Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Manager or Leader: An NCO’s perspective

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Service in the Army, or any branch of military service, provide a full spectrum of leadership opportunity. Leadership opportunities range from complex to simple depending upon the subjective lens in which leadership is viewed. One situation a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) is viewed or treated as an Army leader and the next situation they are a manager of people. So, which is it; are NCO’s leaders or managers? Some could argue that NCO’s are leaders and still others could argue they are managers. The answer isn’t a simple one.

Army Hierarchy and Structure

It is worth briefly exploring the typical leadership hierarchy and structure of Army organizations before diving into whether NCO’s are leaders or managers. A vast majority of Army units are comprised of Platoons which are led by a Platoon Leader. The next higher echelon is a Company, then Battalion, Brigade, and Division. Each of these levels, from Platoon to Division have a commanding Officer in charge along with an NCO who act as a senior enlisted advisor. Army leadership structure extends beyond the Division level. However, this is beyond the scope of this topic. More information regarding Army leadership hierarchy and structure can be found here. Looking closer at the Platoon level there are two additional hierarchy structures of leadership. They are the team and squad. The team and squad level are the only levels of leadership that an NCO is truly the assigned leader. At the Platoon level and higher, an NCO is considered a senior enlisted advisor. NCO’s must meet professional military education requirements as they ascend the ranks. First the Basic Leader Course, then the Advanced Leader Course, next the Senior Leader Course, Master Leader Course, and finally the Sergeants Major Academy. Each level of professional military education builds upon the other and is respective to a particular grade. Each of these courses contain the word leader, but NCO’s often find their functions within an organization blended at any given point in time.

Leader or Manager

There are similarities and differences with what leaders and managers do functionally. Similarities include influencing, working with people, and effective goal accomplishment (Northouse, 2021). The differences are that management is put in place to “produce order and consistency” whereas leadership “produces change and movement” (Northouse, 2021, p.16). These perspectives for managing and leading can be further described in activities conducted. Managers plan and budget, organize and staff, as well as control and problem solve (Northouse, 2021). Leaders on the other hand establish direction, align people, as well as motivate and inspire (Northouse, 2021). Army officers tend to be more aligned with a leadership perspective in this sense and NCO’s tend to be more aligned with a managerial perspective. Army officers establish the vision and direction of the organization whereas NCO’s at the platoon level and above execute the vision and direction. Only at the team and squad level are NCO’s truly free, in a limited sense, to establish vision and direction of their assigned leadership position.

Diving Deeper

The role of an NCO in the Army is broad in scope and relative based on interpretation of perspectives. At the team and squad level, NCO’s often lead individuals and groups through training events, establish group goals, build teams through shared hardship, and empower followers (Northouse, 2021). Additionally, from a managerial perspective, NCO’s establish rules and procedures, generate creative solutions, and take corrective action (Northouse, 2021, p.16). Examples of these include procedures for submitting paperwork, generating solutions to individual soldier issues, and providing additional training instruction for substandard task completion. NCO’s at the platoon level and above share similar functions, and their influence scales as they climb the leadership hierarchy and structure. The difference at the platoon level and above is there is an assigned officer in charge and the NCO serves as a senior enlisted advisor.The senior NCO is where the waters are muddied even further. At times, a senior NCO is allocating resources for training, providing structure, and staffing for day-to-day operations, or developing incentives for soldiers to perform better. These functions fall within the activities of a manager. Yet in same capacity, an NCO can be creating vision, setting strategies, building teams, inspiring, and empowering followers (Northouse, 2021). The common theme that emerges on deciding whether NCO’s are leaders or managers depends upon the situation and perspective.

Which one is it?

Given that NCO’s activities are blended between the functions of managers and leaders, it’s safe to assume they are both leader and manager. Most would argue that NCO’s are leaders given the scale their influence can provide. Additionally, NCO professional military education provides the tools necessary to apply leadership fundamentals. It just depends upon the situation and the perspective.

