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The Labyrinth: Applying Transformational Leadership to the Gender Problem

April 10, 2019 by cue30

As expressed in Northouse (2016), despite the overwhelming amount of women obtaining higher education, far fewer are rising to the upper echelons of management and business operations. This diversity issue affects many if not all occupational sectors, which is grossly represented by the fact that women only make up 4% of the CEOs in Fortune 500 companies (Northouse, 2016).

The women in leadership problem is complex, deeply rooted in long-standing false beliefs, stereotypes, and biases about the nature of work a woman can and ought to do. Along with stereotypes and biases, women are less likely to obtain mentorship opportunities, and are believed to manage less assertively and effectively (Northouse, 2016). Women are also disproportionately marginalized for taking family leave in the midst of their careers and are less likely to be returned to the same managerial level that they obtained in the past (Northouse, 2016). In addition, there is a tendency for men in top-notch positions to select someone similar to them to fulfill their roles, suggesting an in-group favoritism in these leadership roles (PSU WC, 2018).

Studies have indicated that the “glass ceiling” concept of women in the workplace may just skim the surface of the problem, and may be more effectively described as a “labyrinth” or a jungle that women must navigate to get ahead in the professional or political world (Northouse, 2016). Within this labyrinth or jungle, women must navigate with a scarcity of mentorship, less promotional opportunities, and a stereotypical vision of how a woman should act, if and when she earns a leadership role. As expressed in Northouse (2016), women in leadership roles are expected to act feminine, but “not too feminine” and are expected to shy away from acting masculine, assertive, or dominant in their roles.

My personal experiences navigating the labyrinth of the occupational world as a woman have been complex. I am the first woman that has been promoted to General Manager of Zoup, so it has been an adjustment for the staff and myself. The leadership styles I have observed from the men working the same role I work currently have not worked for me. While the majority of them were capable of managing through laissez-faire, or authoritarian styles, or even were selected for their “innate” leadership traits, these styles do not work for me, or even deter my staff from responding well to my leadership. Not only does this limit me as a leader, but it also limits my followers from learning in the best style tailored to their needs. Quite frankly, it can become frustrating.

An important aspect to consider is that diversity issues or gender stereotypes do not just constrain the women involved, but they also constrain the men involved in these leadership situations as well. Gender biases and stereotypes limit both genders in the scope of what is expected, or socially acceptable of them. For example, a man that leads empathetically or sensitively might be viewed as a less “strong” of a leader or man by his masculine counterparts.

Conversely, a woman that leads assertively or is business-minded and calculated in her approach, might be shunned as an ineffective leader for lack of fulfilling the role that society has prescribed to her- that of a caring, nurturing, and sensitive being (Northouse, 2016). In lieu of this dilemma, many women in leadership roles are quite successful utilizing aspects of transformational leadership as they navigate their leadership roles. Transformational leadership attributes such as leading democratically, inspirationally, or ethically are viewed as generally androgynous characteristics, and are especially useful for a woman navigating the professional world in traditionally male-dominated positions (Northouse, 2016).

Personally, as the General Manager of Zoup, I have attempted to use transformational leadership to the benefit of both my staff and myself. As a woman, I am socially expected to be empathetic and understanding, and I use these traits to inspire others in leadership positions to treat incoming employees the same way. However, I have found that many staff members do not respond to assertiveness from me the same way they would from the men who have previously worked my position. Many of these men were younger, had less leadership and managerial experience, and were generally “greener” in the working world. Most were not college educated, yet maneuvered their leadership roles and responsibilities with great ease. Staff members responded better to constructive criticism from them, and few questioned their leaders’ authority or roles within the organization. Despite my ability to be assertive and business-minded, I often find myself using a transformational leadership approach, as both men and women in the organization respond better to be when I am managing empathetically and democratically. Basically, I work with the style that works best for me, and tailor it to how my staff will best respond to me, which does come with its limitations. However the transformational leadership approach does come with a great deal more benefits than limitations.

In addition to transformational leadership as a benefit to women, increasing encouragement of entrepreneurship has allowed many women to be successful in business. Entrepreneurial businesses not only allow women to take the reigns on their professional endeavors, but also allow opportunities for other women to obtain leadership positions within these successful companies.

