6 Sources of Leadership Power

Job Description – Accounting Officer Job Details Title Department Reporting to Accounting Officer Finance Management Accountant Direct Reports Authorities Last updated Nil Refer Delegations April 2012 Job Purpose The Accounting Officer is accountable to the Management Accountant and is responsible for ensuring that all development contribution and sundry debtors are invoiced, and that these debts are collected when due. The position is also responsible for all aspects of payroll for staff and elected members. These services include: Control of debtors sub ledger Debtor invoicing and reconciliations

Debt collection Fortnightly and monthly payroll processing General ledger reconciliations Assistance with general accounting My Team CEO Deputy CEO / General Manager Finance Accounting Manager Management Accountant Accounting Officer Finance Administrator – Accounts Payable Key relationships External ? Debtors ? Lakes Environmental ? Payroll Software Provider ? Inland Revenue ? Trails and Youth Trusts ? Auditors Internal ? Chief Executive Officer ? Deputy CEO / Finance Manager ? Accounting Manager ? Management Accountant ? Activity managers ? Staff Key accountabilities Responsibility/objective

Payroll Administration: Coordination and Management of payroll function Maintain the Council’s Debtors system. Outcome ? Liaison with staff and councillors on all payroll matters. ? Collation, input, checking and processing of fortnightly payroll data, including expense claims and other one-off transactions. ? Processing of monthly Councillor payroll. ? Processing and administration of IRD and other payroll deductions. ? Distribution of payslips and various payroll reports. ? Administration and reconciliation of Annual and Sick leave entitlements. ? Input of payroll journals to the general ledger. Reconciliation of all payroll related general ledger accounts to the payroll. ? Completion of quarterly and annual statistical payroll returns by requested deadlines. ? Maintain confidentiality of all payroll information. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Debt Recovery ? ? ? Ensure Control accounts are in balance at all times. Generate invoices and credit notes as required/requested (this includes Development Contributions, Lakes Environmental, Private Plan Change charges, Section Clearance & other Sundry debtors). Ensure debtor receipts are allocated correctly. Distribute monthly statements. Reconcile the debtors’ and parking ledgers monthly to nsure they are accurate and fully updated. Perform month end roll over within 5 working days of the end of the month. Compile monthly aged debtor’s reports and other detailed debtor reports. Prepare Debtor reports for FACC committee by agenda deadlines. Debt reminder letters sent out on a regular basis, and email and phone contact when necessary. Liaise with relevant council personnel to assist with collection of outstanding debt. Ensure all correspondence logged in Debt Management ? ? system. Negotiate payment programmes where appropriate and monitor for performance and ensure up to date.

All queries are responded to within 7 days of receipt. Training of all managers and staff on the use of the invoicing system ? Ensure that all staff are adequately trained with a high skill level and understanding of the QLDC invoicing system. Ensure that all processing is performed in a timely and accurate manner ? ? ? Checking all input for accuracy before processing. Input of data including invoices & credit notes is timely. Ensure back charging required is performed on a regular monthly basis. Ensure all credit notes are property authorised. Invoices for Development Contributions and Resource

Contributions are issued on time. ? ? General Accounting ? ? ? ? Processing journals and general ledger maintenance as necessary, accurately and in a timely manner. Street Front Bonds detailed schedule maintained and reconciled. Subdivision Bonds schedule maintained and reconciled. Year End Audit reconciliations. Provide assistance with the following: ? Assisting the Management Accountant to ensure integrity of the General Ledger (coding accuracy). ? Assisting the Management Accountant with preparation of monthly management reports. ? Assisting the Management Accountant with budget input and monitoring. Assist with allocation of overheads to departments. ? Production of all financial reports in accordance with published timetables. Manages Health and Safety ? Ensure compliance to all legal/statutory and company requirements for health and safety. Maintain professionalism ? ? ? Adhere to company policies. Keeping abreast with technology. Maintain and update oneself with knowledge required for job. Other duties, consistent with the role, as required from time to time by Manager and CEO. ? Key behavioural competencies Competency Excellent Service Description We get it done and do it well

Respect We value and respect others Inspiration We lead by example Collaboration We succeed by working together Accountability We are open and honest Qualifications/Experience Qualifications ? Experience ? ? ? Skills ? ? ? ? ? ? Agreed by: Team member: Manager: Essential A sound level of numerical, written and spoken English skills. At least two years of clerical experience with Accounts Receivable and Payroll. Proven history of management of large scale debtors ledger. Must be capable of interpreting information, with a competent level of problem solving ability. Must be solution focused.

Windows and Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel). Must be a team player and keep their eyes focussed on the wider goals of the organisation. Must be capable of operating with a minimal level of supervision, making appropriate decisions within authorities delegated. A high level of accuracy and the ability to keep detailed file notes. Strong communication, written and verbal. Signature: Desirable ? ? ? Date: An up to date knowledge of payroll legislation would be an advantage but not essential. Some general accounting experience or an understanding of accounting principles would be useful.

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Adolf Hitler: a Leadership Analysis

Table of contents

Introduction

For the past seventy years, Adolf Hitler has been known as one of the most evil men in history. The Fueherer, as he was known, exhumed hatred and violence in his pursuit of power.

A vile man, driven by violence and a lust for power, eventually drove himself mad with his own idealistic vision of what a perfect world would be, and how he would achieve it. While his motives may have been questionable, his ability to lead and influence people is not. This case study will analyze the leadership tactics utilized by Adolf Hitler, as well as the personal issues he had with himself, society and the world he lived in. Also, Hitler’s unmatched desire for ultimate power, which ultimately led to his demise, will be examined as well. Ambitious scarcely describes the intensity of the lust for power and the craving to dominate which consumed him” (Green, 2001, pg. 8). Leadership, though defined through text books as, “The ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals” (Judge. 2013, 368), is not only limited to the ability to influence people. Leadership also includes the mental and physical maturity and knowledge to be able to influence people ethically and morally.

The greatest problem with Hitler’s leadership was that he allowed his ego driven desire for power to become greater than his vision for his country. Without the ethical and moral standards, leaders become dictators, and most will become separated from their wits and end up with less than optimal results.

