Effective Management And The Leadership Assessment Essay Example

The CIPD definition, as stated by Whittaker and Johns (2004), describes someone who becomes a involved partner and applies critical thinking to contribute to organizational survival. This definition is illustrated by the experience of the Omega shops (Redman and Wilkinson, 2006), who recognized the importance of their hired personnel. To ensure consistency in management, they centralized all policies across their shops (Ibid).

Despite all four shops being asked, there was a specific shop that received low scores in terms of satisfaction with HR policy and pattern, particularly in areas like leadership and motivation. This indicates that the effectiveness of these policies and processes, which are crucial for a shop's performance, depends on the manager and their management style and how they choose to implement them (Ibid). Selfridges, an organization that emphasizes effective management, demonstrated this through the changes made in their Trafford Park shop, where they considered the input of all stakeholders, such as...

Staff, clients, and stockholders were brought together in their new vision and directors were given more responsibility for managing people (Ibid). Directors were encouraged to rely less on HR and were given the authority to issue written warnings and participate in the hiring process. Their mindset also changed as their roles were redefined and they had to reapply for their jobs to ensure they all shared the same vision (Ibid).

Now we need to discuss the actual meaning of 'management'.

In the late 20th century, various theories arose to define a manager's role.

Some of those theories are still being applied today. For example, Taylor (1856-1915) introduced the idea of the scientific approach to management, which emphasized standardization of methods and enforcement of best practices and

working conditions (Hannagan 1995). Taylor (1856-1915) believed that every aspect of production could be controlled and there was one optimal way of working (Ibid). This concept can be observed in modern businesses like McDonald's, where there is a strict process for every burger, french fries, and milkshake ordered, ensuring that each customer receives the same exact product.

Management is responsible for reducing fluctuations in production (Ibid). In the Call Centre environment, every call follows a standardized format from the customer greeting to the conversation ending. However, this management theory may not be applicable to all industries. The Contingency View of management supports this idea and argues that what works in one organization may not work in another (Hannagan 1995). There is no one-size-fits-all approach to management.

What are the skills of an effective manager/ critical thinker?

There are numerous lists that suggest the qualities of an effective manager (Luthans, Rosenkrantz, and Hennessey, 1985) (Curtis, Winsor, and Stephens, 1989).

Although helpful, these lists do not provide exact criteria for management skills (Whetton and Cameron, 2007). They typically focus on either a required personality type or a philosophical approach to management (Ibid). The key to effectiveness lies in how managers utilize these skills within their own distinct management style to assist in achieving company strategy (Ibid).

It is important to note that management skills are interconnected and to be an effective manager, one must be able to combine skills to achieve results ( Ibid ). Appendix C outlines Management Skills in order to be an effective manager/thinking performer.

The Effective Manager/Thinking Performer is a collaborative partner.

The concept of the effective manager/thinking performer has multiple meanings; it is

also about the HR practitioner transitioning from dealing with operational issues to strategic issues within HR ( Francis and Keegan, n.d. ).

The performing artist who believes now needs to act as a "business partner" (Ulrich, 1997). Ulrich (1997) suggests various roles that HR practitioners should embrace to be proactive (See Appendix D), with the business partner role being particularly important. In this role, HR collaborates with managers to help them achieve their goals as effective managers and execute the strategy. At this stage, HR moves away from mere transactions and aims to enhance its influence on strategic decision-making, which aligns with the essence of being an effective manager/performing artist (Francis and Keegan, 2006). While this theory appears straightforward for achieving effectiveness, it is crucial not to overlook the employee advocate role (Ulrich, 1997). This role mainly involves advocating for employees and keeping them motivated (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2002).

This function remains the foundation of HR and the effective manager/thinking performing artist should not lose sight of this.

However, is it easy to use the effective manager/thinking performing artist theory?

It could be argued that it might be impossible for a director to create an environment where he/she can play the role of employee advocate, i.e. gain commitment from employees, and also play the role of business partner, i.e. be strategic (Francis and Keegan n.d.).

It is possible that striving to achieve this arguably 'perfect' director may cause HR to lose focus and view employees as mere tools to achieve the goal (Ibid). For example, a study by Francis and Keegan (n.d.) discovered

that the idea of the 'thinking performer' had been taken too far and would alienate beginners in HR like myself.

A pupil in the research suggested that the construct discussed was too far removed from HR practices. It has been previously mentioned that one of the criteria for an ineffective manager, according to CIPD, is being an automated administrative official who is highly efficient but lacks effectiveness by not challenging the status quo. However, in their investigation, Higgins and Zhang found that directors who applied the thinking performer theory had difficulties implementing it in the workplace. This was due to reasons such as the fear of making mistakes, lack of time to apply the concept, and lack of confidence in presenting new ideas of change, especially among junior employees. These findings indicate that while CIPD aims to change the way HR functions by promoting the thinking performer/effective manager approach, there are still barriers preventing its practical application in reality.

The Status and Outlook of my Personal Growth

The significant achievements of an effective person's growth will now be discussed and connected to my personal current and future development.

