I first will need the completed Discussion Post by Tomorrow. I will then post four student replies that will need to be replied to. The initial post needs to be between 450-500 words at least. The replies need to be at least 250-300 words at least. I need it to be exactly how the instructions outline. ONLY USING SOURCES I PROVIDE. You need to use two-four citations for the original post and at least one for each of the replies. The teacher may reply to my post and I will need a response for her as well using at least one source.
Directions: Reflect on each of the previous seven weeks. Briefly describe seven leadership concepts (one from each week) that you can apply to your leadership career. Use headers to identify each week’s concepts. Be as specific as you can. Consider both information from the course materials and the experiences you had in your group work. Whenever referencing concepts from course materials, be sure to provide in-text citations and references.
Completing the Discussion
- Read the grading rubric for the project. Use the grading rubric while completing the project to ensure all requirements are met that will lead to the highest possible grade.
- Third person writing is required. Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person.
- Contractions are not used in business writing, so do not use them.
- Paraphrase and do not use direct quotation marks. This means you do not use more than four consecutive words from a source document, but put a passage from a source document into your own words and attribute the passage to the source document. Note that a reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. If direct quotes are presented, they will not be included in the grading. If direct quotes are used (even if no quotation marks are used) they will be excluded from the grading.
- Direct quotes are NOT allowed if they are quotation from course materials. This means you do not use more than four consecutive words from a source document, but put a passage from a source document into your own words and attribute the passage to the source document, using in-text citations in APA format. Changing words from a passage does not exclude the passage from having quotation marks. If more than four consecutive words are used from source documents, this material will not be included in the grade and could lead to allegations of academic dishonesty.
- In-text citations should be included in ALL SECTIONS of the report, and should demonstrate application of the course material. Note that a reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. Provide the page or paragraph number for ideas that are reference in all in-text citations.
- You may only use the course material from the classroom. You may not use books or any resource from the Internet.
Sources by each week
Week 1: What is Meant by Leadership and Who are Leaders?
Theme 1: Understanding the nature of leadership helps to frame the viewpoint of a leader
Although many scholars have defined leadership, but the definition of leadership is dynamic. This week, we will discuss the definitions of leadership to understand the field of study upon which we are about to embark. The definition of leadership has significantly changed over the past generation to meet the needs of a contemporary business environment. In fact, many scholars have disagreed on the nature or essential characteristics of leadership but instead have offered a variety of perspectives as to what leadership is not. As we discuss the contemporary definitions of leadership, pay close attention to various definitions and compare them to those of prominent leaders today. Are they similar? If so how? If not, why not?
Read:
Simon Sinek on Leadership at TED
Satel, G. (2014, June 1). To Create Real Change, Leadership Is More Important Than Authority
Theme 2: The evolution of leadership theory can help to explain what makes a good leader today.
The second theme for week 1 details how the definition of leadership has adapted to fit the changing business environment. Changes in the definition of leadership are reflected in how leadership has been viewed by scholars. Leadership theory took root in the social science fields of sociology and psychology. People wanted to know what made a good leader and whether they could become a good leader by adapting the “good” traits. Debate still rages on in leadership research as to whether leadership is inborn or learned. By examining leadership theory this week, we will begin to define leadership in terms of answering the question of what should Biotech’s leaders look like for success today. The evolution of leadership theory illustrates how leaders have perceived the act of leading and how the psychology of leading people interfaces with the real job of leading others. How one views and defines leadership influences the beliefs, values and behaviors maintained while leading and relating to others.
As mentioned earlier, leadership experts have perspectives/ theories about leadership. It is important to understand the history of leadership theories, because it will help define the way leadership is today. The business environment controls the view of the leader as it controls the actions needed for a company to survive. By reviewing the chart below and the leadership theories from the attached readings, it should become clear to you how leadership has evolved. Understanding how leadership theory has evolved to meet the needs of the organization over time will help to define us as leaders today.
|
Decade(s) |
1950-60 |
1960-80 |
1980-2000 |
2000-Now |
|
Theories |
Great Man/Trait |
Behavior/ Contingency |
Influence |
Relational |
|
Organizational Structure |
Vertical/ Pre-bureaucratic |
Vertical Hierarchy/ Bureaucratic |
Horizontal/Cross-Teams |
Flat/ Functional |
|
Leader View |
Single Hero |
Command and Control |
Team/Change Leader |
Shared Vision/ Alignment/ Change Agent |
|
Environment |
Post-War Stable |
American Business Growth/ Stable |
MNC Dominance/Japanese Model/ Chaotic |
Technology Revolution/ Disrupted/ Chaotic |
Source: Adapted from Daft, R. L. (2010). The leadership experience (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
TAKE AWAY POINT FROM LEADERSHIP THEORY EVOLUTION
The flow from “Great Man” views of leadership to “Learning Leader” illustrates that the view of good leadership is colored by the demands of the business landscape of its time. Leadership and its definition is dynamic and complex. Leadership changes in response to the needs of the organization.