Situation Analysis

In Management: The New Competitive Landscape, Bateman defines situation analysis as, “a process planners use within, time and resource constraints, to gather, interpret and summarize all information relevant to the planning issue under consideration” (pg. 108).

A situation analysis is a tool used to assess a particular situation and dissect the internal and external parts, focusing on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization in order to accomplish a goal. Internal Environment The internal environment, or the factors that Hitler can control, are in his eyes limitless. Hitler truly believed he was in control of everything. His goals were driven by hatred and a hunger for power. “Hitler was a master of nationalist appeal” (Green, 2001, pg. 13), and “speech was the essential medium of his power” (Green, 2001, pg. ). The way he viewed the world he lived in, Hitler was able to control everything and everyone around him through his ability to speak and influence. Anything he could not control, he sought to destroy, which included but was not limited to the Jews, Marxists, Czechs, Poles, French, any intellectual and the educated middle class. From an outside perspective, Hitler was a selfish, hateful, spiteful, violent man with demented goals towards world domination, and essentially was a cancer to the world.

External Environment

The external environment, which includes the factors uncontrollable by Hitler, to him is non-existent. Hitler controlled his external environment through brute force and violence along with fear. Countries like France and Britain allowed him to act this way for a great deal of time, as well as did some of the smaller areas conquered by the Nazi forces. It’s wasn’t until Hitler’s ego driven motives were finally seen by the rest of the world did anyone begin to rise up against him. Eventually, the other worldly enemies of Germany were able to stand up against him.

Hitler’s own arrogance also became an external factor, as towards the end, he was unable to control his emotions or separate his delusion from reality. Political turmoil combined with good timing allowed Hitler to rise to power legally and begin to rally the people of Germany behind his vulgar plans.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is an evaluation a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Armstrong, 2010, p. 77). A SWOT analysis is a useful tool in comparing a business, or in this case a character’s, traits to the situation and to other characters.

A SWOT analysis for Adolf Hitler

  • Strengths
  • Passionate Speaker
  •  Charismatic
  • Calculated
  •  Gifted Actor and Politician
  •  Weaknesses
  • Angry and full of rage
  •  Defensive
  •  Ego driven and selfish
  •  He became convinced of his own infallibility (EGO)
  •  Opportunities
  •  Rose to power during a time of political unrest and indecisiveness in Germany
  •  Master of surprise tactics: gauged the psychological effects
  •  Threats
  •  Anyone who interfered with his mission was an enemy of the people.
  • Intellectual and educated people.

Hitler was a very passionate speaker that was incredibly adept to connecting to his audience in order to influence or persuade. The people he was speaking to would feel his passion. His charisma for speaking combined with the weak structure of Germany at the time made him influential beyond any other. He had the combined skills of an actor and a politician, “he could talk well and he had the actor’s gift of mimicry to amuse his companions. (Green, 2001, pg. 12), and everything he said and did had a calculated thought behind it.

He was never caught off guard or accidently let anything slip, “he never let slip and unconsidered word. He never said what he did not intend to say and he never blurted out a secret. Everything was the result of cold calculation” (Green, 2001, pg. 7). Hitler’s own ego was his biggest weakness. The arrogance to believe that his was a “man with a mission, marked out by Providence, and therefore exempt from the ordinary cannons of human conduct” (pg. 9). Hitler also had no respect for any type of God or higher being, deeming himself as a supreme deity in his own eyes.

Anyone that believes they are on a divine mission to destroy and conquer clearly needs a path back to reality. His anger and rage would often play through during his speeches, though it was stated that he would often catch himself, calm himself, flatten his hair and continue on as if nothing had happened, and he also had a tendency to be on the defensive, making excuses and pointing the finger at anyone but himself or his country for the shortcomings of the time. Hitler took advantage of a great opportunity in early 1930’s Germany. There was a time of political unrest and uncertain leadership.

The leaders of the respective political parties were weak, and Hitler saw the chance to put his plan into action to build the perfect nation. Incredibly patient and a master of tactic, he waited until the timing was perfect to seize any opportunity. The greatest threats Hitler faced would be anyone that he was unable to control. The intellectual and the well-educated didn’t buy in to his rhetoric. Hitler had one way, his way. If you weren’t with him, you were against him. Anyone that interfered with his mission was an enemy of the people.

Problem Identification

Being a leader is not just about influencing people to achieve a goal; leadership has to do with the motives behind the organization and its goals as well. When a leader allows their own ego to dictate the direction of the organizational goals instead of what’s best for the organization, a problem will occur. Such is the case of Adolf Hitler. His ego driven desire for power outweighed the organizational goals for the people of Germany and the rest of the world. An idealistic perfect nation was a nice thought, but eventually the overly eccentric steps taken forced Hitler across the line from leader to dictator.

Best Choice of Action I truly believe that Adolf Hitler could have been the world’s emperor, had he not let his ego get in the way. His biggest threats at the time were Britain and France, who he had kept on their heels for the majority of his time in power. Instead of being aggressive and driving forward hastily, Hitler allowed his ego to define his decision making. A lack of advisors in addition to an incredible ego cost him his empire. At one point Hitler said he would rather lose Germany altogether than surrender. The best choice of action for Hitler would have been to not be so closed off and untrusting.

To appoint a cabinet of trusted officials that could help him objectively make a decision, as objectively as a genocidal maniac could possibly be, of course. With a little bit of an outside viewpoint, Hitler may have been able to see the flaws in his “Mission from Providence” and instead been able to be more efficient and effective in his plans for world domination. Characters Hitler had several types of power during his reign. Though seized through an opportunistic election, Hitler was granted Legitimate Power over Germany though their election process.

The leader with legitimate power “has the right, or the authority, to tell other what to do. (Bateman, 2004, pg. 369). He also had Coercive Power, or the control over punishments. (Bateman). Hitler certainly used an Autocratic Leadership Model, which “makes decisions, then announces them to the group” (Bateman, 2004, pg. 374), He was also a very charismatic leader; charismatic leaders are “dominant and exceptionally self-confident and have a strong conviction in the moral righteousness of their beliefs” (Bateman, 2004, pg. 83). In addition to all this, Hitler was also a transformational leader, “Transformational leaders get people to transcend their personal interests for the sake of the larger community” (pg. 383). These qualities combined made Adolf Hitler the leader that he was, or at least the leader he started out to be. Once his ego and his own personal vendetta with the world clouded his vision for the organization, his empire began to crumble and his ability as a leader ceased.

