Leadership Development in Bunning's Warehouse - Case Study Example

FIELD STUDY REPORT Student’s Name Course Tutor Institution Date of Submission Executive Summary Planning, organizing, controlling, and leading are the definitive concepts that should guide the execution of managerial responsibilities. According to Sinofsky and Iansiti (2010, 54), a manager that lacks in any of the illustrated factors often suffers drawbacks in their management. For instance, they may fail to maintain cohesion and team spirit within their workforce. That implies that they are factors that are significantly relied upon to create or stimulate organizational productivity. In this report, a comprehensive evaluation of the benefits that are derived from the application of factors has been projected. This report is based on an interview conducted with a coordinating manager, Hash, whose service at Bunning’s Warehouse has characterized by a steady rise in positions and continued managerial success. Hash attributes his success to the lucid execution of the precepts that define the above-illustrated factors. His projections are further supported by the theoretical and practical illustrations in academic publications. Introduction Founded in 1886, the Bunning’s Warehouse is one of the most established enterprises in the West Australia. Its stability, as Avolio (2005, 1565) explained, is credited to the nature of commitment that characterizes operations within the facility. However, it is notable that this commitment is always driven by the kinds of leadership that have steered the enterprise’s organization from the helm. Ideally, these were the motivating factors for the choice on the enterprise; it offered an avenue for a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the ingredients to organizational success based on individuals’ strengths. Even to date, the enterprise still relies on the creativity of its leaders to bolster its competitive abilities and efficiency. Hash, a Coordinator Manager at the facility, is one such leader who exhibits sufficient organizational skills and has role-played in maintaining the enterprise’s legacy. It is important to note how steadily Hash has risen through the ranks and with how much commitment he has been handling his duties. Hash is organized, determined, and focused. His leadership skills have been significant and have positioned him as a productive coordinator. Much of Hash’s successes have resulted from his ability to integrate leadership ingredients and to strike a balance between his personal ambitions and his desire to sustain and even improve the enterprise’s productive performances (Burns & Vaivio 2001, 390). This report is an evaluation of Hash’s application of the concepts of planning, organization, control, and leadership. It is based on an interview with Hash and focuses on his interpretation of the fundamentals of organization. Ideally, organization, planning, control, and leadership, as are exhibited in Hash’s interview, are significant ingredients for success. Planning The interview with Hash was a confirmation of the theoretical projections in most academic publications. According to Hash, planning is based on futuristic visions; his aspirations and nurtured commitment guide his present actions as he bids to lay a foundation that would guide future actions and results. Hash believes that his workday endeavors must be schemed in the previous days and even the duties and obligations to which he expects his juniors to adhere must be evaluated in days preceding their execution. He also reckons that not every plan can come to fruition, but that commitment should be exhibited for the realization of objectives. These projections meet the precepts that were outlaid by Wheatly and Kellner-Rogers (1996, 19) in his publication Planning and organizing personal and professional development. According to Wheatly and Kellner-Rogers (1996, 19), planning is the creation and development of goals. Such development is often realized through the execution of strategies. Sinofsky and Iansiti (2010, 79) also supported this projection by illustrating that planning is the use of strategies to gain control of the future. Hash’s actions meet these criteria; his belief and desires for progress often inspire him to visualize his professional progress two to three years into the future and he uses strategies to propagate the realization of such dreams. Ideally, several mechanics are used in planning (Wilson 1968, 28; Sinofsky & Iansiti 2010, 43). They are inclusive of the setting of objectives, the development of commitment for the realization of the objectives, the creation of effective and elaborate action plans, the evaluation of the progresses that define the realization of the objectives, and the ability to assume flexible trajectories that would aid the realization of the objectives (Sinofsky & Iansiti 2010, 62). Does Hash’s interpretation of planning meet the demands of these mechanics? While it is obvious that he has objectives and strategies for realizing the objectives, Hash has even more benefited from the evaluation of his progress. The significance of evaluation is that it creates a podium on which the planner can determine shortfalls and recreate/redevelop strategies that would