Presently, many business leaders are continuing to transition from the “Calm Chaos” of the latter half of the 20th century to the “Turbulent Chaos” of the 21st. Leaders are focusing on change management, facilitating vision and values to encourage high performance and continuous adaptation. New theorists, such as Jacob Morgan, are modeling the organizations of today blending the vertical structures of the 80’s and 90’s with the flat structure of the 21st century. Morgan (2015b) maintains that it is costly and inefficient to dismantle the vertical structures that currently house many of the viable business organizations. Instead, Morgan (2015a) proposed a new structure known as a “flatarchy,” that can be relatively flat yet can create an ad hoc hierarchy to work on a project or function and then disband when finished. The organization can also have a loose hierarchy that can flatten when required and then return to a loose hierarchy when the need is over. The leader of today must find ways to transition quickly from the old to the new. Implementing fast change and getting people to accept and implement the change is the greatest task facing leaders.
The leader must combine the “soft” skills of leadership with the “hard” skills of management to effectively guide an organization.
Understanding the evolution of leadership theory helps a leader to define the contemporary concept of successful leadership by identifying strengths and weaknesses of scholarly perspectives from the past to the current time, and explore the relationship of leaders to the business environment.
References
Morgan, J. (2015a, July 20). The 5 Types of Organizational Structures: Part 2, ‘Flatter’ Organizations. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/07/0…
Morgan, J. (2015b, July 20). The 5 Types of Organizational Structures: Part 4, Flatarchies. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/07/1…
Read:
The Most Important Leadership Theories
The Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory
The Relational Leadership Model
What Does Leadership Look Like in the Future of Work?
Week 2: Leadership Styles, Traits, Attributes, and Competencies
Theme 1: Leadership characteristics are demonstrated in a leader’s style.
Traits are characteristics that are ingrained in an individual. Traits are not easily learned or unlearned. For example, the introvert is unlikely to become the life of the party. On the other hand, leadership attributes are personal qualities or characteristics that can be learned and are typically described in the context of behaviors – values, habits, character, or motives. Leadership competence is a mix of leadership skills and behaviors that lead to an increase in performance.
Read:
Critical Skills: Leadership – In the Library search under Comstock (author) and Critical Skills: Leadership (title).
10 Traits of Great Business Leaders
Theme 2: Leadership style should fit the person, the organization, and the job. It should be situational in nature.
The way a leader sets the direction, implements plans and motivates people to accomplish a task is known as a leadership style. It cannot be emphasized enough that leadership style is not a one size fits all type of cloak. A leadership style must fit those that are led, the company and the job. The following story about leadership style illustrates theme two.
Alan Robbins started Plastic Lumber Company when he saw a way to help the planet by converting plastic milk and soda bottles into fake lumber while still making money in doing so. Robbins had strong opinions on how to run his company. He had an expectation that decisions be made in teams with participation from everyone. Sound familiar? To accomplish this goal, Robbins spent a long time on the factory floor chatting with employees, sounding them out on how best to get the job done. Robbins soon learned that this was not working. Most of his low-skilled employees simply wanted clear direction and a set of standards and expectations for doing the work. The freedom that Robbins’ laissez-faire leadership style encouraged led to frequent confusion, employee absences, tardiness, and fights on the factory floor. Employees came to work under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Robbins’ style undermined his authority in the eyes of many workers (Aeppel, 1998).
Although Robbins believed in his laissez-faire leadership style, he had to force himself to adapt a direct style with factory workers to save the business and instill order.
Would Robbins style fit better at Google than on the factory floor? While reading and preparing for this week, consider the aspects of style that relate to a leader’s ability to build relationships and keep the organization competitive.
Reference:
Aeppel, T. (1998, Jan 14). Losing faith: Personnel disorders sap a factory owner of his early idealism. The Wall Street Journal, A1-A14. Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac…
In week one, we learned that a leader must define leadership both personally and within the context of the organization. A successful leader should adopt a leadership style that fits his or her definition and the organization’s definition of leader. The choice of leadership style should enhance the point of view of the leader, the culture of the organization as well as the job and situation at hand.
The following notable leadership styles will be examined this week:
|
Leadership Styles |
||
|
Charismatic |
Laissez-Faire |
Situational |
|
Visionary/Innovative |
Steward |
Transactional |
|
Pace Setter |
Democratic |
Transformational |
|
Command/Coercive |
Servant |
Participative |
Many of the leadership styles have emerged from the theories discussed in week 1. Others have evolved from combined elements of different theories to create the characteristics, behaviors, attitude and values of the successful leader.
Read:
Pages 22-28 of (continued from last week):Gandolfi, F., & Stone, S. (2017). The Emergence of Leadership Styles: A Clarified Categorization. Review Of International Comparative Management / Revista De Management Comparat International, 18(1),
8 Most Common Leadership Styles
The Impact of Leadership Style on Employee Commitment
Leadership Style, Emotional Intelligence, and Organizational Effectiveness
The Effective Organization: Five Questions to Translate Leadership into Strong Management
Week 3: Mission, Vision, Strategic Thinking, and Planning for Tomorrow
Theme 1: Companies need to make money to stay in business. The leader in the organization is to create a vision and mission. The vision and mission drives decision making in the organization so that resources of the organization, including human resources, are used properly to make financial sustainability happen.