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

Servant Leadership Taught by an Information Security Manager

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Out of all the theories that I have read about, servant leadership has greatly impacted me. I must confess, though, that I might have some bias towards this specific leadership approach over the others due to moments I can recall from my past where various leaders taught me about the importance of serving others. For example, church leaders taught me to uphold the principles of serving those in need. I remember as a kid being directed to a passage in the bible, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, New International Version). Additionally, I was often reminded of a famous phrase that stated, “Jesus served with the heart of a king but ruled with the heart of a servant” (Johnson, 2013, p. 6). As a kid, hearing this phrase became a conundrum for me, as I had a hard time wrapping my head around how one individual could hold two roles simultaneously (Northouse, 2019). However, while I thought that this phrase was just about the assignment of holding two roles, I learned it was more about performing the actions associated with these roles (Northouse, 2019). Although the preceding sentences in this paragraph reveal how I came to learn about servant leadership through my religious upbringing, the most significant lessons passed down to me about how to effectively employ servant leadership occurred in a corporate environment and came from my very first information security manager.

Northouse (2019) noted that servant leadership is accomplished when a leader is receptive to their follower’s necessities and desires. A “servant leader” is not a self-serving individual but someone that is self-giving to others (Northouse, 2019). This type of leadership process works in favor of the follower, as the leader places the follower first and recognizes the value of the follower’s role in the leader-follower relationship established between them (Northouse, 2019). Even though there is a concentrated focus on the follower, a leader also benefits from servant leadership. Northouse (2019) developed a servant leadership model (incorporating data from several servant leadership researchers) that described servant leaders as demonstrating behaviors such as “conceptualizing,” “emotional healing,” “putting followers first,” “helping followers grow and succeed,” “behaving ethically,” “empowering,” and “creating value for the community” (p. 235). When exercised by leaders, these types of behaviors give rise to ethical conduct that leadership researchers have discovered leads to better responses from followers (Northouse, 2019). In addition to the supportive following resulting from the behaviors previously mentioned, leaders also have a guide for improving their leadership skills (Northouse, 2019). This means that a leader who seeks to fulfill a servant leadership role will continually evaluate their behaviors to meet the expectations of that role. As a result, this continuous self-assessment produces positive results not just for the follower but also for the leader (Northouse, 2019).

When I reflect on my first information security manager’s leadership, I can see how his attitude and behavior toward helping his followers were fundamental for much of the success our team achieved in the organization and our careers. Northouse (2019) highlighted Robert K. Greenleaf’s (founder of servant leadership studies) claim that communities will experience the effects of servant leadership. I remember my manager telling me that he was helping me develop and grow and that it was my responsibility to pay it forward to those that surrounded me, reverberating Greenleaf’s claim. He also mentioned that he was feeding into my life in the event that he ever found himself working for me. What sounded like a comical proclamation was really his servant leadership in action. He was bolstering my confidence, supporting my career aspirations, strengthening my work ethic, helping improve my skills, and overall shaping me up to be a better person (Northouse, 2019). My manager understood that it was not primarily about being at the top and above everyone else; it was about helping others become more successful and better than him. What resulted from this was a ripple effect. Our team also projected this ideology and made great efforts to help others (Northouse, 2019). We did not expect recognition or awards; my manager taught us that we help others because it is the right thing to do as a servant leader (Northouse, 2019).