Student Use of Leadership Outcome

This past week, Hodges University at PHCC was invited down to the main campus in Fort Myers in order to receive an award for outstanding leadership and activity. Although I am not currently the leader of this group, I seized this opportunity to go to the main campus and meet with the influential people within the university structure. As a new club at a satellite campus, the Ambassador Club was having trouble being noticed and acknowledged by the university. At this ceremony, I made sure to meet with the important department heads, deans and advisors in order to establish a channel of communication for the future.

Our biggest problem as an organization right now, is that we are virtually unseen, by not only our community, but our university and campus as well. When I tell people I go to Hodges University, most people say, “Where’s that? ” and “Huh? ”. Even the students on PHCC’s campuses hardly know what Hodges University is. Our struggle with the university has been gaining the backing we need in order to secure a foothold within the community. A presence on campus and in the social eye would not only increase the student’s experience, but could possibly increase enrollment and student involvement.

Our goal for the coming year is to show the university that we are getting noticed in the community and on our campus. We want to be noticed not only by the students, but by the administration as well in order to generate a better experience for students, alumni, faculty and prospective students alike. Learning to utilize the different types of power in leadership positions and when to use them allowed me to make the impression I needed to make in the presence of other leaders in positions of power.

Conclusion

Leadership is about more than just getting a flock of sheep to follow.

Leadership is about having the moral and ethical maturity to influence people towards the right goals for the right reasons. Hitler lost sight of the moral and ethical end. He decided that his own diving ego was more important than the organization he was leading, which just so happened to be his nation of people. Hitler set out wanting to build a stronger, more dominate nation, a perfect nation above the rest. At first, he was charismatic and extremely effective. Once the leader loses the ability to influence, his ability to lead is gone.

The people began to see how eccentric and evil and violent Hitler really was, and in effect, how unfit of a leader he truly was. Had Hitler had the moral ground ethical ability to continue to influence his people to follow him, the world may have ended up in a very different way.

Reference

  1. Armstrong, G & Kotler, P. (2010). Principles of Marketing (14th Ed. ) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
  2. Bateman, T. S. (2004). Management: The New Competitive Landscape (6th Ed. )
  3. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Green, W. , & McCarthy, G. (2001). Adolf Hitler. Oneonta, NY: The Hartwick Humanities in Management Institute. Judge, T, & Robbins, S. (2013). Organizational Behavior.

Certification Statement

I hereby certify that this paper constitutes my own original work and is properly quoted and cited where I have used the writings of another. Further, this paper has not been submitted for credit in any other Hodges University class or other college course or for publication elsewhere.

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How Accurate Is It to Say That Lenin’s Leadership?

How accurate is it to say that Lenin’s leadership was the most important reason for the Bolshevik’s success in the revolution of November 1917? Lenin’s leadership was to a large extent an important cause of the Bolshevik’s success in the November 1917 revolution. This is because of Lenin’s great leadership skills, including his personality and timing, and his use of propaganda.

Other factors to why the Bolsheviks succeeded included Trotsky’s role, which was debatably more important, and the problems with the Provisional Government, which made it unpopular, increasing support to the Bolsheviks and meant that any future revolution was inevitable. Lenin’s leadership was crucial in a number of respects. He was a brilliant orator so the Bolsheviks were well led. At the Central Committee meeting on the 23rd October 1917, Lenin forced through an agenda item, when the leading Bolsheviks, Zinoviev and Kamenev, disagreed on it.

This was crucial because Lenin was in exile in Switzerland and had fled to Finland more recently because of disasters resulting from the July Days. This shows how Lenin was obviously still the determined leader of the Bolsheviks, and in the face of a united opposition, he was still capable to force his views upon the party. Furthermore, Zinoviev and Kamenev’s correct interpretation of Marx was not enough to stall Lenin’s wish for an armed uprising. Lenin slightly changed Marxist theory by stating that the bourgeois revolution had enough time to complete industrialization.

This further established how influential Lenin within the Bolsheviks and no one could compete with him even if it was obvious that his Marxist theory was wrong. The Bolshevik’s success would not have occurred in the armed uprising of the November 1917 revolution without Lenin’s leadership skills. Lenin’s leadership skills is linked to his popular slogans which gained support to the Bolsheviks whilst making the Provisional Government unpopular. Furthermore, Lenin was determined to transform the political state in Russia by overthrowing the Provisional Government.

Before Lenin’s return in April 1917, the leading Bolsheviks, such as Kamenev and Stalin, actually supported the Government. There were major problems for the government, counting the central issues. People were suffering from the hardships of World War I including: a huge number of deaths at the front, hyperinflation, transportation breakdowns, empty shelves in stores and lack of fuel to heat people’s homes. These issues were linked in a cruel circle; the only way to end the economic and social crisis was to get out off war but by doing so, that would mean the withdrawal of foreign aid, which would create an economic crisis of its own.

The central issues dissatisfied the proletariat, soldiers and peasants. When Lenin returned, he promised his most popular slogans, which were ‘Peace, Land and Bread’ and ‘All Power to the Soviets’ which were designed to gain support for the Bolsheviks and undermine the Provisional Government. ‘Peace, Land and Bread’ was a popular message because ‘peace’ meant an instant end to conflicts and referred to Bolshevik opposition to war; ‘bread’ meant a promise of food in the towns and cities, and ‘land’ meant all of it to be nationalised for the peasantry.

This was a popular message in a country tired of war and faced food shortages. This emphasised the Provisional Government’s support for the unpopular war and proved their failure to help the land and food shortages. Lenin’s solution ‘All Power to the Soviets’ made the workers and peasants believe that the Provisional Government was made up entirely of landowners and middle classes who would not look out for them. The slogans, therefore, allowed Lenin to give support to the Bolsheviks that they will have power whilst making the Provisional Government look weak and dependant on the ‘strong’ Bolsheviks.

