The ability to transform an organization to the next level, through specific leadership techniques, and to have the vision to carry out the task, is called transformational leadership. Transformational leaders influence by becoming the teacher, mentor and/or coach -- or a combination, rather than a hierarchical tyrant. Key is the empowering of others to achieve and surpass their own goals. Communication is the basis for this theoretical model -- the leader is highly visible and uses a chain of command to get results, but is never satisfied and is constantly looking for ways in which the organization can reach beyond the current vision (Avolio, 2002). It is this constant search for efficacy, the move to "transact" the organization or specific project to a new level that keeps this theory alive -- and continual feedback and stimuli are as necessary as food and water to this leader (Karl, 1993). This type of leader might not be satisfied with lengthy tenure in an organization -- they thrive on crisis, their ego feeds on the ability to constantly prove themselves and move into even greater challenges -- these are not detailed personalities, but visionaries of the highest degree (Yukl, 2006).
What then, is the ideal leader and what theory explains that ability. Ideally, say most scholars, the leader must be surrounded by strong people -- good teams of well-qualified individuals who might not necessarily excel leading the organization, but certainly do a superior job in task and localized management. "Excellence is achievable, but only if leaders are dedicated to tapping the vast potential within each individual. Most of all, this does not mean that… more transformational leaders are needed to & #8230;.carry out the vision. Rather, the vision itself needs to reflect and draw upon the vast resources contained within individual employees" (Wren, 219-20). Additionally, more and more data is showing that to be a great leader in the contemporary business climate, at least, one needs to develop into a "resonant leader." This leader, through innate abilities or training, focuses on the four domains of emotional intelligence -- self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management-- and how the development of these four EI competencies spawns different leadership styles that match the situation rather than having the opposite occur. The best leaders maintain a style repertoire, switching easily between "visionary," "coaching," "affiliative," and "democratic," and making rare use of less effective "pace-setting" and "commanding" styles (Goleman, 2004).
What is the ideal, then? Easily, the idea is to combine the two into a synergist approach to the subject in which the best of both definitions contribute to the greater good -- for this, we will call our new person a Team Leader (Kouzes). Team leaders are super coaches, they see the best in the individual and are happy to provide opportunities for that individual, or group, to maximize their potential. Yet this type of leader also leads by example -- team leaders not only create a standard -- they embody that standard. One of the most interesting things about observing managers at almost every level -- from ground floor to the corner office, is how quickly and effectively they tend to shut down dissent. In most cases, they are unaware that their body language, verbiage, or actions are doing just that. Most are surprised and believe that shutting down dissent is the last thing they want. It is important, then, to note, that it is not just the intent of the message regarding dissent, but the actual words, tone, timbre, and interpretation. In this case, it is more important to understand how the message is perceived as opposed to how it is given. As the team leader, a signal is sent. Since leadership is ultimately about the combination of honesty and professional dissent; management should be on goals, not thing, and should invigorate. This role is becoming even more important as globalism continues, barriers are diminished, and the workforce becomes more diverse (Wagner, 2005; Bolman, 2008).
Leadership within Organizations - Within any structure or organization, motivations are crucial for both the health of the organization and the longevity and contentment of staff members. Motivation, though, is fickle -- everyone needs something a tad bit different to succeed. For example, within organizations, rewards are typically given as monetary salaries, bonuses, etc. Many leaders, however, respond better to public accolades, media attention, or the awareness and admiration of their peers. Since many leaders tend to be psychologically more Type-A, often with huge...
Capacity Building and Knowledge Management Capacity planning and knowledge management are terms that have flooded the literature in recent years. Many of the best run organizations in the world have dedicated resources that focus on each concept respectively. However, there is also a lot of overlap in the two concepts; especially with regards to human resources and training and learning. For example, when learning occurs and is documented to train other
This feeds into a second concept of importance which concerns the targeting of goals. (17) Here, our capacity to meet the interests cited by the Mission is tested as we define some clear expected outcomes as a product of our efforts. Namely, we might identify such goals as selected 100 teachers annually who might qualify for the assistance which we have offered. This would involve the preemptive determination of criteria
In such situations, it still is pertinent to create some kind of agreement with regard to the current scope of work in relation to the consultant. (Gayle, 1993) It could be said that the consultants engaged with firms experiencing change is required to adhere to the following important steps. The consultant is required to define the project goals and scope and inform employees about their anticipations. They are required to
One of the greatest challenges in attempting to meets its ambitions as a socially conscious organization is the refinement of its ability to tend to the diverse needs of those who might specifically benefit from its services. This may be with respect to racial, ethnic, social, geographical, professional or economic diversity, indicating that in all areas there is a constant imperative to shape procedures according to the needs of manifold
Non-Profit Org Learning The purpose of this executive summary is to encapsulate the points and the directions that this report, in its totality, shall take and forge. As indicated by the title of this report, this treatise will focus on learning in non-profit organizations. Indeed, having a true "learning organization" is an organizational trait that any leaders of said organization should desire to have and keep. This is true of both
Organizational Analysis of Google Google is a high-tech organization with appealing rates of growth beneficial to shareholders. Inherent with its development, Google faces notable challenges. This study will focus on the situation facing the company besides exploring the competition it faces from rival firms in the industry. This study also provides positive and feasible recommendations for the leaders of the organization to consider. Besides the issues facing the company, the outstanding
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