager in organisations requires an element of leadership (Yulk, 2002). Mullins & Christy (2010) defines management in its simplest form as ‘making things happens’. Furthermore Nahavandi (2012) also cited in Burnes (2017) sees management and leadership as two separate processes but with distinct goals. However, Vroom and Jago (1988) cited in Burnes (2017) argue that management and leadership skills are interdependent of each other depending on the situation. Having worked in both roles, the author firmly believes that leadership and management are interdependent. The focus of each role may be different however there are crossovers within each processes.

The transition from staff nurse to matron’s position is a major career development, requiring an evolution from a known, current reality to an unknown new reality. This is highlighted by Barba & SeIder (1995) who describe transition into leadership role require restructuring of goals, behaviours and responsibilities to achieve a new conception of self. In contrast, Meleis, et aI. (2000) state that transitions can be facilitated by an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, social norms, preparation and knowledge. Both approaches make a valid point, however it fails to conclude if leadership is based on an individual’s personality trait or an acquired skill. Equally important, the author believes that leadership style is a natural extension on an individual’s personality, similar to an individual’s action in life is a natural extension of their beliefs. Hence, one could argue why certain leadership style works for some people and not for others.

Leadership style varies across all professions. The style is based on the positions people are working and the interaction with their followers in carrying out activities. The mostly discussed leadership styles are; autocratic, transactional, transformational and democratic. Moreover, over the years there have been an emergence of new leadership styles; somewhat a hybrid of the core leadership styles for example adaptive, situational, team, strategic and bureaucratic styles. Cook (2001) highlights that leadership in nursing involves direct patient care and a desire to be a positive inspiration to everyone with whom a nurse interacts.

To be effective in his role at the start of his leadership journey, the author had to incorporate leadership and communication skills with conflict resolution, time management and organisational techniques, delegation, mentorship, ensuring safe and effective care, education and role modelling to be successful. It was a difficult position because one day I can be in charge and the next day a peer to the staff that I supervised the day before. At that time of his career, the author favoured a team leadership style given his position of work. Blake Mouton model emphasizes that a team leader stresses production needs as well as the needs of people equally high (Owens, 2009). By nature, this style tends to be a great motivator, but more importantly, the team has a greater sense of ownership and satisfaction. Blake and Mouton (1964) describes two extremes of leadership concern:

• Concern for people. This is focused on the need for team members, their interest and the need for personal and professional development within organisations.
• Concern for production. This is focused on achievement of goals and the achievement of standards and targets in an organisation.

Barr and Dowding (2012) also acknowledged that team working is becoming the way forward for health care delivery. This notion is supported by Lord Darzi (2008) who sees leadership as a team effort rather than an individual achievement. Leaders cannot work in solitary. To be able to achieve and deliver, leaders need to have a clear channel of communication and be able to delegate duties and responsibilities.

Mullins & Christy (2010) describes successful management as an integration of human personality and work organisation, in other words, if people are engaged and committed, they will work more willingly and effectively.

For the author’s role to be successful as a deputy ward manager/ward manager, he had to relinquish the staff nurse role for the manager’s role. Heller et al (2004) recognizes the fact that healthcare system requires competent nurse managers to face the daily challenges that health service faces, however, nurse managers are not prepared for the role. Ibara (2000) re enforces the fact that while some nurse managers are privileged to go through an apprenticeship, others are left to get on with the job. Being a manager required additional competencies such as scheduling, planning and organization, navigating interdepartmental conflicts, giving feedback to employees, coaching and developing the team, delegation, goal setting and more. At the initial stage of this transition, the author faced some difficulties. The skills that make an individual a great coworker doesn’t necessarily translate into being the boss of his peers. As a manager, the author’s role included leading and inspiring staff while managing service provision. This is exemplified by Goleman (1988) who looks at leadership in nurses in terms of skills and competencies such as social awareness, self awareness, ability to manage one’s self and managing relationship.

Starbucks is the largest coffee brand in the world, and is famous among all age groups particularly because of its ‘connection’ with the people and experience with which customers remember it forever. Like known to everyone that Starbucks provides the best coffee in town, we have proposed research to look deeper into the transformation process at Starbucks after the financial crisis of 2007-2008. This research will show how Starbucks enabled itself to fight the crisis and what change management approaches it used or could have used to enhance people’s experience. We will also look deeper into the mobile app introduction by Starbucks and how leaders did the consensus to boost the sales of coffee.

Overview of Starbucks:

Starbucks always had its unique characteristics. The romance in coffee and making the coffee was all introduced by Starbucks who making the world, fall in love with what they had to offer. Starbucks started as a small store in Seattle in 1971 into a worldwide phenomenon now. Today, it covers 65 countries with 21,000 stores (Starbucks, 2015). This fast growth can be attributed to various factors. With an annual growth rate of 6% and $3.9 billion in sales, Starbucks is an excellent example for turning love for coffee into a flourishing business investment (Forbes, 2014). Their mission is ‘to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2015). In 1994, Starbucks gained the rights to make, sell, and use Frappuccino when they took over George Howell’s The Coffee Connection cafe. In 1996, Starbucks had an annual sale of Frappuccino’s over $52 million. All this led to what Starbucks is today.

Crisis of 2007-2008 at Starbucks:

Understanding the crisis requires understanding the economic crisis and how the works. In order to measure market efficiency, a well-balanced model is required. In February 2007, CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz said he saw the crisis coming. He warned about the commoditization of Starbucks in an internal memo to the various senior staff at Starbucks (The Economist, 2008). Selling CDs, DVDs, books, t-shirts, etc. gave Starbucks that edge over others yet pulled down on its reputation of being Coffee-Lovers. The company started replacing Hand-made espresso with Automated Machines. In 2007, Starbucks shares dropped down by 42% making the worst performer on the stock market. The sub-prime mortgage crisis brought in many competitors. During the period of 2005- 2007, many new competitors were arising like Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s etc. because they realized the potential of selling good coffee. Many people were worried about Starbucks’s fast growth. Analysts like Howard Penney stated that Starbucks had to slow them growth. They have been growing too fast. The prices for food commodities were increasing, forcing the company to increase its prices also. Customers had already enough worry of Oil prices, Food etc., that this had taken its toll on Starbucks. This encouraged competitors, like Dunkin Donuts, Panera Bread, and McDonald’s to sell reasonable taste coffee for cheap making Starbucks look like a brand targeting only Affluent Middle-Class Earners. Starbucks felt the effect of the market earlier by June 2006. But though the worst period for Starbucks was from October 2008 till March 2009, the Schultz team had positive evaluations showing the market recognized his efforts. But the rapid growth of Starbucks, brought in structural problems like store profitability, drop in demand etc. The opening of new stores increased these problems because Starbucks had a frantic growth rate, nearly opening 20000+ stores in various countries in a time period of 20 years.

Change Management

Change is defined as one of the few constants of recorded history. In the 21st century, change has become a critical topic for organizational leaders, therefore we can see change everywhere. Its hustle and convolution are growing. In today’s market, inducing change is a must for organizations for better future and success. Inducing change in any organization is a process of three main steps which identify the willingness for a change to happen, apply the change and maintain the change. Change has the power to affect everyone from top to the bottom level.

However, to some degree, the biggest mistake organizations make when implementing change is that they climb ahead without forming a sense of resolution among fellow managers and employees. Managers, mostly the CEOs of the companies fail to communicate vision and objectives with their employees at the very start of the transformation by overlooking the fact of how hard it is for the workers to come out of their comfort zones and learn the new parameters of the business. Another idea is to prevent the lack of a powerful guiding coalition, major change becomes difficult to implement if the head of the organization is not supportive and active. Vision plays a major role in the process of change. It helps to direct and align the activities of the organizations and people and avoids confusion and dissolves all the unnecessary obstacles that lead the organization to nowhere. Major changes need the involvement of the employees. People are generally reluctant to make sacrifices; they may show short-term interest in the change process but unless and until they think that the process is attractive and holds benefits for them. It is highly important to create a suitable communication channel for and with the employees to seize their hearts and minds. Some organizations have full support and willingness from their employees but still are unprivileged to resolve huge barriers in their path. The barriers could be the structure of the organization itself, where the CEO of an organization might not change his personal behavior and doesn’t recompense his employees or their vision (Kotter, 1996). Change involves practice and time, and setting long-term goals can be a threat to change. Businesses can lose momentum without creating short-term wins. It is recommended by Kotter (1996) for organizations to stay realistic and avoid the bigger leaps that employees stop worrying about the short goals.

Celebrating the implementation of the change process is not suggested until the change go down to the root of the organization, a company can take two to three years to grasp the new approach, it is highly advisable to wait before the change is implemented. Once the change is implemented, it must be adapted as a ‘way’ to work and process things. This stage involves decisions and brainstorming of the directors so that they can enable future directors to follow the same strategy. New managers must be able to understand the transformation in detail.

Change Management at Starbucks

Why Starbucks considered to change its strategy and how did they come back? Or the Turnaround of Starbucks. In 2010, Starbucks reported annual sales revenues $2.6 billion (Starbucks Annual Report, 2011), which was huge turnover from the past 3years during the crisis. U.S sales increased by 8%, driven by 5% increase in traffic. But the question is how, did this happen? The first step taken by CEO Howard Schultz as he said in an interview with Harvard Business, was to accept full responsibility of the own mistakes of the leadership team. Schultz believed in ‘owning reality was critical to expediting change’ (Harvard Business Review, 2010). He says that once leaders identify the problem and take responsibility for it, they save time in making up excuses to cover up goof-ups and can take an immediate course of action in turning things around for their business. Another point, to be considered that helped Starbucks was, that leaders of the company should be involved at every level to ensure success. Building a relationship with your employees in the company helps the business prosper, says Bruce and Pepitone (1999). This is exactly what Starbucks did. They spent $ 30 million during the financial hardships and took each and every one of their 10,000 store managers to New Orleans for a conference of the company. Moreover, before the conference, each store in charge was asked to do 5 hours of community service to show their commitment to customer service by doing it themselves (Starbucks Newsroom, 2015). Starbucks had to rebuild their customer relationships and the trust the customers had in them before the economic crisis. Starbucks now had to ensure and show the world; that consistency and quality would be cared for.

Starbucks introduced many ideas like MyStarbucksIdea, which would ensure a direct relationship with the customer. Starbucks also cut costs, which were approximately $581 million, by improving efficiency, reducing waste etc. which all led to very high levels of satisfaction from customers (Prabhakar et al., 2013). But more importantly, Starbuck’s main success for their comeback was their need to care for customers and their satisfaction. Introducing various ideas, like the Free Wi-Fi, carrying out corporate social responsibility and advertising helped them ‘redo the look’ of Starbucks. Earning its customers back, became a necessity and Starbucks wasn’t compromising on it. To apply the change strategy smoothly and resist the traditional mistakes made by most of organizations, John P. Kotter (1996) at Harvard Business School introduced an eight-stage process while making change, we will apply Kotter’s model on Starbucks’ strategy and look how much it has influence Starbucks as a company.