My first information security manager was extremely intelligent and very knowledgeable in multiple areas of study, but most of all, incredibly humble. I believe this is why he was so effective at improving his servant leadership role in our organization because he was willing to continually work on his “seven servant leader behaviors” (Northouse, 2019, p. 235). Beginning with “conceptualizing,” my manager knew that if he was going to be successful at building strong relationships with other departments in the organization, he would need to align himself with the organization’s overall vision and other departments (Northouse, 2019). Therefore, he scheduled time to meet with other teams (contributing to our processes) to learn how they operated and how our team could help them accomplish their goals (Northouse, 2019). His “emotional healing” behavior supported this type of awareness. My manager was great at actively listening to others and empathizing with their situations, which allowed him to respond with the appropriate solutions for problems, especially those faced by his followers (Northouse, 2019). I cannot recall a time when my manager failed at “putting others first.” He looked out for his followers’ well-being, and above all, he strived to elevate his followers’ roles in the organization by often recognizing them in front of his own leadership (Northouse, 2019). His love for “helping followers grow and succeed” was why many followers held him in high regard and considered him a great mentor (Northouse, 2019). He taught us that you should never stop learning and showed us how, allocating 4 hours of his Saturday mornings to complete study, because as Will Durant once said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” My manager sure lived up to that quote. “Behaving ethically” was no stranger to him, as he maintained transparency with his followers, showed no favoritism to any team members, and always had justifiable reasons for his decisions (Northouse, 2019). As a follower, I appreciated my manager’s “empowering” behavior. I was just beginning my career in information security, and my manager was willing to take on the risk of assigning major projects to me. This experience taught me about failure and how to overcome it, but most of all strengthened by confidence and work ethic (Northouse, 2019). I am proud to say that my manager is now heavily involved in “creating value for the community.” Currently, he is a vice president for a non-profit organization that helps military veterans and underprivileged youth obtain jobs in the technology field. A student from his non-profit organization was hired during my employment with former company, and she delivered some of the best work I had ever seen. Witnessing this event was another lesson learned from my manager about the importance of linking “the purposes and goals of an organization with the broader purposes of the community” (Northouse, 2019, p. 237).

My first information security manager instilled many principles in me, aligned to what has been described in the preceding paragraphs. I have seen how exhibiting servant leadership behaviors have generated some of the best work in an organization, boosted employee morale, and uplifted teams’ spirits (Northouse, 2019). I will forever be indebted to my first information security manager. Not only did he take a chance on bringing in a new candidate (me) without any experience in the information security field, but he taught me the value of being a servant leader. He showed me that by thinking about others and putting their priorities first, one could build solid and lasting relationships with individuals that will show up in a time of need for solutions (Northouse, 2019). He educated me on why empathizing with others could help identify the root cause of their issues and find solutions for alleviating their stress levels (Northouse, 2019). He reminded me that you never know where someone may end up in the future; therefore, you should always be willing to put them first and contribute to their personal growth and achievements (Northouse, 2019). He challenged me to remain just in all my actions, making sure to never compromise my integrity (Northouse, 2019). He encouraged me to have faith in others’ abilities and practice patience with their failures, as this leads to strengthening confidence in others (Northouse, 2019). Finally, he has continued to prove that what I have learned has no limitations and can cause a lasting impact in our communities (Northouse, 2019). I am sincerely thankful to this gentleman for helping me excel in my field, motivating me to put my best effort into everything I do, and inspiring me to pass on my lessons learned to others so they can achieve greater successes than me (Northouse, 2019). In the end, these strong leadership principles passed down by strong leaders will persist. As a leader, it is one’s duty, it is one’s responsibility, and it is just the right thing to do.

 

References:

Johnson, B. (2006). Dreaming with God: Secrets to Redesigning Your World Through God’s Creative Flow. Shippenburg, PA: Destiny Image.

New International Version Bible. (2011). The NIV Bible. https://www.thenivbible.com (Original work published 1978)

Northouse, P.G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Servant Leadership in Past Employment

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In this lesson we learned about servant leadership, a theory that took a while to graduate from an approach, yet continual research data helped it become a full theory. It focuses on how leaders use a desire to serve others to help their followers develop as leaders. These kinds of leaders are honest with their followers and genuine in their altruistic tendencies to help followers grow into servant leaders themselves and therefore meet organizational needs. It includes ten characteristics that servant leaders tend to have, for example, listening and empathy, as well as and input-process-output model to demonstrate servant leadership. The input represents antecedent conditions such as context, leader attributes, and follower receptivity. The process uses servant leader behaviors such as emotional healing and behaving ethically for leaders to provide service to followers. The output represents outcomes and end results for this leadership such as follower and organizational performance (Hamel, 2021).