either make up for the mistakes or create a system that would help them avoid committing similar mistakes. Notably, Hash has made career milestones yet still has objectives for growth and development. Therefore, it has been mandatory for him to evaluate his progresses. Sinofsky and Iansiti (2010, 62) opined that the failure to evaluate progress may bear grave detriments to development and the realization of objectives as it may create a blindfold that hampers the lucid execution of other strategies. Besides, there are several advantages that Hash’s planning has helped him accrue. Wheatly and Kellner-Rogers (1996, 20) and Chermack (2011, 39) collectively highlighted that planning helps in the reduction of uncertainties. The authors illustrated that the planning capacitates individuals and organizations to predetermine results or to manipulate certain results by taking specific actions. This factor ensures that all results meet the expected standards. As Hash acknowledges, planning also facilitates management. Notably, it is through planning that he determines the organizational objectives for a day by organizing his subordinates and effectively delegating duties. This is also a virtue that he learned by planning for his current post thereby learning from his superiors. Planning also improves the employees’ morale by creating an aura for order and expectations. This consequently results in the realization of the organizational objectives (Kober, Ng, & Paul 2007, 439). In a sense, Hash has realized all these advantages and the fact that he has been start evaluating his performances have bolstered and improved his capacities to perform as a manager. Organizing Hash also revealed that planning and communication are the keys to organization: ‘I get and communicate information…and delegate tasks.’ However, these are not the only mechanics that he employs to improve his organization skills. He uses a tool that motivates every individual to work in the same trajectory as he is; mentorship. To that effect, he not only strives to be the personality he would wish them to be, but also guides and illustrates to them the significance of meeting certain obligations. According to Chermack (2011, 39), mentorship is an effective planning tool as it creates and influences the trajectory through which employees execute their duties. That is because it motivates the employees and creates in them the passion and desire to succeed by participating in the realization of team objectives (Wilson 1968, 29; Chermack 2011, 38). According to Hash, having started by looking up to the senior personnel has created in him the inspiration to help his juniors and to use their aspirations for the realization of his objectives. Hash also uses conflict resolution as a strategy for maintaining order and organizing his juniors. To realize effective solutions to conflicts amongst his juniors, he avoids emotional influences and relies on sobriety to make decisions that befit his plans as well as the organizational objectives. Wheatly and Kellner-Rogers (1996, 22) explained that conflict resolution is an important ingredient in organization skills. He further explained that when resolving conflicts, it is important to observe and respect the stipulations that have been outlaid to assist with the realization of the plans/objectives. In respect to these projections, Hash’s technique for conflict resolution is appropriate for the realization of his plans (Chermack 2011, 33). Hash’s interview also made the revelation that leadership is a very important ingredient in the organization of a staff. According to him, a leader should support, respect, and guide his subordinates. This factor would inspire them to observe and make commitments to strive and make similar milestones in personal goals and to have the morale for participating in the realization of the organizational objectives. It is through leadership that order, as an ingredient to performance, is realized (Wilson 1968, 28). Besides, leadership as Hash described is dependent on elaborate planning. For instance, the mechanics that are used to resolve disputes or to organize the staffs must be outlaid (Sinofsky & Iansiti 2010, 62). A notable factor is how all the projections that have been made by Hash and that have been analyzed in these sections of the report interrelate. The ability to decipher this interrelation would strengthen an individual/manager’s capacity to outline detailed factors that would enhance their planning and performances (Chermack 2011, 38). For instance, a manager would use astute planning capacities to improve their abilities to organize their junior staff thus positioning their organizations to realize the overall objectives (Wilson 1968, 29). Ideally, Hash has realized this proposition and not only relies on planning for his personal commitment but also plans for his subordinates thereby guiding their actions and realization of the organizational objectives. Leading When addressing the subject of leadership, Avolio (2005, 1565) explained in his authorship The "natural": Some antecedent to transformational leadership, that are there are several ingredients that define leadership. The first of them, as he illustrated, is organization, the second is control, and