Leadership in Organisation - Essay Example

?Leadership in organizations “Modern invention has banished the spinning wheel, and the same law of progress makes the woman of today a different woman from her grandmother.” Susan B. Anthony, Women's Activist The concept of leadership, as it pertains to present times, has undergone significant changes over the decades, particularly due to the advent of globalization, technological advancements and the changes in the socio-cultural spheres of our lives. The conventional definitions and scope of leadership, are hence, no longer applicable to meet the demands of 21st century. The corporate world in present times, is highly characterized by a dynamic external environment, and complexity which requires the leaders of the today, regardless of their gender, to be efficient to face and address the challenges posed by the corporate environment (Landy and Conte, 2009; Worell, 2011). These changes in leadership are apparent from the change in approaches to leadership as is documented by various authors, theorists, researchers and management gurus. The conventional definition of ‘ideal leadership’ which emphasized on masculine traits, as one of the key characteristics of an effective leader, have dramatically transformed to accommodate a new leader, with a strong sense of wisdom, compassion and insight, to carry the organization forward. Thus, the leader as defined in the conventional sense of the word is rendered unproductive in contemporary corporate environment (Werhane and Painter-Morland, 2011). Leadership today, is neither defined nor reliant on the gender, but on the inherent characteristic traits possessed by them. It is needless to suffice that women today, are not required to demonstrate male characteristics in order to succeed as leaders. There is a growing presence of women in almost all aspects of employment, and particularly in top management positions, in recent years. The contribution of women, in executive level in organizational success over the years, is unprecedented, thus indicating their strong leadership skills and professionalism at the workplace. There is also a change in their social expectations, and their advocacy by various groups, to ensure equal opportunities at workplace has further ensured honing of such skills. It is on account of these reasons, that the performance of women managers and leaders, that the case for a strong ethical leadership, irrespective of the gender, has gained momentum. Furthermore, the rise in complexity and composition of the global markets, has expanded the scope of businesses as never before, thus leading to more pressure on the top level management to perform and excel in their respective fields. Such external factors have led to retention and promotion of skilled women in managerial positions, across all levels in the organizational hierarchy (Davidson and Burke, 2000). Such an increase in female corporate leaders in recent times can be attributed to the changing dynamics of the industry, as well as the change in conventional definitions and practices of the concept of leadership in general. Contrary to the conventional definition of the concept, leadership in the post-industrialized era, refers to the ability of individuals to motivate, empower and engage the employees and subordinates, and team members as well as empathize with them (Hammer & Champy, 1994; Senge, 1994). Research suggests that there is still a vast difference between the leadership and management styles followed by male and female leaders. It is on account of this reason that the proverbial ‘glass ceiling’ still exists in terms of appointment of women in top management positions particularly in fields such as finance and technology. According to Schein (2001) the ‘think manager, think male’ approach to appointing individuals in top leadership positions, exists in various countries across the globe, despite the change in socio-cultural environment, and the advancement of policies advocating equal opportunities to women. It has also been observed that in the developed countries, men have adapted and implemented new leadership traits, befitting the corporate environment in the 21st century, which require them to be display feminine traits such as sympathy, compassion and nurturing of employees and teams. However, such change in attitudes is restricted and modest to say the least, which can be attributed to cultural differences and stereotypes that prevent women leaders from assuming certain positions in organizations (Brinkman & Brinkman, 1997; Daft and Lane, 2008). The change in socio-cultural environment is gradual and slow, yet there is wide scale acceptance of women in top managerial positions and positions of authority, followed by a simultaneous change in the attitudes towards female stereotypes, thus contributing to a further change in the conventional concept of leadership. These changes over the years have compelled organizations to acknowledge the professional competence of women leaders; welcome fresh approaches to leadership and hire and promote efficient women leaders in top management positions. The new age leadership characterized by the increasing presence of women managers, is indicative of the changing trends and practices in organizations, towards a leadership which is more effective and symbiotic than ever before (Adler, 1999). The wide-scale hiring and promoting of women leaders in organizations today, bears testimony to the fact that the difference in leadership approach based on gender, is an outdated concept, and that the lines between gender oriented leadership approach are become more and more blurred. The change in trends in the external environment has brought about a simultaneous change in approaches to leadership in gender-fair organizations. The talent and ability to effectively lead organizations towards accomplishment of its goals and objectives assumes far more significance today, as compared to the gender oriented leadership traits. The selection and appointment of women in key organizational positions in modern times, is indicative of this changing trend, hence negating the belief that women in order to be successful leaders, are required to display male attributes and approaches to management. Management and leadership approaches are continuously being improved and reinvented, and the conventional hierarchical structures in organizations is likely to fade away in the time to come, thus paving way for task oriented approaches to leadership which is far more suitable for the environment we live in today. As the complexity of organizational environment increases, the conventional approaches to leadership are likely to be replaced with modern and practical ones. References: Adler, N. J. (1999). Global leaders: Women of influence. In G. N. Powell (Ed.), Handbook of gender & work. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 239–261 Brinkman, R. L., & Brinkman, J. E. (1997). Cultural lag: Conception and theory. International Journal of Social Economics, 24, pp. 609–627. Daft, R. L., Lane, P. G., (2008). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning Publication, pp. 329-332 Davidson, M., Burke, R. J., (2000). Women in management: Current research issues, vol.2. SAGE Publication Hammer, M., & Champy, J. (1994). Reengineering the corporation: A manifesto for business revolution. New York: Harper Business. Landy, F. J., Conte, J. M., (2009). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. John Wiley & Sons Publication, pp. 570-572 Schein, V. E. (2001). A global look at psychological barriers to women’s progress in management. Journal of Social Issues, 57, pp. 675–688. Senge, P. M. (1994). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday Currency. Werhane, P., Painter-Morland, M., (2011). Leadership, gender, and organization. Springer Publication, pp. 155-160 Worell, J., (2001). Encyclopedia of women and gender: Sex similarities and differences and the impact of society on gender. Elseiver Publication, pp. 856-857 Read More