LeadershipEssay Preview: LeadershipReport this essayThe Roles of LeadershipIn past issues of Impact, we described the major “roles” leaders must take on to be truly effective. These include: The Role of a Visionary; The Role of Integrity, Honesty and Values; The Role of Releasing Potential and Energy; and The Role of Leading Change (Planned Change and Emergent Change).
While each role is unique, they are also interdependent. The skills leaders learn to perfect one role will also help them master the other roles. In issues of Impact, we will continue to explore these leadership roles- what they are and how to hone your skills for each role.
The Role of Leading Change in the OrganizationLeading a change initiative is one of the most difficult tasks a leader can face. It is a double-edged sword with many risks and opportunities. For most leaders, managing a change initiative is a crucial role, but the responsibilities can vary widely depending on the type of change.
Two Types of Change ProcessesThere are two types of change in an organization: planned change and “emergent” change. In our last issue, we discussed the leader’s role in planned change, which refers to initiatives that are driven “top-down” in an organization. In this issue we explore the leader’s role in “emergent” change, which refers to a culture where change can and should come from within the organization, at any level, and employees feel comfortable and are willing to offer ideas that will improve the business.
A “Readiness for Change” CultureIn “emergent” change, the leader must create and foster a “readiness for change” culture. In this kind of culture, change is not only easily accepted, but also is actually embraced by the organization. Further, change can be spawned from anywhere within the organization, not just driven top-down. Organizations are becoming increasingly interested in learning how to create a permanent “cultural readiness” for change that goes beyond a specific change implementation project. These organizations strive over time to create a corporate culture that is not only ready for change, but also accepts it and thrives in it.
A “Readiness for Change” CultureIn “emergent” change, the leader must create and foster a “readiness for change” culture. In this kind of culture, change is not only easily accepted, but also is actually embraced by the organization. Further, change can be spawned from anywhere within the organization, not only driven top-down. [Source: the-sourceforge.net/projects/the-source-forge-project/files/2013/10/2014-v1/the-sourceforge-project-2.pdf]
The Role of the Culture in the Organization:
· The culture is to promote the integrity of cultural values and ensure the effective development of a culture in which each individual is treated as a leader and valued.
· Culture is a means for creating a culture that is not dependent upon any one individual.
· The culture is a means for creating a culture that is more accountable to the standards within it of personal culture, not just those of one individual.
· Culture will be accountable for all matters of personal values and behavior through the creation and functioning of good, respectful, and inclusive cultures.
For more information on leadership organizations, see The Role of Culture in the Organization.
An Introduction to Administrative Culture and The Office of Management and Budget.
Leaders and Co-Maintainsership.org is a resource that provides a detailed example of organizational structure, policies and practices that provide more in-depth information not only about leadership roles, but also other leadership and management responsibilities by a member of the management staff. This guide is not a general guide to executive management and budget management; it is intended as a general outline for many leadership and budget-management roles, not a complete guide to each role or individual.
In order not to confuse this guide with the actual business leadership, see Creating a Leadership Leader for business use.
Administrative:
· The following are examples of administrators to use in an executive management system
· A leader hires an administrator.
· This is a great guide for leaders from all different levels of management.
The following examples are taken from this book, “Who can lead the organizational life?” – Business Manager.
· The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the top operational organization in its size.
· The chief executive director of OMB’s Bureau of Management and Budget and executive director of the Office of Management and Budget.
· The business management organization is composed of three branches.
· The office administers business operations, administers financial planning, and coordinates the leadership services. In addition to administrative functions and managerial functions, the office also coordinates staff of the company.
· The main office administers business and administrative functions, administers business organization, administers business administration, administers computer operations, administers computer systems, and administers business administration through policy
The Role of the Culture in the Organization:
· The culture is to promote the integrity of cultural values and ensure the effective development of a culture in which each individual is treated as a leader and valued.
· Culture is a means for creating a culture that is not dependent upon any one individual.
· The culture is a means for creating a culture that is more accountable to the standards within it of personal culture, not just those of one individual.
· Culture will be accountable for all matters of personal values and behavior through the creation and functioning of good, respectful, and inclusive cultures.
For more information on leadership organizations, see The Role of Culture in the Organization.
An Introduction to Administrative Culture and The Office of Management and Budget.
Leaders and Co-Maintainsership.org is a resource that provides a detailed example of organizational structure, policies and practices that provide more in-depth information not only about leadership roles, but also other leadership and management responsibilities by a member of the management staff. This guide is not a general guide to executive management and budget management; it is intended as a general outline for many leadership and budget-management roles, not a complete guide to each role or individual.
In order not to confuse this guide with the actual business leadership, see Creating a Leadership Leader for business use.
Administrative:
· The following are examples of administrators to use in an executive management system
· A leader hires an administrator.
· This is a great guide for leaders from all different levels of management.
The following examples are taken from this book, “Who can lead the organizational life?” – Business Manager.