the third is planning. These are factors that Hash has exhibited in his leadership as was illustrated in the interview. His valuations and approaches to handling enigmas, improving performances, and instilling a disciplined approach toward work amongst his subordinates are indications that he fits the ‘leading’ role. Hash uses strategies that improve the organizational performances of the individuals working below him, a factor that consequently portrays him as a productive manager. These strategies are inclusive of mentorship and lucid conflict resolution. By acting as a mentor to his subordinates, he creates an aura about himself within the enterprise. That is because several employees learn to look up to him and to trust his actions and decisions. Riggio and Lee (2007, 425) opined that mentorship creates and strengthens an environment in which the performances of all employees are standardized as all employees learn to with focus and determination. It is, therefore, clear that Hash’s strategy for mentorship has been significant in the creation of a positive and productive environment within the Bunning’s facility. Notably, Hash himself relies on the mentorship of his superiors to polish his leadership skills and approaches to the solution of enigmas. The other strategy, conflict resolution, also couples with mentorship in the creation and bolstering of a cohesive atmosphere that improves organizational productivity. That is because it creates a uniform plane on which the social factors that can hamper professionalism within the facilities are negated. Shamir and Howell (1999, 265) stated that conflicts within an enterprise are always the source of disharmony and they may result into the loss of productive elements like consultation and teamwork. Ideally, these factors always ensure that the workforce can collectively push for the realization of the organizational objectives. Hash stated, ‘I listen and avoid using emotions to guide my judgments.’ This kind of approach has ensured that he has kept the workforce united and committed. It is even a factor that, as Riggio and Lee (2007, 420) illustrated, will even see to his further assent in leadership within the enterprise. The other notable factor that defines Hash’s leading roles is the manner in which he carries the organization’s burden with him. Ideally, he considers that being manager, it is mandatory to plan not only for himself, but also for the entire organization. To this effect, he always strategizes for the employees and creates realistic goals and objectives that must be realized by the organization’s personnel. This factor has ensured that his role as a manager fulfills the expectations that were placed upon him by his superiors. Though he does not particularly participate in the carrying out of the actual tasks, he develops and determines the organization’s trajectory for productivity. The publication Organisational and contextual influences on the emergence and effectiveness of charismatic leadership by Shamir and Howell (1999, 260) supports this projection and further illustrates that productive leadership must involve an integration of individuals’ abilities and learned factors that may be dependent on other persons. Ideally, Hash leadership is two-fold as it is dependent on his individual abilities as well as the abilities of his subordinates. However, he also role-plays in ensuring that the subordinates remain motivated, focused, united, and determined to realize both individual and organizational objectives. Control Control was defined by Burns and Vaivio (2001, 393) as the regulatory processes that are used to define standards for the purposes of realizing individual and organizational objectives. Such standards must be the bases for determining and evaluating performances. Ideally, control cannot be spontaneous but is rather continuous and, therefore, role-plays in the creation and molding of a determinable trajectory to success (Kober, Ng, & Paul 2007, 430; Williams & McWilliams 2014, 265)). These are factors that inspire some questions when evaluating Hash’s interview. What control measures define Hash’s leadership? What kinds of action does he take to remedy enigmas and deviations from standards? How effective are his control skills? It is notable that Hash plans into the future and that he reviews his achievements to note the deviations from his set objectives and to create and effect corrective measures (Day 2001, 592). It is also notable that he uses very lucid strategies for organizing his subordinates and that he values the use of listening and mitigating the wrong actions taken by the employees as the measures to conflict resolution. Besides, Hash mentors his subordinates and offers guidance whenever necessary. These are indications of how efficiently he has been applying the projections and theories that define control as a leadership and organization skill. In the instance, Hash uses self-control to inspire himself and propagate the realization of his set ambitions. He illustrated that he reviews his work to determine his progress and to note how much effort he has to instill into his productivity to facilitate the realization of his ambitions. Ideally, the fact that he has been able to plan acutely two to three