Becoming an effective Leader Essay Example for Free

Becoming an effective Leader Essay Understand own ability to fulfil key responsibilities of the leadership role Leadership is the ability to pinpoint values or objectives which can be reached through encouragement and a cohesive effort through the gradual assistance to the members of the team. The objective can be reached through persistence and insistence in such a way that members are not irritated or discouraged. In a particular company the commercial Department has four branches the Sales team, Business Sales, Customer Experience and Marketing Teams. We will evaluate leadership roles incorporating different Leadership Styles and how they impact the Customer Experience Team and the Sales Team. The Customer Experience team evaluates the importance of understanding the client, empathising and providing solutions for their queries in a convenient time frame. The clients’ degree of satisfaction dictates the choice of decisions. The democratic approach shows and indicates that once the team members feel important because they are involved they do willingly provide a better service and once they come across some problem or some difficulty they are more prone to discuss it with their supervisor and in so doing they achieve client satisfaction in a quicker manner (Kurt Lewin, 1939). However when there is the autocratic approach which means the Leader has technically his own way, the other team members feel uneasy to approach him and because of this attitude the clients may suffer with the result that they will not be satisfied and they may therefore choose another company to the detriment of the said company(Kurt Lewin, 1939). When the Laissez-faire approach is used the client may be served in an extended time and not necessarily up to his expectations (Kurt Lewin, 1939). The bottom line in any company is the clients; the clients who come and go out of their own free will; however they can be encouraged or discouraged by comments or negative criticism of their friends and passers-by. One client can be the best advertisement for the whole company; however another client may destroy the company’s name, so it is imperative that each and every single client who comes to the outlet is given full prompt attention and excellent service. There is no point in serving well a large number of clients and deal carelessly with one or two. This attitude of finesse can be supervised by the managers who can judiciously direct the employees to persist in clientele diligence, having the full number of clients being served to the  best standard will ensure satisfaction, prosperity and Job happiness. The sales team knows that the company values should always be transparent namely Honesty, service, accountability and reliability. It stands to reason that the Autocratic Leader would involve himself or herself in checking each and every single move of any team member, however this could be suffocating even if they have no experience so there would be a time when the Democratic approach should be used carefully and there could come a time also when the Laissez-fair attitude could come into force, this can happen when the agents themselves grow accustomed to the service, know their clientele and are prompt to provide for the needs of those who come to be assisted (Kurt Lewin, 1939). When the Leader is astute enough to know the attitudes and the abilities of his team members he can know at what time the particular approach should be used. In this manner the optimum result will be achieved and the agents will be happy, therefore there will be more service; more input of the team, more clientele satisfaction and the company values would come into force regularly. It is obvious that clients suffer from different and swinging moods. It stands to reason that they will misread the attitude of the employees so it would be imperative that a cordial welcome is given, a listening ear is provided and explaining speech can make the client fully satisfied. This professional approach will definitely boost the sales and any sales offer being promoted at that particular time stands a better chance of being accepted because of the professional approach, thus sales will increase thanks to the proper attitude by employees. The expert manager knows his own feelings, his attitudes and his own negative emotions so when he is at work he knows how to harness them so that they do not get in the way but rather help him to promote the wellbeing of the team. When he talks to his team members and he provides a motivation for their work they are free to go forward enthusiastically to carry out what he puts forward as the need to succeed; that way they do succeed. They are satisfied and the other team members are willing to share the same team spirit so at the end of the day, when the work is finished the manager will know that thanks to his caring about his emotional intelligence which means keeping his anger in harness or his unhappiness at bay, could help him and others to  promote the company values of service for all clientele. When the members know that they have a bad day they feel that they will be understood and will receive sympathy, in not feeling threatened they can go about their work without committing errors because they are not under undue pressure because of their present mood. When they are in better spirits they will work harder to compensate for when they couldn’t. This they will do because they feel cared for and important in their company. â€Å"Daniel Goleman emotional intelligence†¦ (Allen Gregg, Mar 13, 2012)† Be able to evaluate own ability to lead others When during initial meetings the manager elicits the attention and the respect of all the employees, by explaining the objectives that should be reached within a time frame mainly selling a number of products within a set time frame and try to attract clients namely in the range of hundred a week. The manager appreciates the talents of the employees and tells them so specifically; â€Å"I know that you can succeed; I have full trust in all of you. However in case you need clarification or information or direction I am at your full disposal whenever you feel you want to contact me, all of you have been duly trained and I have been through your personal files and know that you can make it, so we can start as from today†. Frank two-way discussions between the manager and the employees will do away with any pent-up feelings and employees will relish the opportunity to provide their verbal contributions. This informal opportunity to disseminate and accumulate information will be the right forum to avail oneself of the entire information possible, do away with misinformation and disintegrate prejudices. Every week an analysis is carried out by the manager to check whether the objectives have been reached or whether new adjustments have to be made or maybe change the benchmark in so doing the manager has the ability to know where he stands for future reference and adapts the approaches for his personnel accordingly. When members in a company know their objectives and they are happy in their environment they can achieve much and so much more that the end result would be comfortable for everybody. However if they feel demotivated because they  feel not accepted in their environment