Introduction
Many studies have examined the contribution of transformational bosses and administrators to enhancing their organizations’ profitability and performance. Such leaders invest hugely in their employees who they view as crucial assets that facilitate the achievement of the set goals and objectives. However, minimal literature has been documented investigating exceptional elements that help leaders to attain their transformational ranks. This observation implies that many chief executives may not be aware of how to enhance their strengths to perform better and, consequently, attain remarkable organizational outcomes. As a result, the issue of action logics presented in this paper is vital because it paves the way for leaders to develop practical ways of understanding not only their individual codes of conduct but also their employees’ behaviors, including the best way of reacting when subjected to situations that confront their authority and safety. Rooke and Torbert’s article identifies various leadership action logic types, including diplomats, strategists, alchemists, opportunists, experts, achievers, and individualists. Consequently, it is crucial to recognize a global figure, namely, Sundar Pichai, Google’s current business chief, whose transformational leadership traits have a bearing on these action logic categories.
Leadership Action Logic Types
Opportunists
In the study conducted by Rooke and Torbert featuring several leaders, 5 % of them demonstrated opportunistic characteristics. For instance, in addition to being self-centered and scheming, such leaders do not easily trust people, including their employees and followers. Opportunists value personal issues, as opposed to interests of other people who they are expected to serve. Instead, they view their followers and all other objects as avenues that can be tapped for private benefits. Nonetheless, they are aware that all people have a particular degree of self-centeredness that makes them seek opportunities, which can help to satisfy their inner desires.
As such, opportunists view the world as full of competing forces. Consequently, such leaders’ courses of action when confronted with issues depend on their capacity to control the outcome of such happenings. Although other people may point out unpleasant codes of conduct demonstrated by this class of leaders, their efforts to propose any corrections never bear fruits because opportunists view their manner of acting as justifiable, regardless of their exploitation levels. In particular, leaders with opportunistic traits never welcome feedback from their followers because they regard such a move as a way of criticizing them. This trait depicts them not only as reactive but also people who may never be liable for any mistake they make. As a result, these leaders do not remain in a single company for long because their personalities violate many codes of ethics such as cooperating with employees.
Diplomats
Contrary to the way opportunists conduct business by disregarding the external world, this action logic consists of diplomats who ensure that their behavior does not harm those around them. They are keen not to trigger conflicts in the workplace. Nonetheless, despite being loyal in their leadership levels, they can be counterproductive, especially if they hold senior ranks in their organizations. Here, they strive to please high-ranking associates while disregarding the contribution of those below them. As opposed to opportunists, diplomats ensure that their inner world satisfies the desires of all co-workers.
They believe that exemplary leadership should constitute individuals who can tolerate weaknesses of other people while at the same time not compromising the quality of their services. Diplomats emphasize the need for cooperation to realize organizational goals and objectives. As such, they are significantly fruitful in a teamwork environment where all participants feel appreciated and recognized. Nonetheless, their extreme valuing of others makes them unable to handle conflicts even when they are apparent to them. They feel that confronting people or availing negative feedback will result in an environment that does not favor them as leaders. Consequently, they are incapable of proposing or managing change because they are aware of the resistance associated with it. Hence, this leadership action logic is linked to poor organizational performance and, consequently, productivity.
Experts
This leadership action logic type had the largest number of leaders sampled in the article under investigation. In particular, 38% of participants confirmed that they were indeed experts. Contrary to opportunists who disregard the outer world and diplomats’ emphasis on streamlining the internal environment to match their colleagues’ desires and expectations, experts strive to balance both their occupational and individual affairs. They demonstrate high levels of critical thinking in their lines of operation. People such as consultants and financial analysts demonstrate this leadership action logic. These individuals are well known for their work proficiency that entails proving to interested parties that they are indeed suited to their work and hence the reason why many organizations hire them. Nonetheless, the fact that they may not accept any confrontation, especially regarding their input, which they deem perfect, makes them poor managers. This action logic constitutes individuals who do not value teamwork. Instead, they prefer operating single-handedly. This situation compromises their capacity to lead a diverse workforce whereby colleagues perceive various issues differently. Any form of criticism is not welcome because they regard the job done as perfect and final.
Achievers
Approximately 30% of leaders studied in the article stood out as achievers. People in this leadership action logic are not only good team administrators but also offer their followers the support they deserve, although they do not ignore any negative conduct manifested. Instead, they address it proactively. They are associated with remarkable organizational results because they emphasize the need for attaining the set goals. As such, they develop a working environment that is conducive to all employees. Nonetheless, the fact that they are not innovative makes them unfit for leading contemporary and competitive organizations where thinking outside the box is key to enhancing companies’ continued operations.
Compared to individuals presented in preceding action logics, administrators who demonstrate achievers’ traits are the best positioned to deal with sensitive organizational issues because of their sophisticated manner of understanding what is required. In particular, contrary to opportunists who do not welcome feedback, achievers appreciate its role in enhancing one’s input. They also recognize their followers’ diversity. They appreciate the fact that being transformational is founded on one’s capacity to not only establish mutual relationships but also instill a positive mindset in their followers. Nonetheless, leaders in this action logic often find themselves in conflicts with experts. While achievers usually succeed in their positions, experts do not wish to be led by these people because they believe they are superior to them.
