Relevant Organizational Leadership Qualities in Business
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With the current business and market trends, corporate are becoming fast passed more and thus require competent leadership vast in ability to handle various dynamics. Organisational leadership is crucial guide for an organisation towards effectiveness in the current turbulent times as it transverse all areas of the organisations operation (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010). Unlike other sectors, organizational leadership should not be more of position and power as it is an aspect that can be observed throughout the structure of the organisation. Leadership can only said to be effective if understood in its context and must work together with the people to ensure the achievement of purpose of the team.
Organization under competent leadership always has a direction with outstanding progress and performance within its industry and market. Unstructured leadership in an organization is capable of destabilizing an organization resulting into poor performance and non-responsiveness to current global trends (Cooper, Giga & Jain, 2011). In organisations, leadership is seen even in those who do not have the leadership positions or titles. Those holding leadership titles should ensure that they delegate responsibilities according to capabilities seen in people at different levels of the organization. It is also essential that the leaders understand that leadership is a dispersed role and not distinct only to an individual.
Different organizational leadership forms have their advantages and shortcomings but in overall, they should be structured in a way that benefits the organisation and brings proper transformations that would enable overcome the current organisational transformation to overcome the current global economic challenges. The perfect leadership of a rapid organisation is that which recognize all other leadership perspectives without discrimination to bring better sustainable change within the organization (Chiu & Peng, 2010). Today’s leadership must balance transformation with continuity in order to fulfil their roles effectively.
Leadership is the act of having people working under a person, who gives directions on the way things are done, with additional qualities and roles as determined by the organisation. Being in a leadership position without the leadership qualities and competencies does not make a person a leader. Those in leadership are likely to perform more leadership roles than those just in the positions of an organization’s structure. In other words, leadership involves aspects through which an individual influence, motivate and enables others to contribute towards the success and the effectiveness of organizational processes. Therefore, a leader should be skilled in selective employment of personal characteristics workable in particular situations of an organisation.
Every leadership characteristic should fit in the organisational context in which it is applied as every organizational culture promotes certain type of leadership while at the same time suppressing others. It is upon the organisational leadership to build a culture in the firm that would enable it achieve its objective. There are different levels of leadership in an organization that should be structured in a manner that is relevant to the different levels of the organization. It should be clear that at every level of the organization the leaderships are interdependent and are interconnected and their differences in the use of skills are what only differ.
Leadership is a complex area to understand, with many theories developed around it and many others expressing different characteristics while performing their duties. The application of power by a leader will obviously see the people within an organization behave differently as they would not while alone (Chen & Yang, 2012). It is obvious that a leader should fashion the behaviour of others in an intended way in a manner likely to result into gains for the firm. Whereas new leaderships may come with transformations, continuity is another important element that must not be ignored.
Classification of Leadership
Kurt Lewin felt that leadership is a manner and an approach of directing, planning and motivating people (Ejaz, 2011). Together with other researchers, Kurt identified three major styles of leadership as directive, participative and delegative. Directive style, also known as autocratic is where a leader communicates aims and objectives to employees and how they could be achieved, deciding on how such things happens. In this form of leadership, leaders implement policies without the advice of the subordinates and the employees’ only works on the information of the directive given without question (Ejaz, 2011).
Participative leadership on the other hand is democratic and the decision making process involves the employees too. In as much as the final decision still relies with the leader, the participants gets the opportunity to decide on what to do and how to do it with mutual consensus on policies which the leader may accept or reject (Ejaz, 2011). This process may be strenuous but the employees get opportunity to be more knowledgeable and skilful. This system helps make the right decision and the leader to become a team player reducing chances of resistance.
Finally, delegative/non-directive type of leadership as identified by Kurt Lewin and his team is where employees are allowed to take actions and make decisions which however in the end, the leader still become accountable for their outcomes (Ejaz, 2011). This type of leadership can only be applicable where an assigned employee is sufficiently knowledgeable and are skilled to analyse situations and decide accordingly what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. It is upon the leader to identify the tasks to delegate and identify their priority, giving clear path on the duties delegated to the subordinates. These are the major leadership styles employed by organizations as applicable to enhance productivity and the performance of an organization and the resulting quality of work.
Relevant Leadership Qualities
Leadership qualities are distinct from every individual and some cannot be separated from individuals. An effective leadership therefore is considered to involve motivation, influence and empowerment. A leader should be one that has skills, abilities, roles and styles at disposition that would enable him execute his duties within the organization (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010). It is important that the leaders stay responsive and vigilant of every organizational event and decide on what actions to take and what leadership qualities are required.
