Leadership Challenges - Coursework Example

Leadership Challenges Name Course name and code Instructor’s Name Date Introduction Leadership is interesting in its context. Leaders across the globe work extra hard to achieve the company vision despite the tremendous ups and downs of the environment that they operate in. However, due to the fact in leadership you deal with people, leaders are exposed to various challenges. For example, they have to deal with issues relating their external environment; the politics of the community or the country within which they operate in, criticism, insecurity, opposition and hostility from powerful forces. Similarly, the company’s internal environment is critically challenging to leaders; lack of objectivity, indecisiveness, and inability to direct when there is a problem. Consequently, there are other challenges stemming from the nature of the leadership role like being unable to focus and follow the company’s vision. In accordance with this and for further understanding, this paper discusses leadership challenges in two different situations; challenges that leaders fro minority group face and those that leaders from dominant group face. The similarities and differences are also discussed. Methods and Procedures for the research The research used interviews to acquire the needed information for the research. The two leaders were interviewed verbally by the researcher (Robins, et al., 2009). Booking an a fifteen minutes interview with Mrs. Miles Hunt; the public relations manager of Love Real Estates Agents was not an easy task. First and foremost, the researcher called the company to request for a visit which was ardently granted. On visiting the company, he sought to interview one of the company executive officers. However, he was denied a chance because he lacked a cover letter from the university. This compelled him to travel back to the University to get the letter. Next day he came back and was granted a fifteen minutes interview with Mrs. Miles. The second interview with Mr. Charles Logan; the production manager of Yara Wineries was conducted via telephone. The researcher called Yara wineries directly and requested an interview with Mr, Charles Logan. He was given a ten minutes telephone interview at lunch hour (Robins, et al., 2009). He successfully conducted the interviews and obtained the following report. Interviewsa 1st Interview What are the external challenges you are faced with as a public relations manager of Love Real Estates Agents? All organizations no matter which position you hold in management there are several issues that are challenging particularly when you are focused to accomplishing the set organizational goals. Some of the basic issues are political forces, lack of funding and other resources, and opposition from the community. Political criticism; mainly uninformed criticism from the sitting governor and other political elites; opposition and hostility from powerful forces from the local government and other influential organizations like the trade unions (Rabinowitz, 2013). Defining the organization’s boundaries in the event of collaborations with other firms is a complete hectic task that demands a lot (Diversity in Leadership, 2009). On several occasions, the community we operate in is unsupportive; some have no respect always undermining what I do particularly when the company is undertaking social responsibility tasks (Rabinowitz, 2013). Could you please explain the internal challenges that you encounter in your line of work? Here is where the real tough is; sometimes I feel insecure particularly when my subordinates perceive or openly indicate that I don’t know how to undertake my duties comprehensively. This insecurity drives me away from my proactive duties (Rabinowitz, 2013). Following this insecurity, I am always defensive. Making decisions in some instances is always challenging to me particularly during times when the organization is undertaking drastic changes that must be implemented within a specified short period of time (Rabinowitz, 2013). Accordingly, I am impatient with my colleagues and even to some situations, I lack firmness with regard to decisions that I make. For instance, the inability to be objective in some situations; dealing with people is a tiresome activity and sometimes meeting the company objectives and goals cannot be realized. Explain the challenges stemming from the nature of your leadership role? As a leader, I am the mantle carrier of the organization; all decisions with regard to the company’s vision and mission I must be part and parcel of it (Rabinowitz, 2013). Keeping an eye on and communicating and reminding the subordinate about the vision is a big challenge. Maintaining effectiveness over time is really hard no matter how well things go or no matter how well or successful your company or initiative is. The work is sometimes overwhelming thus compromises my urgency in delivering my duties. Self-clarity is another obstacle that am confronted with; for instance, I tend o crave to understand other people’s reaction (Diversity in Leadership, 2009). 2nd Interview What are the external challenges you are faced with as the production manager? The outside environment is harder to manage or deal with, several external forces bombard us and in most cases I find it strenuous dealing with them. Crises like the financial or political windfalls; unexpected profits or benefits are harder to manage (Rabinowitz, 2013). Consumer protectionist organizations always cry fowl that the company is exploiting the public by hiking prices. The company has to deal with several legal issues, spiritual issues, and politics are challenging issues to deal with. Could you explain the internal challenges that you encounter in your line of work? When I am stressed up I exhibit stubborn and resentful character; I am perceived to have a hidden agenda that I am afraid to share and in most cases I give a lot of lip service. I easily get annoyed with those individuals who tend to derail my agenda. When there is a problem I am always unable to be direct and address the problem accordingly; for instance, I crave being liked by others and in this regard I am unable to direct say anything negative about others even if when they have done something wrong (Rabinowitz, 2013). Similarly, there are some instances that I lack objectivity and thus end up being indecisive in critical situations that may need immediate action. Explain the challenges stemming from the nature of your leadership role? Maintaining and making sure that the company vision is followed to the later is always challenging to any manager. Keeping in mind everything that needs to be done in order to achieve the company’s objectives is very hard. The needs of the consumers keep on changing, the available