and they feel that there is unfair competition between themselves, then they fall back on their objectives. One way in order to eliminate dissatisfaction is to meet them personally, let them vent their own ill feelings or unhappiness and then direct them tactfully in order to realise their unique importance in the company and their contribution, in doing so they will feel emotionally satisfied and they will start, continue and finish their work with great enthusiasm thus the end result will be satisfactory for all. If however they will feel the management has no time for them as employees or they have to follow blindly the directives that the management issues from time to time eventually they will get tired, this will be reflected in poor service towards the clients and then the customer care will reflect this haphazard attitude. If every employee feels that he or she is being treated fairly and given the fair share time of work and rest, then they will be duly motivated and there will be no dissatisfaction in their work. Another way to assist them in knowing that they are important is letting them know how others and themselves have done during the month and try to explain to them that if there objective is not yet done in that particular instance it is because of some cause beyond their control in so realising and in so hearing they will feel emotionally stable, they won’t feel guilty and upset, they will give their full drive towards completing and achieving company directives. An intelligent leader knows that if all work is completed by himself it will either be carried out superficially or at the most carelessly because there is so much time that can be spent diligently on one job or several jobs. However if he realises that his personnel around him have certain abilities and that they can carry out his job instead he can explain to them in due time, give them reasons why they are being chosen because they are the best within the company, show them the ways and means, give them a time frame and then let them achieve results. Once you delegate and explain, you may be satisfied, however there is always the chance that the result may not be up to your personal standard because it could be that the person chosen may be very proficient but not meticulous as you are, so in that department you may feel let down. However there must be a choice should the work be carried out by myself with the possibility that the work is not carried out up to  standard or should it be delegated to team members who most probably are the best, but they may not achieve the hundred percent but the result may be satisfactory enough for the company and clientele. The manager explains in detail the talents and abilities of his employees thus showing them publicly that he is aware of their strong points. He is so comfortable in their capabilities that he will delegate to them tasks which he usually carries out himself. When regular seminars take place and employees are asked to give their ideas on how to run the company and improve its progress they will surely bring out powerful ideas which will transform the employees into thinkers and provide ample space so that the members will feel that they can propel the public venture from their own angle, particular point of view. So they will feel strong enough to perform with energy and zest. As a group, they will feel empowered because their knowledge will grow because they will feel that they are up to par with their leaders and feel proud to belong to this particular group. This approach will create a very warm work atmosphere which will definitely push or motivate the employees to give their best at all times even when the going is hard. They feel that the manager is so close to them that they can share and promote the mission statement. Setbacks are ideal opportunities for leaders and managers to review their decisions and approach in learning not to repeat such mistakes. Such flexibility helps the whole team to realise that is not important to worry about past failures but to re-direct their energy through new ventures in listening to fresh ideas, coming from different angles. The fact that the Manager keeps himself posted with different learnings and ideas can inject new power in his company. The ability to absorb new ideas and effect them can make the company an effective business venture and once the leader is open to the criticism and appreciation from his employees he has a consolidated commitment towards progress from all his team. In sharing full technical knowledge and trust, he is ensuring that the company will never be lax or indifferent. Thriving members of the company will push forward and accept ideas that will make the company client friendly. Employees who feel they fully belong to their place of wor k do not fall victim to sick leave abuse or absenteeism. Members who are supported by each other will feel motivated and happy in their working environment, satisfied workers will be  able to gain more profit for themselves and for the company, this happy atmosphere will keep the members healthy and so there will be less unhealthy tension, no bickering and full cooperation among themselves. A happy worker attracts clients, who in turn will bring along more clients so definitely more job satisfaction. The distinction of those workers who can carry out on top level is appreciated and increases motivation while the members who do their utmost but produce on a different level are acknowledged and they don’t feel left out but rather know that their dignity is respected. Tension is a very unhealthy attitude when the manager compares himself harshly to what he unrealistically expected from himself or others to do, he will feel upset and worried and invariably he will pass this tension onto his employees. If he realises that he can only do so much and that if his efforts are carried out in due manner then he has nothing to worry about no illnesses due to tension, rough approach due to attitude and no fear amongst his employees. If the manager treats himself fairly and expects from himself a performance which he can carry out then there is a stable character which influences the rest of the employees, knowing there is always flux in a company and that at times it may go forward at a very fast pace and at times it may go forward and at times it may regress. This is part of life which is accepted by mature managers, and the next day is considered a new day with the past feeling to be forgotten. Such an attitude provides a happy atmosphere were workers can leave their place of work to go home happy and will return to their work in good spirits. Being mature, the leader accepts that reality fluctuates and there is no standard progress so he may end up continuing leading the company till his age of pension, rather then come down along with other employees with a cerebral stroke! â€Å"What is Success? – It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace† – (Paolo Coelho, 2013) References: Allen Gregg, Mar 13, 2012. Daniel Goleman emotional intelligence. [Video Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeJ3FF1yFyc [Accessed11th January 2014] (KurtLewin,1939)[Online]Available at: [Accessed 11th January 2014] Coelho P., 2013. Manuscript of Accra. Hammersmith, London W6 8JB. HarperCollinsPublishers