Background Information
KLM Academy is one of the upcoming private education institutions in the United States. Over the past five years, it has experienced massive growth and the management is planning to make its services available in other states. Smith, a former colleague, has decided to move to this institution as one of the teachers.
The good remuneration offered by this firm and its proximity to the central business district are some of the factors that influenced him to move. However, he came to realize that there is no central authority as was the case at his previous employer. Individuals at this institution have autonomy on how they address their tasks, something that he considers anarchical. He does not know how best he can fit into the system.
Characteristics of the Anarchical Institution
KLM Academy has unique characteristics that are not commonly found in many institutions around the country. For a person coming from an organization with structured leadership system with centralized authority, fitting in has been a problem for Smith (DuBrin, 2011). The following are some of the unique characteristics at this firm.
Communication structure
According to Certo (2010), having a clear communication structure is one of the most important factors that determine how an organization is run. At KLM Academy, the junior employees and top managers can easily interact and share their ideas. What is strange is that sometimes an employee may act in a given manner and make reports later.
Polelle (2008) says that when that happens, then it may not be easy to predict the actions of people within such an organization. The firm has no strict guideline that defines how the employees of different cadres should communicate with their superiors or juniors.
Reward structure
The reward system at this firm is fully based on the performance of an individual employee. It offers a fixed basic salary, which is way below the industry average, and massive allowances based on the assignments of the employees and their performances. This unique reward structure explains why most of its employees earn higher than many other teachers in this state.
Leadership structure
Collins (2001) says that leadership is the engine to any organization that defines how efficiently it is run. Smith came from an institution where power was centralized. However, this is not the case at KLM Academy. Here, leadership is decentralized, and every employee has the power to define his course of actions as long as the intended outcome is achieved. There is no common way of addressing tasks at this institution.
The leadership has allowed employees to come up with their own ways of addressing their assignments. Although this has promoted creativity at the firm, it limits the ability of the management to determine with certainty how various tasks will be handled by the employees (Reiß, 2012).
Decision-making characteristics/scope of influence
As stated in the section above, power at KLM Academy is decentralized. Decision-making process is very complex, according to the statements given by Smith. All the employees of the firm are always invited to participate in the decision-making process. However, most often it is not easy to come up with common solutions (Northouse, 2010). In such cases, top managers will explain what they expect from the individual employees, but allow them to use their own ways to address their tasks.
Best Approach to Analyze the Current Work Conditions and Engage Stakeholders
Smith should take time to monitor how things are done at this institution. He can do this by asking relevant questions. He should remain positive and consider this a community where opinions of people vary.
After understanding the system, then he can start engaging the relevant authorities with the view of influencing it towards adopting a given management structure. He can do this by writing newsletters, engaging colleagues and regularly talking to the firm’s leadership. This way, he will be in a position to positively influence the way things are done at this firm.
Organizational Elements of Power
The current leadership structure at this firm has created unique organizational elements of power. Everyone is expected to perceive coworkers as integral parts of the firm who play critical roles to promote success of the firm. While trying to influence the management system, Smith should make an effort of maintaining this good culture.
Ability of the Institution to Function Effectively
The main problem that this firm is facing is that power has been decentralized so much that the managers have limited control over the actions of the junior employees. This management approach is what will be changed. If addressed properly, this firm will be able to function effectively. Faculty members and staff will still have room to exercise their independence while still following the clear guidelines from the top leadership.
Conclusion
KLM Academy’s leadership system is currently considered anarchical. It is not clear who is in power, and this may affect the firm’s performance. Changing this leadership approach is necessary to promote efficiency and certainty when addressing various assignments.
References
Certo, S. C. (2010). Supervision: Concepts and skill-building. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Collins, J. C. (2001). Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Boston: Harvard Business Review.
DuBrin, A. (2011). Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills. South-Western: Cengage Learning.
Northouse, P. G. (2010). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Polelle, M. (2008). Leadership: Fifty great leaders and the worlds they made. Westport: Greenwood Press.
Reiß, M. (2012). Change management: A balanced and blended approach. Norderstedt: Books on Demand.