The Kotter’s Eight-Stage Process of Creating a Major Change

1. Establishing a sense of urgency
2. Creating the Guiding Coalition
3. Developing the guiding coalition
4. Communicating the Change Vision
5. Empowering Broad-Based Actions
6. Generating short-term wins
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture

1. Establishing a sense of urgency:

After the crisis of 2007-2008, Starbucks enabled itself through a clear message by the CEO of the company Howard Schultz himself who send a letter to all the employees which said that “the company must go back to its core business and become customer-centric again instead of focusing on bureaucracy”. He made this objective very vibrant that the employees must connect through emotional attachment with customers (Businesstoday.in today.in, 2014).

2. Creating the guiding Coalition:

In January 2008, the Chairman of Starbucks returned and took over the worse situation as the CEO, the decisions he had to make were very difficult, according to Schultz it was like making a confession in front of 180000 employees and their families and feeling responsible. But Schultz took over he came forward with a technology-oriented strategy and guided the employees to think freely and contribute their strategies. The idea was to create a community to achieve the required goals.

3. Developing the guiding coalition:

Everyone needs a break from home and from work, and Starbucks saw this and did just this. They created a zone for comfort and relaxation, mesmerizing the customer with the experience of a comfy experience. From the furniture to the paint, Starbucks takes care of every little detail in this third place or comfort zone that many are looking for in the hustle and bustle, involving innovation helped Starbucks to review their customers and add technology as a core business tool to reinvent the chain. Wi-Fi was introduced as part of the shared vision of the employees.

4. Communicating the Vision:

Howard Schultz made it very clear to his employees that they won’t be doing only coffee business, Starbucks vision was to create a space between work and home and give people an experience to cherish and come back again as much as possible. The vision of Starbucks was revised, and more compelling conversations happened at the time of the transformation.

5. Generating short-term wins:

According to Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Michael Casey, the company was set to have short-term goals in order to achieve long-term goals. This was planned by issuing monthly revenue basis to encourage volatility in the company’s stocks, Casey believes that the company will continue to follow this pattern and will continue to shoot results on a periodical basis.

6. Consolidating gains and producing change:

Starbucks’ approach was not just to come out of crisis but also to become the hub of community service and employee training programs to enable more learning related to customers. These programs mainly encouraged opportunities among young people and to enable them to positive learning, get a job and teach several leadership programs (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2015).

7. Anchoring new approaches in the culture:

According to Howard Schultz, the company has grown over the years, but still it is busy anchoring its root to different cultures around the world. The intent to grow and be remembered forever is still there and the development to do that is underway.

Lewin’s Change Model

According to the Starbuck’s position in the market and especially after the crisis, it could be that assumed that the company could have used this model to relate to change:

If an organization is failing, it becomes important to accept that a change is desperately needed, and its tie to do brainstorming among employees to keep up the operations of the company, everything must be exposed or unfreeze so that the root problem could be tackled (Mindtools.com, 2015). After knowing all the mistakes and shortcomings within the company, it is important to start to resolve issues lookout for new ways and alternatives to do business. This step is the most difficult part of the model as change is always hard to implement and many people resist to move in a new direction. The next and last step of this model is to freeze everything again and form new principles to set new goals for the business to prosper.

1. Unfreezing at Starbucks:

After Jim Donald was hired as the CEO by Schultz, the quality of the leadership and coffee started fainting out. Schultz was highly criticized for his ‘unawareness’ regarding the too many openings of stores around US which ultimately resulted in the low quality of the coffee. Schultz after brainstorming with the directors at Starbucks concluded that a lack of a ‘backup plan’ regarding the leadership was the reason behind the crisis faced by Starbucks.

2. Change at Starbucks:

The strategy used by Starbucks is worth learning from and remembering considering the crisis that impacted them and their less-than-year turnaround from the slump. Majorly, driven by CEO’s Howard Schultz perseverance, the company is now making a lot of progress. The history of Starbucks is worth remembering considering their setbacks and their beautiful recovery. But how did they achieve this? Well, some of their brilliant strategies were:

• Creating the perfect coffee: Their huge emphasis on creating the perfect cup of coffee can be seen in their mission statement. ‘One Person, One Cup, One Neighborhood at a time (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2015). Throughout the years, their focus has solely been on creating a romance between the coffee and the customer.
• Customer Satisfaction: Starbucks has always put their customers first, and thus creating a community of happy customers. After its major setback, in 2007, Starbucks left no stone unturned to start gaining relationships with its customers again.
• Innovation: Starbucks has been known to be innovative. From its coffee to their food and service offerings, Starbucks has always done something new.
• Brand Marketing: Their secondary driving factor for success, first being customer satisfaction, is how they market their Company. Starbucks spends limited money on advertising their brand. Their major reason for success is that they let their service, their offerings, their company name speak for themselves. This quality makes it self-inviting and creates interest in potential customers.

3. Refreezing at Starbucks:

After the leadership crisis at Starbucks, to revive its global sales, Starbucks plans to become an international brand and spread its roots globally in giant countries like China and Russia to get more revenues, this new part is relatable to the geographical strategy of Starbucks. The more the brand will look less ‘US centric’ the more it will look ‘customer-centric’ and also to go back to its core competency of serving not only good coffee but also following strict business standards to receive customers, especially at places like Airports which will represent Starbucks everywhere.

How Change Management could have been handled more accurately by Starbucks:

Our group thinks that a company like Starbucks shouldn’t have gone to the point of the financial crisis it faced, but still if the company has faced problems that not only resulted in the loss of jobs but also the closing down of 600 stores as mentioned earlier in the crisis section. We think that Starbucks is still focusing its sales in US and is not strongly inclined towards becoming an international brand. If Starbucks has added a change model and guidelines to become an international brand in their corporate culture, then it must become the brand of people all over the world and also launch an online awareness program among employees or other stakeholders to spread its international performance among a common man. Just like an organization like Wikipedia has made its value and performance known to the common man, in times of crisis Starbucks should have enabled programs like those to get support and backup from the people when facing a crisis if it claims to be a people’s brand. Furthermore, the employees which were fired during times of crisis must have been given a chance to come back and work for the organization. Too much strictness for a warm drink might cause stakeholders to hold grudges for a brand. For example, the comments like these from ex-employees and customers could have been avoided:

‘The coffee is not always fresh. Often, employees start a new urn on top of the remains of the cold coffee, so the new stuff mixes with the old. There may not be a freshly done urn all day.’ – Kelly, a New York resident who worked at Starbucks for a few years and would like her name not to be disclosed.

‘Some of my coworkers were more demanding than others. Most were nice and welcoming. And there were office politics. On more than one occasion I walked into the break room to see someone crying or talking about other coworkers. I mostly avoided this, until what would be my last week on the job.’ Aimee Groth, ex-employee of Starbucks.

Consensus Management:

Along with the process of change comes consensus management also known as the decision-making process. Making decisions together is an important part of a family or organization so that they can connect and come to common conclusions to achieve their goals. The ability to handle unusual situations rests upon the organization’s managers to make decisions well. The main aim of conducting consensus is to reach an agreement which is favorable for everyone.

Aims of a Consensus:

• Reaching to an agreement: It is difficult to decide when there are a lot of interests involved among people looking for the same thing, hence it becomes important to do voting or a deal to minimize disagreement as much as possible.
• Bringing all the members together: Consensus is also a chance to analyze what everyone thinks about a certain idea and what is their perspective regarding the future. This phase concerns the thinking of the members.
• Participation: The more participation by the members, the better the needs will be brainstormed are:
• Broad-View: Not all the company executives but all the rest of the stakeholders must take part in the consensus process.

Starbucks Mobile App:

In 2012, Starbucks launched its mobile app in 16 stores, the app success led it go viral in US and then later it allowed customers to pay for their coffee wherever there was a bar scan point available. The genius behind letting coffee sales happen through an app was Benjamin Vigier. The idea was to innovate the coffee experience and boost sales among customers which were not able to reach the stores by themselves, so they could order it for someone or themselves and can drink it later in any Starbucks outlet. The app also offers loyalty schemes for the customers which helps them gain and redeem points to buy coffee and other goods by Starbucks (Warman, 2012).

How Mobile App was launched (Consensus Management Approach):

The leadership at Starbucks believed that it is important for the company to improve the customer experience by making it convenient for the customers to purchase coffee. To apply the core coffee business and add value to the current trends happening globally, Starbucks decided to tighten its bond by introducing a smartphone app to sell coffee. This customization of was done to match the needs of the customers not just within the store but also outside the store. The company took a survey on social media and saw a tremendous change in the world of technology, the rapid switching of people to mobile phones helped them revise their customer-centric approach by aligning technology. To encourage relationships through technology, Starbucks made itself more productive and applied the CRM strategy to its app. This decision helped Starbucks to take a competitive advantage from other brands like Mcdonald’s and Dunkin Donuts (Anon, 2015). It is possible due to this decision that the app has currently 12 million users who use the phone to pay for their coffee. Out of 1.6 billion dollars spent by Americans through their smartphone, 90 percent goes to Starbucks, which is a tremendous boost (Shah, 2015).

How Consensus Management could have been handled more accurately by Starbucks:

Starbucks should launch its app worldwide and declare as a global brand, for example in Europe Starbucks start a trend of its mobile app because people in Europe still lack the technology advantage, so Starbucks should start an innovative idea from a place where the technology is unpopular so that they can not only cover a country but also the whole continent.

Starbucks Change Strategy: https://youtu.be/8H_D6w3z-CQ

Conclusion:

Doing the research regarding Starbucks was tough as it’s an international brand with a lot of public value to it. But doing research didn’t only enable us to look into the company itself but also allowed us to do learning about how big companies fail and rise again. Most of the report focuses on the assumptions which could have been made by Starbucks in the process of change, we made sure that the model used are relevant to the nature of the transformation of the company. We gave different suggestions based on our knowledge and experience to make Starbucks a better company. At last, we think that Starbucks still has its challenges and a lot of grey areas are left to refine its brand. Still, Starbucks is applying the Change and Consensus management approach in their day today business which is adding more value to them and is helping them to solve riddles to understand customers in a better way.

For every available job listing, the company will have set requirements or characteristics the potential employee must possess. Some jobs require more skills, traits, and education than others, so it is essential to know what they are before applying for said job. For example, a housekeeping position may not require the applicant to have formal education or training that would be needed for a health care administrator or management position. To understand what type of requirements, skills, and characteristics that a health care manager or administrator must possess, one can turn to the internet or local newspaper for current job listings. The job search on google.com for “healthcare administration positions” filtered a listing from the University of Michigan for an Admin Manager Inter Healthcare. The University posted where one can apply for the job and provides their mission and value statements with the position description. So, what are the leadership and management characteristics required for the Admin Manager Inter Healthcare position?