Some scholars argue that the effectiveness of a leader depends on their character and traits that in turn influence their leadership roles (French and Schermerhorn, 2008). Leadership qualities and effectiveness are complex to understand and can involve the manner in which one plays the leadership roles and how he does it, together with the interaction with the rest of the organization. A charismatic leader has self-confidence with an articulate vision and commitment to the objectives. Being visionary forms part of an effective leader, guiding the organization to its set purposes in a timely manner, ensuring relevant revolutionary strategies and organizational continuity throughout its operation (Akhavan, Hamid, Hassan & Ramli, 2014).
There has to be distinction between the leadership and followers or the subordinates. Organisational employees may tend to have deviant behaviours, misconduct or non-commitment to the organization, which the leadership must control in all ways. The conviction and moral rightness of a leader should at all time lead an organization towards a positive direction with the social organizational power rather than personal power focus (Miao, Newman, Yu, & Xu, 2013). Visionary leaders always strive to empower the juniors and move beyond status quo with idealized change. They should express motivation and communicate their vision while exhibiting their competencies and unconventional actions without prejudice.
Leaders are at times expected to make their personal choice to place the aspirations, needs and interests of others above their own to serve other than only to lead. This aspect builds trust among the juniors and gives them courage to undertake responsibilities with a mind that all would benefit. Effective leaders tend to be good listeners able to understand and empathize with their followers with a unique quality of healing oneself and others. According to French and Schermerhorn (2008), a leader should rely on persuasion other than force and visualize beyond daily routines and focusing on all rounded growth within the organization.
Managing information about the institution and making decisions supported by the analysis of such information ensure organizational success. Past events and current routines are capable of influencing commendably the future success as they help evade future shortcomings. Building teams within the people working within the organizational departments and maintaining active communication and feedback with the teams help forecast on any possible occurrences in the event of operations (Miao, Newman, Yu, & Xu, 2013). Different leaders depending on their organizations exhibit their qualities differently in a manner acceptable and a way that will keep the junior employees continue with the company operations effectively.
Organizational leadership should always be leadership value based with stewardship decisions and actions of leaders, focused on timeliness of events and the rapid shift that engulfs the global environment. The current organizations require dynamic leadership that fits modernity and sensitive to the rapid global shifts, challenges and opportunities. Leaders should be able to rank their qualities and apply them in the manner that is relevant to their respective positions and that which ensures they achieve the maximum organizational success (Ahn & Ettner, 2014). Value based leadership expresses superiority over traits in reflecting effective organizational leadership that results to success.
Skills and Competencies of Organizational Leaders
The globalized environment is currently influenced across cultural and multi-national issues and perspectives that need to be dealt with. Leaders should have impeccable skills that will enable them focus on the diverse cultural and international needs that effectively contribute to organizational success. Cultural boundary crossings are currently infiltrating organizational operations and therefore are likely to be experienced throughout the structures (Darling & Heller, 2012). It is necessary that the leaders have networking and socializing skills that will enable them regularly interface with different aspects, cultures and attitudes of the organization in order to understand the preferences that are likely of importance to their respective organizations.
It is essential that organization understand globalization to highly influence the current trends in the business environment. Therefore, its leaders should be highly equipped with team development skills applying at the same time relevant leadership dynamics. The dynamics of analyser, creator, relater and achiever hand leaders point of reference to enhance relevance to the current trends (Darling & Heller, 2012). It is essential that every leader in an organisation use his practical knowledge and skills to ensure the achievement of performance improvement in an organization. The leadership dynamics help ensure that there is effectiveness in the integration of skills and operations of an organisation (Andrews & Boyne, 2010).
There are certain attributes distinct in every leader. According to Ceballos, Hall and Paradise (2010), emotional intelligence, conviction, professionalism and integrity have been associated with a successful leadership. A leader should not depict ruling from the throne but instead interact with people and ensure efficient cross communication to enable him understand the situation in every level of their jurisdiction. They should also be able to regularly build on their leadership skills in line with the changes taking place both internally and externally so that they incorporate the changes within their roles.
The continued effort by leaders to acquire new skills is able to make organizations better and improve their performances. This picture can be portrayed extensively to the community and the global environment in which they operate. Leaders should elevate their hopes more than the fears and focus on their personal growth as much as organizational engagement. The leaders on the other hand should have the knowledge of rating their own self and their performance. Future or transformational oriented leader should not wait to be rated only by external entities or others but should have self-evaluation approach that enables them gauge themselves and focus on improvements (Johansen, 2012).
Constructive depolarizing is identified as one of the leadership skills of importance. A leader should be able to handle emotions in a neutral manner bringing people from divergent situations into a constructive engagement and effecting active communication wherever there are flaws. According to Johansen (2012), matters of importance to the organization should dominate over self-preservations and earlier innovations should be the precedent of possible future failure in order to construct possible earlier solutions or achieve success ahead of the rest. In the case of change or transformational needs, a leader should be able to work out with teams that would roll out such changes successfully while on the other hand ensuring continuity of processes.
