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  • Conflict and Negotiation

    In the last byte, we looked at a few guidelines for leadership. In today’s byte, we begin our discussion on conflict and negotiation.

    To have a common understanding before we begin our discussion, we shall have to define conflict. Here is our definition as per the reference book:
     
    “Conflict is any situation in which incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions or behaviors lead to disagreement or opposition between two or more parties.”
     
    The business market place with its increasing competition and globalization magnifies the differences amongst people given their personalities, values, attitudes, perceptions, languages, cultures and nationalities. Thus, today’s organizations face a greater potential for conflict than ever before.
     
    Given the increasing diversity in business workforces, we have a unique scenario where we also have an ever increasing potential for compatibility and conflict!
     
    It is important to note: Not all conflicts are bad! Some types of conflicts encourage new solutions to problems and enhance creativity in the organization. We shall discuss about this dimension in the next byte.

  • Guidelines for Leadership

    In the last byte, we looked at the cultural differences that a leader would need to keep in mind. In today’s byte, we look at some guidelines for leadership. 

    Leadership plays a very influential role in organizational behavior and achieving organizational effectiveness. Following are 5 useful guidelines for leadership:
    • No two leaders are the same – leaders and organizations should appreciate the unique attributes, predispositions, and talents of each leader. There is value in this diversity.
    • There is no single best style of leadership – there are organizational preferences in terms of style. The choice of leaders who challenge the organizational culture, when necessary, without destroying it.
    • Participative, Considerate leader behavior demonstrate a concern for people appear to enhance the health and well-being of followers in the work environment. This doesn’t imply, however, the leader cannot ignore the team’s work tasks
    • Different leadership situations call for different leadership talents and behaviors. This may result in different individuals taking the leader role, depending on the specific situation in which the team finds itself.
    • Good leaders are generally good followers too. Although there are distinctions between their social roles, the attributes and behaviors of leaders and followers may not be as distinct as is sometimes thought of.

  • Leadership – Cultural Differences

    In the last byte, we looked at dynamic followers. Today we look at the aspect of cultural differences in leadership.

    We have discussed about situational leadership where in leadership is influenced by the situational context in which the leadership act is shown. Extending this, we could say – we would need to consider the cultural influences in leadership scenario. Culture is definitely an important situational variable when exercising influence and authority. Leaders who think could groom themselves into being global leadership would need to be flexible enough to alter their approaches when crossing national boundaries and working with people in foreign cultures.
     
    Here is a small illustration of how the culture influences: Leadership in the American context where the American workers follow traditional Protestant work values. In China the influence is from three perspectives – Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism; these are harmonized to create work values such as trust, hierarchy, loyalty and network.
     
    To be effective, leaders must understand other cultures and be sensitive to the minor diversities and not assume homogeneity to be existent.

  • Dynamic Followers

    In the last byte, we looked at our discussion on Effective Follower. Today we discuss about Dynamic Followers.

    A general assumption about followers is that they are someone in a powerless, dependent role – they do not take up potent, active, significant roles. Dynamic followers are more contemporary, and play a healthy role.
     
    A dynamic follower is a follower who is a responsible steward of his or her job, is effective in managing the relationship with the boss and practices self-management.
     
    Over time, dynamic followers become a trusted advisor to the supervisor/boss by keeping the supervisor/boss well informed and building trust and dependability into the relationship. Another nature of these dynamic followers is that they are open to constructive criticism and solicit performance feedback actively. They share the needs and are responsible in functioning.
     
    Note: It takes time and patience to nurture a good relationship between a follower and supervisor.

  • Effective Followers

    In the last byte, we looked at some of the characteristics of 4 groups of followers. Today we discuss about effective followers in a bit more detail.
     
    Effective Followers: These followers are active, responsible, and autonomous in their behavior, while also being critical in their thinking without being subordinate or disrespective.
     
    These followers have been found to be most valuable to a leader and an organization because of their active contribution. They possess four essential qualities:
    1. They practice self-management and self-responsibility. This implies that a leader could delegate to an effective follower without anxiety about the outcome.
    2. They are committed to both, the organization and a purpose, principle or person outside themselves. They are not self-centered and self aggrandizing.
    3. They invest in their own competence and professionalism and focus their energy for maximum impact. They are on the lookout for challenges and ways in which to add to their talents or abilities.
    4. They are courageous, honest and credible. 
    Given the above, they could be understood as self-leaders who do not require close supervision.