This is linked to how the weakness of the Provisional Government helped the Bolshevik’s support rise. It was the Provisional Government, which lead to direct attempts to defeat it; the Bolsheviks were lucky that the Provisional Government was weak. General Kornilov, dissatisfied with the Provisional Government and the muddled state of the army, called for its overthrow. He wanted a return of the death penalty for abandonment, the elimination of the Soviets and the appointment of himself as new leader.

Kerensky firstly made proposals to Kornilov by asking him to join a coalition. When rejected, he had to ask the Petrograd Soviet to help him defend the capital. They agreed, but only once he had released the Bolshevik prisoners. He was therefore put into an unpleasant position of having to give weapons to a group of people who were wanted to defeat his government. In the end, Kornilov surrendered. The results were disastrous for the government. Politically, it lost support on both Left and Right.

The Right-Wing were shocked that Kerensky had armed the communists. The Left were shocked that Kerensky had tried to compromise with Kornilov and turned instead to the organisation of the Bolsheviks. Militarily, the army lost all trust in the government and started to collapse. The Provisional Government was now extremely unpopular and helped make revolution inevitable with more Bolshevik support. Furthermore, The Kornilov Affair had followed the arming of the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC).

The MRC did not give its guns back to the Provisional Government once the crisis was over, which meant that there was an armed radical group at the core of the Petrograd who were progressively undertaking the orders of the Bolsheviks. In addition, the failure of Kornilov to get to Petrograd highlighted the power the MRC had over soldiers Clearly, after the Kornilov Affair, the Provisional Government could no longer trust the troops to protect them if their opponent were in the MRC. The Kornilov Affair therefore made the revolution inevitable.

This is linked to Trotsky, who led the MRC, and how his role was crucial to the success of the Bolsheviks in the revolution. It was Trotsky who was the mastermind behind the actual planning and accomplishment of the uprising ever since he joined the Bolsheviks in May. Trotsky started the Pravda, a new workers-oriented newspaper, which got the Bolsheviks ideas across and helped the party run its own propaganda machine. Furthermore, on the evening of 24th October 1917, orders were given for the Bolsheviks began to occupy the railway stations, the telephone exchange and the State Bank.

The next day the Red Guards, a private Bolshevik army established by Trotsky, surrounded the Winter Palace. The Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) of the Petrograd Soviet was set up to defend Soviets from Germans after the June offensive collapses. It was under the control of Trotsky and the Red Guards occupied crucial areas of Petrograd and arrested most of the Provisional Government, who were in the Winter Palace. Many of the members of the Provisional Government were arrested, but did not offer any confrontation. The MRC, however, did win over the support f the Peter/Paul fortress, with its 100,000 rifles. This shows how Trotsky had also organised and executed the Bolsheviks’ takeover with great competence. Trotsky was an important contribution as he was the organiser and gave the Bolsheviks the military power to win against the Provisional Government, which ended up numbering over 10,000. To conclude, Lenin’s leadership was crucial to a number of respects. However, other factors such as Trotsky’s role, including his great organisational skills, and the weakness of the Provisional Government, which helped increase Bolshevik support, are arguably more crucial.

Lenin was a brilliant speaker and powerful within the party. In the face of a united opposition between Zinoviev and Kamenev, Lenin was still able to force his views upon the party, which shows how no one could compete with him. His two famous slogans ‘All Power to the Soviets’ and ‘Peace, Land and Bread’ allowed Lenin to give support to the Bolsheviks that they will have power. However, Lenin was lucky that the Bolsheviks’ opponent, the Provisional Government, was weak.

There was little support for the Provisional Government within the Petrograd. The Provisional Government failed to tackle the worst issues like the food shortages for example. The Kornilov Affair also created political and military problems for the government, which made revolution inevitable. Furthermore, Trotsky played a much important role as he gave the Bolsheviks the military power due to his organisational and timing skills. Lenin did help the Bolsheviks succeed in the November 1917, but only to a certain extent.

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The Importance of Leadership

The Importance of Leadership It is the belief of many that leadership is the vehicle or direction to both positive and negative change. In fact, leadership often determines the success and/or failure of any organization, whether it be in business, education, religion, government organizations, and society in general.

Clear evidence of this is seen in the recent-American Airlines’ woes, the closing of troubled schools across the nation, the public-scandal surrounding Enron Corporation, the positive impact of the Christian community by renowned-evangelist Billy Graham, the devastating-financial crisis of 2008, the re-election of President Barack Obama, and others. With this perspective firmly in mind, and in context of the case study surrounding Sir Richard Branson and his leadership style, this paper seeks to discuss the leadership models addressed in chapters 10 and 11.

It will also propose a different leadership style that would enhance Branson’s leadership prowess. Further, it will talk about a few strategies that Branson can employ to develop and lead a global team working on a major project. Lastly, it will discuss some of Branson’s leadership qualities and their personal and contemporary applications. Branson’s Leadership Style Illustrated in Chapters 10 and 11 Models Based on the substantial amount of evidence presented in the text, Branson has proved himself to be an effective leader because of his vision, operating philosophy, charisma or appealing influence, and financial success.

Much of Mr. Branson’s influence and success has been attributed to his direct-business involvement. Therefore, as illustrated in chapters 10 and 11, Sir Richard Branson’s leadership style is participative. To give emphasis on such revelation, Richard Branson is the Chairman of Virgin Group Limited (Ltd). He operates multinational entities that include air travel, financial services, and retail stores. Also, scores of people work for him. But regardless of the scope of Mr.

Branson’s responsibility and work demands; he allocates a great deal of time time to be personally involved with the day-to-day operations of the organization. Moreover, he actively listens to the concerns of his staff and customers in order to generate feedback and capture new ideas. To add to this, Branson’s personal involvement and participating leadership style has also reflected in his business approach and priority. For example, employees and customers are an integral part of his business culture.

For this reason, employees are ranked first, customers second, and shareholders last (p. 344). The rationale behind such approach is this—if employees are recognized and feel appreciated, the level of customer satisfaction becomes high, and therefore return on investment (RO1) is realized or positive. In addition to Branson’s personal involvement and participating leadership style, he surrounds himself with a diverse group of people so as to reflect the company’s core beliefs, values, and desired outcomes.