One leadership situation in my life that reminds me of this theory is when I worked at a daycare and camp for the summer as camp counselor. The antecedent conditions of the situation are as followed – I was in charge of a group of 9–12-year-old girls all summer through meals, activities and more. This summer camp also had a program for children that were too old to be campers but too young to become counselors yet and called them counselors in training (CIT’s). In this situation I become a servant leader for many of these counselors in training as they took on more responsibilities and learned more about how to hold a position as a counselor. I would have some of them come with my group throughout the day and show them how I went about my day as a counselor as well as helping them finish their responsibilities as CITs. These are just a few examples of servant leader behaviors that I did at my job that summer. My servant leadership situation exemplifies the characteristics of empathy, awareness, foresight, building community, and commitment to the growth of people – specifically the counselors in training. The outcomes from this process were better performance out of the counselors in training since I was able to help them do their duties correctly and efficiently. The organizational outcomes from this is that they have CITs that know how to work correctly and efficiently therefore meeting organizational needs as well as providing the organization with possible candidates for counselors in the future summers that already know how to the position works and are good at it.

 

Reference:

Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 11: Servant Leadership, 2021

 

Character’s in The Office Analyzed Through Leader Member Exchange Theory

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The Leader-Member Exchange Theory is an interesting theory that studies the relationship and interactions between leaders and their followers. Understanding what qualities, it takes for a leader to be successful is important, however it is also important to understand how followers can affect leaders. Throughout history the Leader-Member Exchange Theory has been studied and early studies focused on two groups of vertical linkages, in-groups and out-groups. While later studies focus more on the organizational effectiveness that can result from these vertical relationships.

In-group relationships form when employees go beyond their job description and tend to take on extra responsibilities and deeds. This creates a stronger relationship between the leader and follower and therefore qualifies them as an in-group in the organization. Employees can become part of the in-group by working well with their leaders as well, while alternatively those that do not work well with the leaders can immediately pushed into the out-group. As the later studies represent the outcomes from these vertical relationships, the in-groups usually become more invested in the job as they take on more responsibilities and are in turn rewarded by their leaders for their commitment. This relationship leads to better outcomes for the follower, leader, and organization as a whole. On the flip side, the out-groups are often isolated from these groups, whether it be due to the other employees isolating them or simply because they are not interested in going beyond job responsibilities or creating relationships with their leaders. This theory depends on the follower’s relationships and interactions with their leaders to predict the success of both.

Shows like The Office help depict how Leader-Member Exchange theories such as in-groups and out-groups can affect work relationships, attitudes, and productivity. One example of this is the character Dwight Schrute, who is the picture child of in-groups. He goes above and beyond to connect with his leader, Michael Scott, almost to a fault. He will go out of his way to do something for Michael or the organization and identifies deeply with the job. Since he identifies as an in-group in the office he is very committed to the organization, Dunder Mifflin, and reaped benefits due to this throughout the show. Alternatively, the character Stanley Hudson is a great example of an out-group. As much as he gets along with all the other employees and the manager, Michael, it is clear throughout the show that he is only interested in what is expected of him from the job. He does not try to connect with his leader and create a strong relationship and does not go beyond his job description. These relationships show clear connection to the organizational effectiveness as Dwight would never leave his job at Dunder Mifflin and Stanley would have sought out other job offers while working there. Many of the other characters in the show can be seen as example for in-groups and out-groups yet these two characters do a good job of showing the stark differences in these relationships and the potential outcomes from them. While leader-member exchange theory presents and interesting way to view organizational effectiveness based on interactions and relationships between followers and leaders, it may lack more detail about the specific interactions that create these in-groups and out-groups.

Reference:

Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 8: Leadership-Member Exchange Theory

Spilling the Beans on Howard Schultz’s Leadership Style Approach: Relational Behavior

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As a college student working into the wee hours of the night has become a common theme for me and for many other students who decide to put themselves through the torture of hardcore studying. We, college students, have found many ways to keep ourselves awake, from toothpicks in our eyes (okay, that is a bit exaggerated!) to energy drinks or even brewing and drinking tubs of ground coffee. There is never a short supply of ideas or methods that have been used to keep us hammering away through the night. One beverage that has helped keep me wired during the night has been a sugar-packed and greatly caffeinated drink from Starbucks called the white chocolate mocha. This particular drink already comes with 2 shots of espresso, but its full effect (in my case) cannot be felt unless that third extra shot of espresso is added to the drink. That is right; my $5 coffee needs to come with that extra kick! Unfortunately, that extra kick is full of regret when it wears off and when I can no longer greet Abraham Lincoln as I open my wallet.

