Leadership Complexity Model - Coursework Example

Running Header: Assigned Task 3 Student’s Name: Institution: Instructor: Subject: Assigned Task 3 Organizational success in the 21st century has been about knowledge and innovation due to the technological revolution and globalization. In these transitional times, organizations are faced with challenges and realize that the traditional model of leadership is questionable in regard to the prevailing circumstances. Organizations therefore have to come up with new leadership models that go beyond the traditional views. The complexity model has hence been developed to fit in the context of the knowledge era. The complexity leadership theory is a post-heroic model of leadership that depends less on the individuals at the top and focuses more on collaborative leadership. Being a leader of an organizational structure in accordance with the model, the nature of management work is highly characterized by managers dealing with formal influences. The nature of management in the complexity model as will be discussed in this paper involves delegation and empowerment, power and influence of the leaders, ensuring ethical behavior and implementing positive change that is necessary for the organization. As a leader of an organization structured in assistance with the Uhl-Brien model, the above said will be further illustrated in this paper. Power is the ability to influence behavior. It may also be defined as the ability to get someone do something you want done. The control of the behavior of others is the main essence of such power. On the other hand, influence is the outcome derived from the use of power (Gary, 2010). In the complexity model, the focus is on how leaders can influence the behavior of others and in return achieve desired organizational goals and objectives. Motivating workers, inspiring them and leading them to produce results and commit to the organization’s goals and objectives are some of the ways leaders influence using their power. Power can be derived from the ability to reward for instance using money, compliments and promotions. Also, a manager can withdraw desired rewards and this can be a form of punishment for failure to comply with the leader’s wishes. Influence being a response to the exercise f power enables workers to act according to the leader’s wishes. Administrative leadership in the complexity model exercises it’s authority in consideration of the firm’s need for creativity and also exercise adaptive leadership where there is room for learning since every action has significant impact on the e organization(Uhl -Bien & Marion, 2008). Complexity leadership portrays an interdependent system. Distributing resource creates a creative movement enabling a networked system in the organization. Delegating involves assessing the task maturity, motivation of those to whom the decision may be assigned and announcing the assignment to those to carry out the assignment. Providing adequate discretion is vital to achieve desired results and maximize the delegate’s creativity. Follow up by the leader is important feedback by the delegate too is vital in this process. Assessment of the final results should be done to make both parties accountable for the task. This process should not be rigid so as to be effective and empower others consequently. Empowerment is the process of enabling individuals to think, take action and control their work and make decisions. In such leadership’s models, organizations have the duty to create an environment that fosters employee empowerment. Contribution of individuals creates an environment for empowerment and creativity and problems are solved by consensus and hence establishing interdependency. Problem solving in the complexity model is not derived from the authority but the individuals engage themselves in problem solving process. This way, the resources and responsibilities are delegated and consequently lead to empowerment. Interaction and learning is also involved. The Concept of positive planned change is one that appears in the present day and has been of importance in the complexity leadership model. As a major new approach, it has been used and brought success to the various organizations that have managed to effectively manage and implement change. Significant business operation changes require leadership that is skilled and efficient. The leaders in an organization have to prepare the individuals for change. It is very important especially for the transformational leaders to acquire knowledge so as to increase their capability to implement business and workplace changes. The individual leading change is assigned the task of achieving, the satisfaction of this goal involves many departments and hence critical thinking is required by the leader. Organizational change being the demands placed on subunits to depart from routine behavior, it represents a complete transformation of the entire business. I n the complexity model, a leader has to build an awareness of the need for change make the case for change credibly and make the change a learning process. Attention must be given to mobilizing support for change. How leaders go about integrating creative ideas is very important (Mumford, 2008). Ethical behavior is the standards one holds for oneself as regards honesty, respect, integrity and how one treats others in the organizational setting. It is the recognition of choice and acceptance of that choice. It is important to note that an organization’s environment is important in influencing ethicality over and above the characteristics of individuals’ in an organization. The presence or absence of ethical behavior in managerial actions both influences and reflects the organizations culture. Leaders and employees in an organization may use some measures to change unethical behavior for instance, reporting any unethical behavior to higher authority, taking initiative and refusing to implement an unethical order or policy. The competent leader in the complexity model will select candidates carefully, train them and use standardized procedure to ensure they have the required skills necessary for the organization’s success. After such a process, the leader should induce humility in the selectees and they will In turn question their prior behaviors, beliefs and values. Tough on the job training leads to mastery of one of the main or