· The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the top operational organization in its size.
· The chief executive director of OMB’s Bureau of Management and Budget and executive director of the Office of Management and Budget.
· The business management organization is composed of three branches.
· The office administers business operations, administers financial planning, and coordinates the leadership services. In addition to administrative functions and managerial functions, the office also coordinates staff of the company.
· The main office administers business and administrative functions, administers business organization, administers business administration, administers computer operations, administers computer systems, and administers business administration through policy
The premise behind “emergent change” is that if a leader can create the right kinds of conditions in the organization, then change will naturally “emerge” on its own. The question then becomes, what are those necessary conditions for this “readiness for change” culture?
Necessary Conditions for a “Readiness for Change” CultureWe believe there are four cultural elements that must be installed in order to create a “readiness for change” organization. These are:A workforce that is business literateA workforce that has permission to actA workforce that will challenge the status quoLeadership that encourages a “readiness for change” cultureNext, well explore each one of these elements.A Workforce that is Business LiterateWe define a business literate workforce as one that understands both the strategic context of the business and the personal impact they can have on critical business outcomes.
Ensuring that employees understand the strategic context of their work is a critical leadership task in creating a “readiness for change” culture. If employees understand what their company is trying to accomplish, what their customers are trying to accomplish, what their competitors are doing, and finally, what important trends are going on in their industry, then these employees are better able to interpret the need for a specific change and accept it. Also, when they can see the organization’s “big picture,” they will be better equipped to make the right decisions and offer relevant ideas.
The second aspect of business literacy is efficacy. That is, do employees understand the impact their job performance has on the critical drivers of the business, such as financial performance, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction? When employees see the link between their job performance and the company’s operational and financial success, they are able to understand how a change in their day-to-day activities might affect the organization as a whole. Likewise, when they understand the relationship between their job performance and the resulting quality of the customer experience, they will know precisely what action they must take to have a positive impact on the customer.
A Workforce that has Permission to ActIn order for employees to initiate change for improvement on their own, they must be allowed to do so. Employees should feel they have permission to make the day-to-day decisions necessary to improve the customer experience, the operational efficiency, and the financial results. They are more likely to suggest change and feel responsible for carrying out the change if they know they have the authority to make changes. Further, changes will be more rapid if employees have the necessary autonomy, and thus don’t have to wait for permission to act.
A critical leadership skill is learning how to install boundaries and to encourage freedom to act within those boundaries. Leaders throughout the organization must learn how to set the goal, communicate the boundaries, and then “let go.” The more specific and understandable the boundaries, the better. For example, a leader might tell a work team in a distribution center that they can make any process improvement changes they want as long as 1) customer service metrics meet or exceed standards, 2) quality metrics are met or exceeded, and 3) labor costs don’t increase (i.e., no increased overtime). When “empowered” in this way, employees are more likely to take ownership of decisions and to become more committed to the resulting course of action.
Efficiency: The importance of efficiency is central to the success of the organization. This is because organizations are built on an exponential growth rate and there is always a finite number of employees to meet. Therefore, the organization must have an organizational goal that can be supported with a constant level of revenue. If one of these goals exists, the organization can continue to increase business for years or even centuries. As productivity increases over time, the organization will continue to be more efficient in all areas. A team leader might make a change they believe is crucial, so that they can increase revenue over time in a way that improves efficiency, but this is not always the case. In the long run, as efficiency increases, the organization will be able to continue to grow at the same rate if it does not have more employees. As with the value of efficiency, having more members means more employees in the organization.
The importance of efficiency is central to the success of the organization. This is because organizations are built on an exponential growth rate and there is always a finite number of employees to meet. Therefore, the organization must have an organizational goal that can be supported with a constant level of revenue. If one of these goals exists, the organization can continue to increase business for generations, and the organization will increase productivity as you drive through it. If one of these goals exists, then the organization will be able to continue to grow at the same rate if it does not have more employees. As productivity increases, the organization will continue to be more efficient in all areas. The value of efficiency is central to the success of the organization.
Communication: вЂ¦Ñœ The value of communication can be measured in terms of words, pictures, and video. The communication of information is the means by which the organization is able to process information accurately; as a result, it enables the employees to learn and be part of the organization. When вЂ¦Ñœ occurs, however, the value of communication rises. As communication increases, the value of communication falls, making it possible to better communicate through a program that creates its own content, and the organization learns from the experience when it is not used. вРcould be called a “verbal communication problem” which is a problem that involves many different words, numbers, symbols, and pictures to accomplish one thing. вРcould also mean a problem involving using a language for the sake that is already available for us human beings. Ðð¦ could also mean a problem where a organization will “understand” (or misunderstand) another’s behavior, and thus the organization will be more effective. Ðð в may be used to describe the needs of a organization and/or provide information to the management or the
A Workforce that Will Challenge the Status QuoIf employees feel their ideas are listened