The applicant must possess the following traits; leadership, well organized, great communicator, confident, trustworthy, inspiring, coach, disciplinarian, stewardship, responsible, and being able to collaborate with multiple departments (‘Google’, n.d.). Is there a difference in leadership and management skills? Yes, there is, and according to ‘Harvard Business Review'(2019), ‘management consists of controlling a group or a set of entities to accomplish a goal. Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward organizational success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control” (para. 7). Management is more of a duty and responsibility, while leadership is a set of personal traits and skills.

Just because an individual is given the title of manager does not mean that they can or will be a great leader. To be a great administration manager within an organization like The University of Michigan, one must be both to achieve great things. So, what characteristics must a leader have, and how do they support someone becoming an effective leader? One must be personally driven, motivated, self-aware, and have a strong work ethic to lead themselves, their people, and the organization to success. An individual would not be a leader if they were not personally driven, because that personal drive is what fuels them to consistently better themselves and put forth the energy to achieve their goals. The next prominent trait is motivation. Motivation (extrinsic or intrinsic) helps a leader stay focused on their set goals, whether the goal is personal or organizational. Self-awareness (internal and external) is another essential trait that someone in a leadership position must possess. How one sees themselves when it comes to their values, beliefs, passions, and feelings will help them when it comes to their communication skills. Being self-aware allows an individual to manage and identify their emotions and what influences them, and by doing this can improve their overall understanding of others. Lastly is someone’s work ethic. What type of leader would one be if their work ethic was poor? Well, their followers (staff) will only be as active as their leader, so if the leader has a poor work ethic, then so will their employees. According to ‘Cornerstone’ (2019), ‘a strong work ethic is an important part of being successful in your career. Work ethic is a set of values based on the ideals of discipline and hard work” (para. 1). It truly takes a combination of these traits for someone to be an effective leader in a management position and knowing that the relationship between individual characteristics and effective leadership will show in the status of the organization. It is essential to know that there are perspective influences that can also drive individuals to choose different leadership styles.

Everyone has their viewpoints, believes, and feelings about every subject matter known to man, and we start to build our perspectives at a very young age. As a leader, one needs to communicate their leadership methods and style to their employees, to ensure they know what is going on. Leaders must be aware that different viewpoints can bring some heated discussions and intense feelings to the meeting table, buy encouraging employees to think outside the box and come forward with their ideas will help the entire organization grow. Knowing and understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses, and the type of work environment that they want to create for their organization can pave the path for the type of leader one will be.

Reference

1. Cornerstone (2019). Retrieved from https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/performance-tips-developing-strong-work-ethicGoogle (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=%E2%80%9Chealthcare+administrator+positions%E2%80%9D&oq=%E2%80%9Chealth+care+administrator+positions%E2%80%9D&aqs=Chrome..69i57j0l2.1400j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8&ibp=htl;jobs&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHp8zXZDmAhVnleAKHTUbBO0QiYsCKAF6BAgJEBA#fpstate=tldetail&htivrt=jobs&htidocid=tz4_6Mt9Iy_rfFvxAAAAAA%3D%3D
2. Harvard Business Review (2019). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/08/tests-of-a-leadership-transiti

Abstract

Broken or not from a scientific and/ or pragmatic management context, we often hear or read a few lines about “leadership”. To clarify the concept of “leadership”, it is best to start with the notion of leader. If we refer to the management functions, it is ideal for all managers to be leaders, as a result of the correct exercise of the training function.

By its nature, the army promotes a directive authoritarian leadership, in which the commander has not only the right but also the duty to take decisions, without the obligation of the consent of subordinates.

INTRODUCTION

Leadership and Management have always been highly debated topics due to the impact they have had on today’s society. In theory, Leadership is the ability to influence the other’s behaviour that is bringing them on the path to the goal. For this, it uses cognitive models of motivation: each individual makes efforts according to his abilities and his perceptions. Management is the process of Leadership, control and coordination of activities in an organization/institution. [1] Just by having the right persons, this could happen.

Judging by our occupation, there is no surprise that we are interested in Management and Leadership, especially Military Leadership. As we know, a good leader had always been the key to success. The military tends to optimise its activity, because its resources offered by society are limited and conditioned. For that purpose, it uses modern leading, structures, methods and techniques, as Management and Leadership.

Methodology

It is recommended that the manager must have first of all a series of native qualities to exercise this profession: intelligence, initiative, patience, persuasion, empathy and last but not least, talent. Talent is directly reflected in the manager’s ability to perform management functions and achieve results for the organization he leads. Then, it is advisable for the manager to have solid knowledge in the field he leads so that he can make relevant decisions. Without a serious training in the led field, a manager cannot notice the specifics of solving problems, cannot prioritize them in terms of their importance for the organization and can be misinformed by subordinates.

Last but not least, it is good for the manager to have experience in the field and within the organization, so as to know the specifics of the activities carried out by subordinates, the long-term evolution of an economic sector.

Henry Mintzberg considered that the activities carried out by a manager can be grouped into ten roles divided into three broad categories : informational (‘leadership through information’); interpersonal (“leadership through people”) and decisional (“leadership through action”).[1]

Although some people seem born to be leaders, with special features, with a special charisma, it is not foreign to others to develop certain skills in this direction. Leaders know the value of each person in the organization and how each acts to accomplish their goals. A structured model of the personal traits of military leaders is presented in the United States Land Corps Operations Manual. It refers to three categories of generic qualities that a commander must meet, each being composed of a series of specific qualities.

All these qualities make up an ideal picture, which would be the guarantee of a commander’s success. Following this path, we could reach the model of the charismatic leader. In the light of this model, leadership efficiency stems from a combination of traits that determine a certain level of ‘fascination’ on the part of subordinates. It is generally considered that the main dimensions of charisma can be grouped into three broad categories: visionary ability, empathy and the ability to enliven others.[2]

Leadership toxicity can manifest itself in two ways: in relation to the objectives of the organization and in relation to the expectations of subordinates.

The leader’s behavior affects the efficiency and prestige of the organization in the following ways: the leader seeks to satisfy his own interests, to the detriment of the organization. He ‘Corrupts’ subordinates by offering illegal advantages or by exempting them from the requirements imposed by regulations.

The leader and subordinates become accomplices against the interests of the organization. The situation is difficult to highlight, because most of the subordinates may be dissatisfied. There may be subordinates who do not accept the situation, but are afraid to reveal it or, if they do, are subjected to pressure (blackmail, threats, punishment) from the leader and even colleagues. The leader’s behavior affects the morale and efficiency of subordinates in the following ways: it affects the well-being and interests of subordinates. The situation can be highlighted by the increased frequency of complaints from subordinates, by the general reduction of the state of satisfaction and morale, by the increase of requests to move elsewhere.

We notice that we often meet the so-called leader’s trap. Social psychology has proposed an explanation for the rise and fall of a leader based on the model of social identity. A leader’s success contains a potentially destructive danger to him. This danger has been called the ‘leader’s trap’ and refers to those leaders who have succeeded and are beginning to be praised and considered heroes by those who have followed, supported and believed in him. These leaders feel encouraged to believe that their success is entirely due to them and that they are above the group, that they know more than the group, and that they have the authority to dictate to the group what to do. Leaders thus fall prey to the myth of the hero and come to believe more and more strongly in him, which takes them away from ordinary members. As this distance deepens, leaders are increasingly losing the representativeness and attributes that have ensured their path to this social status.

A non-toxic leader scrupulously promotes the organization’s interests, which achieves its goals. Most often, leaders of this kind are very well appreciated by the upper echelons.

We will now analyze two extremely well-known leaders, considered at opposite ends of the way of governing and / or leading. Although both played an extremely important role in the Cold War, leading a real struggle of ideologies – one the banner of American liberalism, the other a follower of communism.

Multiple factors contributed to John F. Kennedy becoming an excellent leader. The primary and most considerable ones was his Charisma. From his very first day as President, John Kennedy inspired America and mentioned America as “the defender of freedom”. In his inaugural address he stated that “ Only a few nations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger”. In his 1962 speech at Rice University he said “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy but because they are hard.” He said “…that goal will prove to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills”. With these words Kennedy inspired America. Another factor that contributed to Kennedy’s greatness was his courage. He spoke out publicly against segregation during some of the last days of his presidency. He considered himself full responsibile for the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion which was an operation that was devised in Eisenhower’s administration. Other than his courage and charisma, another factor that contributed to his greatness was the prophetic aspect of his presidency. John Kennedy did not know for sure if we would actually go to space in the 1960’s yet, he made the prophecy that we would. He even said in his speech that “This [goal] is -in some measure – an act of faith”. The “prophecy” was eventually fulfilled in 1969 with the moon landing.

Stalin ruled by terror and millions of his own citizens died during his brutal reign. Once in power, he collectivized farming and had potential enemies executed or sent to forced labor camps. He was a really distrustful person and everybody around him eventually was either murdered and sent off to forced labor camps. He single handily forced Russia from an agricultural base to that of becoming a modern superpower, and many people starved to death in the process.

Stalin was a master at politics and out maneuvered everyone to become the leader of Russia much of that maneuvering was due to murder and forced labor camps. From a historical point of view he was both murderer and intellectual.

Was Stalin a great leader? Depends on who you ask! After all he was the cause of death for millions of Russians. No doubt many in Russia do see him as a great leader, but when viewed from western countries he was not.

RESULTS

I honestly believe that Stalin wasn’t a good leader or a successful leader. There was no public support for Stalin or his management style. He was oppressive, ruthless and a cruel leader of Russia. He was keeping his management thanks to being cruel and ruthless. He was pretty powerful about policy, because he was killing them who against him. Stalin was the most authorized person in his country and there was no opposition. He was killing people without a reason, he was doing that just for the power.

In contrast to Joseph’s Stalin leadership style, there is John F. Kennedy’s leader typology. Out of all the leadership styles, Kennedy’s leadership style proved to be the most effective and influenced one. He followed the authoritative and charismatic leadership style. Authoritative leaders are to be known as the experts in whatever they get into. They are able to provide you with a clear vision and a perfect path through which it can be achieved and be a success. In Kennedy’s leadership this quality can be seen very clearly because he had the capability to mobilize the people towards the vision and make use of what they were best in.

By his authoritative leadership style, he was able to engage different generations of this nation by communicating his philosophy of hope and change through traditional sources. In his own words, he is ‘audacious’ enough to propose that Americans can and should transform the nation into something that is better. His political and leadership messages have focused consistently on transformation.

John F. Kennedy as a charismatic leader time and again fluent the hallucination by means of descriptions and tales in behavior that each human being can be aware of his mental picture or image. The persons who support him usually saw him as individual that have power over and capability to create in individuals mind the prospect with transparency.

