Team leadership is a fitting topic for the current situation we are facing from a national health system and economic perspective. I’m am finding it challenging to complete normal work functions while displaced due to COVID19 and this stress is felt in many businesses around the country, in many more important industries and job functions. As I reach out to discuss options with my loan clients for payments, business disruption and the looming health threat it is apparent that we are on the precipice of an unprecedented national emergency.

The leadership that will be required to handle this health emergency will almost certainly require many aspects of leadership theory, but I don’t see how we can avoid all hands-on deck leadership of team leadership. In times of crisis leadership can be the difference between success and failure and unfortunately in this case life and death. While there are more important examples of leadership occurring in the health industry and selfless American’s going to work in grocery stores to provide support, my perspective comes from the essential business of banking. I feel the need to preface my observation with that before discussing team the team leadership I have witnessed in my field.

In the past week the task function that are normally the objectives of a growing financial company were completely changed (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). My company fortunately was proactive in adding safety measures and quickly putting into action a pandemic plan to create business continuity and shift the focus of the organization in a matter of days. As I spoke to friends and peers at other financial institutions there was a varying degree of acceptance of this fact and an unwillingness to drastically alter their business plan. Leadership is an ongoing process that doesn’t have a defined end. All members of the group are part of this process. There is no blueprint for success but all successful leaders must communicate effectively (Northouse, 2016 ). The communication network that was rolled out at my company was swift and effective. There was a full transparency plan and directive through every business line of the organization. Leadership was split between teams handling the Human Resource aspects, organizational decisions were made by the executive leadership team and division leaders were also leading with a unified plan in place. Task functions, while still present, were secondary to maintenance functions throughout the organization (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). The shift was more towards customer service and guidance than gaining new business as we began to call our client portfolios and strategize with business owners who will be significantly impacted by the economic ramifications of this pandemic.

I believe several of the most important aspects of the proactive team leadership displayed at my organization were key elements of Team Leadership Theory. There was a predetermined pandemic response plan in place that provided clear and engaging direction, there was leadership support throughout all levels of the organization and leadership resources were used to swiftly act in the best interest of our employees and clients (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). We are all in this together and those who are prepared to lead with a purpose will be better prepared to handle the unknown. Teamwork and team leadership will be a necessity as we face unprecedented challenges in the coming months.

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in work: PSYCH 485 [Online course lesson]. Retrieved at: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2045005/modules/items/28166514

“What distinguishes an effective from an ineffective follower is enthusiastic, intelligent and self-reliant participations, without star billing, in the pursuit of an organizational goal. Effective followers differ in their motivation for following and in their perceptions of the role” (Kelley, 1988, p. 143). The role of follower has a mutual importance in leadership and organizational success. Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX) defines leadership on the basis of the interactions between leaders and followers (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). LMX also recognizes the existence of two organizational work units. In-group members contribute more to the organization and get more done for the leader, while out-group members complete their assigned tasks but don’t go beyond their designated role (Northouse, 2016).

In my experience as a manager I have had many in-group followers influence my abilities as a leader. An important aspect of Leader-Member Exchange Theory is trust. As a leader it’s easy for subordinates to become resentful if there isn’t proper trust. Having an advocate for your leadership in the group is incredibly beneficial to the operations of a division. That trust is gained by allowing subordinates the opportunities to take on responsibilities, providing feedback regardless of success or failure. My goal is for followers to became co-leaders, I never treated followers as subordinates and always worked alongside everyone as an equal. The In-group members especially were vital resources in decision making. This created a feedback loop and a collaborative relationship that gave the followers a shared sense of ownership in the success of the office.

A challenging aspect of the LMX theory is how to remain fair with members of both in and out groups. “The benefits for employees who develop high-quality leader-member relationships include preferential treatment, increased job-related communications, ample access to supervisors, and increased performance-related feedback. The disadvantages for those with low-quality leader-member relationship includes limited trust and support from supervisors and few benefits outside the employment contract” (Northouse, 2016, p. 144). With these obvious obstacles its important to remain fair and also to cultivate out-group members who have potential to become in-group. My strategy as a leader was to challenge out-group associates with special projects or increased responsibilities. Once those members saw their potential to increase their influence on the success of the group, I found that it was more likely for them to become more engaged.

The fairness criticism is warranted for LMX Theory, however there are undeniable roles within every organization that follow similar outlines as those described in the theory. The reality is some people contribute more and some people are content completing their specific tasks and nothing more. I believe it’s the job of the leader to remain fair. Successful leaders are able to get the most out of followers whether they are in-group or out-group. Developing high quality exchanges with all followers will lead to better group satisfaction and help the organizations prosper.

