From a leadership perspective

There is great value in situation analysis and visioning when it comes to corporate leadership (Young. ) Visioning I think is one of the most useful frameworks to conduct any business project within. Without proper vision, the tasks at hand can become busywork and not promote the future of the business. It can also become a part of the negative leadership model of coercion (Rowe. ) An example of how to use the model of visioning as opposed to the negative framework of coercion is to sit down with your employees and discuss openly how you see the direction of the company moving forward.

Ask for their input on how they can help move the vision forward, and assign tasks accordingly within the spirit of teamwork rather than coercion and busywork. Money and time are valuable commodities, and can be used well and also within a productive, cohesive work environment when visioning not coercion is the model in place. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Young, M. (2008). Leadership – Value of Situation Analysis and Visioning. Retrieved March 29, 2009 from IT World: http://www. itworld. com/business/55273/leadership-value-situation-analysis-and-visioning.

2) As you think about the writings of Drucker, Kotter, and Bennis, how would you describe their “macro” contributions to the literature and the field? How would you describe their “micro contributions to the literature and the field? Drucker, Kotter, and Bennis all made macro and micro contributions to both the leadership literature and field (Rowe. ) Drucker’s contributions were especially publicized, even after his death (Sullivan. ) His work influenced great leaders such as Winston Churchill, and his macro contribution related to corporations. Perhaps his micro contribution was teaching college students.

Kotter’s macro contribution was the concept that organizations need people who can play two major roles – leading and managing (Rowe. ) A micro contribution Kotter made was the general, though not entirely brand new, idea that organizations as a whole are poorly led. Bennis’ micro contribution was perhaps the most publicized – that bureaucracies are dying (Rowe. ) Considering nearly 50 years later that bureaucracy is still alive and well, this really doesn’t fit the model of a macro contribution. His transformational leadership model was the most accurate and thus macro contribution that he made to both literature and the field.

References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Sullivan, P. (2005). Management Visionary Peter Ducker Dies. Retrieved March 29, 2009 from The Washington Post: http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/ar2005111101938. html. 3) Badaracco states that “when quiet leaders face a problem entwined with complexities, they work patiently and persistently to get a grasp of what they know, what they need to learn, and whose help they require . . . (they) drill down into complex problems.

” Cite an example of how your decision to or failure to “drill down” impacted the outcome of a specific situation. What lesson(s) did you learn and what counsel can you provide to your colleagues? Quiet leaders faced with complex problems tend to ask for help after trying to resolve the issue on their own. This is the sign of a true leader that wants to set an example for others in many cases, though it can be slightly manipulative and a form of charismatic leadership (Northouse. ) My decision to drill down a major problem into a series of less complex ones was helpful when I worked at an internship and we were not getting our deadlines met.

Instead of trying to make the interns who were not doing their work look bad, which might have been viewed as a form of coercion on my part, I came up with ways each of us could do a little more work (Rowe. ) This didn’t take a lot of extra time on anyone’s part, and was better than me trying to coerce the management into looking like the best intern in the department. References: Northouse, P. G. (2007). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

4) What do you do that makes you a charismatic leader or a competent leader? Does having charisma or demonstrating competence make difference given an analysis of your followers and the situation? Having charisma and demonstrating competence is important, but using charisma as a form of managerial coercion is not effective (Rowe. ) The best attribute of a good leader-manager is to demonstrate competence and honest rapport with people, rather than trying to win them over through charisma. Charisma is often likened to cult leaders or salesmen, and there is always someone who is going to be turned off by such displays.

Honesty and sincerity as a form of demonstrating competence creates a competent leader, while flowery displays with little or no competence forms a charismatic leader. A competent leader does not seek to dominate, while in many cases a charismatic leader does (Charismatic Leadership. ) The most lasting leadership is the one based on competence, even if not accompanied by a lot of rapport. Competent leaders can actually get things done, rather than just offer a lot of flattery and smooth talking to employees. References: Charismatic Leadership (Weber). (2009). Retrieved March 29, 2009 from 12 Manage: The

Executive Fast Track: http://www. 12manage. com/methods_weber_charismatic_leadership. html. Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 5) What is your dominant leadership style, is it effective, and how does your style impact the performance of your subordinates? I think I am a competent leader (Rowe. ) Avoiding charismatic leadership, which seems less lasting than competence, is important to me (Northouse. ) I have been subject to both coercion and charismatic leadership as outlined in the texts, and I think it only serves a legitimate purpose in extreme cases.

