In the business sector, women leaders are still a minority. Despite efforts to promote fairness in the workplace, professional women confront challenges to becoming recognized leaders. A lot of what we covered in this week’s session is relevant to my life yet, at the same time, incredibly frustrating. Obviously, the gender gap is something I struggle to comprehend as a hardworking female in today’s society.

I could relate to the Personal Barriers topic discussed in this week’s lesson commentary. Personal barriers are those characteristics of women’s personal life that are hurdles (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4). A lot of times, moms are the ones that must take care of the kids or do the housework since dad has to work (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4). This usually necessitates unpaid leave from work for the women involved (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4). There is evidence to suggest that a lapse in employment can be detrimental to a manager’s career (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4). Thus, women’s professions suffer when they take time off to raise children (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4).

One solution is to consider applying for jobs with companies that emphasize having a healthy work-life balance. If you have exhausted all of your available options, suggest that your organization develop new procedures.

Our text also elaborated on another personal barrier which is that women lack political savvy. I beg to disagree. I observed that in today’s modern world, women are very much outspoken on traditional media and especially social media. According to Statista (2022), there are 168 million females and 165 million males in the United States. Hence, women and minorities make up a large portion of the voting population and are therefore crucial to winning elections. It is a huge mistake to discount women’s leadership potential, political aspirations, or current political roles. One of my inspirations in today’s generation is Philippines’ Vice President, Sara Duterte, and United States’ Vice President, Kamala Harris.

To breach the glass ceiling, women need political talent to acquire access to internal information and build social capital. To me, political savvy means making honest use of one’s knowledge, habits, and personality to achieve one’s goals.

To my mind, the most infuriating interpersonal obstacle was the claim that women face difficulties in the workplace because of a “lack of white male mentors” (PSU WC, 2022, L.13, p.4). You’ll notice that the phrase “white male mentor” has replaced the more general “women need a mentor” and “ideally a male” versions of these phrases. Such ways of thinking are distressing on so many levels, and they’re to blame for the stagnation of modern civilization. It then emphasizes that women who have male mentors tend to be more successful than those who have female mentors, as if to imply that women mentors have nothing to contribute and, as a result, their mentees will be less successful.

One effective tactic for women is to find male sponsors in positions of power and influence who can vouch for them. The vice president of human resources, for instance, would seem like a good choice as a sponsor, but suppose you don’t know him personally. One option is to make contact with him and request a preliminary meeting. Find someone who already knows him and ask to be introduced or referred if you feel awkward making the first move.

As the world continues to shrink in size, more and more individuals from all walks of life will have to work together. Today’s consumers and workers are no longer isolated in a national economy, but rather participate in a global economy with rivals from around the world. Globalization necessitates diversity for innovation and adaptability in both for-profit and non-profit businesses, claim Green et al. (2002). Management today faces the pressing challenge of how best to capitalize on the diversity present in the workplace (Green, et al., 2002).

 

References:

Green, K. A., López, M., Wysocki, A., & Kepner, K. (2002). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools: HR022/HR022, 7/2002. EDIS, 2002(2). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hr022-2002

Statista (2022, February). Total Population in the United States by gender from 2010 to 2027. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/737923/us-population-by-gender/

World Campus, PSU (2022). PSYCH 484: Work Attitudes and Motivation (Lesson Commentary), Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. P. 1-8

Jack Welch once said “before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others” (Fortune, 2016).

To be honest, I was initially skeptical of the concept of “servant leadership” because it sounded so foreign to me. I’ve never heard of it until my husband kept talking to me about it as he applies the theories he learned during his college years to his present personal life, career and family. Seeing my husband model this looked inspiring, hard to reach and yet heroic. I ask myself, “Will I be able to be a Servant Leader?” “…the natural feeling one has… to serve first,” the textbook defines servant leadership as. The aspiration to lead is then a matter of deliberate choice… The servant’s attention is where you’ll see the difference (Northouse, 2022). In a nutshell, this means that the leader is motivated by a desire to serve the group as a whole. Leaders are expected to envision and cultivate a supportive setting for their teams. After giving it some thought, I was struck by how often servant leadership is practiced. While there are many components that go into making up a servant leader, I’d like to zero in on three: empathy, persuasion, and community building. All three of these traits are exemplified by servant leaders, and they demonstrate the widespread applicability of servant leadership.