Leadership

According to Rayner and Adam-Smith (2005), there is a distinction between managers and leaders. Leaders inspire and motivate employees, while managers plan, control, and address problems (Ibid). As previously mentioned, there is a distinction between 'doing the right things' i.e. leadership and 'doing things right' i.e.

The text discusses McGregor's two theories, Theory X and Theory Y, which directors may hold about their employees. Theory X suggests that directors believe employees dislike work and only do it because they have to. Theory

Y, on the other hand, is more optimistic and believes that people naturally seek work and find satisfaction in doing it. The author expresses a preference for following Theory Y as their management style. They mention taking a theory test tool based on McGregor's theory, which indicates that their previous job was managed in a Theory Y direction style.

This was an environment that encouraged me to grow as an employee. The second part of the questionnaire indicated my preferred management style, and it is evident that Theory Y is compatible with me. Knowing my preferred management style will be beneficial in future roles when deciding which company to work for. Additionally, if I become a manager, understanding my preferred style will aid me in becoming an effective leader. Shim et al (2002) identified three leadership styles named lone wolf (internal-focused), team builder (goal-oriented), and conceptual manufacturer (external-focused).

Further investigation of Shim et Al (2002) findings suggests that different values such as job satisfaction, career advancement, and organizational commitment are actually dependent on different leadership styles, thus there is no right or wrong way to lead people. Oshagbemi and Ocholi (2006) discovered three distinct types of leaders in their research: practical leaders (12% of their findings), integrative leaders (69% of their findings), and detached leaders (19% of their findings) (Ibid). Practical leaders are known for delegating tasks to employees and aiming to inspire the workforce; however, it is important to note that the majority of this percentage consists of male employees rather than females (Ibid). Integrative leaders frequently consult with their employees and take steps to implement organizational change (Ibid). On the other hand, detached leaders lack

any leadership skills and adopt a laissez-faire attitude (Ibid). This concept is also illustrated in Blake and Mouton's (1969) Managerial Grid (See scanned image 2).

The questionnaire allows you to determine your dominant leadership style. The advantage of the grid is that if your current working environment doesn't suit your leadership style, you have the opportunity to change it (See Appendix E). According to the questionnaire results, I have the Team Leader style of leadership, which suggests a high concern for both people and production (Hannagan, 1995). This style is considered the most effective type of leadership, as it takes into account the opinions of subordinates (Blake and Mouton, 1969). Considering all the mentioned leadership styles, it is fair to say that Theory Y, Participate and Democratic, Unity Leadership, and Team Leader all share common elements. At the core of these styles are the leadership skills that an effective manager should adopt, including cooperating with employees, having concern for their well-being and output, and taking time to consult with them for effective outcomes.

The surveys I have completed have indicated that I currently possess the type of achievements necessary to be an effective manager and will focus on developing my interpersonal skills as I consider this achievement as an important aspect of being an effective manager.

Working effectively within a team

It has been suggested that having strong teamwork skills is now a requirement for being an effective manager ( Fisher, Hunter, Macrossen 2000 ). Belbin (1981) has had the most significant influence in defining team roles in the UK ( Fisher, Hunter, Macrossen 2000 ). The Belbin Team-Role Self Perception Inventory (

BTRSPI ) is now a crucial measuring tool for many managers in the UK to assess team roles ( Fisher, Hunter, Macrossen 2000 ). Belbin (1981) argued that understanding how the internal group interacts would indicate the success of the team in completing tasks.

Belbin (1981) proposed that individuals in a team have natural roles which are adopted for effective collaboration. These roles include:

• Plant (PL) - Creative problem solver with innovative ideas
• The Resource Investigator (RI) - Enthusiastic and extroverted, easily bored once initial excitement fades
• Monitor Evaluator (ME) - Strategic thinker who explores all options and offers valuable opinions
• Shaper (SH) - Thrives under pressure, embraces challenges, and is dynamically brave
• Co-ordinator (CO) - Confident team member who clarifies goals and promotes decision-making
• Implementer (IMP) - Translates ideas into action, disciplined and reliable
• Completer Finisher (CF) - Conscientious individual who seeks out mistakes and strives for perfection
• Team Worker (TW) - Diplomatic and cooperative contributor, perceptive, and avoids conflicts

It is crucial to note that all these characteristics mentioned above are strengths, and each strength compensates for the weaknesses of others (Belbin, 1981). Therefore, an effective team needs members encompassing these natural roles to achieve effectiveness (Fisher, Hunter, Macrossen, 2000). Out of all the natural roles proposed by Belbin (1981), it is the Shaper that is considered the most disruptive (Prichard and Stanton, 1999).Makers are typically unruly and impatient, but they are also goal-oriented. However, they often have a lot of animosity within their teams. Prichard and Stanton (1999) studied the idea that diverse team roles perform better than imbalanced teams. They compared a group of makers with a diverse group on their team

effectiveness and discovered that the diverse group performed more efficiently than the maker group. This further supports Belbin's (1981) mixed group theory of effectiveness Prichard and Stanton (1999).

