Introduction
Are leaders made or are leaders born? There are those individuals who have the inert qualities that make good leaders; however, when it comes to senior leadership levels that call for a delicacy in decision making and people handling, those who actively comprehend the dynamics of good leadership may stand at an advantage. A good leader not only knows the principles of leadership, but also understands how to effectively apply them (Goleman, 2000).
In this course, we have been through readings and reviews trying to analyze all the aspects of leadership in management; right from the basic question of who is a leader. Does being in a position of authority automatically qualify one as a leader?
We have studied several principles of leadership at management level: decision making, the use of power, people skills, gender and leadership, forging strong teams, among others (Goleman, 2004). The question then arises whether there are certain principles of leadership that hold reign over the others or are each of these principles equally important; this more so for me as a financial manager in real estate.
In my reflection, I will integrate the aspects of the course that have had the greatest impact on me, and give an overall summary of the critical readings assigned for the cause as I interpreted them in relation to my view on leadership.
Personal reflection on leadership
Leadership has to be done by example, and strong example at that. Though it is important that a manager get along with his subordinates, it is not the paramount objective. What speaks is the end of year financial report that reflects either a profit or loss made. A manager has to be firm, sometimes downright harsh with his employees when they need to be pushed in the right direction.
I admire the leadership style of T.J Rodgers, the CEO of Cypress- a semi-conductor manufacturing company in the US. He runs his six hundred million dollar enterprise with a firm hand. He states that why people are in business is to make a profit; it is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that this objective is achieved. Despite the fact that there are those who are not in agreement with his leadership style, he cannot be faulted for not delivering results. His company moves from strength to strength.
Thinking on your feet: leaders and decision making
In an earlier segment of the paper, it has been identified that leaders are there to make decisions on behalf of their team. As a manager, the decisions to be made range from the simplest-whether to change the date of an appointment- to the more complex that determine profit and loss margins in millions. My experience as a financial manager with a real estate firm has taught me that no matter how big or small the decisions a manager makes, there is always his/her ‘humanness’ involved (Ibarra & Suesse, 1997). What I mean by this is that a manager is not like a machine through which certain data is keyed, and by applying probabilities comes to the best decision. Human decisions are colored by human experiences.
In explaining this phenomenon, Hammond, Keeney and Raiffa (2006) refer to the tendency of past experiences and human nature influencing how managers make their decisions as ‘traps’ (pg 119). A trap is set by one being too confident or the opposite-being too cautious, or else relying too much on what transpired in the past to predict future trends. The three authors break down the different kind of traps that a manager can fall into, and give guidelines on how the risk of poor decision making because of these traps can be minimized.
The first of these traps, which is one a financial manager in real estate like I could easily fall into, is referred to as the anchoring trap. The authors explain that this is the tendency of the mind to give a lot of importance to the first information received (Pg 120).
To give a case in point; if an agent approaches me with a property in a middle class neighborhood, lists its amenities and adds that though it is located in a middle class neighborhood, it goes for a higher price because it has extra yard space and a pool, I will probably work my negotiations from the first figure the agent will mention, no matter if it is higher than what a property is worth in a middle class neighborhood. The authors advise that to overcome this, one should have different perspectives, one should remain open minded, and one should first withhold a personal opinion when consulting with advisors to avoid coloring their advice.
Another trap is what the authors term as the ‘sunk-cost’ (pg 123) which entails making bad choices because it is easier to do so than to accept the fact that past choices on which current choices are being based were poor ones. To overcome this, the authors recommend that the manager be willing to admit his mistake and curtail the situation before it spins out of control.
Other traps that the authors point out are confirming evidence- a tendency to actively look for information that will confirm perceptions we already have, and letting personal experiences color the way we frame a business question (pg 123).
The recommendation given is that managers should always try to stay as objective as possible, first and foremost by acknowledging that these traps exist. Secondly, managers should use others as their sounding board; even if they are not going to act on the second opinion, it helps cast their own perspectives into a clearer light Hammond, Keeney and Raiffa 2006).
The question of power: a subtle approach to authority
In the introduction of his text, John Kotter states that Americans are afraid of power; this is reflected in the constitution and the American approach to politics (1977). As Kotter explains, a manager cannot do his job in a vacuum-like isolation- there is a complex network of superiors, peers, subordinates, suppliers, and buyers who determine how effectively the manager does his job. This dependence comes with the added difficulty that all these people will not act in a manner that will ease or facilitate the manager’s job. They may at times act to the contrary.