This also helped him become a role model for his workplace.

By his charismatic leadership style, Kennedy was able to engage the nation, to inspire and to motivate the people by communicating a clear vision of the future. Kennedy has utilized many media to begin his process of leadership. His inspirational motivation behavior has been seen in the speeches he gave during the campaign which served to engage and energize both his supporters and those on the fence.

President Kennedy transcended the times by leading ordinary citizens to dream of what was once unimaginable and to achieve what was once thought impossible from civil rights to space exploration and other significant issues. He restored pride in America at home and exerted global leadership aboard

CONCLUSIONS

John F. Kennedy had the ability to inspire people to act. Kids grew up wanting to serve the people with government service, the peace corps, and fight for civil rights. He moved the nation to want to be better. He helped us see the humanity of all of us.

Being a leader is not an easy task because things don’t always go as we anticipate, so that’s where the courage comes in because it motivates you to keep going when you want to give up due to obstacles.

A leader knows the way, follows it and guides his subordinates. So, if we want to be good leaders, we must always keep our minds clear, our vision clear, our hearts open and empathetic to the difficulties of our subordinates, and, last but not least, our feet on the ground. Only a weak leader believes that he must be the centre of the universe and that he must impose himself through an attitude of superiority. A good leader will guide and inspire others.

REFERENCES

1. Dr. Petre Duțu, ‘LEADERSHIP SI MANAGEMENT IN ARMATA’ , Editura Universităţii Naţionale de Apărare „Carol I” Bucureşti, 2008, p.7, p.25
2. Henry Mintzberg, Managing, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, pp. 44 – 45
3. US Army Field Manual 6-22, 2006

Does everybody possess the potential to become a manager, or does it take a special kind of person with natural leadership qualities to manage a company? Modern day problems do require modern solutions, but I think a little look back at the history will give us some solutions as well. Before we dive into the historical anecdotes let us address the elephant in the room. Can a manager become a true leader in the modern-day context of employment and work?

The common belief is that leadership is about inspiring, and management is about planning. From this statement itself it’s quite clear that managers do have a bad rep. Leaders tend to be more closer to the subordinates and they are known to praise, give recognition and elevate their followers’ confidence so as to inspire them to reach their utmost potential and even more. A leader will paint a picture of what a company plans on achieving in the hope that the followers will clearly understand the path they need to go in. they should be able to engage the people involved into making the company’s view a reality in the long run as well as the short run.

Of course, different situations will call for different types of leadership or management but in the essence the idea of working under a leader is more appealing to a subordinate than working under a manager. Let us now consider the role of a manager. A manger is able to plan organize and execute those plans in order to reach company goals. People do not expect managers to be very considerate towards more human aspects of their sub ordinates. Managers tend to use a more authoritative tone over their employees, and they tell people what to do. But they would not necessarily inspire their subordinates to do their utmost. We see a controlling aspect regarding managers.

The definition of leadership is “the ability of an individual to influence, enable and motivate others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members”. Even in leadership we can see different styles. They include autocratic, democratic, bureaucratic and transformational. Autocratic leadership is where the leader has a lot of authority and takes individual control over all decisions with little input from group members. Democratic leadership is where members of a team has a more participative role in decision making. This has a more modern look and even ideas are exchanged freely among members and the leader. In bureaucratic leadership a strict hierarchal environment can be seen. Rigid rules, standard processes, stiff division of labor and responsibilities are characteristic features of this style of leadership. Transformational leadership is considered as the most effective style of leadership nowadays. This is where leaders inspire and motivate employees to grow and make innovative changes for the success of the company.

Since we dug a little deep into leadership let us now look at management. The cut dry definition of management is controlling and directing a group of people or entities for the purpose of coordinating and harmonizing that group towards accomplishing a goal”. Functions of management can be stated as follows, organizing, staffing, controlling, directing and planning.

If a comparison of these two terms is considered, we can state them as follows. While managers will focus on planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling leaders focus on building relationships, communication, teamwork, they can persuade and inspire teams. A manager will get his authoritative power by the virtue of his position while a leader gets his authority from his own followers. Managers will lay down a plan, delegate power and responsibilities while a leader will provide direction by developing a company vision and affectively communicating it to the employees. Although a manager will follow a company’s policies and protocols a leader will naturally follow his own instinct with confidence. We can say that management is science based because it involves a lot of mind centered situations and management is exact, planned, mostly standard and logical whereas leadership is more of an art. Management is more related to the technical dimension in an organization or the job content but leadership deals with the people aspect of an organization. Managers tend to measure and evaluate people by corporal and tangible things like past records, present performances etc. but a leader will always see the potential of people which could even be hidden in the present. Leaders should be able to extract the full potential of people. In management written communication is more prominent whereas in leadership verbal communication is more prominent.

With all these differences the question arises as to whether there are any similarities between leadership and management. At first glance it may seem that there are no similarities but if we dig deep, we can find some. The main similarity is that both need groups and teams to achieve the ultimate goal they desire. And both these parties are not good if they do not have empathy and self-awareness. Management and leadership both create the foundation of an organization and functional structure. Both leadership and management are concerned with achieving goals. Management and leadership’s main concern is to allocate available resources in such a way that they can be used efficiently and effectively.

So now that we have investigated all these areas let us get to the point. What is the relationship between managers and leaders? They go hand in hand. It is quite clear that they are related from all the facts we have considered above. But are managers also leaders? A concept has been circulating around that managers and leaders are two separate entities which I believe is a very wrong concept. These types of misconceptions have left leaders who are incapable of managing and managers who lack leadership skills. A leader who cannot manage will have a vision of where he wants to lead the company but has no idea how to get there and there are managers who cannot create trust and to engage his employees.

Thus, I would like to conclude that management and leadership are intertwined together and that neither one of them can exist without each other. The idea is to find a balance between these two so as to achieve the goals of the company.

Leadership is a concept that has been studied, analyzed, and admired for centuries. It is a quality that has the power to transform individuals, organizations, and even nations. Leadership is not just about holding a position of authority or making important decisions; it is about inspiring others, guiding them towards a common goal, and bringing out the best in people. True leadership goes beyond titles and formalities; it is a set of skills, values, and characteristics that make an individual an effective and influential leader.

One of the key aspects of leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate others. A true leader has the power to ignite passion and enthusiasm in their followers, enabling them to achieve greatness. By setting a positive example, leaders create an environment where individuals feel empowered and motivated to work towards a shared vision. They possess the skill of effective communication, which allows them to articulate their vision clearly and persuasively, gaining the trust and support of their team.

Integrity is another essential characteristic of a successful leader. Leaders with integrity consistently adhere to a set of ethical principles and demonstrate honesty, trustworthiness, and fairness in their actions. They do not compromise their values for personal gain, but rather prioritize the greater good and act in the best interests of their followers. By upholding high ethical standards, leaders establish a culture of trust and credibility, fostering strong relationships and loyalty within their team.

Adaptability and resilience are critical traits of effective leaders. In a rapidly changing world, leaders must be able to navigate through uncertainty and challenges. They embrace change as an opportunity for growth, remain flexible in their approach, and inspire their team to do the same. Resilient leaders bounce back from setbacks, learn from failures, and maintain a positive attitude even in difficult times. They lead by example, showing their team that obstacles are merely stepping stones towards success.

Leadership also involves the ability to foster collaboration and teamwork. A leader recognizes the diverse strengths and talents of their team members and harnesses them towards achieving a common goal. They encourage open communication, active participation, and mutual respect within the team. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, leaders foster creativity, innovation, and high-performance.

Furthermore, effective leaders are lifelong learners. They continually seek knowledge, stay abreast of industry trends, and encourage their team members to do the same. They recognize that growth and development are ongoing processes and encourage a culture of continuous improvement. Leaders invest in the development of their team, providing mentorship, training, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Lastly, leaders possess empathy and emotional intelligence. They understand the needs, concerns, and aspirations of their team members and demonstrate genuine care and support. They listen actively, show empathy, and consider different perspectives before making decisions. By fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety, leaders create an environment where individuals feel valued and motivated to contribute their best.

In conclusion, leadership is a multifaceted concept that encompasses various skills, values, and characteristics. It goes beyond titles and authority, involving the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide others towards a common goal. Effective leaders possess qualities such as integrity, adaptability, resilience, collaboration, lifelong learning, empathy, and emotional intelligence. They create a positive and inclusive environment that fosters trust, loyalty, and high performance. Leadership is not limited to a select few; it is a skill that can be cultivated and developed by anyone willing to embrace the responsibilities and challenges that come with it.

Long and Short Essay on Leadership for students

Leadership is a timeless and indispensable quality that has the power to shape individuals, communities, and societies. In an ever-changing world, the need for effective leadership has become more crucial than ever. Whether in the realms of business, politics, education, or any other field, it is a guiding force that drives progress and fosters positive change.

For students, developing leadership skills is not just about holding positions of authority or achieving personal success; it is about realizing their potential to influence and inspire others. This essay aims to explore the essence of leadership, its significance in the lives of students, and the characteristics that define exceptional leaders. By understanding the principles of it, students can empower themselves to become catalysts of change and make a lasting impact on the world around them.

Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader – (400 words)

Introduction

Leadership is an intangible quality, often perceived more through actions and impacts than any set definition. At the heart of great leadership is a complex web of competencies, skills, and personal traits that enable an individual to inspire and mobilize others towards a shared vision or goal. This essay explores the core qualities that encapsulate the essence of a good leader.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Good leaders are often characterized by a powerful blend of confidence and humility. Confidence is vital, providing a leader with the courage to take risks, make tough decisions, and stand firm in their convictions. Yet, this confidence never slides into arrogance; good leaders remain humble, constantly aware of their limitations and always open to feedback.

Communication is another cornerstone of effective leadership. A good leader is able to articulate a clear vision and strategy, distilling complex ideas into messages that resonate with all team members. They are also adept at active listening, recognizing that valuable insights can come from any level within an organization. They promote open dialogue, creating a culture where everyone feels heard and valued.

In the arsenal of a good leader, empathy holds a prominent place. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others allows leaders to connect with their team on a deeper level. They are able to cultivate a positive, supportive environment and can more effectively address the needs and concerns of their team.

Moreover, a good leader exhibits a high degree of integrity. They are transparent, honest, and consistent in their actions and decisions. This consistency builds trust, creating a foundation upon which strong relationships can be built. Employees are more likely to follow a leader they trust, knowing that they will be treated fairly and with respect.

Finally, resilience is a critical trait of effective leaders. They face adversity with courage and grace, learning from failures and using these experiences to drive personal and organizational growth.