years into the future has propagated his professional assent. This factor is acutely accredited to his self-control and the ability to adhere to set objectives and observe personal standards for performances (Williams & McWilliams 2014, 271). He explained that it is always a commitment to observe the actions of his superiors as he has the feeling that it from whence that an aspiring superior can learn. To keep true to this ambition, he has had to control himself and correct his shortfalls. Avolio (2005, 1560) and Burns and Vaivio (2001, 390) collectively explained that these are the definitive subjects in determining self-control. The interview also revealed that Hash uses normative control to shape and mold his subordinates’ organizational behavior. According to him, mentorship is a subject that helps inspire other employees to observe the set standards and to work collectively and individually toward the realization of the organization’s objective. Ideally, it is through this mentorship that he has effected the precepts of normative control. This factor has enhanced his ability to maximize the workforce’s potential thereby steering the organization to more success. Lastly, Hash also applies precepts that were defined by Day (2001, 581) as objective control. Objective control is the regulation of organizational behavior using measures that control the employees’ output. Hash’s planning and regulation of the employees’ duties meets this definition. In a sense, he controls their output by creating for them achievable and realistic goals. This factor ensures that every employee makes significant contributions toward the realization of objectives. Besides, the employees’ output meets the set criteria that enhance the realization of the organization’s objectives (Kober, Ng, & Paul 2007, 430; Williams & McWilliams 2014, 267). This integration of three control methods has strengthened Hash’s leadership and ensured that he effectively meets the organizational objectives. Conclusion Hash’s assent to a managerial position is remarkable, as he has achieved so much within limited durations. That is considering that he started working at the enterprise at a less significant position. This rise is credited to his integration of individual and organizational skills and his drive to set and realize both personal and organizational goals. As has been illustrated in the report, Hash developed this diversified leadership approach through the observation of his superiors and the reliance on his personal experiences to mold trajectories that avoid pitfalls and instead enhances his handling of every enigma. According to Day (2001, 592), the fact that an individual can set and realize personal milestones and in the process ensure that his employers also thrive on his success is the definitive factor for determining a complete leader. That implies that, through his actions in the Bunning’s Warehouse, Hash has exhibited the traits of a complete leader. That is because he has managed to use sufficiently leadership, organizing, control, and planning as the key subjects in his position. Notably, Hash plans not only involve him, but includes the entire organization’s set objectives, a factor that has ensured that he keeps rising in his serving positions. Besides, he mentors, corrects, motivates his subordinates. These factors bolster his leadership. The fact he manages to apply three control methods has also enhanced his leadership. This report reveals that Hash’s principles, traits, and applications are significant ingredients for success. References List AVOLIO, B.J. (2005). "The "natural": Some antecedent to transformational leadership", International Journal, vol. 17 no. 9, pp. 1559-81 BURNS, & VAIVIO, J. (2001). "Management Accounting Research", Management Accounting Research, vol. 12 no. 4, pp.389-402. CHERMACK, T. J. (2011). Scenario planning in organizations: how to create, use, and assess scenarios. San Francisco, Calif, Berrett-Koehler. DAY, D.V. (2001). "Leadership development: a review in context", The Leadership Quarterly, vol.11 no. 581-613. KOBER, R. NG, J. & PAUL, B. (2007). "The interrelationship between management control mechanisms and strategy", Management Accounting Research, vol. 18 no. 4, pp. 425-452. Riggio, R.E. & Lee, J. (2007). "Emotional and interpersonal competencies and leader development", Human Resource Review, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 418-26. SHAMIR, B. & HOWELL, J.M. (1999). "Organisational and contextual influences on the emergence and effectiveness of charismatic leadership", The leadership quarterly, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 257-83. SINOFSKY, S., & IANSITI, M. (2010). One strategy organization, planning, and decision making. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. WHEATLY, J. & KELLNER-ROGERS, M. (1996). Selg-Organization: The Irresistible Future of Organizing. Strategy and Leadership, Vol 24, Issue 4, pp 18-24 WILLIAM, C & McWilliams, A. (2014). Management 2nd Edition, Cengage, South Melbourne. WILSON, A.C.B. (1968). Planning in the Medium Sized. Management Decision, Vol 2. Issue 1. Pp 28-32. http://0-www.emeraldinsight.com.library.vu.edu.au/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/eb000828 Read More