Individualists
Leaders in this action logic embrace the idea that none of the previously discussed types is static. Hence, they appreciate the role of people in shaping their traits to fit some individualistic demands. As a result, organizations view them as crucial assets that contribute positively to their performance and profitability. Individualistic leaders recognize other people’s characters, including their unique interaction methods, a situation that makes them device appropriate strategies for dealing with those who embrace different schools of thought. They are well known for their capacity to discern and handle any probable conflicts that may compromise their ethical codes of conduct or ruin the laid-down institutional guiding principles. This awareness informs their inventiveness and, consequently, capacity to steer constructive organizational agendas. Nonetheless, they find themselves in tough situations, especially when they are expected to execute plans that do not seem fruitful to their businesses. As a result, they ignore taking such directions.
Strategists
The fact that extremely few leaders (4%) in the sampled individuals depicted themselves as strategists confirms the prevailing observation that organizations, which have maintained top-most positions, are not many. They possess distinguishable transformational traits, for instance, their capacity to initiate and deal with change by developing practical strategies, especially in companies that are struggling with financial and workforce constraints. Leaders in this category are an advanced version of their individualist counterparts. They not only have a better way of interacting with colleagues who uphold other action logics but also are aware of the impact that any conflicts can have on their institutions. Hence, they are recognized based on their ability to establish visions that seek to benefit all people, regardless of their schools of thought, implying that they value diversity in the workplace.
Strategists view organizational transformation as a gradual effort that requires cooperation, attentiveness, and a close supervision of the chief executive officer. Based on their extensive experience in conflict resolution compared to those in other action logics, strategists are likely to be productive in reviving failing organizations and transforming them into global giants because they have workable and likable mechanisms for constructively handling any form of resistance to change. They are associated with globally recognized companies such as Google, Amazon, and General Motors that have continuously recorded positive performances over the years, thanks to their leaders’ well-calculated transformational and change management strategies. Organizational achievements are attributable to their capacity to steer individual, institutional, regional, and even intercontinental links that facilitate the thriving of their businesses.
Alchemists
Alchemists are fewer compared to strategists. This action logic constitutes individuals who have the authority to interact with globally renowned figures, including the most respected presidents while at the same time not ignoring lower-level citizens. They are capable of replenishing and re-formulating their institutions in remarkable ways. Contrary to strategists who can only deal with one organizational issue at a time, alchemists are talented in handling a variety of subjects concurrently. In addition to managing urgent and small matters, alchemists always ensure that their efforts are in tandem with the overall organizational goals and objectives. They are further distinguished by their charming and strict observance of exceptional ethical values. In particular, they value the legitimacy of their actions and those of others. They believe in upholding principles that the external world least expects, although people end up being fascinated by alchemists’ values or manner of acting. Nonetheless, it is crucial to find out whether the present-day world has a leader who can match some of the above action logics. As presented in the succeeding section, Sundar Pichai who is the current CEO of Google has demonstrated transformational elements that can be linked to the above leadership action logic types.
Sundar Pichai: A Global Business Leader
Google is among the few highly ranked companies in the world. With its headquarters located at Mountain View, California, the organization has grown to become a global leader in its line of business, thanks to the transformational leadership of its CEO, Sundar Pichai, an Indian-American business administrator. This leader’s remarkable performance has a bearing on various action logics discussed above. In particular, his transformational leadership depicts him as a strategist and an achiever. As an achiever, Pichai’s stunning performance in a technology-based corporation such as Google is attributable to his knowledge and passion in this field. He studied in the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur where he achieved his degree in Metallurgical Engineering. As a result, this global leader is well known for his role in steering a team that is well equipped with critical thinking proficiency. These skills are deployed to come up with innovative ideas, for instance, the development of Internet-enabled applications and services that enhance their socialization levels.
In particular, the organization’s Google Photos application that allows people to arrange and share images has attracted close to one billion customers. In addition, achievers are well known for their role in creating a working environment that favors creativity and, consequently, employees’ desire to deliver their best to the organization. In this case, Google is currently at the top-most position regarding companies whose workers enjoy being part of. An achiever appreciates the role of teamwork and feedback in enhancing the overall organizational performance. Pichai has steered the development of Google Moderator. This revolutionary Internet-facilitated application paves the way for workers to come up with discussion topics with the aim of brainstorming as a team. Pichai is always available on this platform to give his contribution. Here, in addition to endorsing employees’ suggestions that seem fruitful to the organization, he encourages them to continue with their spirit of innovation.
As a strategist, Pichai is highly recognized for implementing transformational strategies. In particular, he has invested heavily in a human resource team that embraces the idea of diversity in the workplace. As a result, Pichai has benefited hugely from the diverse input of workers who come from different parts of the world with the view of offering unique and significantly valuable contributions. The fact that a diverse workforce is comprised of managers who may have different action logics proves that indeed Pichai is a strategist who can create a shared atmosphere, which allows all employees to collaborate, despite their disparities. Strategists such as Sundar Pichai are associated with internationally recognized institutions. Google has a global standing because it serves people from all parts of the world.
Conclusion
The subject of leadership has been highly studied in the contemporary literature because of the role that leaders play in shaping their respective organizations’ public image. In particular, some of the renowned companies such as Google, General Motors, Apple, and Huawei among others have attained their current global standing, thanks to their leaders’ transformational input. Nonetheless, this study has introduced the concept of action logics that defines how renowned company bosses acquire their revolutionizing characters. Seven leadership action logic types have been examined, including experts, individualists, strategists, opportunists, achievers, diplomats, and alchemists. Google’s current CEO, Sundar Pichai, has been presented as a global business leader who has demonstrated strategist and achiever action logics.