To add credence to this idea, in his book entitled, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, (Maxwell, 1998, p. 110) remarked: “Every leader’s potential is determined by people closer to him. ” In other words, leaders can make a significant difference when they associate themselves with competent people, as in the case of Richard Branson. More emphasis on this point will be discussed later on. Another leadership style that reflects Richard Branson is transformational leadership.

According to the text, transformational leadership “involves anticipating future trends, inspiring followers to understand and embrace a new vision of possibilities, developing others to be leaders or better leaders, and building the organization or group into a community of challenged and rewarded learners” (Hellriegel & Slocum Jr, 2011, p. 329). The above perspective certainly captures and encapsulates Branson’s leadership style—because he persuades many to buy into his inspiring messages. As a result, many have become committed and in this manner are being rewarded.

Also, Branson impacts the business community and a large scale. Further, he develops future leaders and entrepreneurs. Developing future leaders and entrepreneurs is essential and it at the core of transformational leadership. An insight of such truth has been noted by the authors (Anthony, M. J. , & Estep Jr. , J. 2005, p. 298), “Leaders are at their very best when they are raising leaders around them. ” In addition to Branson’s transformational leadership style, his business approach is revolutionary.

Undeniable evidence of this is seen in the amount and variety of businesses he operates as well as the company’s impressive-annual net sales—$20 billion (p. 344). To add to this, Branson’s hiring practice is also unconventional. That is, he generally hires people with “strong communication and teamwork competencies that mesh with the Virgin culture. ” Such practice helps Branson to be a better leader, which in turn strengthens the organization and its bottom line. So in brief, Branson’s leadership style in terms of leadership models as presented thus far is participative and transformational.

Suggestive Leadership Style to Enhance Branson’s Effectiveness Even though Sir Richard Branson’s leadership style is participative and transformational, his approach and behavior on a few instances is paradoxical. To illustrate, Virgin Group experienced massive losses ($20 million) in a couple of business ventures—because Branson ignored prudent counsel from “his top management advice” as well as other critical-business measures. It is the opinion of many that transformational leaders have a tendency to be arrogant and even ignored vital signals around them due to their intellectual inspiration and unchallenged purposes.

Such beahvior sometimes produced negative results. An example of this is seen in the horrific genocides or atrocities of the former-dictator Adolf Hitler. Therefore, by way of suggestion, Branson ought to add facilitate leadership style to his leadership competency. An insight on facilitate leadership style has been provided by the text: “The leader presents the problem to the team in a meeting, acts as a facilitator, defines the problem to be solved, and sets boundaries within which the decision must be made” (p. 308).

This leadership style is certainly advantageous for Branson in a number of ways. For example, as chairman of large groups of companies, Branson must not have a stake in every decision. Simply because such beahvior is perceived to be controlling, and the end results can be detrimental or costly as presented in the above example. In light of this, staff members must be empowered and heavily involved in the decision-making process of the organization. As a result, the flow of effective communication would improve, employee productivity would elevate, and the financial health of the organization.

Strategies Branson can Employ to Develop and Lead Major Project In today’s ever-changing environment, there is no denying that Sir Richard Branson is a risk taker and he is not afraid of failure. Moreover, his track record and business credentials qualify him to supervise any major projects. So by determining how Branson would develop and lead a global team working on a major project, the following strategic steps ought be employed or activated: (1) choose a research committee or advisory team and oversee it. 2) Empower committee or advisory team to select a diverse group of individuals so as to generate pertinent and creative ideas and thus improve the project. (3) Assess or calculate risk factors and outcomes surrounding the project. (4) Adhere to sound business and management principles. (5) Have an open mindset especially to internal and external change or resistance. (6) Invest a large sum of money on the continued development and research of the project and provide monetary and motivational rewards for research team. 7) Maintain good-internal communication and public relations. (8) Establish effective-feedback mechanisms so as to receive progress reports, and make change/s if necessary. Strict adherence and execution to the aforementioned steps will most likely enable Branson to develop and lead a global team working on a major project. Branson’s leadership qualities and their personal and contemporary applications Within the business world, Sir Richard Branson has definitely experienced much financial success and setbacks. A commentary on this point has been noted by (Scott, 2010, p. 5), “There’s another side to Branson—the relentless work ethic, the failed companies, and tough times, but people generally don’t want to hear it. ” Such experienced has helped to strengthen Virgin Group Ltd. and set Richard Branson apart in a profound way, and even add to his leadership qualifies. Additionally, Branson’s extraordinary business approach and entrepreneur competencies also complement his leadership qualities. Therefore, drawing on Branson’s leadership qualities, the writer would seek to emulate his unconventional business approach and strong work ethic, especially in today’s business environment and practices.

In so doing, the writer’s life would be personally and professionally enriched, and thereby making a positive contribution to society in general. By further drawing on Branson’s leadership qualities, social responsibility would be imitated by the writer. In support of this, “Branson pledged as much as $3 billion during the next 10 years (through 2017) to tackle global warning” (p. 344). Being socially responsible is commendable and even beneficial. To illustrate, it can attract investors, promote business growth, and help the physical environment.

To further mimic Branson’s leadership qualities, the writer would draw on his visionary approach so as positively impact humankind on a whole. It has been well said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 King James Version). Other leadership qualities that are worth emulating from Branson are: being an attentive listener, creating an informal environment to address and resolve problems. These qualities are so needed in today’s society, considering that people are often ignored, afflicted, and exploited.

As passionately argued throughout this paper, leadership is essential because it can make or mar the direction or success of any organization. More than ever, participative and transformational leadership qualities are needed. Such leadership attributes have aided Sir Richard Branson to develop unique business concepts and establish hundreds of business entities across the globe. In actual fact, they have helped him to gain much financial success. As a result, he has and continues to influence many individuals of all ways of life and spearheads many undertakings.