In the modern world, transformational and entrepreneurial approaches to occupation are desirable and sought after. As we navigate a professional world that increasingly diversifies over the years, there is a higher need for the empathetical and ethical leadership that is evident in a transformational leadership approach (Northouse, 2016). Women and men both have their unique styles in leadership, but the ever-changing professional terrain demands the skills and capabilities, as well as the strength against adversity that professional women have developed as they navigate the labyrinth. Through the strength against adversity, women can overcome the societal labyrinth of biases, stereotypes, and expectations and truly becoming the epitome of a transformational and inspirational leader.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25705057

In Service of Others: The Model of Servant Leadership

March 31, 2019 by cue30

As I was studying about servant leadership this week, the description of servant leaders and their far-reaching effects on society and culture was truly striking. Servant leadership is initially considered counterintuitive, as being a leader is not often associated with actions of servitude. However, the characteristics of servant leadership include empathy, listening, commitment to the growth of people, and healing (PSU WC, 2018). These characteristics intend to lead followers into becoming servant leaders themselves, producing well-nurtured individuals who in turn nurture others.

As described in our lesson material, the servant leader-follower relationship can be understood as something similar to the relationship of parent and child (PSU WC, 2018). The parent responds to the child’s innermost needs, assisting them in their development into healthy adults.

Servant leadership is often discussed on a large organizational scale as described in the Northouse (2016) case studies of Northwest Airlines and Partners in Health, however, servant leadership is often something that is intimately life-changing and deeply personal. In the servant leadership model, the antecedent conditions create the environment for servant leadership to take place, the servant-leader behaviors describe the behavioral mechanisms that are applied to the individuals in the environment, and the outcomes describe the powerful, positive impact that servant leadership leaves behind (PSU WC, 2018).

Servant leaders put the needs of their followers before their own, supporting the followers’ development for the betterment of society as a whole. When I reflect on the true servant leaders I have experienced in my own life, my thoughts instantly go to my grandfather and grandmother. Both of them lived lives of service to others, often forgoing their own comforts for the sake of others. “Putting followers first” and “helping followers grow and succeed” (Northouse, 2016) are signature aspects of servant leadership, and were true testaments that both of my grandparents lived by.

An antecedent condition for the far-reaching effects of my grandparents’ servant leadership attributes was their placement in my life. As their granddaughter, I was receptive to their leadership attributes and behaviors, and responded to their continued interest in my development. As described in Northouse (2016) follower receptivity is a highly important aspect of antecedent conditions. Without follower receptivity, the servant leader can not create a lasting impact. The follower must be open to the vested interest the servant leader has in their development, before servant leadership behaviors can have their effect.

Once the antecedent conditions become a supportive environment for servant leader behaviors, then a positive effect can begin to blossom between the leader and follower. These positive effects include emotional healing and empowerment, which promote well-being and confidence within the follower (Northouse, 2016). The constantly supportive presence of the servant leader inspires the follower to be healthy and whole, which instills a desire to support others in their own growth and wholeness. Thus, the cycle of servant leadership takes hold, reaching the final stage of “outcome” the aspect that holds the potentiality of creating a lasting effect on individuals and society (Northouse, 2016).

Servant leaders surround us, both in the organizations and institutions that serve us, to the family and friends that support our development over the course of our lives. It is important that we are receptive to being served so that we can serve others; through unwavering empathy, ethical behavior, and empowerment. As my grandfather said, “no matter how bad you think you have it, there’s always someone who has it worse. So be in service of others always with dignity and respect.”

References

Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 11: Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704976

The Tranformational Leadership of Dr. Stephen Oross: An Inspiration to be the Best Versions of Ourselves

March 18, 2019 by cue30

Of all of the professors I have had the honor of learning from over the course of my college career, Dr. Stephen Oross of The Kutztown University of Pennsylvania was the most inspiring, as he exhibited a great deal of transformational leadership for colleagues and students alike. As stated in Northouse (2016), transformational leadership is defined as “ a process that changes or transforms people…An exceptional amount of influence that moves followers to accomplish more than what is expected of them” (p. 162). Dr. Oross did just that, often taking the most uncertain, disinterested of psychology students, and profoundly transforming them into protégés.

