Management & E-Business

Building Management Skills ESLSCA MIBA

Sahar Al-Jobury, ESLSCA 39E

Managers as Leaders
1. What types of power are available to you? Which ones do you use most? Why? The types of power available to me are: Legitimate, Reward, Expert, and Coercive. The power I like to use most is Expert Power. This is because knowledge and skills enable me to understand any given situation, propose solutions, use solid judgment, and generally outperform others. Through demonstrating expertise, people tend to trust me and respect what I say. My ideas are usually greatly valued due to the expertise portrayed. In addition, the ability to exhibit rational thinking, sound judgment and decision making makes people look up to me as a leader. 2. How can organizations develop effective leaders? For any organization to develop effective leaders it needs to ensure the following: Diversity Staff diversity of and inclusiveness, with no discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, race, age or culture is an extremely important factor. Diversity in the workplace can also be ensured through a structured mobility programme between different offices of the organization at the intraregional, subregional, regional and international levels. Leadership Development Programmes Such training programmes are a necessity and should be made operational in order to train managers to be better leaders. Offering sabbatical leaves and educational opportunities, including Masters or MBA Leadership programmes to further staff careers, providing online learning and skill development programmes are only few examples of what can be done to have effective leaders. Leaders as collaborator and optimal resource utilisers Organizations should be able to develop leaders who can creatively bring together resources across its different offices. In order to accomplish its mission, an organization should look into maintaining internal communities and networking events, mentoring programmes, annual retreats and an ongoing dialogue between staff and managers for feedback and guidance. Work-Life Balance Such a balance would increase productivity and give peace of mind to the staff. In this regard, several options exist such as: Flexible work options, i.e. compressed workweeks, alternate work schedules, telecommuting and part-time and job share opportunities. Transportation opportunities like rideshare and shuttles to take the stress out of getting to and from the office. Childcare and eldercare benefits Easier travel options with granting home leave, free flights, Employee assistance program, adoption assistance, family leave, auto and home insurance programmes and service awards.

3.

Think about the times that you have had to lead. Describe what you think your own personal

leadership style is. What could you do to improve your leadership style? Come up with an action plan of steps that you can take. I believe in situational leadership and found it extremely beneficial. Assess individuals and the surrounding environment and acting accordingly has always proven beneficial. Competency
Leading Teams

Goals
Effectively leading high performing teams

Action Steps
Help team identify its purpose Set the scope and boundaries Show your belief Define the leaders role Be a supporter Be a facilitator

Time Frame
Two months

Resources
Reading: Performance Leadership: The Next Practices to Motivate Your People, Align Stakeholders, and Lead Your Industry; (2009) by Frank Buytendijk; McGraw-Hill Skill Brief in UN Skill Port: Strong Leadership and Successful Teams: Learn how strong leadership can strengthen a team.

4. Think about a situation you are familiar with in which a leader was very ineffective. Then answer the following questions: a. What sources of power did this leader have? Did the leader have enough power to influence his or her followers?

The leader under discussion had legitimate, reward, coercive and expert powers and he had ample power to influence his followers. b. What kinds of behaviors did this leader engage in? Were they appropriate for the situation? Why or why not?

This leader had a vision and limited resources at hand. Showing appreciation for the smallest task accomplished, giving positive feedback in a calm demeanor, ensuring that high performers get promoted, and backing his staff throughout, ensured that the staff remained highly motivated. Such behaviours were appreciated by all staff as they all felt appreciated and fairly treated. c. What steps did this leader take to motivate his or her followers? Were these steps appropriate or inappropriate? Why? To motivate his staff, this leader used the power of persuasion. He had the ability to sit with each staff member, regardless of his/her level, and patiently explain to them his vision, listen to their views and using logic, sells them his ideas. Once convinced that this vision is for their own good and the interest of the office, staff are usually motivated to undertake the plan of action. I believe this was appropriate as it ensured deliverables and increased the portfolio of the office 600 per cent.