 

References

Kelley, R. (1988). In praise of followers. Harvard Business Review, 66(6), 142-148. Retrieved       from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewervi            d=1&sid=46ba3e14-a7de-48f0-8926-99aefda037da%40sdc-v-sessmgr02

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage           Publications.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in work: PSYCH 485 [Online course    lesson]. Retrieved at: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2045005/modules/items/28166514

Analyzing leadership power often leads to negative examples of when power has led to corruption or negative consequences. Coercive power, ruling by fear, has been used throughout history to unimaginable ends (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). In the corporate realm the two main ingredients that lead to negative outcomes are power and ethics. There are many infamous examples where charismatic leaders lead organizations, countries, or groups of eager disciples to catastrophic results. In business poor leadership can lead to unethical practices in order to cut corners or inflate earnings. When ethics and morals of company leaders do not align the organization, these negative outcomes can occur. A recent example of how unethical behavior and power were abused is the Wells Fargo account fraud scandal.

The failure of leadership at Wells Fargo began with executive leadership manipulating the rank and file employees to act unethically through power. The three power ingredients used were Legitimate Power, Reward Power and Coercive Power. The executives had no shortage of legitimate power, being at the top of the organization means that they create the culture of the company. Legitimate power is the formal authority given to an individual defined by their role in the company (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). Reward Power was part of the incentive that lead to the employees turning to unethical measures. Reward power is influencing employees with bonuses in order to control their behaviors (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). Finally, in this scenario Coercive Power was the main ingredient. Coercive Power is using fear in this case punishment, reward removal or job loss to gain power (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). In this environment the employees created fraudulent accounts to inflate numbers to meet quotas and boost sales revenues. The outcome cost the company three billion dollars in civil and criminal punishment and a tarnished reputation that will take decades to repair (Kelly, 2020).

When unethical behavior and power are used in leadership this is the type of outcome that follows. The behavior is ego driven and usually influenced by personal gain or status. In my experience in sales I have witnessed a lot of behaviors that would match this example of power leading to unethical behavior. I worked for a large bank as my first corporate job and the leadership culture in that organization was similar to the Wells Fargo behavior described. Employees were treated with a hostel and threatening sales culture that led to unethical behaviors, including forged accounts and fraudulent sales figures. This was a failure of leadership on multiple levels. The leaders did not transfer the proper ethical values to the work force. Instead the values that were transferred were reflective of managements heavy handed sales tactics to satisfy widget goals and abuse staff if those goals were not met.

Power can be a corrupting influence when the reward is increased profits, inflated ego or status. Having an organization with strong values and ethics creates an atmosphere where leadership can flourish and followers are treated as equal parts in the company’s success. In the current climate of the country there are no shortages of influencers who are using power with corrupt intentions. Developing a strong moral and ethical baseline as a human being is more important than ever, staying true to those principles is an important challenge as we move forward as future leaders.

 

References

Kelly, J. (2020, February 24). Wells Fargo forced to pay $3 billion for the bank’s fake account scandal. In Forbes.      Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/02/24/wells-fargo-forced-to-pay-3- billion- for-the-banks-fake-account-scandal/#5d13ad5442d2

The Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in work: PSYCH 485 [Online course    lesson]. Retrieved at: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2045005/modules/items/28166514

Great leaders should inspire followers to become successful leaders, creating an incubator for future organizational leaders and beyond. Leadership styles factor into what makes leaders inspiring. It isn’t enough to achieve success in your unit or group, there has to be a personal connection between leaders and followers to create transformative leadership. This personal connection can relate to the Employee Orientation described in the University of Michigan Study (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). The relationship aspect of leading and managing is often overlooked, with most of the focus on client services or goal obtainment. However, relationship building is as important from the standpoint of leader and follower as it is to growing a relationship with a valuable client.

I’ve worked in sales for my entire career of almost fifteen years. I have been a follower, manager and leader in my organization. I have learned a lot about the type of leader I wanted to be by the leaders I’ve served. Great leaders are able to foster an atmosphere that is focused and collaborative. Organizations tend to focus on achieving sales goals above all else, but a great leader is able to filter the bottom-line results or expectations to their followers in a way that isn’t authoritative. I have worked for authority-compliance style leaders and the feeling is as the style is defined, result driven with people regarded as tools (Northouse, 2016). Usually the atmosphere is tense and unforgiving, focusing only on the sale and never celebrating success. While this usually led to achievements and goal obtainment the team was in constant flux with high turnover and low morale, resulting in poor customer service and few repeat clients. There were no relationships being formed in any capacity. This was obviously the opposite of what I wanted to become as a leader.