References Anthony, M. J. , & Estep Jr. , J. (2005). Management Essentials for Christian Ministries. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers. Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum Jr, J. W. (2011). Organizational Behavior (13 ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Maxwell, J. C. (September 18, 1998). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Thomas Nelson Publishers Scott, P. (2010). The Wisdom of Branson. Herald Sun (Melbourne), (), 85. Retrieved on November 26, 2012, from http://www. ebscohost. com

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Sources of Power in Leadership

The chairman of Shell Australia, Russell Caplan, has had many careers since graduating from Melbourne University in 1968—but all in one company. Most recently, Caplan led the restructuring of the company’s oil and chemical distribution and marketing into a global business from late 2004. Shell Australia’s profit before interest and tax increased almost 70 per cent, to $1. 23 billion, in 2005 after reforms at Victoria’s Geelong and Sydney’s Clyde refineries added to oil and gas production profits. But Caplan is facing a considerable test in helping Shell’s Gorgon gas joint-venture partners gain final approval from the West

Australian Government for the project, after concerns were raised by the WA Environmental Protection Agency. Here is what he says: ‘In all of my time with Shell, the one constant is change. I say to my people, “You had better get used to it because that’s the way we work. ” The contribution I can make is to express things as simply and clearly as I can. People react positively if they are shown a clear way forward—it doesn’t have to be a new or profoundly brilliant way; it just has to be clear. I find people have difficulty with priority setting, so giving them some guidance makes it legitimate to focus on ome things more than others. ‘When it comes to the challenges of depletion of natural resources and reducing emissions facing the oil industry, the first thing is to recognise sustainable development as a fundamental part of our philosophy. Triple-bottom-line reporting is real for us, not just talk. We would not be involved with the Gorgon project unless we could meet the social and environmental consequences too. I have personal targets associated with my remuneration. Triple-bottom-line reporting is embedded in our company, and that sometimes makes me a little sharp with some people who wish to take he view that we are big industry and therefore we couldn’t recognise those issues. ‘I have been continually surprised and pleased by the opportunities that I have had at Shell, and many were not of my choosing. If I said, when I joined in 1968, “I could have planned this,” that would be fatuous. I think that you should have two principles. The first is do the best you can. It annoys me when people focus on what they are going to do next rather than what they are doing now. I am very attracted to someone who delivers a little more than they say they are going to deliver, a little faster and is very etermined to succeed at what they are currently doing. That is the greatest indicator of what they can do. You also need a sense of good and bad. If you want to be in a legitimate business, Shell is a good place to be. There is a lot of good in Shell … it’s not perfect, but there’s a lot of good and it gives you opportunities. ‘In terms of my leadership style, I can think of a number of influences. I learned the importance of pushing yourself and doing the best you can do. I learnt from former Shell executive and Rio Tinto chairman Paul Skinner the benefit of clarity, consistency and moderation.

I have also learnt something remarkable from my wife; that is, the ability to stick to core values and express them simply. ‘Finally, I am conscious of the fact that I have come back to Australia after ten years away, and it is critically important to my effectiveness as a leader to reconnect with the Australian community, because my role as a leader is to bridge outside and inside. You get very remote if you are living away and following Australia by Internet, as opposed to smelling the dust—and seeing the pain of St Kilda losing. ’ Russell Caplan Position: Chairman Organisation: Shell Australia

Staff: 3200 Direct reports: Four Time in position: Four months Time in company: 39 years Activities for discussion, analysis and further discussion 1 Would you consider Russell Caplan to be an effective leader? Why? What characteristics of effective leadership do you identify in him from the case material above? 2 What characteristics does he appear to value in subordinates who he believes will be promotable? 3 Would you be prepared to work for this manager? Why? Source: Adapted from Tandukar, A. 2006, The good oil, Business Review Weekly, John Fairfax Holdings Limited, 22 June, p. 44.

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Utilizing Leadership and Communication in Management

Communication and effective leadership are widely considered to be the major challenges facing managers in the 20th century in their respective workplace. It is crucial in any management scenario for an effective leader to be a fluent, competent and expert communicator. In essence, this can be applied to all leadership scenarios whether it is organisational, recreational or even military based. If not utilised properly, the situation of a manager who is lacking key communication qualities can easily lead to the downfall of the organisation.

It therefore gives credence to the idea that a successful organisation is one who utilises the methods of upright leadership and effective communication in their internal and external management. The process of communication is defined as “an interpersonal process of sending and receiving symbols with messages attached to them” (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 457). This in a practical sense is the ability to convey a person’s verbal or non-verbal messages to achieve an understanding of what they require (Brown & Cliquet 2008).

This can be in the form of verbal conversation stating tasks that a person is required to do or in the non-verbal form which is usually in the system of body language to emphasise certain verbal directions. In terms of a business organisation, the manager must be effective in their communication otherwise their directions will be lost to either the employee, stakeholders or even the customers (Schermerhorn, 2011). This would lead to the fact that manager’s passing of information is only successful when they are actively telling the employee in regards to a task that they have to undertake.

This can be in the form of active listening sessions or improving the means of communication. This can be through improving communication techniques in technology or closing barriers which are hindering effective communication (Schermerhorn 2011 p. 460 – 467). This theory must be applied to many businesses and organisations around the world because without the necessary effective communication, information cannot be passed on therefore leading to a stagnation of possibly crucial material (Bratton et. l, 2007). Senior Professor at the University of Auckland Peter Boxall suggests that in regards to communication with human resources across transnational corporations that: “[Communication] is the attempt to build ‘constructive’ relationships with trade unions…broad ranging discussion are held with extensive information provided to the unions on a whole range of discussions. Emphasis is also placed on techniques designed to enhance individual employee commitment to the firm” (Boxall, 1995 p. 6-57). This quote suggests that to maintain a successful relationship between transnational trade unions, you must have apt communication from the executives to the workers otherwise the flow of material will become stagnant and the information will not be passed (Boxall, 1995). An example poor communication can be attributed to Michelle Smeby’s case study of a fortune 100 company named Holistic Change Ltd.

They had neglected to tell the stakeholders of potential changes in the information technology section of the workplace which would vastly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the workplace (Schermerhorn 2011), (Smeby 2011). Holistic Change Ltd. could have handled the situation better if they had planned the change; including informing the stakeholders so they could make a formative assessment on whether it would be beneficial to the company (Smeby 2011).

