Fundamentals Of Leadership Assignment Exploring Leadership Styles And Their Role Towards Business Performance
Question
Task: –Can Fundamentals of Leadership assignment help identify the best leadership style and how they influence a business’s operations?
Answer
Introduction
This Fundamentals of Leadership assignment explored how Leadership can be implemented in various ways, referred to as leadership styles. According to Asrar-ul-Haq& Anwar(2018), leadership is a very significant area for research. Leadership is a practical skill which needs to be mastered to excel in any field. The leadership skills allow a person to lead, guide or influence other individuals, groups, organisations or the nation. Leadership is a crucial management function which enables directing an organization towards its goals. Leadership also facilitates effective resource allocation and management. Different leadership styles are appropriate in different situations. Through efficient leadership, the efficiency is improved and the goals are easily achieved. I feel, leadership is important because it provides the clarity of the motive, purpose and mission of the organization. Right leadership facilitates better coordination among the individuals in an organization. This fosters motivation and effective work. Leadership further brings stability to an organisation and facilitates employee retention. There are different leadership styles identified on this Fundamentals of Leadership assignment out of which in this reflective essay I will share my experience of working under transformational leader. From my past experience, I can say that transformational leadership stands out among the other styles as it is more relevant and impactful in the current scenario.
Fundamentals of Leadership assignment Reflective Discussion
I have read about different leadership styles, but I have realised that not every style is suitable for every situation or organization. The popular styles of leadership which I have come across during this Fundamentals of Leadership assignment isautocratic leadership. This refers to the style of leadership in which the ‘boss is always right’ (Harms et al, 2018). The subordinates are expected to do as their leader instructs and have hardly any say in the decision making. I have come across this form of leadership in my first workplace. I used to work at a store where the manager followed the autocratic style of leadership. As employees we were expected to listen to everything he said and follow without raising any question. However, this leadership style seems to be extremely toxic as it is disliked by the employees. I believe that the command and control or autocratic leadership style is useful only in case of emergency when one person’s decision making could expedite the process and address the issue immediately. The other styles of leadership which I am aware of includeauthoritative leadership style, pacesetting leadership, democratic leadership, affiliativeleadership, laissez-faireleadership style and transformational leadership.
The leadership style which I find the most effective and relevant today is transformational leadership. Transformational leadership, according to me is effective because it sets the vision clearly, which enables the followers to articulate the same. The transformational leaders are able to motivate the followers so that they are filled with the same passion as that of their leader. In my previous workplace where I was working, my manager was a transformational leader. I was a part of the company’s marketing and sales team. My manager was highly passionate about her job and constantly motivated us. She ensured that our individual professional goals are aligned with the organizational goals. This not only fostered organizational growth but also facilitated individual professional progress. I feel a transformational leader implements motivational leadership. I personally idealise the influence which a transformational leader has on the followers. The transformational leaders are actually role models for their followers. In my organization, we looked up to our manager as an ideal person, whose footsteps we could follow. I have worked under a transformational leader so I know how this style inspires, motivates and encourages the followers. The transformational leadership style adopted by the manager from my previous workplace made me realise that even during crisis situations like that of Covid-19 pandemic, such leaders are able to handle the situation effectively. The transformational leaders can bring about a meaningful change. As the pandemic required change in approach, the transformational leader facilitated change management and helped us to adapt to such changes. During this Fundamentals of Leadership assignment research, I have experienced that transformational leaders can get the entire workforce engaged in the organization’s operations. This style fosters empowerment of the employees which results in better innovation. If I reflect over my real-life experience of working under transformational leadership, I can say that transformational leaders can shape the future and ensure success of an organization. As per Alqatawenh(2018) transformational leadership style motivates the followers or employees in an organization by increasing the self-efficacy of the followers. This is totally relatable with the practical experience that I have had. Our transformational leader, the manager at my previous company facilitated innovation and involvement. She enabled social identification across the group and also linked the organizational values with the values of the followers. This leadership style makes the followers feel highly determined and dedicated towards their work. Transformational leadership style as I have seen augments the perceived empowerment of the followers.