  • Followers – Types 2

    In the last byte, we began our discussion by classifying followers. In today’s byte, we continue this discussion to understand the classification better. 

    • Alienated Followers: these followers think independently and critically, however are passive in their behavior. The result is in these people being psychologically and emotionally distanced from their leaders. They could potentially be disruptive and act as a threat to the health of the organization.
    • Sheep: are followers who do not think independently or critically and are passive in their behavior. They just follow what is being told by their leader.
    • Yes People: these are followers who also do not think independently or critically, yet are very active in their behavior! The uncritically reinforce the thinking and ideas of their leaders with enthusiasm, never question or challenge the leader’s ideas and proposals! Being surrounded by yes people could be dangerous to a leader because they are the most likely to give a false positive reaction and no warning of potential pitfalls.
    • Survivors: these followers are the least disruptive and the lowest risk followers in an organization. Their behavior could be understood as – “better safe than sorry”.
    We shall discuss about effective leaders in the next byte.

  • Followers – Types

    In the last byte, we looked at the concept of followership. It is always an interesting trick when one tries understanding if there is a potential classification of anything that is the subject of study. In today’s byte, we attempt to begin our discussion on the types of followers.

    We could classify followers into groups based on two dimensions:
    a. activity versus passivity
    b. independent, critical thinking versus dependent, uncritical thinking.
     
    [Refer to this article for more details: http://hbr.org/1988/11/in-praise-of-followers/ar/1]
     
    We could represent this in the diagram below:
    We shall continue this discussion in the next byte.

  • Leadership: Role of followers

    In the last byte, we looked at the concept of servant leadership. In today’s byte, we begin our discussion on the role of followers.

    The way we are generally thought to distinguish any two segments is by strict compartmentalization. In this context, we distinguish the two roles – leadership and followership as being completely separate from one another! But it is important to understand that this is just a view and as individuals in real world we could be doing both these two roles not just at different times but also at the same time!
     
    The traditional view of followership is generally one where the followers are passive, but in the contemporary setting the follower’s role is an active one with a potential for leadership! This could also be interpreted in some forms as special case of leadership: self-leadership; where the follower assumes responsibility for influencing his or her own performance.
     
    In such cases, the emphasis is on his or her own responsibility and self-control. Being self-lead would mean that the self-leader would perform motivating task with ease, but they would also need to do finish work that is not naturally motivating.
     
    Self-leadership would also help followers to be disciplined and effective; and in fact this forms the first essential steps for an individual to become a leader.
     
    Organizationally, one could use programs like – empowerment, self-managed work teams etc to encourage and activate the follower’s role.

  • Servant Leadership

    In the last byte, we attempted to understand some of the differences in women leaders and men leaders, we also hinted a bit on the need to study it further. In today’s byte, we look at the concept of Servant Leadership.

    Servant leadership assists from the thought that leaders should serve employees, customers and the community!

    Developed by Robert Greenleaf (1904-1990), who was the director of management research at AT&T for numerous years, the concept emerged out of his essays.
     
    Another tenet of servant leadership is that work exists for the person as much as the person exists for work – servant leaders try to find out the will of the group and lead based on that.
     
    Servant leaders could thus be seen as stewards who consider leadership a trust and desire to leave the organization in better shape for future generation!
    Here is possibly where you could learn more about the movement: https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/

  • Women Leaders

    In the last byte, we looked at the role of trust in leadership. In today’s byte, we look at women leaders.

    Most of us have heard about – Marissa Mayer, who is the president and CEO of Yahoo! She is working hard to turn around the fortunes of Yahoo! and has shown good promise. On the other hand, we have also heard about leaders like Jack Welsh who was the CEO of GE between 1981 and 2001.

    The question then is – do women and men lead differently?
     
    Stereotypes of people generally classify successful managers as having more male-oriented attributes than female oriented attributes! While there is legitimate gender difference that may exist, the same leadership traits may be interpreted differently in a man and women because of the stereotype.
     
    It has been found that women tend to use more people-oriented style that is inclusive and empowering. Women managers excel in positions that demand strong interpersonal skills.
    With more and more women assuming positions of leadership in organization, it is apt to know more about the ways women lead.