The Shapers in the group had difficulty making a decision ( Ibid ). Because Belbin's theory on teams is becoming more popular in the UK ( Fisher, Hunter, Macrossen 2000 ), I decided it was important to complete the BTRSPI and determine my role within a group. Knowing my natural role within a group can help me be more effective within a team and ultimately contribute to a more effective team overall. The results indicate that my preferred role within a team is to be a Resource Investigator or a Specialist, although I scored the highest in being a Shaper ( See scanned image 2 ). The roles in which I would be least effective are the Plant, Coordinator, and Monitor Evaluator. Interestingly, I do find that being a Shaper within a team does describe me quite well. This is not to say that I couldn't fulfill other roles within a team, but I do enjoy challenging ideas and have become quite driven.

However, it is necessary for me to address my shortcomings in order to become an effective leader, as expressing conflicting thoughts can be seen as offensive. The results also demonstrate that I would be successful in raising professional standards and assigning tasks, among other things (See scanned image 3). However, these results are based on my own perception. While I agree with the findings of my self-evaluation, it would have been interesting to receive feedback from others about how they view me from a comprehensive standpoint.

Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain feedback from all of my sources. Nonetheless, I now understand my strengths within a group and recognize that my future development will involve addressing my weaknesses to become an effective leader. As advised by Belbin (1981), if I am part of a diverse group, my weaknesses will be balanced out by the strengths of other team members. It is noteworthy that research suggests certain team roles, such as Shaper and Plant, which are commonly associated with leadership, tend to be more closely aligned with males than females. On the other hand, females often take on roles such as Team Worker, which are more passive in nature (Anderson and Sleap 2004).The text indicates that Belbin's (1981) profile is designed to support workforces in leadership roles, rather than adult females who are often portrayed as being subordinate, based on historical stereotypes (Anderson and Sleap, 2004).

Despite the findings of the survey, my self-perception shows that I can take on a leadership role within a group and perform tasks typically associated with the workforce. It would have been interesting to know how my peers perceive me and whether they would consider me a team worker, if I had received 360-degree feedback. I will take this into consideration for my future development.

Decision Making and Reflection

Decision making is a conscious and human process that considers both individual and social factors, based on factual and value-based assumptions. It involves choosing a behavioral activity...

According to Shull (1979, pg.31), individuals often travel towards a desired goal in their personal business. In order to be an effective manager or thinking performer, the skill of making effective decisions is essential.

However, Child (2005) reports that managers spend only a small fraction of their time on decision-making. This is attributed to factors such as managers simply following orders from superiors and not making decisions themselves. Additionally, managers tend to prioritize decisions that have a positive impact. The process of making decisions within organizations has been identified as consisting of six self-explanatory steps.

These include:

• Decision by deficiency of response
• Decision by formal authorization
• Decision by self-authorisation
• Decision by bulk ballot
• Decision by consensus
• Decision by unanimity (Schein 1998)

I felt it was necessary to point out how I make decisions and found it useful to use a reflective tool in the form of an learning log (See scanned image 4). Reflection is an important part of being an effective manager, therefore the alternate name 'thinking performer'. According to Moon (2004), reflection enables you to become clearer about something; it allows an individual to see the way they operate and reacted to a certain situation (Moon, 2004). The learning log allowed me to reflect on my decision-making process and consider what I could have done differently. As a potential future manager, I can now adjust the way in which I make my decisions based on my experience reported in the learning log.

I emphasized the importance of being more open in decisions I am passionate about and realized that following the 'Decision by bulk ballot' may not always be the best approach, as I was unhappy that my decision was not taken into account. According to Honey (n.d), learning from experience is a crucial process. However, simply having an experience does not guarantee that

you have learned from it (Ibid). After completing the 'Are You an Effective Learner From Experience' questionnaire, it revealed that my knowledge and skills regarding the learning process and my attitudes towards it were moderate to low. (See Scanned Image 5). These are factors that should be considered for my future development as an effective manager, as I must be able to learn from my experiences in order to communicate effectively and improve my techniques as a manager (Honey n.d).

) However, all employees in an organization have to make decisions throughout their day; not just managers (Arroba 1978). The study examined whether managers and unskilled laborers share the same decision-making style or if their differences, such as education level and political affiliations, affect their decision-making styles (Arroba 1978). The results revealed that both managers and manual laborers utilize the same decision-making style for work-related decisions, which includes logical and personal considerations (Arroba 1978).

The text suggests that workers use a subjective approach for personal decisions and an objective approach for work-related decisions. These findings are interesting because there is usually emphasis on managers making decisions at work, but it is important to recognize that all employees make decisions and use the same decision-making style. In conclusion, the concept of an effective manager has been discussed in relation to the business partner model. However, research suggests that the CIPD may be too optimistic and put too much pressure on HR directors. I have chosen to discuss key skills of being an effective manager and it implies that I have the potential to be one, as long as I develop in certain areas.

However, the questionnaires I have completed

only provide a brief insight into my potential as an effective manager. While I may have an idea of what is expected of me as a manager, research suggests that the notion of an effective manager or performer may be unrealistic in HR practices in the real world. Therefore, even if I do develop these skills, I am unsure if I will be able to apply them effectively in my role in HR.