Leading in a Changing World

Theme 3: Analysis of Leadership

Source: (Jobberman, 2022)

Differences between Management and Leadership

Leadership is a process on how people influence each other to achieve shared goals or results which involves guiding people through influence, focusing on creating a vision for change. while management is more about achieving organizational goals and handling processes. While managers avoid risk at all cost, leaders will find and resolve any potential risk or problem. By studying the differences between the internal and external role of managers and leaders, we notice that leaders will use their positive energy to motivate people to solve problems but managers ensure daily tasks are completed, which involves giving orders to employees (Liphadzi et al., 2017, p.479).

Two currently widely used leadership models are highly similar to the discussion stated above. Transactional leadership is based on management/manager and transformational leadership is based on leadership/leader.

A leadership that will be discussed is the autocratic leadership model. Autocratic leadership means only one person, the leader, makes all the decisions and controls everything without much input or questioning from the team (Sindakis, 2023). An example of a successful leader who showed an autocratic leadership style is Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc. At a young age, Jobs showed a need for autonomy, even when it went against what his teacher suggested (Ndoro & Niekerk, 2019, p.7).

How did Steve Jobs demonstrate this model to his success?

This leadership model can be very efficient and consistent in quick decision-making because the decision is only made by one person. Team members are more clear about their roles and duties well because the leader gives them direct instructions (Kothari, 2023).

There are also certain drawbacks to this model. For example, there is a lack of creativity and members may feel no sense of participation which can cause problems and stress to the workplace.

Best Effective Approach to manage Subordinates to adopt Success?

The coaching leadership style approach is one of the many useful ways I think managers can adopt. And by using a real-life company for example, Mcdonalds, the satisfaction rate of employees is 69%, 66% of the employees felt respected by managers, and 58% thought managers made work enjoyable (Nadolny & Ryan, 2013, p.147). At  McDonald’s, the organizational culture believes that individual learning enhances productivity, quality, and business effectiveness. They provide training through Hamburger University, internships, and leadership development programs to encourage ongoing learning among employees, promoting a culture of motivation and growth (Thompson, 2023). In this competitive market era, leaders should communicate and guide their members so that they feel valued by the leaders which can boost productivity and overall performance.

I agree with the discussion suggested by CMI 2013 because I think one approach may not fit into all circumstances or organizations. I believe that a company needs to adapt to more than one model of leadership to operate smoothly. For example, transactional leadership is important for a company to run day-to-day operations but at the same time, transformational leadership is also required to motivate and boost employees’ morale to improve productivity.

Examples of great leaders

Currently known as one of the richest men on earth, Jeff Bezos is a very ethical leader. Bezos effectively led by empowering his leadership team. He delegated tasks and was open to other’s ideas even if he thought they might not be the correct ideas. He listens to his employee’s ideas and if the ideas are argued well enough, he will use them. He is also seen as a leader who motivates and encourages employees to surpass their perceived limits and achieve beyond what they thought was achievable. It’s uncommon for a leader of a company this large (Hardy, 2019). His amazing charisma and great leadership skills led Amazon to such a success. As discussed, we can see that Bezos is a transformational leader and I can see myself being led by such an amazing leader.

Another great leader is Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook. A democratic style of leadership can be spotted as he values team relationships. He lets employees choose their projects and set their schedule and consistently motivates them to share ideas. This democratic approach boosts job satisfaction and productivity through innovation and creativity. Zuckerberg treats all employees equally and by getting rid of hierarchies, he breaks down barriers between executives and other employees to create a more harmonious workplace. When employees feel a sense of engagement, they are more likely to be satisfied and improve their work (Hoefflinger, 2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe there is no such thing as one size fits all. As the market is constantly changing, leaders should adapt their style of leadership based on their industry. There is always an alternative and the best style of leadership is when leaders apply and use it correctly.

References

Hardy, E. (2019, December 11). Jeff Bezos’ leadership style propelled him to become one of the richest men in the world. here’s what you can learn from it. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-can-learn-from-jeff-bezos-leadership-style

Hoefflinger, M. (2017, April 11). How Facebook keeps its employees the happiest, according to a former insider. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-keeps-employees-happy-2017-4

Kothari, S. (2023, September 20). Autocratic leadership: Features, benefits, and examples. Simplilearn.com. https://www.simplilearn.com/autocratic-leadership-article

Liphadzi, M., Aigbavboa, C. O., & Thwala, W. D. (2017). A theoretical perspective on the difference between leadership and management. Procedia Engineering, 196, 478–482. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.07.227

Nadolny, A., & Ryan, S. (2013). McUniversities revisited: A comparison of university and McDonald’s casual employee experiences in Australia. Studies in Higher Education, 40(1), 142–157. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.818642

Ndoro, T., & Niekerk, R. V. (2019). A psychobiographical analysis of the personality traits of Steve Jobs’s entrepreneurial life. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 19(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/20797222.2019.1620421 

Sindakis, S. (2023, November 13). Autocratic leadership: Examining the pros and cons of command and Control. Academia World News. https://academiaworldnews.com/autocratic-leadership-examining-the-pros-and-cons-of-command-and-control/ 
Thompson, A. (2023, November 6). McDonald’s Culture & Cultural Traits. Panmore Institute. https://panmore.com/mcdonalds-organizational-culture-analysis