Characteristics of Business Leadership: Anita Roddick, The Body Shop - Case Study Example

Introduction Managerial leadership in organizations is a key enabling factor that significantly contributes in creating a motivated force for improved performance. Good leaders tend to face adversities as challenges and develop flexible approach to manage change effectively. Indeed, in the fast transforming business dynamics, they provide businesses with inimitable competitive advantage and become intrinsic part of its success. Kouzes, and Posner claim that leaders are visionary and who can inspire others (1988). The Body Shop is scintillating example of such leadership initiative which has constantly set standard for businesses across globe. Ms Anita Roddick had founded the company in 1976 and had displayed excellent leadership traits. The paper would be discussing The Body Shop and Roddick’s leadership traits that had promoted high standard of ethics and quality within the organization. Business initiative The Body Shop, started in 1976 from home by Anita Roddick, was a passionate venture that was focused on the wider welfare of women. The Body Shop cosmetics were launched with a strong entrepreneurial instinct that natural ingredients would be most beneficial for taking care of body and remain beautiful. The first shop at Brighton, UK, was opened with only 15 products. She received tremendous response that resulted in the opening of second shop within the next 10 months. Thereafter, the popularity of cosmetics made from natural products had unprecedented success. Within a span of 25 years and under her able leadership, it was transformed into multi million project with more than 1980 outlets across 50 nations serving more than 77 million customers and generating revenue of more than $200 million. After takeover by L’Real in 2006, it now has more than 2500 products in more than 60 markets globally. It produces a wide range of body care products from natural ingredients and caters to people from all strata of society (bodyshop.com, 2012). The Body Shop is fundamentally based on the premise of social consciousness and belief that profits are not the major goals of business. The business must be proactive towards the needs of the community and environment (Porter & Kramer, 2006). All the products of Body Shop are ethically produced. It supports environment conservation. Natural ingredients within the products are procured from people and places who have adopted sustainable business practice. Most importantly, Roddick’s strong sense of community welfare had led her to create employment opportunities for people in under developed and developing countries like South East Asia, Africa, Brazil, Mexico etc. (Roddick, 1991). Indeed, its major suppliers of the raw products are from these countries who have evolved as a result of Roddick’s proactive support for sustainable business practices. Leadership style Anita Roddick’s leadership style was transformational and relied on motivating others towards a more conscientious and ethically delivered business goals. Burn (1978) emphasizes that transformational leadership encourages relationship building that is based on mutual respect and empowered decision making. Under such leaders, the followers are motivated to developed leadership traits and use critical thinking for resolving conflicts. Most pertinently, the leaders also propose moral and ethical considerations that hugely benefit the business as well as the society at large. Transformational leaders promote participatory approach which facilitates shared goals and collective decision making processes. Roddick’s leadership traits have significantly contributed towards Body Shop’s success. She has not only been a successful and intuitive business person but also a social activist. She has relentlessly worked for the wider welfare of people and promoted sustainable development as integral part of business strategy. Evaluation of Roddick’s managerial leadership Roddick’s managerial leadership was highly intuitive and distinct in its personal inputs. She strongly believed in ethics and moral consequences of one’s actions. She was totally against animal testing and encouraged people to get more involved with the community. She always stressed the need to inculcate a sense of well being and wanted people to use The Body Shop products because it would make them feel good. It uses strong marketing communication and continuously urges people to ‘make up your mind, not just your face’. The message effectively delivers the message that use of its products is beneficial not only for the individual but also for society as it endorses sustainable development. Its communication strategy is highly creative and strongly puts its vision and mission across the target group. Roddick has been major motivating factors for its consumers as well as for its workforce who endorse its products and services as they have become more empowered. Roddick’s managerial leadership is very visible in creating a brand strategy that is linked to sustainable business practice. She has helped evolved a distinct identity and persona to the products of The Body Shop. The products not only project the organization’s core identity but also its value system. Consumers identify with products as part of their personality because it is endowed with unique value system and quality. The advertisements aptly display celebration of life with ethics. ‘Activate self esteem’ and ‘Against Animal Testing’ are two most popular slogans that convey that company cherishes the well being of its consumers. These are critical issues that help the company to connect emotionally with its target consumers and help raise social consciousness amongst the masses for socially relevant issues. The Body Shop has large number of franchisees across the globe. They all endorse common values of the company. She has helped develop a culture of honesty, integrity and innovation that thrives on sustainable business practice. One of the most important attribute of her managerial leadership initiatives has been the learning environment for its workforce that enables them to improve their skills and knowledge for personal and professional growth. Regular communication across the organization hugely facilitates in exchange of important information, ideas and ideologies between the management and workforce (Drucker, 1999). It also empowers the workforce and encourages collective decision making based on informed choice. Indeed, the culture of shared values motivates workers for higher productivity as well as in becoming proactive participant in community development. Impact of Roddick on the business world Roddick has made tremendous impact on the business world. Through her personal and passionate endeavors, she has been successful in creating an in-depth awareness of social issues vis-à-vis environment conservation and need for sustainable business practice, empowerment of women, cruelty to animals in R&D, development in third world countries etc. Through her exemplary practices in sustainable development and creation of supply chain for the raw materials comprising of people coming from under developed countries has set example in the business world. The company actively supports employment of people in under developed countries and provides them with requisite training and infrastructure to become gainfully employed. The Body Shop since its inception has been vociferously advocating the use of green products and adopting green habits. Through creative entrepreneurial efforts, the firm highlights the postulates of sustainable development and uses recycles products and carbon footprints within its operations. It continuously strives to create awareness amongst the public regarding environment conservation and community welfare. She has incorporated paradigms of social issues within its organizational goals and business strategy. This is one of the most important factors that has now become an intrinsic part of corporate governance across the industry. As a social activist and most ardent advocate for empowerment of women, she encourages women to come forward and fight for their rights. In fact, more than 70% of workforce in Body Shop is women. Apart from business, her contribution to the community has been significant. The Body Shop Foundation supports numerous programs in the area of human rights, against animal testing and environmental issues. Conclusion In 2006, The Body Shop was acquired by L’Real but it still retains its envious brand identity and its products are still endorsed by large number of customers who believe in its values. Because of the exemplary leadership of Anita Roddick, the firm operates from the broader framework of strategic goals and objectives as set by her. It is because of the unique value system that is still relevant and incorporates environmental paradigms, human rights and community welfare. She was a dynamic leader who had visionary outlook and worked persistently for social equity and environment. She has set industry standard that would continue for a long time. (words: 1343) Reference Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper Row. Drucker,P. (1999). Management Challenges for the 21th Century. NY: Harper. Kouzes, J. and Posner, B. (1988). The Leadership Challenge, 6th ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Porter, M. E., and Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility. Harvard Business Review. Roddick, A. (1991) Body And Soul: Profits with Principles—The Amazing Success Story of Anita Roddick and The Body Shop. London: Ebury Press. The Body Shop. (2012, February 29). Retrieved from: http://www.thebodyshop.com Read More