It proved to be a hindrance to the company which led to a reduction to their share price. This was due to the shareholders not possessing a full access of all the information that the company was retaining leading to an uncertainty of future projections and profits (Smeby 2011). Many businesses fail to implement effective communication techniques due to the fact that the training initiatives and education could become very expensive and is usually regarded an unimportant part of the daily management of a company (Bratton, 2007).

This does not just apply from the managers to the employees of an organisation, but it also applies with the organisations communication skills with the customer (Peterson, 2006 p. 36). It is stating that it is necessary in an organisation without proper communication with the customers, it will unable to either sell its goods or services. The ‘Business Source Complete’ journal article reflections are identical to the statements regarding the importance of effective communication with customer by suggesting that in the approach of seeking ew customers, the organisation has to undertake four key tactics. These include media relations, speaking opportunities, media partnerships and special events (Weber & Chadwick, 2004). Because the organisation is actively seeking out ways to express their company through methods of communication, it will most likely succeed in the objective of gaining new customers to improve revenue (Business Source Complete, 2004). This therefore gives credence to the fact that effective communication is necessary in the success of an organisation.

In response to effective communication with to employees, it is crucial to apply with the effective and efficient communication skills which are stated by Schermerhorn as “the intended meaning of the source and the perceived meaning of the receiver are identical [which] occurs at minimum cost” (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 458). This therefore leads on to suggest that effective communication is derived from profound leadership due to the fact that if someone in a position of power can effectively delegate tasks they must be able to motivate, leading and be able to reduce the barriers of effective communication.

Leadership is defined by Schermerhorn (2011) as the process of arousing enthusiasm and directing efforts towards organisational goals. Therefore, without proper communication skills, a manager will not be able to convey their instructions and therefore, makes the development of a leader stagnant. Claire Oldfield states her journal article that “[Leadership] unites people, develops opportunities and, crucially in these difficult times, ensures survival” (Oldfield C 2008, p. 69).

This suggests that it is not only a way of future monetary successes, but a way to ensure that the organisation will survive during turbulent financial times (Oldfield 2008). Chadwick (2006) in ‘Leadership in Business Development’ states that “Successful business development leaders have a passion for their mission, and it generally shows in almost everything they do. By their positive attitude, intellectual quickness and exemplary work ethic, they inspire and lead the folks around them” (Chadwick 2006, p. 1) This shows that a leader must show some inspiration to the team in order for them to perform the tasks well.

If the leader is able to communicate their vision in such a way that the employee’s will commit their resources into achieving an idealic solution for the manager, this will result in effective and efficient leadership (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 340). It also suggests that a leader must have the mental capacity to be able to inspire through motivation due to the fact that they are striving for the same result as the employee. Gage (2008) states in his journal article that the necessary leadership is one which strives on the use of reward and legitimate power (Gage 2008, p. ) (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 341). Schermerhorn (2011) defines reward power as “the capacity to offer something of value as a way of influencing them”. This is a practical sense is the ability to make an employee work to the managers standards by the use of offering an incentive (Schermerhorn 2011). This can be in the form of offering them an award or a salary bonus. Schermerhorn (2011) defines the use of legitimate power as the “capacity to influence other people by virtue of formal authority, or rights of office” (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 341).

If the manager was able to exert his power by utilising these methods, there is no doubt that the workers of the organisation will work more effectively and efficiently because of the incentive which is offered for their services. There is evidence to suggest that leadership is helpful in any management scenario, but Peter Boxall states that “It takes strong executive leadership to bring about positive patterns of employment relations. In the end, it is the senior leadership of companies that should be responsible for the quality of employment relations” (Boxall 1995 p. 303).

This quote by management professor Peter Boxall gives credence to the fact that it is necessary that without proper leadership, there will be no guidance for the rest of the team concluding to an inability to perform the tasks which are needed (Boxall 1995, p. 303). This will only hinder the process of management and can possibly lead to the termination of the organisation (Schermerhorn, 2011). In conclusion, communication and effective leadership considered to be the major challenges facing managers in the 20thcentury. It is crucial in any management scenario for an effective leader to be a fluent, competent and expert communicator.

In essence, this can be applied to all leadership scenarios, but if not utilised properly can easily lead to the downfall of the organisation. A manager needs to also be a motivator through their leadership and communication skills because this is proven to the most effective way of getting the most efficient results from the employees. It therefore gives credence to the idea that a successful organisation is one who utilises the ideas of leadership and communication in their internal and external management effectively. Reference List

Boxall, P 1997, ‘The Challenge of Human Resource Management’, Longman Paul Ltd. , Auckland, NZ Bratton, J & Gold, J 2007, ‘Human Resource Management Theory and Practice’, Palgrave Macmillanm New York, NY Brown, R & Cliquet F 2008, ‘Communication of Business Process Models’, BP Trends, Vol. 10, No. 9, accessed 3 October 2011, Business Source Complete Chadwick, S 2006, ‘Leadership in Business Development’, Printing Impressions, Vol. 49, No. 5, p. 114-115, accessed 3 October 2011, Business Source Complete Oldfield, C 2008, ‘Leadership’, Director. co. uk, Vol. 62, No. 4, p. 9, accessed 3 October 2011, Business Source Complete Peterson, K 2004, ‘Effective Communication promotes Business’, Kitchen and Bath Design News, Vol. 16, No. 12, accessed 3 October, Business Source Complete Ritchie, M 2008, ‘Leadership for Business’, Manitoba Business, Vol. 30, No. 1, p. 5, accessed 3 October 2011, Business Source Complete Schermerhorn et. al 2011, ‘Management’, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, QLD Weber & Chadwick Hong Kong 2004, ‘Product & Promotion – Marketing Communications: Business’, Media, Vol. 62, No. 21, accessed 3 October, Business Source Complete

