Core Elements of Powerful Developmental Experiences
Job Transition
Leadership at any level has never been an easy task and many people are often faced with the challenge of handling new responsibilities. In many cases, an individual is handed a new role that is unfamiliar to him or her, something that forces an individual to apply various skills, techniques, and styles in order realize the best results. Handling unfamiliar responsibilities is an uphill task that calls on an individual to be careful since it might lead to great losses given the fact the individual could be doing it for the first time.
However, this does not mean that doing something for the first time is impossible, but instead an individual is encouraged to analyze the methods available and apply the most viable. While attempting to cope with the new assignment, the employee might be given additional work unexpectedly because he or she does not have experience on how the job is done. Again, it is not mandatory for the management to assign only the tasks described in the work manual since the top executive has the right of assigning and reassigning responsibilities to fit the situation. The first step towards resolving this issue is taking control of the situation whereby time management is the valued asset. An employee should ensure that he or she underscores effective training.
Task Related Characteristic
Regarding task related characteristics, initiation of change is the first step towards goal realization in the work place. Change entails many aspects, but the aim is always to facilitate organizational development. In this regard, the employee is to adopt a robust organizational culture that permits acquisition of new ways of accomplishing tasks. For instance, the worker should always be ready to adopt the new technologies, models, and strategies of handling issues (McCall 14).
If appropriate changes are introduced in the organization, there is a high likelihood that the problem would offer suitable directions that would play a critical role in boosting the performance of the organization. In other words, change allows responsible development of new directions in the sense that old ways of doing things are abandoned in favor of the most effective ones. If the employee insists on continuing with the old culture, there would be a chance of inheriting problems created in the past and this might harm the performance of the organization significantly. Through change, new managerial models are adopted, especially those that allow participative decision-making. Finally, change is important in the sense that it allows peaceful resolution of problems with employees.
Obstacle
Lack of top management support is one of the obstacles that many junior managers face when dealing with new tasks in the organization. Studies show that senior managers have never wanted their juniors to come up with new ways of doings since it would discredit their efforts. However, introduction of a new organizational culture would improve the situation, as it would urge the executive to support new technologies, innovations, and models (Maslow 21).
Potential Powerful Development Experiences
Other People
While aspiring to gain the much-needed experiences, various aspects are critical, but other people play an important role. The nature of interactions and relationships with the significant others helps an individual in dealing with the tricky situations in life, including work life. For instance, an individual working in a highly competitive market is only able to succeed in case his or her negotiation and communication skills are high (McGregor 34).
However, the management has a greater effect on the productivity of the individual because the type of the boss would determine whether the target is met. Excellent bosses have the potential of influencing their juniors positively while the reverse is true for the terrible boss. The best boss is the one that applies modern leadership styles in dealing with issues. For instance, a boss who applies a democratic style of leadership is considered an excellent boss because he or she gives employees an opportunity to participate in the process of decision-making.
In this regard, a leader is expected to employ situational leadership whereby he or she aligns the major values, principles, and aspirations to those of the followers instead of drafting tough principles and forcing workers to adopt them. On the other hand, a terrible boss is the one who employs autocratic or totalitarian form of leadership meaning he or she instructs employees to obey authority and never try to compete with the executive as far as generation of an idea is concerned. In this case, the best performing employee would simply rely on the top management for new ideas even though he or she might be having an outstanding proposal that would perhaps improve the performance of the organization.
Miscellaneous Events
Many individuals are often reluctant in recognizing the role that miscellaneous events play their organizations. The truth is that taking care of these miscellaneous events would enhance the productivity and effectiveness of an employee. For instance, allowing the member of the staff to undergo extra training would improve his or her level of understanding, which would further help in accomplishing the organizational tasks. Research shows that a trained employee is always enlightened and handling him or her is easier. Again, some programs are meant to improve an individual’s orientation to the world and the management is encouraged to take its members through them to achieve the best results (McCall 24).
Many individuals underperform in the work place because of the domestic problems facing them. The organization should therefore set up a guiding and counseling program to resolve the internal problems that threaten the productivity of an employee. Furthermore, the schooling system has an effect on employee performance since some institutions of higher learning are known to instill work ethics by setting up the professional codes of standards that control individuals. Finally, the business should develop strong relations with the community in what is popularly referred to as corporate responsibility.
Demands of Leadership Based on the Lessons Taught by Experience
In setting the direction, an individual is expected to possess special skills and features, but the main one is taking responsibility, which means accepting the consequences of the decision irrespective whether they are positive or negative. Many individuals would want to look for a scapegoat once a mistake happens, but this is unacceptable in case a leader wants to gain knowledge. While setting and living values, an employee has to make various considerations.
However, the desire to work with others is the first step towards success since an individual would have an opportunity of learning from his or her seniors in the profession. Serving an organization in any capacity has never been easy and executive temperament is the valued feature. In this regard, an employee should ensure he or she is confidence always in carrying out responsibilities since it would facilitate approval. When trying to align organizational goals with the aspirations of various stakeholders, consideration of political situations is important. In fact, the employee should be quick to understand the effects of politics on the performance of business (McCall 39). Balancing work life and professional aspirations is the first step towards growth and leadership. If great care is not taken, an individual might forget to exercise his or her functions as a parent leading to serious problems that might affect work life.
Leadership Code
Mission: Achieve the best results for the organization through exercise of situational leadership whereby the views and aspirations of followers are aligned with personal values and principles.
In order to improve personal character, understanding different situations would be the first step, as it would help in dealing with diverse problems. Currently, self-confidence the only strength, but learning the skills that would play a role in coping with different situations is highly recommended. Persevering is a valued character that any leader has to admire hence pursuing some of the ways of acquiring it is important.
Quality service delivery or commitment to service is an area of concern to any employee since it defines the successfulness of the organization. Currently, the aim is to balance life and the career, but future aspirations include setting targets, taking full control of the career, seizing opportunities, and undertaking the best motivators (Goffee and Jones 44).
I am in a position to offer the best leadership because the style I employed is democratic in nature meaning that each person must be consulted before designing the solution. Again, I am best known for being an effective communicator and negotiator implying that the best will always arrive at a win-win situation. My only weakness is that sometimes I am unable to control my temper leading to generation of hawkish decisions that might be detrimental to the survival of business. However, continuous learning would generate appropriate experience that will improve the situation.
Works Cited
Goffee, Robert, and Gareth Jones. “Why should anyone be led by you?” Harvard Business Review 9.2 (2000): 63-70. Print.
Maslow, Abraham. Motivation and Personality. New Delhi, India: Pearson Education, 1987. Print.
McCall, Morgan. “The Experience Conundrum.” Harvard Business Review 1.2 (2009): 1-40. Print.
McGregor, Douglass. The Human Side of Enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill. Print.