Once more, I wanted to emphasize empathy as the primary trait. One definition of empathy is “putting oneself in another’s shoes and trying to see things from their perspective” (Northouse, 2022). I think empathy is crucial to being a servant leader. During a group project is just one example of a situation where people can give and receive empathy. Even more so in the current climate with Covid-19, I’m sure that most students have experienced working on a group project with someone who is having trouble keeping up. It’s possible that one of your group members is having trouble keeping up because they’re taking online classes in a different time zone, or because they’re grieving the loss of a loved one, or because they’re just plain exhausted. In this scenario, a leader could exhibit empathy, a trait central to servant leadership, by showing that they “get it” and can confirm and validate the member’s feelings and experiences. In this case, the group leader or other members could help lighten the load of the member by lending a hand without passing judgment. Rather than simply telling the team what to do, the leader is working to improve the situation for everyone involved.

A community can be defined as “a group of people who enjoy spending time together because they share common goals and values” (Northouse, 2022). “providing a place where people can feel safe and connected to others, but are still allowed to express their individuality” is another way of describing the goal of community building (Northouse, 2022).

This trait of servant leadership is evident in settings like offices and conferences. For instance, many businesses hold meetings where employees can voice their thoughts and suggestions. Information gathering is most effective when people feel at ease enough to open up and share their thoughts and ideas. Instilling a sense of values and interests through one’s own actions is at the heart of servant leadership, and this ties back into the concept. The company’s leader is encouraging employees to come up with their own ideas instead of simply telling them what to do, and as a result, everyone in the office is working together to come up with a solution.

So, to answer my question mentioned above: “will I be able to be a Servant Leader?”. The textbook (Northouse, 2022) states that it can be taught but it doesn’t come naturally compared to other leaders. It does need conscious exercising. When leaders are selfless and genuinely interested in making a positive difference in the lives of those around them, servant leadership thrives (Northouse, 2022).

 

REFERENCES:

• Love, T. (2016, Nov. 17). 3 Tips for Being a Truly Great Leader. Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2016/11/16/xerox-key-to-great-leadership/
• Northouse, P.G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and Practice.Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

The Institute for Corporate Productivity reports that 87% of large organizations have assessed that their business is changing quickly (Tirakyan, 2021). Remote working is among these changes that have made it necessary for organizations to embrace digital platforms (Tirakyan, 2021).

In addition to that, because of time, geography, and cultural differences, “virtual teams encounter additional difficulty,” as stated by Northouse (2021). They tend to have lower levels of trust, higher levels of conflict, and higher rates of incipient factionalism (p. 372). Managing virtual teams efficiently is a new challenge posed by problems like these. The advantage is how team know how to sustain a competitive edge in a challenging market (Northouse, 2021, p.461). Since team-based firms rely on teams and modern technology to facilitate communication across time and location, they are able to respond to situations more quickly (Tirakyan, 2021). These more modern forms of management have been called “team-based and technology-enabled” (Tirakyan, 2021).

According to research conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership with 141 virtual teams from across the world (Tirakyan, 2021)., the following three criteria have the greatest impact on virtual team performance:

• Technology – The most effective leaders know how to use technology to make their teams feel like they are working side by side (Northouse, 2021, p.462). As the COVID-19 epidemic spread, the usage of videoconferencing tools like Zoom became essential for getting work done by distributed teams (Northouse, 2021, p.462).
• Managing distance – Since members of virtual teams may be located in various time zones, it is essential that they be able to work around their own schedules (Northouse, 2021, p.462). Leaders of virtual teams should rotate who has to get up early or stay up late to accommodate different time zones, rather than relying on the same people to do both (Northouse, 2021, p.462).
• Team structure – Leadership on a virtual team needs to give serious thought to the people they’ve brought together and make sure they’re all dedicated to the project (Northouse, 2021, p.462). During the recent COVID-19 epidemic, it became clear that some persons were part of many virtual teams, which led to a diversion of resources and effort from any given team and ultimately reduced their overall efficacy (Northouse, 2021, p.462).

When managing a remote team, the Hill Model for Team Leadership (Northouse, 2019, p. 466) may be an invaluable resource. The leader’s role is to monitor the team and then take whatever action is required to guarantee team performance which is the foundation of the functional leadership paradigm (Northouse, 2021, p.466). This model focuses on three levels of team leadership—leader decisions, leader actions, and team effectiveness—and offers helpful tools for leaders to comprehend the complexities of team leadership (Northouse, 2021, p.466). It identifies performance or task completion and development or team cohesion as two of a team’s most important roles (Northouse, 2021, p.467).