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Building Trust

Teaching Guide Building Trust (DVD Title: Building Trust in a Large Organization) LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE: TEACHING OBJECTIVES: Manager must win the trust • Importance of building trust of over 500 employees in his with people when leading a large team Understandcall center team to motivate ing how to earn the trust them to maximize customer of subordinates who are different than you satisfaction. LEADERSHIP DECISION AND RESULT: Manager ? nds a common ground with people, learns their names, changes his dress, learns about their job, and makes himself visible to win their trust. Importance of knowing your people and their job • Importance of identifying with your people and being visible. Center for Leadership Development and Research Leadership in Focus TEACHING THEMES: • Motivating Teams • Vision, Values and Culture • Taking Charge Building Trust Jim Roth Manager, Dell Background on Company Dell, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and support of various computer systems and services worldwide. Discussion Questions: Have you ever had to build trust with a large number of people who are fundamentally different than you? • As a manager, what are the advantages and disadvantages of seeing yourself as part of a team rather than leading a team? • Do you think Jim will still have the respect of his team if he is so focused on serving them and their needs? • What does Jim mean when he says that a manager should be “conscious of how they ? t into the organization” and “have a sense they are always on stage? ” Background on Leader Jim Roth is a graduate of Northwestern and has a Masters degree in Industrial Engineering.

He worked as a Venture Capitalist, in a software start up, in management consulting and at Dell manages a large tech support team of 500 people. 1 Building Trust | Jim Roth These videos are prepared for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright © 2007 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved. Teaching Notes Building Trust (DVD Title: Building Trust in a Large Organization) Center for Leadership Development and Research Leadership in Focus

Video Segment 1: (Run Time: 1 minute 5 seconds) Challenge: Manager must win the trust of over 500 employees in his call center team to motivate them to maximize customer satisfaction. Note: Operations are 24/7 and units are located in Texas and Idaho. This is the ? rst time Jim has managed a large (550 person with 26 managers) group—he felt intimidated. The pressure to reach 90% looming. Dell had prioritized Wall Street ahead of customers— and service suffered—lots of bad press. better results. You think this new manager is too “touchy feely” and will get walked all over.

You want results! Group Work (optional): Assume it is the ? rst day on the job as the new manager of this team. Discuss what you should do. Writing Exercises (optional): Write a message to the managers of your new organization, setting expectations about the team and goals they will be working towards moving forward. Describe your leadership style and approach to the challenge. Make your message motivational. Discussion Questions: • Have you ever had to build trust with a large number of people who are fundamentally different than you? What did you do? What are the advantages of disadvantages of being the boss who is feared? • Do you agree with all the things Jim does to earn the trust of his team? Why or why not? • Do you think Jim will still have the respect of his team if he is so focused on serving them and their needs? Why or why not? Oral Presentations (optional): As the new manager, give an introductory speech to the managers in your organization about you and the goals you hope to achieve. Clearly state the messages you want to convey to your direct reports. Role Play (optional):

Discussion between Manager (Jim) and his Supervisor (Sam) whose leadership philosophy is very different and thinks a manager should be feared by his people. Explain yourself and try to gain your supervisor’s trust. • Background for Manager (Jim): You believe you should think of your team as your customers and make every effort to make their job easier. You do not want to be feared by your people and think you will be even more productive thanks to your leadership style. • Background for Supervisor (Sam): You think the new manager needs to come in strong and put fear in his employees to achieve 2 Building Trust | Jim Roth

Copyright © 2007 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved. Teaching Notes Building Trust (DVD Title: Building Trust in a Large Organization) Center for Leadership Development and Research Leadership in Focus Video Segment 2: (Run Time: 3 minutes 20 seconds) Decision: Manager ? nds a common ground with people, learns their names, changes his dress, learns about their job, and he makes himself visible to win their trust. Writing Exercises (optional): As the manager, write an email to your employees announcing your new purchase of headsets for all agents.

Discuss how they will be distributed. Will you incentivize the high performers by awarding them with new headsets ? rst? Discussion Questions: • Do you agree with all the things Jim does to earn the trust of his team? Why or why not? • Do you think Jim will still have the respect of his team if he is so focused on serving them and their needs? Why or why not? • Is there anything Jim should do differently and how successful do you think he will be with his approach? • As a manager, what are the advantages and disadvantages of seeing your team as your customers?

Role Play (optional): Discussion between Manager (Jim) and direct report (Fred) who believes everybody needs new headsets and new chairs. • Background for Manager (Jim): You believe you should make your people more comfortable, but you are limited in budget and must make your people and Fred understand there are limits to what you can do for them. • Background for Direct Report (Fred): You think everybody needs new headsets and chairs. You know the new manager is anxious to make a positive impression and you think this purchase could help.

Group Work (optional): What does Jim mean by having an “early victories” when he talks about getting new headsets? What kind of a precedent does this set and how should he manage expectations for the future? 3 Building Trust | Jim Roth Copyright © 2007 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved. Teaching Notes Building Trust (DVD Title: Building Trust in a Large Organization) Center for Leadership Development and Research Leadership in Focus Video Segment 3 and 4: (Run Time: 2 minutes 10 seconds)

Writing Exercises (optional): As the Manager, write an email to your team telling them how you want them to come to you when they have problems. You want them to understand you are there to help them, but also don’t want them to abuse this privilege. Make the message motivational. Result and Lessons Learned: Manager receives feedback from his people and sees this as a victory that he has earned their trust. To earn trust and improve performance, it is important to learn the details about your people to determine why they come to work everyday.

Discussion Questions: • As a manager, what are the advantages and disadvantages of seeing yourself as part of a team rather than leading a team? • What does Jim mean when he says that a manager should be conscious of “how they ? t into the organization” and “have a sense they are always on stage? ” • What does Jim mean when he says a manager should come across as a “real person? ” • Do you agree or disagree with Jim’s statement when he talks about his subordinates, “They are not beneath you. ” Explain. Group Work (optional):

Discuss the ideal leadership style and image of a manager for a large organization who needs to improve. Oral Presentations (optional): Assume you are talking about of your team. You are in front of 300 of your employees and when you pause, somebody from the audience yells out a quote you said three months ago that is different than what you are saying now. Everybody laughs and starts talking amongst themselves. How do you handle this and what do you say? 4 Building Trust | Jim Roth Copyright © 2007 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved.

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