White Chocolate Mocha in Starbucks. Image Credit: Ericka – flickr

So, I find myself wondering why I and many others remain entrapped in this relationship with Starbucks? That is, why do I always keep coming back for more? I believe that it could because of the welcoming environment and positive interactions I experience each time I step into a Starbucks shop. Much credit for this environment existing in these coffee shops can be given to the type of transformational leadership that Howard Schultz modeled during his tenure as Starbucks’ CEO from 1986 to 2000 and 2008 to 2017.

Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz Talks to the Media. Image Credit: Richard Eriksson – flickr

Early on, Schultz understood the importance of recognizing his followers as “partners” (Loudenback, 2015). This understanding helped Schultz skillfully develop relationships with his followers and strengthen the engagement processes between his role as a leader and his “partners'” role as followers (Northouse, 2019). Furthermore, he believed that empowering his followers (i.e., partners) helped foster an environment where they were free to share ideas and concerns without chastisement from leadership. This display of leadership behavior is indicative of the relationship behavior Schultz chose to exhibit through his leadership style approach as Starbucks’ CEO (Northouse, 2019).

The leadership approach called “Style Approach” (or “Behavioral Approach”) comprises two types of behaviors known as “task approach” and “relationship behaviors” (Northouse, 2019). Although both behaviors are important when examining the Style Approach, Schultz has placed much of his leadership focus on this particular approach’s relationship behavior.    

The relationship behavior that drives Schultz’s leadership style approach is attributed to a personal life experience that impacted him at a young age. Schultz’s father was injured when Schultz was a kid. As a result, Schultz’s father lost his job, financially impacting Schutz’s family (Biel, 2018). The hardships that followed from this event compelled Schultz to remain cognizant of Blake and Mouton’s Leadership Grid® factor of “concern for people” and motivated him to put his followers’ needs first (Northouse, 2019). As Soni (2020) noted, “Schultz maintained the pecking order: partners, customers, and shareholders” (para. 3). Schultz’s hierarchy of importance, although quite unorthodox (in that customer always comes first), emphasized the significant value that Schultz placed on his followers (Northouse, 2019).

Supporting his followers’ ambitions and desires was a primary priority of Schultz’s, which is another component that fulfills the “concern for people” factor (Northouse, 2019). He advocated for and established several financial assistance programs (e.g., college pay, health insurance, stock purchase programs) for all his partners or employees (Biel, 2018). He supported the hiring of veterans and refugees, and he participated in open forums held for Starbucks employees that allowed them to share their views on race relations and further discuss this particular topic with Schultz (Weisul, 2015). Again, this active engagement with his employees that Shultz adopted was an example of his effort to promote effective social interactions through the relationship behavior he demonstrated in his leadership (Northouse, 2019).

Another relationship behavior that Shultz did not shy away from was his complete honesty and candor with problems faced by Starbucks (Northouse, 2019). During the Great Recession of 2008, Starbucks took a major hit on its sales, and Schultz responded with changes that impacted many stores and employees. He was advised against being transparent about the company’s health and sharing details about store closures, as this would most likely harm employee morale for those still employed (Valet, 2019). Despite the pushback he received from his management teams, he remained faithful to his obligations as a 9,9 leader (focused on team relationships) and recognized that he had an obligation to disclose the obstacles faced by the company, provide direction for the company’s future, and preserve his employees’ trust that the decisions made by leadership in response to the circumstances would benefit the entire organization (Northouse, 2019).

“How could I ask something of them if they didn’t have the total picture, the total understanding of what the situation was and how dire it was? I knew instinctively that I needed to share with them 100% of the truth.” – Howard Schultz, Howard Schultz Teaches You How To Be A Leader In A Crisis

Howard Schultz’s leadership behavior has continued to make news even after stepping down as Starbucks’ CEO. In 2020, Schultz and other chefs and foundations took action by providing some funds to families in the restaurant business facing financial distress from COVID-19 (Guarente, 2020). Even though much of the relationship behavior components examined by researchers cover the interactions that occur within an organization (Northouse, 2019), Schultz has proven that these same behaviors surpass the workplace’s boundaries. Part of meeting Blake and Mouton’s “concern for people” requires special attention to individuals’ needs (Northouse, 2019). Schultz’s initiative to provide monetary support for other restaurant workers in his community showed his effort to alleviate the stresses that came with the situation everyone was experiencing (Northouse, 2019).