• Clear, Elevating Goal. It is important that the team’s objectives be made known to everyone (Northouse, 2021, p.467). Successful leaders will keep their teams motivated and on task at all times (Northouse, 2021, p.467). A group is more likely to fail before it even gets started if its members aren’t all on the same page about its purpose (Northouse, 2021, p.467).
• Competent Team Members. There has to be just the proper amount of people on a team, and they need to come from a wide variety of backgrounds and skill sets, for the team to be successful (Northouse, 2021, p.468). From my own experience, I can say that not every member of a team is cut out to work in a virtual setting. The leader of a team should pick individuals who have the social and technical abilities to work together productively (Northouse, 2021, p.468).
• Collaborative Climate. The success of every group is dependent on its members’ capacity to collaborate effectively (Northouse, 2021, p.468). To quote the authors, “a collaborative atmosphere is one in which members can stay problem focused, listen to and understand one another, feel free to take chances, and be prepared to compensate for one another” (Northouse, 2021, p.468). In addition, this helps team members learn to trust one another. When a leader fosters a safe environment, team members are more likely to rely on one another’s skills, knowledge, and experience (Anoye & Kouame, 2018, p. 165).
• Principled Leadership. One of the most important factors in a team’s success is its leadership (Northouse, 2021, p. 470). Goals and a shared vision for success should come from the top of the team (Anoye & Kouame, 2018, p. 161). The leader facilitates group insight and problem-solving, fosters group cohesion, mitigates the effects of stress in the face of defined objectives, and contributes to team cohesion through defined approaches to performance (Northouse, 2021, p. 470).
• Make good use of available channels of interaction. In order to successfully make the shift to virtual communication, it is necessary to have a platform that is tailored to each individual type of communication (Tirakyan, 2021). Sometimes, problems call for instant responses, while other times, it’s best if many divisions work together (Tirakyan, 2021). The following are examples of suitable channels for specific kinds of communication:
  • Microsoft Team – A unified platform for your team’s organization and communication needs (Microsoft Support, 2021).
  • Viber – Viber is a free phone and messaging program that allows users to contact each other regardless of their location or personal information (Viber, 2022). Hundreds of millions of individuals are able to stay in touch with their loved ones each month without spending a dime on texting, high-quality audio and video calling, and other forms of communication (Viber, 2022). Viber’s end-to-end encryption safeguards all your private one-on-one calls and chats, as well as all your group discussions, so you can talk freely without worrying about prying ears (Viber, 2022).
  • Zoom or Google Hangouts – Zoom and Google Hangouts are two of the most well-known video conferencing apps that may be used to have virtual “face-to-face” meetings (Tirakyan, 2021). Sixty-five percent of individuals, according to studies, learn best through visual means, making video conferencing an excellent tool for introducing novel methods (Tirakyan, 2021).

The team-based structure is crucial for businesses to maintain their competitive edge in today’s dynamic market (Northouse, 2021, p. 466). This is why there is so much emphasis in the workplace on the need for competent leadership of virtual teams (Northouse, 2021, p. 466). Leaders of virtual teams need to be aware of the unique problems their teams encounter and have a plan for overcoming those hurdles so that their teams may not only achieve their goals but also perform at their maximum potential.

 

References:

About Viber (2022). Viber. Retrieved from https://www.viber.com/en/about/

Anoye, A. B. & Kouame, J. S. (2018). Leadership challenges in virtual team environment. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 7(7), 160-167. Retrieved from https://www.ijstr.org/final-print/july2018/Leadership-Challenges-In-Virtual-Team-Environment.pdf.

Microsoft Support. (2021). Welcome to Teams. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/welcome-to-microsoft-teams-b98d533f-118e-4bae-bf44-3df2470c2b12.

Northouse, P. G., (2021). Leadership: Practice and theory. (9^th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Tirakyan, V. (2021, June) Virtual Leadership: 5 Best Practices To Lead A Virtual Team. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/06/22/virtual-leadership-5-best-practices-to-lead-a-virtual-team/?sh=36acb751f060

 

Who is the most effective leader today? This is the debate of the century. Think about the most inspiring leader you’ve ever met, whether they’re alive or dead. Was that individual easy to converse to? Do you feel that your ideas were heard and valued no matter your rank in the company? Perhaps they were even empathetic when you confronted problems in job or in life? Those who can read and respond to others’ emotions are exemplified here. Definition of Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence, as defined by Salovey and Mayer, is the capacity to both identify one’s own emotions and those of others (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). More specifically, Emotional Intelligence is one’s capacity to recognize and control one’s own emotions as well as those of people around them (Landry, 2019).

