Management and Leadership Development - Essay Example

?Literature Review: Management and Leadership Development Introduction Management is fundamentally a human social craft necessitating the ability to interpret the wants and thoughts of others. On the other hand, leadership has been defined as an influence relationship among followers and leaders who are determined to introduce real changes reflecting their mutual purposes. However, some authors have commented that leadership is nothing more than a romantic myth based on untrue and unrealistic hopes and expectations. A number of management approaches have been developed to address contemporary ideas in the leadership and management development. For example, Longenceker and Neubert (2003) contend that the constant state of change has diminished the potential for actual long term benefits. However, they fail to realise that the change has become an internal part of today’s business environment and there is no way to avoid the presence and implications of the change. Contrary to the above contemporary idea in the management development, a number of authors who believe that with the changing requirements in the organizations, the organizations have welcomed the phenomena of change and have moulded their organizational structure along with the management development. They also maintain that managers face the issues such as more work for less rewards as organizations re-invent themselves in order to remain competitive and attain competitive advantage. Organizations do not survive without appropriately satisfying the needs of all stakeholders including managers. No organization prefers to increase its labour turnover cost under normal circumstances. In the following parts of this literature review, first, definition of management is provided and is followed by the definition of leadership. Subsequent to that, the critical evaluation of the management development has been included before the description of critical evaluation of the leadership development. A summary of literature review is provided after the critical evaluation of leadership development. Definition of Management Management is essentially a human social craft requiring the ability to interpret the thoughts and wants of others who could be employees, competitors, customers or whatever; management is the facility to shape values, meanings and human commitments (Watson 1994, p.223). Moreover, management is responsible for others, maintaining and controlling processes and implementing policies as well. Definition of Leadership Defining leadership has been elusive and complex problem largely because he nature of leadership itself is indistinct (Daft & Lane 2008). Some have even stated that leadership is nothing more than a romantic myth based on false hopes and expectations that someone will come along with an utter ability to solve their issues and problems. However, Rost (1991) defines that leadership is an influence relationship among followers and leaders intending real changes that reflect their mutual objectives. Critical Evaluation of Management Development Historically, management theory and practice have been largely influenced by the classical approach of Taylor’s scientific management movement, Weber’s bureaucracy and Fayol’s administrative principles (Mighty and Ashton 2003). In these aspects, managers are assumed to be “heroes” making a considerable positive contribution to organizational effective and performance (Mintzberg 1973, 1975). However, particularly in the last quarter of the twentieth century, this perspective was seriously challenged. Pfeffer (1977) for example, contended that organizational outcomes were significantly attached or linked primarily to a range of external, contextual factors rather than the policies and actions of the organizational leaders. New challenges such as increased competition on a global level, constantly changing technological means along with the growth of information and knowledge age have largely influenced and challenged the traditional methods of managing the organizational performance and effectiveness which is largely visible in both private and public sectors. Numerous contemporary ideas have been developed to address the demands of management development. In this regard, according to Longenecker and Neubert (2003) many practitioners, management consultants and researchers perceive that the constant state of change has declined the potential for actual long-term benefits. This contemporary idea in the management development does not receive much recognition in the field of management. First, this idea denies the benefits of change that can never be avoided under any circumstances. There are numerous organizations that have considerably improved their organizational performance and effectiveness by incorporating the different aspects of change in their routine day to day management of their organizational affairs. Moreover, the above mentioned contemporary idea does not further evaluate the negative impacts of changes. This opinion looks one sided and based on the personal observations rather than taking its view from the authentic sources such as primary research. Subsequent to that argument, Longenecker and Neubert (2003) maintain that the managers face the issues of more work for lesser rewards as organizations re-invent themselves over and over with an aim of gaining competitive advantage. There is no denial that competitive advantage has become essential for the survival of the organizations. And, organizations cannot run or achieve their operational and strategic objectives without appropriately satisfying the needs of their managers. A considerable number of researchers, management consultants and practitioners do not disagree with the perception that organizations do not prefer to increase their labour turnover cost. They do not want to see a new manager after three months instead they prefer to keep their managers working at least at the department level. Organizations know that the new manager would not be a quick fix for their problems for which the previous manager was disallowed to work at manager capacity. Under such circumstances, the existing dynamic environment does not mean that more work for less reward but utilizing their potential as per the requirements of the organizations. The overt view of Longenecker and Neubert (2003) implies that the organizations have started to exploit their managers. It would be hard to agree with this notion as well since the existing business environment is being influenced by the numerous factors such as changing nature of local and international politics, technology, socio-economic circumstances and ever changing consumer priorities. Nowadays, another contemporary idea in management development is that managers are aware that job security is a thing of the past and growing tendency towards downsizing has become an unavoidable reality (Anon 2004). Under normal circumstances, organizations do not prefer to reduce their payroll by firing their managers instead they want their managers to develop a long term employment relationship. In addition to that, even if they adopt the downsizing policy, the organizations would not be reducing their cost of doing business; nor would they experience more organizational performance and effectiveness. As a result, short term employment relationship does not favour either of the parties at the employment contract. Both employer and employee prefer to develop long term relationship. This point authenticates that above provided notion of insecure jobs for managers does not represent the actual reality in the organizations. Although there is no denial that the currently numerous organizations are not hiring much and at the same they are focusing more on cost cutting, yet it does not mean that they have made downsizing as their fundamental policy to entertain