Read:
- Principles of Management: Chapter 4.3 The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Values
- The Leader’s Role in Strategy
- Walt Disney Company’s Mission Statement and Vision: Formula for Success (An example of how they work together to bring corporate success in environmental sustainability)
- Visions & Missions of Fortune Global 100 Companies
- Management Tools: Mission and Vision Statements
- Strategy, Mission, and Vision: How Do They All Fit Together?
Theme 2: Strategic thinking is how Biotech’s vision is crafted by leaders to create organizational wealth, customer satisfaction, and sustainability. Stated at the outset, leadership talent needs to be built and available to make a company grow in today’s business environment. Strategic thinking can be done by anyone, but requires an open mind, a positive attitude and an organizational culture that aligns with the vision.
Read:
- Strategic Leadership: Short-Term Stability and Long-Term Viability
- Why Is Strategic Thinking Important to the Success of Business?
- The Strategic Thinking & Strategic Planning Process
- Integrating Strategic Thinking into your Organization for Long-Term Competitive Advantage
- Strategic Thinking: 11 Critical Skills Needed
- Three Keys To Improving Your Strategic Thinking
Theme 3: Being proactive as a leader means planning for the leadership of tomorrow. In order to sustain competitive advantage, leaders need to plan for tomorrow by ensuring the knowledge garnered by Baby Boomers is harnessed and shared with younger generations before they retire. Succession planning involves deciding on the leadership of tomorrow, with the knowledge we have about our organization today. This handing of the torch is more than just filling future leadership openings; succession planning ensures that our company’s wealth of expertise, what is commonly called “tribal knowledge”, is protected.
- Successful Organizations Need Leaders at all Levels
- Succession Planning Roadmap
- 9 Tips for Effective Succession Planning
Week 4: Leadership Challenges of Today
Theme: Understanding the unique challenges leaders face today, and the skills needed to meet them will help you as a leader to act decisively and proactively.
Creating competitive edge through leading others has some unique challenges. Besides being a change agent, there are five other areas in which the leader’s skills set as a strategic thinker and relationship builder needs customization. These areas are leading innovation, leading generations, leading global diversity, knowledge and technology.
This week we will examine these specific challenges and how a leader might address each challenge. Since we could spend a week on each challenge, consider focusing on answering two questions: Why is the leadership challenge unique to each topic? and What can a leader and organization do to address the challenge?
Leading Cultural and Generation Diversity
- Diversity and how it Improves Leadership
- Leading the Four Generations at Work
- Inclusive Leadership: Effectively Leading Diverse Teams
- What is Cultural Intelligence?
- What is the Difference between a High-Text Context and Low-Text Culture?
Leading and accumulator of knowledge
- Why Knowledge Management is Important to the Success of Your Company
- Importance of Knowledge to a Growing Business
Leading Innovation
Week 5: Self-Knowledge as a Powerful Leadership Tool
Theme 1: Developing Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), Cultural Intelligence Quotient (CQ), Communication Skills and a Moral Compass Leadership can occur on all levels within an organization.
This week we have a few truths to remember as we explore relationship building to create competitive advantage. Motivation and empowerment are two words that you have heard throughout your business education. Managers motivate and leaders empower. The lines are blurring at Biotech. Managers give decision-making authority to team leaders and team members in an effort to get the work done. At Biotech, all employees can be leaders. Leaders at all levels need to develop a soft skill set to help build relationships. Good relationship building gets at the heart of the relationship between leader and follower that results in trust, respect, and expertise.
This week our discussion will focus on the skills needed as an individual leader to create and maintain relationships within Biotech. It is intuitive that the best leaders are intelligent. We also know that well-rounded leaders are also Emotionally Intelligent (EQ), have advanced communication skills and a strong moral compass. Moreover, cultural IQ runs parallel to Emotional IQ. Leaders must be knowledgeable about cultural diversity and understand the nuances of people’s behavior within the context of the local culture.
Read and View:
Personality, Leadership, and Emotional Intelligence
- How Implicit Personality Affects Leadership
- The Relationship Between Leadership and Personality
- Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
- What is emotional intelligence?
- Interview of Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence Social Intelligence and Leadership
- Personality and Leadership
- Personality and creating your Leadership style
- Critical Leadership Skills: Key Traits That Can Make or Break Today’s Leaders
Moral Compass Leading with Values
Cultural Intelligence
Theme 2: Creating your own leadership energy starts with knowing who you are as person. Understanding how people’s personality, emotions, and morality influence relationships and being able to communicate that understanding to others allows the leader to use his or her most important resource, people, to the company’s best advantage.
Change cannot occur at Biotech or within any organization if people do not trust. Like the earlier example of Robbins at Plastic Lumber Company, the laissez-faire leadership style
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