information in some cases is minimal, and destructions from the day-to-day issues can compel one to misinterpret the vision (Rabinowitz, 2013). Setting myself as an example or a role model for my subordinates is another thing that has been complex to me. For instance, I am critical when giving feedback, skeptical about others and I am obsessed over can go wrong and in most cases I don’t take the required decision and action mainly because of mistrust and cynicism. Similarities between the interviews The external, internal and challenges stemming from leadership role in one way or another display some similarities in the two scenarios above. For instance, both the public relations manager and the production manager are widely challenged by the political environment (Kahneman et al., 2011). The watchdog organizations like trade organizations and other community based organization are fond of putting these leaders on toes and to make sure that they do what right and acceptable to the community. Secondly, both leaders are found to lack objectivity with regard to their work, for example they exhibit indecisiveness particularly when confronted with situations that need immediate decision and action (Rabinowitz, 2013). Consequently, we find that these leaders experience these challenges particularly when times are tough, for instance when their companies are publicly being criticized (Cannon & Griffith, 2009). Similarly, during times of change or transition mainly trying to keep the groups they are leading intact and focused through the change period. Keeping the company’s vision and mission all the time poses to be a problem to both leaders. Differences between the interviews The two scenarios clearly give us a picture with regard to how women act differently from men when in leadership positions (Do, 2011). We can evidently establish that women struggle to feel like themselves; in some cases they feel like they have to act against their deeply held values. In this regard they tend to feel compassionate as compared to men. Men like being themselves and match the concepts of leadership as compared to women. Wholeness in the work-place is key in taking up leadership roles with vigor and wholesomeness (Rabinowitz, 2013). Women tend to be affected more mainly because of the inability to balance both the work and non-work roles. They are associated with care-giving roles to their subordinates as compared to men. Accordingly, women express the urge to understand others’ reactions to them. In this regard, they tend to be stereotypes and the role expectations they face in organizations is more as compared to men. Explanation of the similarities and differences Challenges in leadership are a daily occurrence, the leadership abilities and ones personalities at times come to a loggerhead. How to handle these challenges defines ones leadership styles and have extreme impact on the effectiveness of that leader (Posner, 2010). For instance some challenges may come in form of people or work problems that are a stumbling block to accomplishing the primary work objectives (Do, 2011). In order for leaders to remain focused and work effectively they need to have a positive, fulfilling work related state of mind that is characterized with vigor, dedication and absorption. For instance, while at work, he or she must maintain a positive attitude, characterized with high levels of energy of energy and mental resilience. In the same line of argument, maintaining a sense of significance, inspiration, enthusiasm and pride; in this regard he/she must be dedicated to the leadership role (Cannon & Griffith, 2009). Concentrating on the job and happily being engrossed his/her work will automatically integrate the work effectiveness. In dealing with external challenges for instance, the leader must be proactive regardless of how the situation might be. The leader is also encouraged to be creative, confront the conflict squarely and always try to find the common ground (Kahneman et al., 2011). Retaining objectivity is critical in enhancing effectiveness as a leader. The internal challenges must also be avoided at any cost, for instance leaders are called upon to listen to other people’s ideas rather than talking (Kahneman et al., 2011). Consequently, the leader is supposed to ask for 360 degree feedback and use it accordingly (Rabinowitz, 2013). Efficiency is vital in any situation and leaders are encouraged to look at what’s going on around them; for instance, in order to discover the center of controversy. Accordingly, he/she is supposed to reach out for help in facing internal challenges (Rabinowitz, 2013). The challenges stemming out of the leadership role can be salvaged by the leader creating a mechanism of revisiting the company’s like holding frequent meeting to discuss the vision and renew commitments (Do, 2011). Ultimately, sharing the burden with your colleagues and surrounding staff; delegate some duties to ease the pressure. Conclusion Leadership challenges are a common thing and leaders from various walks of life and companies are victims of these challenges. From the discussion above, we have established that leaders from the minority groups are more vulnerable to leadership challenges as compared to those from the dominant groups. Women for instance are emotionally and compassionately affected when it comes to leadership. They struggle with simple issues like the urge to understand other people’s reactions. Men particularly from dominant groups tend to know what they are doing and pay little attention to compassion. However, there are some leadership challenges that affect these groups accordingly; following the company’s vision, being objective at the work, and political challenges. In order for leaders to remain focused and work effectively they need to have a positive, fulfilling work related state of mind that is characterized with vigor, dedication and absorption. Bibliography Cannon, M. D. and Griffith, B. A. 2009. Effective Groups: Concepts and skills to meet leadership challenge. Virginia: Pearson Education Ltd. Diversity in Leadership. 2009. The Top 5 Challenges Faced by Female Managers. Retrieved on 18/5/2013, from: http://www.robturknett.com/diversityinleadership/?p=13 Do, M. 2011. Leadership: you are doing it wrong. Sydney: Hogan Assessment Systems Kahneman, D., Lovallo, D. and Sibony, O. 2011, The Big Idea Before you Make that Big Decision…. Harvard Business Review 51-60 Posner, B. Z. 2010. The Leadership Challenge. New York: John Wiley & Sons Rabinowitz, P. 2013. Recognizing the Challenges of Leadership. Retrieved on 18/5/2013, from, http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1126.aspx Robins, R. W., Fraley, R. C., and Krueger, R. F. 2009, Handbook of Research methods in personality psychology. London: Guilford Press 678-683 Read More