The theory and practical experience regarding transformational leadership style has been similar for me. As I have observed, transformational leadership is highly relevant as the organizations can suffer in its absence. The relationship between job characteristics and transformational leadership is very strong. The former can be enhanced by the presence of the latter (Bonsu&Twum-Danso, 2018). Therefore, the organizations which do not implement transformational leadership face enough problems in workforce management. There were instances at my previous workplace, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when we, the employees felt demotivated seeing the dropping sales. However, our manager had always been enthusiastic and encouraging. She boosted our morale so that we could work better. The transformational leadership style as per my opinion and past reflection, shapes the daily tasks in such a manner, which enables fostering positive perceptions among the employees. As per Sweet et al (2019), reflective learning or writing refers to the analytical practice of describing an imaginary or real scene, interaction, event, memory or passing thought and adding personal reflection to the meaning of it in entirety. In this Fundamentals of Leadership assignmentreflection, I am trying to relate my past experiences of working under a leader who followed transformational leadership with the theories on leadership and its styles, which I have come across so far.
As opined by many scholars, reflective writing is beyond focusing only on descriptive writing. Thus, in this reflective essay my aim is to narrate my experience relating it with the theory. The transformational leadership allows autonomy. I have had such an experience, where my manager allowed me to take certain decisions regarding sales-boosting strategy planning for the company. Reflection facilitates better learning. There are few areas of the theories which we might forget. However, relating it with practical experience enhances our learning and increases our knowledge. As I have worked under a transformational leader, I know that I too would want to follow the same style of leadership. The followers under transformational leadership have a feeling of high self-esteem and feel that their work is highly valued by their leader and organization. This gives them a positive feeling which further motivates them in their work. I want to be such an inspiring and motivating leader to my followers in future.
A transformational leader as I can report from this Fundamentals of Leadership assignment investigation,makes the followers feel more empowered. The relationship between transformational leadership and cynicism is reverse. The followers or employees under a transformational leader are stimulated intellectually and they are also quite open-minded. The job satisfaction has a direct positive relation with transformational leadership. In fact, as I have noticed at my previous workplace, my manager being a transformational leader could decrease the conflicts, reduce the frustration and anger of the employees. A good relationship between the leaders and followers is important. This is possible when the leader can read the minds and predict the actions of the followers. The followers too must feel connected to the leader. The transformational leadership style fosters organizational engagement. I feel that under a transformational leader, the self-efficacy among the followers is enhanced. It gives them the sense of social identification, connects them to the organizational values and makes them more focused in their work. These days cynicism is common among employees. They have high probability to quit their jobs. These are symptoms of employee negativity. However, the employees who work under a transformational leader are more resilient and they adapt to crisis situations rather than quitting their jobs. In my first workplace where the leader was an autocratic leader, I have seen high intention to quit (ITQ) among the employees. This is because of the poor pay, lack of connection with the organization and most importantly poor leadership. The rest of the setbacks or limitations can be handled if the leader is strong and efficient. The only problem with transformational leadership is that it is time consuming as it values the opinions of all the team members. Unlike the autocratic or authoritarian leader, the transformational leader finds it difficult to manage the team as everyone has their say.
Conclusion
To conclude this Fundamentals of Leadership assignment, transformational leadership is universal and relevant for most of the organizations and situations. These leaders yield better employee performance and promote inclusive corporate culture. In situations of crisis, the transformational leaders could be highly effective in leading the organization. This has been witnessed and proved during the Covid-19 pandemic. The transformational leadership style is relevant and appropriate for modern day organizations as it fosters innovation, promotes intellectual stimulation and enhances effective change management.
References
Alqatawenh, A. S. (2018). Transformational leadership style and its relationship with change management. Verslas: teorijairpraktika, Fundamentals of Leadership assignment 19(1), 17-24.
Asrar-ul-Haq, M., & Anwar, S. (2018). The many faces of leadership: Proposing research agenda through a review of literature. Future Business Journal, 4(2), 179-188.
Bonsu, S., &Twum-Danso, E. (2018). Leadership style in the global economy: A focus on cross-cultural and transformational leadership. Journal of Marketing and Management, 9(2), 37-52.
Harms, P. D., Wood, D., Landay, K., Lester, P. B., & Lester, G. V. (2018). Autocratic leaders and authoritarian followers revisited: A review and agenda for the future. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 105-122.
Sweet, L., Bass, J., Sidebotham, M., Fenwick, J., & Graham, K. (2019). Developing reflective capacities in midwifery students: Enhancing learning through reflective writing. Women and Birth, Fundamentals of Leadership assignment 32(2), 119-126.