Conclusion

In essence, a good leader embodies a blend of confidence, humility, communication skills, empathy, integrity, and resilience. However, these qualities are not mere boxes to be checked off. They are intertwined, each informing and enhancing the others, creating a dynamic and multifaceted leadership style. Effective leaders understand this and continuously work on developing these qualities, creating a positive impact on their teams and organizations. A good leader doesn’t just lead; they inspire, enabling others to unlock their potential and achieve more than they ever thought possible.

How can one be a great leader? – (500 words)

Introduction

Leadership is a quality that has been admired and sought after throughout history. Whether it is in the realm of politics, business, or social movements, great leaders have the ability to inspire and guide others towards a common goal. While there are various approaches to leadership, it is essential to understand that becoming a great leader is not an innate talent but a skill that can be developed through experience and continuous improvement. In this essay, we will explore the key attributes and actions that contribute to being a great leader.

Leadership Comes from Experience
One of the fundamental aspects of becoming a great leader is the accumulation of experience. Leadership is not solely about theoretical knowledge or charisma; it is about practical application and learning from real-life situations. Experience provides individuals with opportunities to face challenges, make decisions, and learn from both successes and failures. Great leaders embrace these experiences and use them as stepping stones for growth and development.

A great leader possesses strong self-awareness, understanding their strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness allows them to surround themselves with a team that complements their abilities and compensates for their limitations. By doing so, they create a diverse and well-rounded group that can address various aspects of a problem or project.

In addition to experience, great leaders exhibit exceptional communication skills. Communication is the cornerstone of effective leadership. Leaders must be able to convey their vision, goals, and expectations clearly to their team. Moreover, they must actively listen and provide constructive feedback to foster an environment of open dialogue. By maintaining transparent communication, leaders can build trust and create a sense of shared purpose among their team members.

Another crucial quality of great leaders is their ability to inspire and motivate others. They lead by example, demonstrating integrity, dedication, and commitment to their vision. By setting high standards and consistently holding themselves accountable, they inspire their team members to strive for excellence. Furthermore, great leaders encourage collaboration and foster an environment where every individual’s contributions are valued and recognized. This not only boosts morale but also stimulates creativity and innovation within the team.

A great leader also understands the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence. They are sensitive to the needs and concerns of their team members, recognizing that everyone has their own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. By being empathetic, leaders can establish strong relationships and create a supportive and inclusive work environment. They empower their team members by providing guidance, mentorship, and opportunities for growth and development.

Conclusion

Becoming a great leader is a continuous journey that requires experience, self-awareness, effective communication, inspiration, and empathy. It is not a position of authority but a role that demands integrity, vision, and the ability to inspire others to achieve common goals. By learning from experience, cultivating strong communication skills, inspiring and motivating others, and practicing empathy, individuals can embark on the path to becoming great leaders.

In essence, leadership is not about a title or position; it is about influencing and guiding others towards positive change. By embodying these qualities and continuously refining their leadership skills, individuals can make a lasting impact and inspire others to become leaders themselves. The world needs great leaders, and anyone can strive to become one by embracing the qualities and actions discussed in this essay.

What makes you a really good leader? – (600 words)

Introduction

Leadership is a vital aspect of success in any field or organization. It is the ability to guide, inspire, and motivate others towards a common goal. While there are many qualities that contribute to being a good leader, some individuals possess unique attributes that set them apart. In this essay, we will explore what makes an individual a truly exceptional leader and discuss some of the distinctive qualities they possess.

Some unique qualities of a leader

I. Vision and Clarity of Goals

A good leader possesses a clear vision and is able to articulate it to others effectively. They have a well-defined sense of purpose and can inspire their team by setting clear goals and objectives. A leader with a strong vision can create a sense of direction, allowing their team to align their efforts towards achieving a common goal. They communicate their vision in a compelling manner, motivating others to strive for excellence.

II. Strong Communication Skills

Effective communication is a fundamental quality of a good leader. They not only convey their ideas clearly but also actively listen to others. A good leader fosters open and honest communication, encouraging team members to express their thoughts and concerns. By being an attentive listener, they gain insights and perspectives that contribute to informed decision-making. Furthermore, a leader’s ability to communicate effectively strengthens relationships, builds trust, and enhances team cohesion.

III. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

An exceptional leader demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence towards their team members. They understand the importance of connecting with people on an emotional level, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses. By empathizing with their team, they create a supportive and inclusive work environment, fostering personal and professional growth. Moreover, leaders with emotional intelligence can effectively manage conflicts, inspire collaboration, and motivate their team to overcome challenges.

IV. Adaptability and Resilience

In a constantly evolving world, adaptability is crucial for success. A good leader is flexible and open to change, readily adapting their strategies to meet new challenges. They possess the ability to navigate uncertainty, making informed decisions under pressure. Additionally, leaders demonstrate resilience in the face of setbacks and failures, inspiring their team to persevere and learn from adversity. Their ability to remain calm and composed in challenging situations instills confidence in their team members.

V. Integrity and Ethical Behavior

Integrity and ethical behavior are essential qualities that distinguish exceptional leaders. They lead by example, adhering to high moral and ethical standards. Trust is the foundation of any successful team, and leaders with integrity build and maintain that trust by being transparent, fair, and honest. They prioritize the well-being and development of their team members, promoting a positive and ethical work culture.

Conclusion

Becoming a truly exceptional leader requires a combination of unique qualities and characteristics. A leader who possesses a clear vision, strong communication skills, empathy, adaptability, and integrity can inspire and motivate their team to achieve extraordinary results. These exceptional leaders not only guide others towards success but also foster a positive work environment that encourages growth, collaboration, and innovation. By embodying these qualities, individuals have the potential to make a significant impact and become truly remarkable leaders.

What is Leadership in Management? – (1000 words)

Introduction

Leadership is a crucial aspect of management that plays a pivotal role in the success of organizations, colleges, politics, and various other domains. It involves the ability to inspire, influence, and guide individuals or groups towards achieving common goals. In this essay, we will explore the strengths and weaknesses of leadership, its significance in management, as well as its application in college, organizational, and political settings.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Leadership possesses several strengths that contribute to its effectiveness. Firstly, leaders have the ability to motivate and inspire others, creating a shared vision and fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Effective leaders are excellent communicators who can articulate their vision clearly and rally support from their team or followers. Moreover, leaders possess decision-making skills, enabling them to make timely and informed choices, often in complex or uncertain situations.
However, leadership is not without its weaknesses. One common challenge is the potential for abuse of power. In some instances, leaders may prioritize their personal interests over the collective well-being, leading to negative consequences for the organization or group they lead. Additionally, leaders may face difficulties in balancing conflicting interests and maintaining harmony within diverse teams.

Leadership in Management

In the realm of management, leadership plays a crucial role in directing and guiding teams towards achieving organizational objectives. Effective managers are skilled leaders who can inspire their employees, provide clear direction, and foster a positive work culture. They understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and leverage them to maximize productivity and promote individual growth. Furthermore, managers with strong leadership qualities are adept at conflict resolution, decision-making, and managing change, enabling them to navigate challenges and drive organizational success.

Leadership in College

Leadership is also vital in the college setting, where it helps shape the personal and professional development of students. College leaders, such as student body presidents or club leaders, play a significant role in representing the interests of their peers and advocating for positive change within the institution. They foster a sense of community, encourage participation, and promote extracurricular activities that enhance the overall college experience. Additionally, college leaders provide mentorship and guidance, helping students navigate challenges and develop valuable skills for their future careers.

Leadership in Organization

In organizations, leadership is instrumental in providing strategic direction and aligning the efforts of employees towards achieving organizational goals. Effective leaders create a positive work environment by fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation. They empower their teams by delegating responsibilities, encouraging autonomy, and recognizing and rewarding achievements. Moreover, organizational leaders facilitate effective communication channels, ensuring that information flows seamlessly across different levels and departments.

Leadership in Politics

Politics demands strong leadership as it involves making decisions that impact society as a whole. Political leaders inspire and mobilize citizens towards a common cause, addressing social issues, and advocating for change. They possess excellent negotiation skills, engage in diplomacy, and create alliances to achieve political objectives. Moreover, political leaders must possess integrity, empathy, and a deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of their constituents.

Conclusion

Leadership is a critical component of effective management and plays a significant role in various domains, including colleges, organizations, and politics. It possesses strengths such as the ability to motivate, inspire, and make informed decisions. However, it also has its weaknesses, such as the potential for abuse of power and difficulties in managing conflicting interests. Nevertheless, effective leadership drives success, fosters growth, and creates positive change. By understanding the principles and practices of it, individuals can develop their leadership skills and make a meaningful impact in their chosen fields.

What are the types of leadership?

Introduction

Leadership is a crucial aspect of any organization or group. It plays a pivotal role in guiding and inspiring individuals to achieve common goals. There are various types of leadership styles that leaders employ to influence and motivate their teams. This essay will explore and discuss some of the prominent types of leadership.

Team Leadership

Team leadership focuses on fostering collaboration and promoting teamwork within a group. A team leader encourages open communication, values diverse perspectives, and delegates tasks effectively. This style emphasizes the importance of cooperation and synergy among team members to achieve shared objectives.

Coaching Leadership

Coaching leadership involves providing guidance and support to individuals to enhance their skills and performance. A coaching leader identifies strengths and weaknesses, offers constructive feedback, and provides opportunities for growth and development. This style emphasizes mentoring and empowering team members to reach their full potential.

Strategic Leadership

Strategic leadership involves setting a clear direction and long-term vision for an organization. Leaders in this style analyze the external environment, identify opportunities and threats, and formulate strategies to achieve organizational objectives. Strategic leaders inspire and motivate their teams to align their efforts towards a common strategic goal.

Visionary Leadership

Visionary leadership entails inspiring and mobilizing followers through a compelling vision of the future. A visionary leader possesses a clear and inspiring vision, communicates it effectively, and rallies others to work towards its realization. This style encourages innovation, risk-taking, and challenges the status quo.

Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership involves centralized decision-making and strict control over subordinates. Leaders in this style make decisions independently, with little input or participation from team members. While it can be effective in certain situations that require quick and decisive action, it may stifle creativity, autonomy, and teamwork.

Charismatic Leadership

Charismatic leadership revolves around the personal charm, magnetism, and persuasive abilities of the leader. Charismatic leaders inspire and influence others through their strong personality, vision, and charisma. They possess exceptional communication skills and can create a sense of loyalty and commitment among their followers.

Facilitative Leadership

Facilitative leadership focuses on creating a supportive and inclusive environment for collaboration. Leaders in this style encourage participation, engage in active listening, and promote open dialogue. They facilitate the decision-making process, encourage diverse perspectives, and foster a culture of trust and cooperation.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

Laissez-faire leadership involves minimal intervention and a hands-off approach by the leader. In this style, leaders delegate authority and decision-making to team members, allowing them to take ownership and responsibility. While it can promote autonomy and creativity, it requires self-motivated and competent team members.