their operational and strategic organizational objectives. Critical Evaluation of Leadership Development Groves (2007) defines institutional leadership development as systematic and planned efforts improving the leadership quality. The widespread flattering of organizational structures has necessitated organizations reconsider how potential managers avail the fundamental developmental experiences for senior leadership (Amagoh 2009). According to Allio (2005), the primary goal of a good leader is to enforce and reinforce purpose and values, build continuity and consistency, develop strategy and vision and initiate relevant and appropriate organizational change. Undoubtedly, leader is bound to carry out such activities in order to justify and serve his role within organization. However, the challenging aspects of this issue is that there is no particular standard that is uniform and 100 percent perfect to enable leaders to achieve their goals within organizations. Till this point of time, there are numerous types of leaders such as charismatic leadership, transformational leadership and so on. Each type of leadership does not fit or fix in every organization; they cannot serve organizational wishes as expected. Before going to implement any leadership programme, the organizations need to comprehend their actual requirements in terms of vision and mission, operational and strategic objectives. After this, they need to hire a leader having similar virtues and qualities meeting their objectives. Searching such type of leadership would not be easy. Moreover, there is a common belief that leaders cannot be made nor can they be developed but they are only borne with silver spoon in their mouth. Leadership Development Approaches Integrated-solution approach to leadership development is comprised of eight steps (Weisso and Molinaro 2006). The proponents of this approach contend that this approach represents a sustainable, synergistic and strategic method for organizations wanting to develop the leadership capacity essential for the survival in the current competitive environment. Weisso and Molinaro (2006) elaborate the eight steps as below: (1) Developing a comprehensive strategy for integrated leadership development; (2) Connecting or attaching leadership development to the organization’s environmental challenges; (3) Utilizing the leadership story to set the context for the leadership development; (4) Balancing global enterprise-wide needs with local individual requirements; (5) Employing emergent implementation and design; (6) Ensuring that development options fitting the culture; (7) Focusing on the critical and essential moments of the leadership lifecycle; and (8) Applying a blended methodology. Each step cannot be easily understood and implemented. On the face of it, the integrated-solution approach seems to attract a considerable attention from the various circles of the business world; yet integrating each step with its correspondence step requires much in-depth knowledge and understanding of leaders, organizations and their followers as well. For example, implementing the first step, which is to develop a comprehensive strategy for integrated leadership development, may not be challenging. However, connecting the leadership development to the organization’s environmental challenges needs more hectic and in-depth comprehension. Within the same argument, defining and explaining environmental challenges would not be easily doable as organizations not only face internal but also manage external operational and strategic challenges as well. Under such circumstances, which type of challenges would be given preference so that they should be attached with the leadership development? Moreover, the fourth step would be more challenging as it is based on global and local needs of organizations; determining and appropriately fulfilling their needs and making an appropriate level of balance between them have no particular standard, they differ organization to organization and industry to industry as well. Experience-based Approach Thomas and Cheese (2005) developed and proposed this approach. The stalwarts of this approach contend that this approach knits together on-the-job experience, specific skill development and life experience. Fundamentally, the objective of this approach is to equip employees to uninterruptedly tap into their experiences for insight into what it takes them to lead and grow to become a leader and an effective leader as well (Amagoh 2009). The experience-based leadership development is consisted of three major processes such as preparing, developing and preserving leadership skills (Amagoh 2009). The supporters of this approach state that these three processes together generate skills needed by leaders at all levels. However, the critics of this approach highlight numerous shortcomings in this approach. First, they contend that there is no specific standard or framework enabling employees to follow in order to avail the benefits from this approach. Second, there are no particular areas mentioned in the approach that must be recorded for the purpose of developing leadership development. For instance, an employee routinely experiences a number of political, personal, social, religious and economic events. There is no description highlighting this aspect in the experienced based approach. Summary Under normal circumstances, managers do not worry about the job security. As they work with a professional manner, they do not face a threat of dismissal or downsizing. Moreover, organizations do not want to increase their labour turnover cost particularly in these uncertain global business environment where uncertainty has negatively impacted the organizations. On the face of it, the integrated-solution approach is comprised of very attractive steps, yet their practical applications and relevancy for organizations serving in different industries have not been appropriately addressed by the proponents of this approach. The experience-based approach also lacks a workable mechanism necessary to practically implement this approach in the organizations. References Allio, R.J. (2005), “Leadership development: teaching versus learning”, Management Decision, Vol. 43, No. 7/8, pp. 1071-7. Anon, 2004, ‘Management development-what does the front line really want?’ Development and Learning in Organization, Vol.18, No.1, pp.21-23 Amagoh, F(2009), ‘Leadership development and leadership effectiveness’, Management Decision, Vol. 47, No.6, pp. 989-999 Daft, RL and Lane, PG (2008), The Leadership Experience, 4th edn, Thomson South-Western, Ohio Groves, K. (2007), ‘Integrating leadership development and succession planning best practices’, Journal of Management Psychology, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 239-60. Longenecker, C and Neubert, M (2003), ‘the management development needs of front-line managers: voices from the field’, Career Development International, Vol.8, No. 4, pp.210-218 Mighty, EJ, and Ashton, W (2003), ‘Management development: hoax or hero?’ Journal of Management Development Vol. 22 No.1, pp.14-31 Mintzberg, H. (1973), The Nature of Managerial Work, Harper & Row, New York. Mintzberg, H. (1975), “The manager’s job: folklore and fact”, Harvard Business Review, July/August, pp. 49-61. Pfeffer, J. (1977), “The ambiguity of leadership”, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 2, pp. 104-12. Rost, JC (1991), Leadership for the twenty-first century, Greenwood Publishing Group, Connecticut. Thomas, R.J. and Cheese, P. (2005), ‘Leadership: experience is the best teacher’, Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 24-9. Watson, TJ (1994), In search of management: culture, chaos and control in managerial work, Routledge, London. Weiss, D. and Molinaro, V. (2006), ‘Integrated leadership development’, Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 3-11. Read More