As expressed in Northouse (2016) a common trait of transformational leadership is an element of charisma, something that sets apart the leader from other individuals in similar leadership positions, raising their influential level from ordinary to extraordinary. Dr. Oross possessed the charisma to inspire his students, not only from his vast knowledge of psychology, but also his unique ability to overcome overwhelming obstacles. Dr. Oross had unfortunately been afflicted with a disease in the middle of his career that took the ability to walk away from him, leaving him wheelchair bound. Through the power of determination, the strength of will, and the hard work of physical therapy, Dr. Oross was able to overcome his physical limitations and push through a difficult recovery. Because of his experiences, Dr. Oross did not accept excuses for subpar work, and demanded students’ very best, no matter the personal circumstances. As expressed in Northouse, charismatic leaders expect the greatest efforts from their followers, and believe in their follower’s abilities to successfully reach their desired path or goal (2016).

The most important aspect of Dr. Oross’ charismatic leadership was that his ability to overcome overwhelming odds inspired his students to to do the same. I recently met a Kutztown University college grad, and he instantly began discussing how inspired he was by Dr. Oross’ ability to transform uninspired students into inspired individuals, passionate about their studies and the world around them. This is the essence of transformational leadership, and defines what sets it apart from mere transactional leadership.

Transactional leadership is a style that is marked by a transactional exchange between leaders and follows (PSU WC, 2018). After the transaction has occurred, such as the end of a college class or college career, the leaders and followers do not hold a connection, and the leader-follower relationship has ended. Dr. Oross often kept in touch academically and personally with his former students, continuing the inspirational exchange between the leader and the followers. Through continued exchange, Dr. Oross was able to continue providing the pillars of a transformational leader: inspirational motivation, continued intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Northouse, 2016).

Above all, the most important aspect of experiencing transformational leadership is how it lights a spark in individuals to be transformational leaders themselves. If I had not observed the amount of dedication, grit, and spirited human nature that Dr. Oross had imbued in every aspect of his life’s work, I certainly would not have been nearly as inspired to overcome my own obstacles over the years. Transformational leaders such as Dr. Oross inspire followers to believe in themselves, trust in the capabilities of others, and perpetuate the highest order of positive influence and change for the world around them.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 10: Transformational Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704956

The Power of Participative and Achievement-Oriented Leadership Behaviors

February 17, 2019 by cue30

Currently I work as the General Manager of a fast-casual restaurant, Zoup! Fresh Soup Company. My small staff consists of a group of diverse individuals with varying needs and personal circumstances that have lead them to become who they are. Each of these individuals have different motivators for personal and occupational growth. As the General Manager, it is essential for me to meet individuals exactly where they are, so I can support their growth in the most effective way for them. In addition, it is my job to motivate my staff members to reach personal benchmarks and accomplish their occupational goals.

Working with a small staff of only 8-12 at a time, I find that a directive, authoritarian style is not effective in most daily situations. As expressed in the lesson material, a directive approach may be more effective for a large group, whereas participative, supportive, or achievement-oriented leadership may be more effective in small group settings (PSU WC, 2018). Through my personal experiences as both a manager and a leader, I have certainly found this to be true.

My Assistant Manager, Gabbi had a bit of difficulty with the previous GM’s leadership style. Gabbi exhibits a strong internal locus of control, and feels that she can contribute greatly to her peers and change the environment around her for the better. The previous manager had a directive style and did not allow her to participate in store decisions, even though these decisions directly affected her. As an individual with a strong internal locus of control, this certainly impeded her personal growth and occupational satisfaction.

One of the first things I changed when I took my promotion was setting a different standard for how the GM and AM would communicate to each other about store decisions. I told Gabbi my first week as GM that I would never make a decision that would affect her without involving her in the decision-making process. Over the past 5 months, this has greatly improved communication at the top, which encourages followers to communicate effectively with leaders and subordinates alike. Changing leadership from a directive to a participative style has also encouraged subordinates to talk to upper management about concerns, rather than talking negatively among themselves. This helps discourage the “us against them” mentality that can occur between subordinates and leaders. Subordinates feel that their voices are heard, and in turn feel better about the outcomes of decisions they had a considerable part in making.