Transactional Leadership

Transactional leadership focuses on maintaining and reinforcing the existing structure and systems within an organization. Leaders in this style establish clear expectations, provide rewards and punishments based on performance, and emphasize compliance with established rules and procedures.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

Cross-cultural leadership recognizes and adapts to cultural differences within a diverse team or organization. Leaders in this style possess cultural intelligence and are sensitive to varying norms, values, and communication styles. They foster an inclusive environment that respects and leverages diversity for enhanced collaboration and innovation.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership aims to inspire and motivate individuals to transcend their self-interests for the greater good. Leaders in this style articulate a compelling vision, provide intellectual stimulation, offer individualized support, and serve as role models. They empower and develop their followers, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment.

Conclusion

Effective leadership involves the adaptation of various styles based on the context and the needs of the team or organization. By understanding and employing different types of leadership, leaders can enhance collaboration, inspire innovation, and foster the development of their teams. It is essential to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership, and successful leaders often employ a combination of styles to achieve desired outcomes.

Final Words

Leadership is a dynamic and multifaceted concept that plays a pivotal role in the success of organizations and teams. The types of leadership explored in this essay highlight the diverse approaches that leaders can employ to influence, motivate, and guide their followers. Effective leaders understand the importance of adapting their leadership style to the specific needs of their team and the situation at hand. They possess the ability to inspire, empower, and develop their followers, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.

By embracing different leadership styles and understanding their strengths and limitations, leaders can create a positive and impactful leadership experience that drives growth, achieves goals, and cultivates a strong sense of unity among team members.

Cross cultural management is a relatively new field of research and is based on theories and research from cross cultural psychology to human resources to organizational behaviour. Cross cultural management attempts to understand how the cultures of different nationalities affect management practises. It focuses on identifying similarities and differences in the various management styles and organisational settings. The literature in Cross Cultural Management is a tool to help members of an organisation, such as managers and members of human resource departments gain a better understanding of the cultures of all those working in the organisation and the positive and negatives of having such a culturally diverse workforce. It is important to be aware and respectful of the different elements of individual cultures, from the way they communicate to how they receive criticism. By respecting different cultures you begin to foster a workplace where people feel safe, happy and able to do their job in an environment that supports and encourages them to do so. In 1980, Professor Geert Hofstede published a book called ‘Culture’s Consequences’. He is credited with being the founder of comparative intercultural research. Hofstede is credited with creating the ‘cultural dimension theory’, a theory consisting of six cultural dimensions that can be applied to people of any country. This will be the basis of this report in relation to mutual respect between employers and employees.

There is a wide variety of research being carried out on the various areas in cross cultural management. This literary review will discuss and critique the current literature surrounding Respect in relation to cross cultural management and psychology. The current literature focuses on a number of aspects to do with respect; from the effect that a good leader can have on a team, to the effects of workplace bullying, to the effects that monetary and intrinsic rewards can have on a workforce. Ellingsen and Johnannesson, 2007 describes the effects of monetary as against intrinsic rewards for work and how it impacts on the respect employees have for their employers. Their research critically explains, using empirical evidence, that intrinsic rewards tend to have a better effect on work than monetary rewards like raises or bonuses. In a world that is becoming more and more culturally diverse, Maeso presents ways to establish a culture of respect, offering concrete ways a leader can create a safe and respectful workplace environment. Her arguments are based on real life experiences and offer a personal touch to the points she is trying to convey. Rusell et al. presents research carried out on the factors that lead to work related stress amongst employees in Ireland. While, Leka and Jain discuss the negative effects of stress on the day to day running of the workplace. Rogers, 2018 answers the important question of ‘do your employees feel respected?’, by putting forward clear examples of employees that feel respected she gives concrete examples fellow leaders can learn from. LLopis, 2013 does the same, putting forward clear ways managers can earn the respect of your employees. All this research seeks to understand the relationship between employees and employers in relation to the respect that they hold for one another. As managers, it is important to constantly show respect to your employees, but it should be noted that there are two kinds of respect that can be shown – owed respect and earned respect (Rogers, 2018). Owed respect is the base level of respect that should be shown to all members of an organisation from the CEO to your employees, to the cleaners (Rogers, 2018). While earned respect is given to employees who have shown qualities, behaviours and attitudes that are valued by the organisation (Rogers, 2018). Earned respect means more than owed respect because it acknowledges that each employee has their own capabilities and attributes that they bring to the company (Rogers, 2018). Managers have a delicate line to tow when it comes to showing earned respect to employees (Rogers, 2018). If a manager shows too much respect for one employee over another it can cause anger and annoyance among the other workers and can prevent them from giving feedback on their successes and failures to managers and other employees (Rogers, 2018). In situations like this transparency is a key tool in communicating to your employees why certain coworkers may be shown more earned respect than others (Rogers, 2018) (Lavoie, 2015).

Respect can be shown in a number of ways. In work it can be through monetary rewards like end of year bonuses or non monetary rewards like more responsibilities, more decision making power or acknowledgement of work done (Ellingsen & Johannesson, 2007). Though it is true that employees enjoy monetary rewards for their success, more often than not they get great satisfaction out of what others think of them. In a study by Markham et al. on 1100 employees in four cut-and-sew factories across the mid atlantic area, they found that when employees were publicly recognised, praised and given awards for having a perfect or near perfect attendance recorded over a period of a year, worker absenteeism decreased by approximately 40 percent. The program was well received by workers as they were given rewards in front of all the workers at a plant wide meeting. Acknowledgement of work done can be displayed for the whole company to see, like the example above or it can be more personal like direct positive feedback from managers in one on one meetings (Rogers, 2018). Respect can be as simple as showing you employees you care, it can be as little as showing interest in their personal life, for example asking how their weekend was or sending them an email once a project is done to thank them for their hard work or it can be as big as a monetary reward for hard work done during a period (Hall, 2014) (Ellingsen & Johannesson, 2007). While showing respect is important for employees’ satisfaction, one way in which your employees may feel a level of disrespect is through micromanaging. A way to show respect to your employee would be to give them a task and let them do it, praising them when work is done well and offering constructive criticism when not done well (Ellingsen & Johannesson, 2007).

How respect can benefit a manager?

To be able to show respect to your employees, you first have to earn their respect. In a world were bad bosses often leave employees wary when they join a new company, it is extremely important from the beginning to earn the respect of your employees. But how can you, as a busy manager, do so? As a leader, there are a number of ways in which you can earn respect from your employees. The most important way to do so is to become engaged with the work your employees are doing, getting involved rather than expecting your employees to do all the work (Llopis, 2013). As a manager, it is crucial to lead by example, set the standard you expect from your employees and hold yourself just as accountable as you would your employees (Llopis, 2013). It is important to get to know your employees and discover the best in them and enable them to reach their full potential (Llopis, 2013). As a leader it is your job to lift your employees up, you have the higher position but you also want your employees to work their way up in the company as well. By putting an employee up for promotion when the opportunity is presented, you are showing them that you value their hard work and believe they are capable of succeeding in the company (Llopis, 2013). When your employees succeed you praise them rather than patting yourself on the back as a good leader (Llopis, 2013). By doing all these things you prove to your employees that you are dedicated to earning their respect and fostering an environment where the respect is mutual.

Example of when respect was shown and its impact on the organization

When it comes to respect in the workplace, in relation to the cultures of those that work in the organisation, an aspect of cross cultural management that should be looked at is collectivist as against individualist cultures. Depending on where people come from in your team you have different types of mentalities working together and trying to find a balance between these two cultural aspects is important to the dynamics of your team and can impact on how the work is done. An individualist society has an I mentality, while a collectivist has a we mentality. In a collectivist society one’s identity is based on their social group, the focus is on belonging to an organization rather than focusing on individuals own work and success (Hofstede, 1993). When employees work in an environment filled with respect for them as individuals, the work they do and the role they play in the team, there is no limit to what they can give to an organisation (Rogers, 2018). Televerde is an American technology business to business marketing firm and, uniquely, it is staffed largely by inmates, female inmates to be specific (Rogers, 2018). Jim Hooker bought the business when it was located in a trailer on the grounds of an Arizona women’s prisons and was run by seven women. The business has now grown into a multi-location business, employing 650 people – 425 of them are inmates (Rogers, 2018). One way Hooker showed that he valued and respected the work done by his inmate workers was to offer them full time positions in the company once they left prison (Rogers, 2018). As a result, those that worked for Televerde were 80% below the national rate for recidivism (Rogers, 2018). The reasons behind all the success; respect. One inmate was quoted as saying “As soon as you walk through that door, you are a co-worker, not an inmate”. This basic level of respect from the offset allowed the inmates to feel a part of the team, they weren’t seen as dangerous or a burden on society but as valued members of staff who had a job to do and were allowed to get on and do it (Rogers, 2018). Another successful thing the managers at Televerde did was relay positive feedback from clients to the inmates (Rogers, 2018). The feedback they received made them feel respected in their jobs, that they were working hard and their managers knew that (Rogers, 2018). While this example is unique in its participants, the idea is universal; if you as a manager show respect to your employees there is no limit to the success you and your employees as a team can achieve (Rogers, 2018). Here we see a micro example of a collectivist society, a group of people all defined by one thing, their time in prison, working together as one group to get the job done.

Example of when respect wasn’t shown and its impact on the company?

Respect is essential for a productive, healthy and motivating working environment, by respecting your employees you make them feel a part of a team and that their job is integral to the success of the organisation (Heathfield, 2019). There are plenty of examples of businesses failing when there is a lack of respect shown to employees by management. An example of this is the experience one physicist had in her workplace. Speaking anonymously for the purpose of this report she spoke about the lack of respect and workplace bullying she experienced working in a specialised hospital department. Her boss was a controlling and pedantic type of person and she spoke of the many times he would send back reports telling her to redo them because one word had been misspelled or a comma forgotten. She spoke of how he constantly took credit for the work she had done and often didn’t include her in important meetings with higher-ups in the company. She also noted that he isolated her on a number of occasions, one example was when he moved her office to a part of the building where few people went. As a manager, it was his job to organise training for her every year, yet he never did, often resulting in her having to attend conferences that she had to use holiday time for and pay for herself. She said he created a hostile working environment not only for her but for many others in her department. The constant stress he put her under, which she endured for years, finally caught up with her and she became extremely ill and was instructed by her doctor to take a 6 month sick leave. After those 6 months she decided not to return to work. She said she believed she was a fantastic employee, well respected by her fellow colleagues and those in higher management, but the treatment she endured from her boss finally lead her to leave the company. It could be argued that her leaving was a loss to the company. She was a well-trained, experienced and hardworking employee, who took all her skills and knowledge to a different company who treated her a lot better and viewed her a valued member of the team. Although the company is still in operation, she has spoken to staff that remained in her department and they say her old boss still continues to act like he did when she worked there. While her boss could have taken this experience and used it as a way to learn how to be a better boss, it’s clear to see he hasn’t changed, preferring to lose good employees than change his managerial style.