core values of an organization. Strict performance measures are put in place and performance is rewarded on merit (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). The leadership framework proposed which is the complexity leadership theory focuses on learning, creativity of individuals and sub-units and adaptive leadership. This is a major strength since all the resources in the organization are stretched to achieve desired goals and objectives. The learning process helps in self assessment of individuals, conceptual learning, skill modeling and empowerment of individuals that enables them to take responsibility for their own actions and this creates a commitment of every individual to achieve organization’s goals and objectives. Performance and reward systems in this model enable employees to use valued skills and feel competent. This allows them to determine how every work should be performed in line with an organization’s goals. This model also encourages motivation of individuals and sub units. Interesting work, pay-for-performance increase motivation. The success of a corporation relies more on the social assets rather than the physical assets, the model has taken this into consideration and hence creating an environment that caters for the social assets in amore devoted way. This has led to delegation of tasks and empowerment of individuals. Rather than relying on the few brains at the top, the leadership model has managed to spread responsibilities and tasks across the sub units working in the organizations. Leaders have also learnt to align individual’s goals with organization goals. This motivates workers toward task objectives and inspires them to commit to organizational goals and objectives (Uhl-bien & Marion, 2008). Feedback mechanisms have been created in this model and ensures that in the event of delegation discretion of information is provided to the delegates and this way, positive results will be generated. This creates job satisfaction and productivity of employees since most of them are desirous to grow and develop. This model also ensures that business ethics are followed to the core. The leaders influence the workers and the interaction between them enables a conducive environment enabling organization’s value and disciplines to be followed. When managers assume a friendly atmosphere, the workers will cooperate with each other and embrace change positively. This model also incorporates change as opposed to the traditional model. Leaders make it their duty to explain the need and importance of change to their employees. Strength of this kind of model is the aspect of enabling leadership. This kind of leadership develops a relationship between the formal and the informal. This model of leadership makes the organization’s goals the focal point and thus creates a team and the leader’s role is to delegate, guide, and motivate the team toward the objectives. However, the Leadership Complexity Model has weaknesses that tend to inhibit the success of such a model. The model tends to be too complex and is supposed to involve a combination of various factors. Most organizations shy away from such complexities and most leaders are not willing to change from the traditional model of leadership. They are often receptive to change once there is a crisis. Also, not all employees are willing to embrace change. As much as the environment and the leaders influence the worker’s ethical behavior, it is to a certain extent the responsibility of each individual to accept or resist change. Leaders often face the problem of getting others to understand the need for change. Idea champions find that some employees are not enthusiastic about their new ideas. Managers and employees not involved in an innovation seem to prefer to the status quo (Daft & Marcic, 2010). This is a weakness as opposed to the traditional model where the top managers used dictatorial leadership and any new idea was embraced by all without much resistance. In conclusion, leadership Complexity Model in line with this research is involved with interactive dynamics that involve agents, leaders and their interaction creates an adaptive outcome. Leaders in this model work to ensure consistency with organizational goals and objectives. They also facilitate the integration of creative and innovative ideas into the organization. The use of fair practices in rewarding and promotion facilitates employee acceptance of diverse practice and enables to commit to the achieving of organizational goals. Change is easily accepted and understood by workers and employees faced with this leadership model since they have embraced the organizations ethical culture. In addition, this leads to job satisfaction of the employees enables employees to feel appreciated and view their jobs positively .This in return leads to creation of a feedback mechanism within the organization. This ensures positive knowledge of an individual’s results on their task performance and could as well result to motivation of the employee (Rahul, 2000). This also creates healthy competition among the workers and their level of accuracy and clarity in performance of their tasks increases. This translates into positive productivity in the organization whereby desired results are achieved. Acquisition of resources and allocation is in such a manner as to support creativity, innovativeness and fosters motivation. A clear distinction can be seen when comparing the performance, motivation and productivity of workers in this Knowledge era as compared the Industrial era. Organizational goals and objectives once integrated by all employees and leaders, they become a focal point and their achievement creates a win-win situation for all parties according to the Leadership Complexity Model. References Daft L. & Marcic D. (2010). Understanding Management. Stamford: Cengage Learning. Hellriegel D. & Slocum W. (2007). Organizational Behavior. Stamford: Cengage Learning. Mumford D. (2008). Multi-level Issues in Creativity and Innovation. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing. Rahul A. (2000). Encyclopedic Dictionary of Organization Behaviors. Delhi: Sarup & Sons. Uhl-bien M. & Marion R. (2008). Complexity Leadership. Scottsdale: IAP. Yukl, G. (2010), Leadership in Organisations, Global Edition (7th Edition), Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Pearson Prentice-Hall Inc. Read More