If a business is failing because of people’s laziness or ignorance, then coercion might be needed to save the company. My style is to be competent, but also treat my subordinates as competent and capable of doing their work without being micromanaged. I think this fosters a cooperative atmosphere as opposed to one which is adversarial. Loyalty to a company and/or the cause at large is really more important in the long run than loyalty to one leader, because managers come and go. Using coercion tends to breed resentment and turn people away from a firm, even if it’s an individual’s issue and not a corporate one (Rowe.

) References: Northouse, P. G. (2007). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 6) In what ways have the dozen or so thought leaders’ writings summarized in the Organizational Leadership essay advanced my understanding of leaders and leadership? I especially appreciated Kotter’s idea that organizations as a whole are poorly led (Rowe. ) It is a shame that more firms do not require some kind of ethics and business training before putting people into place as managers.

It seems like every training session is about safety and sexual harassment, which have important places in the workforce, but need to be accompanied by some basic ideas about not relying on charisma to get by (Charismatic Leadership. ) It’s a shame that Bennis’ idea about bureaucracy dying decades ago has not happened yet, but perhaps one day it will die a faster death (Rowe. ) Overall, I think the writings have helped me see what kind of leadership really can work for the greater benefit of a firm and what is not really all that productive for a company.

Using the examples of previous leaders and writers about managers is really an important tool for any kind of corporate success. References: Charismatic Leadership (Weber). (2009). Retrieved March 29, 2009 from 12 Manage: The Executive Fast Track: http://www. 12manage. com/methods_weber_charismatic_leadership. html. Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. 7) Badaracco discusses the notion of bending the rules and how blindly following the rules can sometimes do more harm than good. Have you worked with a boss or co-worker who has bent the rules either “appropriately” or “inappropriately?

” If so, how has the person and the situation made you feel? What were the short- and/or long-term consequences of this person’s behavior – either for him/herself or the organization? There are rules such as “no-outreach” when it comes to dealing with clients outside of a counseling setting, which for the most part should be kept (Rowe. ) However, when it comes to an opportunity to truly help someone else without harming an agency or the greater good of society, a willingness to bend the rules is important in order to succeed (Yuki. ) However, bending the rules inappropriately is not helpful.

At a job I had, there was one coworker who was allowed to work from home, but others who were even more productive were not permitted this privilege. This caused a lot of resentment, because the rules should have applied to everyone or no one. When the employee left the company, no one was allowed to work from home. This proved helpful after all the issues before, because the rules were not bent for anyone except in rare and unavoidable circumstances, such as prolonged illness. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006).

Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. 8) What, specifically, can you do, that will serve to motivate and satisfy your subordinates while facilitating the achievement of organizational goals? Goals-based planning may be the best thing I can do to help motivate and satisfy my subordinates and the organization as an entity (McNamara. ) Visioning is also helpful, because without steering toward a vision goals-based planning can be rendered useless (Young. ) It is essential to include subordinates in the process, at least toward the end, to avoid ill feelings.

Writing down a list of goals, aligning them with a company’s vision, is a good first step to start motivating employees and reaching toward a better organization. Holding an informal meeting with several subordinates who hold, or could potentially hold, managerial responsibilities is a good way to get feedback and include them in the goals process. Then having a formal meeting with all of the employees to discuss how the goals can be met, while including everyone in the final process, can go a long way toward motivating people and helping meet organizational goals.

References: McNamara, C. (1997). Strategic Planning (in nonprofit or for-profit organizations). Retrieved March 31, 2009 from Free Management Library: http://managementhelp. org/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan. htm. Young, M. (2008). Leadership – Value of Situation Analysis and Visioning. Retrieved March 29, 2009 from IT World: http://www. itworld. com/business/55273/leadership-value-situation-analysis-and-visioning. 9) In what ways does the organizational climate that you create contribute to (or hinder) improved organizational performance?

A poor organizational climate can reduce employee satisfaction and harm productivity (Creating a Performance Enhancing Organizational Climate. ) Examples of hindrances to organizational performance are poor employee attitudes, unsafe working conditions, lack of respect from managers, and unclear organizational goals leading to unfulfilling work tasks (Organizational Climate. ) Basic elements such as allowing employee input through meetings and other forums of open communication can go a long way toward improving organizational performance.

Without true communication in place, employee satisfaction and productivity declines. I strive when leading any effort or organization to keep communication levels open to all, and refrain from acting as if anyone’s opinion does not really matter to the organization. Creating anonymous surveys is another important element of gauging the organizational climate as it really exists to your employees (Creating a Performance Enhancing Organizational Climate. ) These can be safe tools to help people feel more able to open up into honest communication about their work environment.