The purpose of this anecdote is to demonstrate how, as managers, you have a duty of care to your employees. One report found that stress, anxiety and depression account for 13% of all work related illnesses in Ireland (Russel et al., 2016). Another report found that labour turnover, increased absence in work and a lack of employees being fully present in the office are all caused by high levels of work related stress (Leka & Jain, 2010).

Ways to foster an atmosphere of Respect in the workplace

One important way to foster an atmosphere of respect is through the values your company has. Are they values that all employees have, have they been created in a way that holds all employees and managers accountable for their actions and do they set your company out from the competitor (Lencioni, 2002). As a manager it is imperative that you, your fellow managers and the CEO work together to create company values. These can not be created solely by feedback from employees in the company but should also be fostered by the CEO and the founders of the company who naturally have a greater say in the way the company is run and thus what the core values should be (Lencioni, 2002). Creating these values should take time and should be re visited time and time again to allow consideration of how they will affect the company in the future (Lencioni, 2002). Values are put in place to allow employees to have ideals to strive to and as a result they should be part of all parts of the company, from the hiring process to how employees are chosen for rewards and promotions, this ensures the values become a core part of the corporate culture of the company (Lencioni, 2002). Values are not easy things to create, they take time and require tough deliberation to pick the correct ones, but when the right values are created they can be the cornerstone for your company and set up your employees for great success (Lencioni, 2002).

How the insights presented in this report should influence your actions as an executive or HR manager?

The professional services are an area where respect is of the utmost importance. From banks, to insurance firms to accounting firms, respect is weaved into every aspect of the business. In these highly pressurised working environments it is key that respect is shown at all times, to fellow employees, higher management and most importantly – clients. As a manager, the most important thing you can do is foster an atmosphere of respect. If your employees don’t respect you they in turn have no respect for the quality of work they are doing and no respect for the clients they are working for. The saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ is truly applicable in this situation. You can scream from the top of your lungs about how the company and the managers that work in the company are respectful of different people, races and religions but if your actions, as a leader, don’t mirror that you lose the respect of your employees (Llopis, 2013). Every action taken should be for the benefit of the team and should have positive consequences on each employee in the team.

As the workplace becomes more and more culturally diverse it is imperative that you, as a manager, look at your workplace policies and see how they could be continuously updated to be more culturally inclusive. An important thing to look at it how to make sure your culturally diverse teams works well together and respects one another as individuals and as members of the team (Polzer, 2008). One way to do this is through a process called ‘360-degree feedback’, where employees and managers give honest self-accessed feedback on themselves, members of their team and their managers (Polzer, 2008). This allows open and honest communication and can help team members identify areas where they can improve and where they are performing well (Polzer, 2008). As a leader it is your job to always be in communication with your employees, if they come to you with reports of inappropriate behaviour by other employees, it is crucial that you promptly deal with the report of unacceptable behaviour (Maeso, 2017). You need to hold yourself and those involved accountable and make sure proper disciplinary action is taken, this will prove to your employees that you respect them and do not stand for disrespectful behaviour (Maeso, 2017). As long as you have the procedures in place to deal with these kind of problems you will be able to deal with them in a way that respects all those involved. Creating a safe and respectful working environment for all members of your organisation should be done by employees and managers alike. By doing this everyone is contributing to building and maintaining a culture of respect in the workplace (Maeso, 2017).

One final lesson that should be taken from this report is the importance of showing respect to employees. Whether that be in your day to day conversations, in emails or in meetings with clients, showing respect to all parties is extremely important. As this report has shown it can have serious negative consequences if not shown but it can also lift your employees and motivate them to work to their best when shown in a sincere way. By showing respect, you show that you value your employees, the work they do and their contribution to the company and its success.

This semester, I was taken the MGM4184 Small Business Management course taught by Dr. Noor Azlin Binti Ismail. She has instructed students to make a visit to Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC). And honestly, I have absolutely no idea about this company until I was given the opportunity to visit this place on March 28, 2019.

My experience started as early as 10.30 am when I needed to take the MRT to Pasar Seni MRT station. The estimated time is taken to the station for half an hour and needs to change the station when it reaches the Pasar Seni MRT station to the LRT of the route to Kelana Jaya to the LRT Taman Jaya where the MPC is located. The journey to LRT Taman Jaya takes about 10 minutes. Finally, I reached the destination and had to walk for 5 minutes to get right before the MPC building. after arriving, my friends and I have to enroll in a security gate at the Department of Innovation. We just went inside the building we were greeted warmly by some employees in the company who showed us where to gather before the start of the Sharing Session session.

The sharing session was moderated by the Director of MPC which is Mr. Suhaimi and he talk about the role of the MPC for the surrounding communities to generate improvements in best practices. A lot of knowledge I can get from this visit and make me more in-depth about the MPC.

Honestly and before setting foot on the Malaysian Productivity Corporation, I have absolutely no idea what their role is. And I think that this company wants to maintain the quality of every other company available in Malaysia. Additionally, they want to increase the productivity of everyone in many ways.

From this sharing session, they want to emphasize that what the individual wants to spend or what the company wants to produce is related to productivity. Because of ourselves, we want to produce something good for outsiders. And for your information, the vision of MPC want to be the leading organization in productivity enhancement for global competitiveness and innovation. And their mission clearly shows that they want to deliver high-impact services towards achieving performance excellence through innovation for the betterment of life.

As they mention in the talk, Malaysian Productivity Corporation become a training center for entrepreneurs in early 1962. And they became a research center for productivity to make improvement programs and to keep doing better in the future. Madam Shezlina already mentions that to get a new idea, we can copy for the others but we need to adjust or transform and innovate the idea to be better. Because it will be a benchmark for someone and be the best practices adopted by others and apply in our environment.Because many ways that we can do to improve someone’s productivity and themself to be better in their life practices.

In MPC, they do not walk alone because they collaborate with many organizations in Local and International bodies. Transforming the mindset of people is essential for greater collaboration to achieve better productivity. This will eventually mobilize higher economic growth and better well-being of society. An enhanced network of collaboration will nurture a more powerful and innovative drive for a more productive mindset and culture. and narrow the gap with the technological frontier. As Malaysia approaches its vision to become an advanced economy and inclusive nation by 2020, productivity improvement is critical for sustaining this positive trajectory.

Based on my observations, the similarities between learning in the classroom and the directors’ presentation are the same as they want to clarify that what information is communicated must be clear. Besides that, the way they explain the terms with examples was very understandable, similar to the small business management class because our lecturer uses the same method and will teach new words or facts with an appropriate example that gives clear understanding to the students.

The difference is the way the information is delivered in the classroom and in the sharing session. This is because the way the presentation of the director is based on his experience with the company and with the variety of human beings he encountered during his work. The Director emphasized more on the real nature of work will the graduates will face a sharing session and this makes it more interesting and makes the students become more focused on what he said.

What I learned based on the sharing session, MPC is very committed to delivering excellent services through improvements in quality for individuals or companies. And it is also based on competitiveness and innovation toward enhancing national productivity. They also strive to continuously improve the Quality Management System to meet the needs of customers and stakeholders through the achievement of Quality Objectives.

They also emphasized the benchmark. Benchmarking is of a systematic and continuous process of searching, learning, adapting, and implementing the best practices from within own organization or from other organizations towards attaining superior performance. And it shows that Malaysia Productivity Corporation has four types of benchmarking one is internal benchmarking where they can see a comparison of one specific process within their own organization or across different departments and business units.

Second is about competitive benchmarking wheres shows which have a comparison of a specific process with that of a direct competitor. Next is about functional benchmarking focuses on a comparison of a specific process externally with a similar one within a broad range of your industry and business line. And last but not least is generic benchmarking with a comparison of specific processes from unrelated industries or business lines towards identifying innovation.

Introduction

This assignment will examine key theories on leadership and management, including performance management and culture within my Service, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) and Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS).

Both organisations have very similar structures (see Appendix 1) and are classified by DCLG as Shire Brigades which are in the same family comparison group, and have similar fire authority governance, areas of responsibility and organisational structures.

During the ongoing period of austerity both Services are subject to significant organisational changes and are driving forward with modern, adaptive management structures. Both organisations have reduced their establishments substantially.

HFRS and AFRS set out their priorities and objectives within public facing consultation documents. These documents present clearly how each Service will deliver its services in a clear and transparent way detailing finances, resources, emergency response and prevention activities.

I will show significant findings from my research highlighting contrasting leadership and management styles in both organisations and make recommendations for a proposed business case change.

In 2015 due to the replacement of its Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) Avon underwent a bruising period of organisational governance and scrutiny. There have been internal cultural and independent audits and external Her Majesties Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Service (HMICFRS) and independent audits. The subsequent public scrutiny has led to major organisational changes to governance, leadership and management system.

Organisational Leadership

The leadership spectrum between both organisations follows the UK fire and rescue serviced joint national guidance with defined strategic, operational and tactical levels of leadership being utilised at the different levels of the organisation. See Appendix 1.

Theory 1 X & Y Theory

Social psychologist (McGregor, 1960) wrote, The Human Side of Enterprise, which developed two contrasting theories explaining how managers’ beliefs about what motivates their people could affect their management style and influence them to use either a authoritarian (Theory X) and participative (Theory Y) style.

Within the article Life cycle theory of leadership (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969) arrived at the conclusion that the behaviour of a leader stems from two criteria: people orientation (concern for people) and task orientation (concern for production). In their Situational Leadership Model, they combined these two criteria that linked leadership styles to situations. Effective leadership varies, not only with the person or group that is being influenced, but it also depends on the task, job, or function that needs accomplishing.

In 2015 the CFO of Avon was suspended. Allegations of bullying, fiscal mismanagement, poor planning resulted in an intense and ongoing scrutiny of the Service. The CFO and FRA leadership demonstrated Theory X tendencies with little advice from other senior officers or fire authority oversight. Independent reports criticised the culture within Avon and condemned the flawed judgments made.

The management style was autocratic, with strict work rules, policies and rules with punishment and harassment used to motivate team members. The power culture and influence that emanated from the CFO could be conceived as a spider’s web with decisions taken on the balance of influence. (O’Donovan, 1994).

The FRA did not have a standing constitution or willingness to direct and manage the situation. The CFO had been re-employed after retirement into a situation described as ‘an old boys club’ in a scathing report whilst the Service struggled with low morale, poor motivation and dismal organisational performance reports

(Buckman, 2018) wrote “Toxic leaders can exist at all levels of fire service leadership. They create an unpleasant work environment because of their attitude towards others and everything else.” They may use dysfunctional behaviours to deceive, attack or unfairly punish others to get what they want. This cultural process can quickly become the ‘norm’ for an organisation and permeate along the leadership spectrum.