Since 1986, Schultz has exemplified great leadership with his leadership style approach, specifically with his relationship behavior. He has treated his employees with respect, listened to their concerns, and tried to respond to their needs. This is not to say that he has always achieved meeting his partners’ or employees’ expectations. However, he has always tried to empathize with their situations and foster an environment where employees can feel acknowledged (Valet, 2019). There may be other elements or leadership approaches that have contributed to his success as a leader. However, his relationship behavior has shown to be monumental when further examining his leadership style.

References:

Biel, J. (2018). 2 Leadership Traits Howard Schultz Used To Grow His Brand. In Grow Wire. Retrieved from https://www.growwire.com/howard-schultz-leadership-style

Ericka. (2013). White Chocolate Mocha in Starbucks [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dlovesfuni2/8849437477/in/photolist-etZFse-PuXPC4-fPLEEy-7JWLsK-dpm7NW-9Afcjt-57krwG-zSQUc-4me7mo-Am3oih-nYosFr-6yTCxK-6PLtGp-63uGMg-97D5n4-aENZvk-9wkcEo-aTa5SF-21xqpDk-5KXo9G-9gMcsN-zPjRPt-farBgx-daxan4-7eDdoJ-aEjFZG-63TodK-farBrv-5BtSNa-ejPSt-iG99pZ-ejPHj-bUeSoG-dc7rmx-iaa1Z3-884mUK-4EcQo1-ak9BMX-8cteUM-7wCwk4-5N4T1u-pESKg4-azMZxn-btqzUK-riDxsp-wcS3X-aTa6hv-5FG2c3-8UXXXp-8c44Zv

Eriksson, R. (2007). Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz Talks to the Media [Photograph]. In flickr. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/sillygwailo/407257955/in/photolist-BZiAT-23U3mNR-2evsR9i-2d7Ge7R-23U3CZD-QKb3dn-rMApQo-2eqRsPy-SnmeKN-SnmGVQ-2d7G7qe-SnkAVL-2dpr1P1-C1hYz-2evsTrV-2eqRpXw-9GmHb6-2d7GoMn-2evt6Kx-2evtadz-2dprhh5-23U3G8x-2evtcNK-23U3H2r-2dprrgs-2eqREku-2dprnYf-QKbhp8-23U3QGr-Snm9gm-2eqRYsG-23U3Zd4-23U3XFg-2eqRZuS-SnmfBC-2d7GWqT-SnmFSh-2d7GX4g-2eqS9iy-2d7GXDz-QKbNDg-2eqS5Mf-2dpsaFC-2dprZLh-QKbFF8-23U4nak-2dpsbxY-2d7H7UP-2d7H5Pr-2dprXAW

Guarente, G. (2020). Howard Schultz and Seattle Nonprofits Launch Fund to Give Immediate Cash to Laid Off Restaurant Workers. In Eater Seattle. Retrieved from https://seattle.eater.com/2020/4/6/21209333/the-plate-fund-500-dollars-cash-to-restaurant-workers-seattle-king-county

Loudenback, T. (2015). The incredible rags-to-riches story of Starbucks billionaire Howard Schultz. In Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-profile-2015-10

Northouse, P.G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Soni, P. (2020). Entrepreneurial Lessons From Howard Schultz and Starbucks: How To Tide Over Recession With Reinvigoration. In Entrepreneur India. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/351856

Valet, V. (2019). Howard Schultz Teaches You How To Be A Leader In A Crisis. In Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/vickyvalet/2019/01/24/howard-schultz-teaches-you-how-to-be-a-leader-in-a-crisis/?sh=7826ae033da7

Weisul, K. (2015). Starbucks’s Howard Schultz Goes Where CEOs Fear to Tread: Race Relations. In Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/kimberly-weisul/starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-race-relations.html

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