As Kotter explains, a good manager is one who limits his/her dependencies, and masters the rest to some extent. This is where the question of power comes in. Kotter acknowledges that there are managers who abuse their positions by applying their authority. However, given the increasingly complex nature of organizations today, it means managers dependency on external factors has increased, and it is up to a manager to apply his/her powers for him/her to be effective.
Kotter illustrates several ways in which a manager can gain the power over his subordinates. One way, he says, is by creating a sense of obligation (1997, pg 130). This is done by building genuine friendships with colleagues since in a friendship there is the genuine need to reciprocate. Another way is by instilling into subordinates a confidence in the manager’s ability and capacity to handle the job. When a manager has proved that he is able, there will be lower chances that others will question his decisions. This will earn him a position of authority and power.
Kotter recommends that a manager work at being on the same side as his peers, or at least fostering the feeling that this is so. This can be achieved by identifying areas where he/she feels the same as managers, and strengthening this common ground. In case of confrontation or hostility, the other managers will rally round him/her because he/she will be considered one of their own.
Kotter gives several other recommendations such as exerting one’s formal authority, utilizing resources at hand and relaying a perceived dependence on a manager that is actually non-existent (pg 132). Kotter winds up by listing the ways in which exerting power can actually be beneficial to a manager, and in turn beneficial to the organization for which the manager works.
The carrot game: enticing a team into cooperation
While a manager can tell at a glance of a row of columns of figures whether to expect a profit or a loss, when it comes to people, it is not such an easy balance. What I have come to learn as a manager is that the only answer is to treat them as people. At times a manager may forget that those under him are as human as he/she is (Ibarra & Suesse, 1997). This may not be totally intentional; the position may call for distancing from the rest of the employees in an effort to instill respect. The lesson I have learnt is that employees will not respect a manager merely for the title, but rather because of his/her conduct, and ability to deliver (Ibarra & Suesse, 1997).
A manager should not only note his/her employees’ attitude toward him/herself, but also towards each other. For one to manage effectively there must always be an awareness of inter-team dynamics because this severely affects the performance of the team. A good manager is one who can inspire cohesiveness and a certain amount of loyalty amongst those who are in his team. It gives each member the feeling of being a part of something, and thus striving to make a worthwhile personal contribution (Ibarra & Suesse, 1997). On this note, the manager should lead by example: he should not favor some members, he should take time to listen to all input with equal gravity, and he should instill in team members respect for one another (Goleman 2004).
Conclusion
Being a leader is a constant juggling act that calls for one’s full attention and faculties. There is no one tried and tested leadership method that can be said to work perfectly in all situations like Newton’s Law of Gravity. If there was, then this particular course would probably not be necessary.
In my opinion, one of the most important characteristics of a good leader is to remain informed. One can only make the best decision if one has the fullest information possible on a situation. Having information means one knows exactly where one stands, and one understands the different dynamics that are involved in determining an outcome (Collins & Porras, 1996).
For a leader to be informed, he/she has to keep in touch with those he/she is responsible for. This means the leader must establish clear communication lines. Clear communication is best brought about when there is mutual respect, and where a team member knows that the opinion he/she presents will be given the appropriate level of gravity.
A leader must also foster trust in his decision making abilities from those whom he is in charge. There are moments when a great deal rests on a yes or a no, and this can be a weighty responsibility. Good leaders are those who are able to make split second decisions without hesitation (Snowden & Boone, 2007). Being able to make sound judgments of a situation will ensure that team members follow through so that the team effort is successful.
How I can summarize the lessons learnt from this course and from my own experience in management is that there is a leadership style for every occasion. What I mean by this is that good leaders are not necessarily those who understand and practice the principles of leadership, but rather those who understand the dynamics of the group they are leading, then apply the necessary principles of leadership in the right measures. That is what makes a great leader.
Reference List
Cialdini, R (2001). Harnessing the power of persuasion, 72-81, Harvard Business Review.
Collins, J, C., and Porras, L (1996). Building Your Company’s Vision, 46-71, Harvard Business Review.
Goleman, D (2000). Leadership that gets results, 1-15, Harvard Business Review.
Goleman, D (2004). What makes a leader? 1-10, Harvard Business Review.
Hammond, J, S., Keeney, R, L., and Raiffa, H (2006). The hidden traps in decision making, 118-126, Harvard Business Review.
Ibarra, H., & Suesse, J (1997). Building coalitions, 77-89, Harvard Business Review.
Kotter, P (1977). Power, dependence, and effective management. 125-136, Harvard Business Review.
Snowden, J, D., and Boone, M, E (2007). A leader’s framework for decision making, 115-126, Harvard Business Review.