HFRS senior management are working in a Theory Y leadership style. The CFO has also recently retired and been re-employed however he and Humberside FRA have a very participative, democratic, and authentic management style. The interface between the SLT and the Fire Authority has an open transparent process but works within a clearly defined roles and constitution. The CFO leads debate, allowing contribution and implementing the agreed plans in a way in which contributors are valued for their skills and eager to share their knowledge and have time and resources to allow debate and develop ideas and implement action plans.

Theory 2 – Transactional Leadership

Transactional leadership, also known as managerial leadership, focuses on the role of supervision, organization and group performance. This theory of leadership was first described in by sociologist Max Weber, and further explored by Bernard M. Bass in the early 1980s.

• People are motivated by reward and punishment.
• Social systems work best with a clear chain of command.
• When people have agreed to do a job, a part of the deal is that they cede all authority to their manager.
• The prime purpose of a subordinate is to do what their manager tells them to do.

Both Humberside and Avon use transactional styles of leadership.

Business Case Proposal – The Distributed Leadership Model

(Ancona et al., 2007), states “Corporations have been becoming less hierarchical and more collaborative for decades”. She developed a new leadership model which argues that there is no such thing as a complete leader and demonstrates a distributed leadership framework which views leadership as a set of four capabilities:

• sensemaking (understanding the context in which a company and its people operate),
• relating (building relationships within and across organizations),
• visioning (creating a compelling picture of the future), and
• inventing (developing new ways to achieve the vision).

The concept is that the incomplete leader differs from an incompetent leader because they are not the mythical, flawless, person at the top of the organisation. They know their limitations and strengths and how to offset their weakness using the capabilities within the distributed leadership model to direct the problem to the best group, or individual to achieve the task.

Management systems

In its most simplistic form management is a plan which defines goals and creates a pathway to achieve the organisational goals. With goals set the leadership style is then used to establish targets, execute the plan and evaluate the desired objectives throughout the process. Managers need to ensure the objectives are produced proficiently and effectively with staff working towards clearly goals. To achieve effective management does not rely on character, personality or charisma but utilises management systems to achieve successes.

Avon and Humberside Fire & Rescue Services are very similar in the organisational structure; each now produces Integrated Risk Management Plans, Strategic Plans Etc. and their organisational management systems now clearly align to three key management theories.

Theory 1. Fayol’s principles of management

Henri Fayol’s management theory (Fayol, 1916) is a simple model of how management interacts with personnel. Fayol’s theory covers concepts broadly and almost any business can utilise the tools to productively managing staff.

Figure 2 FAYOL’S 14 Principals of Management Source www.toolshero.com

The implementation of these strategic rules is well suited to the hierarchical and transactional based structures of the Fire Service. They are useful comprehensive tools for focusing on key administrative management tasks such as forecasting, planning, process management, organisation management, decision-making, coordination and control and although they are obvious, many of these tools are still used in current management within Humberside and Avon.

It is a very archaic inward-looking management model which does not consider external factors such as customer’s needs.

Theory 2. Webers ‘Bureaucratic Management Theory’;

with a pyramid style hierarchy clearly applying to both Avon and to Humberside Fire and Rescue Service; where the individuals in the higher positions supervised those in the lower positions with clear lines of authority, job descriptions and operating policies relating to the relevant levels of the leadership spectrum. The hierarchical structure of the bureaucracy creates a conforming structure for the workforce to adhere and follow.

Max Webber, defines these hierarchical structures as defined as having:

• Clear lines of authority
• Clear lines of hierarchy
• Defined operating policies
• Defined Job Descriptions
• Clear communication systems

Strengths and Weaknesses

Within Avon the management style broke down at the interface between the principal officers and the Fire and Rescue Authority. Major decision-making by principal officers went unchallenged and unscrutinised. The stake-holder committee was overly bureaucratic and politically indecisive in implementing control measures and slow to counter criticism. Without a guiding constitution or independent examination the organisation did not have any rules to scrutinise decision-making which ultimately limited its effectiveness.

One solution was the PCC type model suggested by (May, 2016) during her speech on fire reform within the Fire Service. Their introduction may have offered independent oversight and direction. (Murphy, 2016) considered that their introduction should meet six clear criteria; Community led needs and priorities not national agendas, Working together with ongoing collaboration between the emergency services, Governance and responsibility for strategic oversight and direction, Financial evaluation to demonstrate value for money, particularly in the current era of austerity, clear public consultation process and, Public Assurance via an independent process. If the PCC been in existence sooner Avon may have had clearer management and leadership.

Weber believed that a well-managed organisation required both a hierarchical structure and clear values and rules and that if the management wants to make real change in an organisation it must trust those below them and give them the authority to make improvements, and, if necessary, make mistakes.

Humberside Fire Authority, of its own violation, has a formal constitution which it adheres to and has created a Governance Audit and Scrutiny (GAS) Committee made up of seven independent co-opted and non-political members (GAS Committee, 2018) whose role is to scrutinise the fiscal, leadership and executive decisions made by Humberside Fire Authority and its Strategic Leadership Team in key areas (HFRS, 2019).

Business Case Proposal – Contingency Theory

Both organisations work in a balanced state between operational and non-operational environments. Management styles in each environment may vary depending on the situation. For example during emergency incidents, the leader will tend to lean towards ‘concern for production’ and typically be more autocratic in style whereas during non-operational situations they may typically lean more towards ‘concern for people’ and be more participative int their leadership style (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969). This management style is typically demonstrated at the tactical/operational end of the leadership spectrum.

Governance systems

Fire Service modernisation has been the focus of many reports (Bain, 2002) and (Thomas, 2015) on the modernisation of the Fire Service. (Knight, 2013) within “Facing the future” proposed a management model which would clarify accountability and offer greater visibility to the public.

With the loss of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment in 2012 the role of governance reverted to Peer Reviews until the Home Secretary (May, 2016) indicated her intention to introduce a new oversight of the fire service by empowering police and crime commissioners.

Theresa May, emphasized that the peer reviews were not as ‘critical’ of each other as their name applied. (Farrell, 2018) reinforces this view with her arguments Fire Service governance is still unclear and that the stakeholder model does not operate effectively.

May went on to state that local services were hampered by bureaucratic control, in which targets drove confusion and perverse outcomes, and taxpayers’ money was wasted.

In 2017 an independent scrutineer, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was tasked with scrutinising Fire Service governance.

Weakness.

A key issue with all audits and review as a management tool are, by their very nature, invasive and which create another layer of bureaucracy. Avon are under a period of intense scrutiny by HMICFRS and are reacting because of poor governance and cultural issues. Humberside has created a dedicated department which focuses purely on collating and providing evidence to meet HMICFRS examination process to prevent an escalating audit process.

Guilifoyle asserts that applying private sector business models to the public sector often creates unintended expenditure and effort whilst the consequences damage productivity and morale. Despite this experience most reform programmes and in style management practices seek to enforce approaches that are overly demanding on the organisation.

Both organisations are target led (Guilfoyle) with escalating audits, if they score poorly, and deescalating reviews if they score well.

Another key question which could be argued against the stake-holder model of governance is how a Fire Authority can both lead an organisation and scrutinise it. Within Humberside the Fire Authority have appointed a GAS which are independent of both the Service and Authority and whose mandate is to scrutinise the Services against its finances, plans and outcomes.

Culture ques to change management

Within Lewin’s (1951) Change management model; is ‘the process of continually renewing an organisations direction, structure and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers’. for the process to be initiated then the change has been adopted or forced upon an organisation to create the impetus for change.

The model states that for an organisation to change it must go through the three stages of change management

1. Unfreezing –
2. Movement
3. Refreezing

Balogun and Hope Hailey (2004) stated that any change made during the movement phase normally had a failure rate of approximately 70% within all change programmes undertaken. Bad habits and poor cultures are hard to remove once embedded within an organisation.

Within the critical FRA/FRS interface I have considering the historic events which Avon FRA has found itself having to react to. Clearly the situation has forced the organisation into a change process which they didn’t initially want to proceed with.

The process is ongoing with AVON currently operating in the ‘UNFREEZING’ mode whilst HUMBERSIDE is working in the ‘FREEZING’ mode.

Avon and Humberside Comparison

Avon was slow to acknowledge the need to plan – with resistance to the implementation of IRMP; their lack of forward thinking and financial planning highlighted during the independent inspection; peer reviews and Tranche1 HMICFRS reports. Whilst slow to acknowledge the issue AVON now has a clear action plan process in place

Governance – organisational comparisons

Within Avon; it was the interface between their fire authority and the SLT that failed; resulting in the suspension of members of the team in 2015. An Independent Home Office inspection of the Service published in 2017, identifying a clear failure in the governance and organisational scrutiny. There were financial irregularities, a culture of intimation and poor planning endemic within the Fire Authority and SLT.

Subsequently there has been a prolonged inspection regime bringing Avon under intense scrutiny, diverting organisational energy and cost in terms of preparation and auditing. In July 2017, the Fire Authority Chair, Cllr Donald Davis responded to the independent report, stating,” We have wasted money, we have wasted effort, we need to concentrate on keeping the people of Avon safe.”.

Humberside has a strong relationship of trust between its fire authority and its strategic leadership team. Debate is healthy and a culture of trust is strongly displayed by its membership. External audits critique many areas of the Service; its leadership strategy for middle managers, its expensive cost in comparison to other fire and rescue services, its lack of diversity in terms of BAME but its governance and senior management are not under scrutiny.

Conclusions

The similarities between both organisations is clear. The leadership styles of both organisations at the coal face (the tactical and operational levels of the leadership spectrum are clearly aligned and follow national processes and stratagems.

At the strategic level and at the interface between SLT and each FRA there are clear differences in the leadership and management journeys both organisations have been travelling on.

Avon – rough ride… forming stage

• Humberside – steady ride – … stage
• Both organisations are similar = CFO’s who retired and came back; but different leadership styles
• Blacksell – participative and democratic style with the support of his SLT and FRA
• Autocratic and confrontational leadership style with

Most organisational leaderships breakdown at the human interface; the failure of these cultural values lead to interruption of the behavioural factors which create friction, anxiety, resentment or even communication failure.

Under the guise of governance and accountability, audits and reviews create additional factors including the cost of inspections, preparation time and the subsequent demoralisation of the leadership team and the workforce which creates further ripples in inspection regime culture.

Managed well the system of inspection can change the focus within an organisation by learning how an organisation is structured, what the organisation needs, what it wants and thus allowing it to focus on a strategy which it can then plan and implement. This view is reinforced by (Senge, 1990) who advocates a system thinking based methodology through inter-related activities would improve communication and vision; leading to a better view of people’s behaviour. (Sinek, 2017), also states that trust and openness broaden behaviour,” Empathy would be injected into the company and trust would be the new standard”.