It took several organizations before I landed in a leadership role for a company that inspired instead of demanded. My way or the highway was replaced with supportive leaders that encouraged individuals to focus on their styles and skills that they excelled in. It wasn’t micromanagement and it wasn’t the country-club management that was only focused on interpersonal relationships without accomplishment (Northouse, 2020). This organization brought together the positive aspects of the style approach along with the directive and supportive dimensions present in the situational approach (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). The situational approach focuses on different leadership styles that can adapt to scenarios or followers depending on what leads to the best outcome (Northouse, 2016). This approach contains both a directive and supportive aspect determined by the leader depending on the particular situation that arises (Northouse, 2016). I think this allows for more leadership creativity and more collaboration between leader and follower. Followers are complex and should be managed based on their competencies.

Followers respond to individual development plans based on their skillsets and not a one size fits all approach. In order to develop future leaders individual coaching plans are important steps in building a trustful relationship with a direct report. If the focus is solely on completing tasks the follower won’t feel valued. I have been in this scenario as a follower and left organizations because of feeling undervalued. Since task oriented authoritative leaders are only concerned with obtaining goals or completing tasks there is never a sense of satisfaction even when a job was done above and beyond expectation. Something as simple as acknowledging when a task is done well or a major sale is closed goas a long way in boosting morale. Celebrating success can be an incentive to obtain goals and can be a part of an important element in building strong relationships with a group.

In closing working under various leadership styles helped me develop my approach as a leader, and most importantly showed me what type of leader I didn’t want to be. Working my way through three different organizations I was able to see what made a successful leader and organization. I feel fortunate to have landed at an organization that values their leaders and followers and empowers them to use their skills to maximize their success, instead of trying to force an organizational style on each individual leader.

 

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage           Publications.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in work: PSYCH 485 [Online course    lesson]. Retrieved at: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2045005/modules/items/28166514

Personality traits of a leader can create ascension to the top of an organization or result in the collapse of a promising career. I have experienced the rise and fall of leaders in my decade plus career as a sales leader. Often the reason for both are based on personality traits that were capitalized on, allowed to negatively influence leadership or were ignored all together. Personality traits almost occur automatically in individuals and while they can be managed and improved upon are very difficult to change (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). There are many different personality traits that influence leadership, I will touch on the positive and negative traits that I have experienced throughout my career and provide what I believe is the single most important element in preventing the negative results of ignoring personality deficiencies in the workplace.

The Five-Factor Model have provided a basic consensus on what traits make up a personality. The big five are neuroticism, extraversion (surgency), openness (intellect), agreeableness, and conscientiousness (dependability). These personality traits all have been associated with being a strong leader (Northouse, 2016). Extraversion is an easy trait to spot when you are working your way up in an organization and has a strong association with leadership. Many of my mentors and role models in my career have been extraverts. However, I am not an extrovert and get extreme anxiety when I am forced to participate in public speaking events and socialize in large groups. Without being strong in what was uncovered in the big five as the most associated trait for leadership, how can I become an effective leader? I believe that self-awareness is as important to a developing leader as excelling in individual traits. Knowing yourself and what traits you are better at than others is essential in managing your career. Taking personality tests and figuring out what traits you aren’t as strong in makes you aware of what work you will need to focus on as a leader to improve.

Those who lack self-awareness often enough will not succeed as a leader or will have their career goals stalled and reach a point where they will be stuck in a role that is less than their desired peak. Some examples of these negative personality traits that I have experienced the most are argumentative and interpersonal insensitivity (The Pennsylvania State University, 2020). Argumentative leaders in my experience have been extremely insecure in their abilities and unwilling to accept advice or constructive criticism. If you aren’t willing to accept advice and surround yourself with smart people, there is a limit placed on success. Lack of empathy or interpersonal insensitivity will create resentment from your followers. I have witnessed this many times as peers become leaders or bosses and lose touch with the challenges that were faced by the group that they recently departed. There is power in leadership but losing the ability to empathize with others will create followers who aren’t willing to work as hard as their capabilities and will ultimately check out.

Self-awareness should be a focus of continual improvement and growth in leadership. Being able to recognize when you are becoming aloof with followers or letting your ego control decision making can be catastrophic to your team’s success. Leadership is inspiration and knowing your negative tendencies from a personality standpoint is as important as knowing what you are strong in. I know as a leader my extroversion isn’t as strong as my dependability or my openness, so I have to prepare for those situations where extroversion is needed. Usually that means gaining more information about a social event or being overly prepared for a speech or public speaking opportunity. Without self-awareness and knowing how to overcome deficiencies I would be satisfied not stepping out and taking opportunities that make me uncomfortable or cause anxiety. While personality traits can make leadership easier, overcoming them is possible with some extra work and focus. The key to this is knowledge and self-awareness.

 

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage           Publications.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in work: PSYCH 485 [Online course    lesson]. Retrieved at: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2045005/modules/items/28166534