As expressed in Northouse (2016), participative leadership works remarkably in some situations such as the one I just described, yet other situations call for entirely different leadership behaviours. One of these styles includes achievement-oriented leadership behaviours, which cultivate follower’s feelings of self-confidence and satisfaction in their work. This is done by holding the followers to a gold standard, and placing confidence in followers’ abilities to rise to emerging challenges (PSU WC, 2018). Achievement-oriented leadership motivates followers to believe in themselves despite adversity, and continually seek improvement (Northouse, 2016). Quite frankly, achievement-oriented leadership is a powerful thing. When a leader allows followers the space to succeed while holding firm belief in their subordinates’ abilities, this garners self-confidence in even the most self-critical of individuals.

I have found that achievement-oriented leadership behaviours work best when training an associate to become a shift leader. Currently I am training one of my staff members to rise to the challenge of becoming a shift leader. Will is a 19 year old recent high-school graduate who has never taken a leadership position in an occupation before. Despite Will’s “Greenness” I have expressed strong confidence in him that he will be successful and rise to the challenges of leading our staff effectively. Expressing confidence in subordinates’ abilities encourages them to be confident in themselves, and hold themselves to a higher standard.

Above all, the most important aspect of using achievement-oriented and participative leadership behaviours is inspiring others to believe in their own abilities and feel that their voices deserve to be heard. Not only are subordinates more satisfied in their occupations, but they are also in turn more satisfied with themselves. A leader has the unique opportunity every day to help individuals see something inside of themselves that they never thought possible, and cultivate confidence in the followers that will one day perhaps become leaders themselves.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 6: Path-Goal Theory. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704910

Shadow Self: The Effect of Dark-Triad Trait Leaders on Organizations

January 27, 2019 by cue30

The psychodynamic approach offers a plethora of insight into the inner world of leaders and how this inner world ripples out to affect followers and the immediate environment. Leaders hold unique qualities that are both proactive and detrimental in nature, ranging widely from nurturing to authoritarian styles (PSU WC, 2018). Certain aspects of the psychodynamic approach are widely criticized for a lack of empirical testing methods and scientific process. Some of these criticisms include the aspect of the “shadow-self” which is a subconscious realm of being, negative and dark, hidden beneath an individual’s personal awareness (PSU WC, 2018). The shadow-self in a leader interacts with followers, perhaps wreaking havoc on the leader-follower relationship. This may seem silly, but some sense can be made of this colorful notion. A leader’s personality certainly interacts with his or her followers’ personalities, and some traits are certainly better fitting or more desirable than others in assigned or emergent leadership (PSU WC, 2018).

Despite the psychodynamic approach’s valid criticisms, there are certainly useful concepts that can be analyzed through empirical testing and scientific survey. The concept of the “shadow-self” may be deciphered as possession of dark-triad personality traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) which are both measurable and present in many individuals of leadership status (Blair et al. 2017). While a “shadow-self” or warrior archetype might not be easily defined or measured, personality traits certainly are. The big 5 personality traits of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism are often tested for in leadership roles, as levels of specific personality traits are quite desirable in a leader, particularly extraversion (Northouse, 2016).

Strangely enough, extraversion is also a trait often present among leaders scoring high on narcissistic and other dark-triad traits (Volmer et al. 2016). Currently, there is a heightened interest in dark-triad traits and their relationship with individuals of leadership status. Throughout history, examples have emerged of authoritarian, manipulative dark-triad leadership figures, from Julius Caesar to Adolf Hitler. History continues to repeat itself, as leaders displaying dark-triad traits extend the bounds of country borders and political divides, from multi-billion dollar CEO’s to middle-class restaurant managers.

In order to understand the effect dark-triad traits have on subordinates, we must first weigh the differences each aspect possesses. Narcissistic traits tend to manifest in behaviors that are self-serving and manipulative, overwhelmingly authoritarian in nature. In addition, Narcissistic individuals are especially passive-aggressive and defensive in response to criticism (Blair et al. 2017). Narcissists are individuals who refuse to share the stage and will do anything to keep dissenting voices and perceived competitors down.

According to Northouse, (2016) there are two types of narcissists: constructive or reactive. Constructive narcissists can actually be quite beneficial for some organizations, as they hold high self-esteem and self-control, and use their charisma to inspire others to create positive change (Northouse, 2016). Studies indicate that a level of narcissism in leaders may be positive for subordinates’ career growth, as narcissists may use raises and promotions to create positive feedback and cultivate their personal self-esteem and the loyalty of their followers (Volmer et al. 2016). While this is certainly manipulative behavior, it does offer benefit for the subordinate, rather than gratification simply for the narcissistic leader.