References: Creating a Performance Enhancing Organizational Climate. (2004). Retrieved March 31, 2009 from Dirigo Consulting Group: http://www. dirigoconsulting. com/html/creating_a_performance_enhanci. html. Organizational Climate. (2001). Retrieved March 31, 2009 from Quality Values: http://www. qualityvalues. com/organizational_audits/organizational_climate. htm. 10) In what ways have the more contemporary authors’ writings summarized in the Organizational Leadership essay advanced your understanding of leaders and leadership?

In part, leadership is about influencing others to meet common goals (Yukl. ) However, it is not the only way to lead (Rowe. ) The texts have helped me see that there are a number of leaders and leadership styles, and that most are not wrong. Influence does not equal bad, and a manager does not have to become a dictator to be successful. Even a charismatic leader can be helpful under the right conditions, and in some instances coercion might be the only way to get a group of unresponsive workers who really just shirk their responsibilities into proper action.

As long as people are not being abused, as long as resources such as finances are not being wasted, there really is no such thing as one style of leadership. A leader is human, and cannot be perfect. He or she can only try to get the best results with the resources they have on hand. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. 11) Badaracco discusses three virtues – restraint, modesty, and tenacity.

Which of these three virtues is your strength? Cite a specific example demonstrating the virtue. Which of the three virtues is not your strength? Cite a specific example where the lack of this virtue is problematic? I would say tenacity is my strength (Rowe. ) A synonym for this is courage, and I feel I possess courage in most of my professional and academic endeavors. Without tenacity, leadership cannot revolve. Tenacity requires the ability to admit when a style of management is not working and asking for help to make necessary changes.

When I was an intern and needed to take charge without making others look bad, I had to use tenacity as well as the virtue of modesty to make this really happen (Yukl. ) I would say my weakness would be restraint. Sometimes not taking charge is the best thing to do, and though I feel I always handle my assets of tenacity and modesty rather well, maybe sometimes I should sit back and let someone else take the chance to lead. However, I also see a potential danger in using too much restraint, because it can easily become a dangerous case of complacency.

References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. 12) If you’ve been confronted with a situation similar to that encountered by Shackleton and his crew, how did you handle it? If not, do you think that you’d have the physical and mental stamina to serve under Ernest Shackleton? I have not been confronted by a life or death situation such as that encountered by Shackleton and his crew (Rowe.

) However, I think if I had to I could handle it through the leadership in organizations skills I’ve learned, such as influencing others to meet a goal (Yukl. ) Shackleton clearly had to do this to pull his team out of their crisis, and I feel if the same situation happened outdoors, I could use my business leadership abilities to get everyone out alive. I believe I would have the physical and mental stamina required to survey under Shackleton, and similar leaders. I try to keep in good physical and emotional condition, which I feel is important to my personal and professional health.

However, I think emotions play more into such situations than physical prowess, because with a weak will even the strongest bodybuilder could collapse into helplessness when faced with a dire situation. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. 13) In what ways can continuing leadership development enhance your effectiveness, improve subordinate performance, and contribute to improved organizational outcomes?

An effective leader is one who is educated and able to actually use what he studies to work closely with other people without acting as if he is superior to everyone else. Leadership growth is not a one-time occurrence, it is continual and progressive (Rowe. ) Without a regular commitment to leadership development, a manager cannot continue his or her growth pattern and ultimately help his company (Yukl. ) This is any good manager’s primary goal – to grow his firm, not worry solely about personal gain. When a company grows, the loyal managers and employees grow along with it.

Taking classes and actually practicing the principles and ethics learned is an important step toward leadership development, but is not the only way to sustain growth. Learning how to pinpoint measurable progress when it comes to organizational goals and then working together with other members of your employee team can be done through textbooks and actual work. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

14) Reflect on the seminar and describe an example of how this course has affected your leadership at work or similar environment. This course has taught me a lot of concepts about leadership, such as different styles and schools of thought such as Drucker (Rowe. ) In addition, I have also learned that leadership development, even without formal higher education, is essential to continuing growth as any kind of manager (Yukl. ) I plan to actually apply these by working on my strengths and weaknesses, and better communicating with all the people I work with in a company.

Taking charge may not be always easy, but it is simple to do within the right framework. Including everyone in the process is a key step that I always accepted, but really learned the value of within this course. In the future, I plan to pay special attention to open communication, whether through informal forums and/or anonymous surveys. Doing this breeds teamwork rather than hostility, which is essential to any kind of success as an organizational leader. References: Rowe, W. G. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

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