There was once a period when showing compassion and sympathy was seen as uncharacteristic of strong leaders. Emotional intelligence is a quality that contributes to good leadership, according to studies of leadership. The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership has recently come into the spotlight. Low morale and high turnover due to a lack of emotional intelligence can have a significant impact on the bottom line of any business (Landry, 2019). Leaders that have high EI are better able to facilitate the kind of open communication that leads to meeting the needs and achieving the goals of their teams and their organizations, as well as hone in on what really important (PSU WC, 2022, L. 2).

A leader hoping to gain emotional intelligence to aid them in their work should start with truthfully recognizing their emotions. If you can learn to understand your emotions, you can learn to manage them. By gaining awareness of yourself, you can gain understanding of those around you as well (Harvard, 2019). It also helps to be open to feedback from people around you, gauging your social interactions based on how your peers review you. By working to improve one’s self in the art of social interaction, they can develop the necessary skills to lead their organization to greatness.

 

References:

Harvard Professional Development. (2019, August 26). How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from Harvard Division of Continuing Education: https://blog.dce.harvard.edu/professional-development/how-improve-your-emotional-intelligence

Landry, L. (2019, April 03). WHY EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS IMPORTANT IN LEADERSHIP. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from Harvard Business School: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership

Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 2: Trait Approach-Emotional and Social Intelligence. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2015147/modules/items/29089122

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. (1990, March 1). Emotional intelligence: Imagination, Cognition, and Personality. 185-211. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.2190/DUGG-P24E-52WK-6CDG

The concept of genuine leadership focuses on the authenticity of leaders and their leadership (Northouse, 2021). Although this may sound easy, the process is complicated and there are various ways to describe the notion.

The intrapersonal perspective is one viewpoint. This emphasizes on the leader’s self-awareness, self-control, and self-concept.

Interpersonal process is a second method of defining the idea. Authentic leadership is viewed here as a relationship between leaders and followers.

The last and third perspective is developmental. This perspective considers real leadership as a learned trait that may be awakened by one of life’s greatest difficulties (Northouse, 2021).

Bill George’s approach to authentic leadership emphasizes attributes such as mission, values, connections, self-discipline, and heart. In addition, the associated traits are fervor, conduct, connectivity, constancy, and compassion (Northouse, 2021).

Many of us work to meet our financial responsibilities, provide for our families, and purchase some of life’s joys. Leaders with authenticity have a strong sense of purpose. They are incredibly devoted and passionate about their profession (Northouse, 2021). In addition to having a strong sense of purpose, they understand their values and act according to these principles while interacting with others. According to Bill George’s theory, “they know their true north” (Northouse, 2021).

The third quality of genuine leadership is solid connections. Authentic leaders are willing to be vulnerable, tell their experience, and listen to the stories of others (Northouse, 2021). This will be simple for some while challenging for others. It is simple to become overwhelmed by our everyday responsibilities. Establishing new connections and maintaining existing ones might be disregarded; nevertheless, a real leader does not overlook this. They also recognize the importance of transparency and creating trust. This is crucial, since it will cultivate devoted and loyal followers (Northouse, 2021).

The fourth trait is self-discipline. This assists genuine leaders in their pursuit of their objectives. In addition, self-discipline provides real leaders with the motivation to achieve their objectives while remaining true to their principles (Northouse, 2021). It is not ordinary to struggle with self-discipline. Simple actions such as adjusting our diet, exercising, or sticking to our New Year’s resolutions can be challenging. The opposite is true with genuine leaders. They are simple to converse with because to their predictable conduct. It offers a sense of safety (Northouse, 2021).

The last quality is characterized by compassion and heart. This refers to sensitivity to the needs of others and a willingness to assist (Northouse, 2021). Compassion is not a trait that everyone possesses, but it may be developed through time. This might occur during connection development when we learn about the life experiences of others. Involvement with different ethnic groups, participation in community efforts, and travel to undeveloped nations can present opportunities (Northouse, 2021).

If a person aspires to be a genuine leader, he or she should prioritize these attributes collectively. On the surface, it may appear to be pretty simple. In reality, it is a lifetime process shaped by each leader’s narrative (Northouse, 2021). We all have the opportunity, but we may lack the necessary purpose, values, connections, self-discipline, and heart.

What is your true north? Remember that if you don’t know your destination, any route will get you there by being your authentic self.

 

 

REFERENCES:
Northouse, P.G. (2021).  Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th Ed.).  Los Angeles: Sage Publications.