On the other hand, reactive narcissists can spell absolute disaster for an organization as they are defensive, aggressive, power-fixated, and starving for superiority (Northouse, 2016). Reactive narcissists will take highly unethical steps to get ahead, often creating their own distortions of reality to validate and gratify themselves.

Up until a few weeks ago, I did not know exactly how much trouble a reactive narcissist could cause for an organization. I had the the unfortunate chance of hiring one for a leadership role. The wound for myself, my organization, and my staff members that are left is still very real and very fresh. Allow me to explain.

I currently work as the General Manager of a fast-casual restaurant. My company spends a great deal of time perpetuating a positive business culture, and aims to direct the leadership team in perpetuating this prosocial culture. Democratic leadership and a coaching approach to subordinates’ progress is highly stressed. Narcissistic or dark-triad traits in managers can be incredibly toxic to this type of environment, as the team is a small group of individuals, usually 8-12 at a time. Quite frankly, if there is a bad apple in the bunch, the toxicity can spread at breakneck speed. Transversely, a leader with a positive attitude and affect can spread the cheer just as quickly. We must pick our leaders wisely, as they are the face and forefront of our company.

At Zoup! Fresh Soup Company, this small group of individuals must work in harmony for organizational success. An understanding, supportive approach is the best way to promote individual and organizational success in this type of environment, and our corporate philosophy includes a golden rule of “no jerks.” Unfortunately, narcissists will often tell you what you want to hear, and hide their true intentions as long as possible. They will put fear into their subordinates to remain silent, administering emotional abuse for their own perceived gain. They live by the moniker of “divide and conquer.”

This unnamed individual came into a leadership role and within weeks began to complain about upper management to subordinates, projecting her feelings onto them. This behavior quickly caused a Folie à Deux, (Northouse, 2016) among some subordinates, as they began to adhere to the rogue leader’s delusions. The leader emotionally abused subordinates for mistakes they made, while passing their successes off as her own. Meanwhile, she would do everything she could to make them solely reliant on her so she could receive gratification and self-esteem from their loyalty.

As is typical for this behavior, the “leader” eventually self-destructed and quit her position in a fit of rage, taking a few employees down with her. A few weeks later, and half of my staff were either fired or quit alongside of her. The ones that were left behind were shell-shocked, what the hell just happened here?

In retrospect, the narcissistic individual polluted any staff that were hired after her. For her self-gratification, she created a little army on her side, feeding them with illusions about the state of upper management, an “us against them” mentality. This narcissistic individual ensured that seasoned employees and upper managers did not know the dissent that she was creating among the newest, most naive of employees. She conditioned them to her illusions from the first day they stepped foot into the door. Her charisma and extraversion was just enough to create a following, as well as shield her intentions behind a charming facade.

Simply put, Sigmund Freud would have a field day psychoanalyzing this individual. Of course, the psychodynamic approach offers insight about an individual’s upbringing, and how these past experiences lead to the manifestation of dark-triad traits. Conversely, the psychodynamic approach can also offer clues about how we can understand ourselves, in order to be the best versions of ourselves. Sometimes it takes observing a narcissist at work, to know that we would never want to treat people that way. Other times, it gives us insight in our own “shadow-selves” our goals, and our aspirations and whether they are ethical, fair and balanced. Do we want to be remembered as mentors and teachers, guiding individuals supportively in the right direction, or do we want to be remembered as the nefarious narcissist, coercing others in an authoritarian manner? The choice is ours as leaders to learn from those that have made horrific mistakes before us, and understand ourselves so that we may always be empathetic and ethical in regard to others.

References

Blair, C. A., Helland, K., & Walton, B. (2017). Leaders behaving badly: The relationship between narcissism and unethical leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 38(2), 333-346.

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 3:Psychodynamic Approach. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704845

Volmer, J., Koch, I. K., & Göritz, A. S. (2016). The bright and dark sides of leaders’ dark triad traits: Effects on subordinates’ career success and well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 413-418.