It is essential that a leader realize that change originates from the inner circle and diffuses to the outer environment (Kadhim, Shuaibu & Taqi, 2012). A leader should be able to influence own practices based on the relevant organization and rapid transformations knowing well that their past and current are likely to influence the future. As a leader, there should be no loop hole left for any possible failure within the organization. Focus should be on advancements and trends and possible changes required at each time to take the organization to a different level.
Provocation to think ahead and the awareness of modernity within the organizations and urge to embrace newer concepts should be part of every leadership. Opportunities always present where a leader can break the past pattern and it is upon the leader to understand the path and destination of the organisation at every particular time. Change does not imply that the best past is trashed; it is about embracing the newer approaches, maintaining the success of the past and dropping every aspect of failure that was noted. There should be systematic thinking focused much on the past than the future, in order to visualize what change needs are required and the new approaches required for the future (Fernandez & Rainey, 2006).
Motivating Workforce and Overcoming Organizational Challenges
The pursuit of knowledge and skills should be focus of every leader for the empowerment and strengthening of their roles and performance in the organization (Keevy & Perumal, 2014). Business leaders should possess transformational skills and knowledge that would help their organizations overcome the current challenges brought about by the paradigm shifts increasing their capacity and that of their organizations to excel. Transformation in an organization does not only involve the processes, but it is also about the people and leadership and understanding deeply the team issues and concerns.
Leaders should be fully aware of their roles in the organizations based on the expectation of their incumbent positions. Every role should have tasks and responsibilities tied to the organizational success factors. The leader should be able to feel the sense of accomplishment that is likely to reciprocate to the subordinates and sense of challenge while undertaking the leadership duties. Leadership success is tied within organizational performance, the commitment and the deliverables of the workforce. The more the junior employees feel free with the leadership, the easier it is to implement operations, as the leadership will be able to understand every source of possible resistance and initiate a response.
Ali (2012) argued that it is hard in human behaviour to like someone you do not have contact with, as people tend to attract those they like. It is core for leaders to understand the roles they need to perform alone and minimize on them much as possible and embrace those that they perform in relationships. Being a leader, interaction with the juniors itself to others is a motivation as others may consider it a powerful reward. With this approach, it is easier for a leader to execute functions in an acceptance mode, with minimal resistance that in turn translates to effective organizational transformation (Hind, Magala, & Millar, 2012).
Through the learning of the capabilities of the junior employees through the social interaction, a leader is capable of making discoveries on what is missing, and initiate learning for the employees or even acquire the specific skills needed through the recruitment of additional employee. Social interactions encourage communication at different levels (Bowers, Jones Nijman, & Simpson, 2011). A competent leader is the one who is a good communicator, with no restrictions on passing information and feedback.
Asserting influence is another important factor of transformational leadership. An able leader must understand constructs of power and use influence to exert change necessary to transform an organization in the desired direction. It is essential to understand every nature of influence available, and how they are applied at different levels of organization (Krause, 2007).
Confidence is another important aspect capable of generating transformation to an organization. According to Ali (2012), a leader must express confidence in executing functions and on his competency that will then mirror on the different teams of the organization. A leader must continually gain knowledge relevant to the status of the position and roles and should foster a working environment that provides room for extensive knowledge acquisition to improve the expertise power within that organization (Galuppo, Gorli & Ripamonti, 2011). In the modern global economy, knowledge is an important aspect and asset for an organizational competitive advantage if properly acquired and managed (Hemlin, 2006). Through the knowledge systems, strategies should be developed along a range of organizational goals or vision to provide a direction for the respective firm.
A successful leader sets priorities as per the needs of the organization and demands of the global economic environment. Current globalization is intensifying the arena in which firms play, presenting new challenges and opportunities with rapid shift in trends. The organization focus should shift to harnessing every opportunity presented in the global scene, and transform the challenges into productive measures to benefit the organization and clients. Such alterations can be effective through the involvement of interactions to enhance strategic decision making on organizational issues (Bowers, Jones, Nijman, & Simpson, 2011). There is need for a relationship between a leader and subordinates to encourage empowerment and mentorship of the junior employees to improve their performance in the organization.
Enhancing strategic integrity of a leader is ensured through proper accountability and self-declarations. Integrity capacity of every organizational leader is a tangible asset of global competitiveness (Azuka, 2009). Leaders with proper developed competencies exhibit higher levels of integrity, which in turn improves work behaviour. As an integral part of the role, a leader should delegate duties and responsibilities to the respective teams depending on the expertise and level of responsibility. This will in turn build the abilities and skills of the junior employees to perform more functions (Ahmad, Aslam, Bhatti, Nadeem & Ramzan, 2012).