Organisational Change Management - Essay Example

Leadership is interpreted by different theories for different situations. To some, it means control; to others, it means representation. “Leadership is ‘the behavior of an individual . . . directing the activities of a group toward a shared goal’” (Yukl, 2010). Yukl’s definition suggests that leadership is the authorization to make decisions on the behalf of others. Management is a process that interconnects and transverses every aspect of the organisation. As the integrating force, the company management coordinates, synthesizes and directs the myriads of variant activities within the organisation to maximize shareholder value.

According to Easterby-Smith, a manager’s tasks include: 1) organization and coordination; 2) anticipating problems and handling them to ensure the continued operations at an acceptable level; 3) effectively overcoming functional, cultural and technical obstacles and perhaps rebuilding the organization’s structure (Mark Easterby-Smith, 2012). Decisions are based upon the unique variables of a scenario. The choice and much of the success of a leadership style depends upon the character traits of the leader.

Businesses suffer and eventually fail due to inadequate or improper leadership. Values have also changed; in some instances values have disappeared from company visions and missions. Neither the employee nor the customer affects decision making, just profits – and increasing shareholder value. The employee’s perception of how the organization values his or her contribution is also important. “Perceived organizational support (POS) is the degree to which employees believe the organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being” (Robbins, 2011).

Employees can sense how much the organization values their input. In order to achieve its goals, leaders must be multi-dimensional. “Effective leaders make frequent use of task-oriented and person-oriented behaviors” (Yukl, 2010). The key is consistency. If a leader can be found that can perform using the high-high model of leadership, he or she should be considered a highly valuable asset. The leader can effectively serve the staff only to the extent of his or her character. “The values are likely to be internalized by managers who grow up in a particular culture, and these values will influence their attitudes and behavior in ways that may not be conscious” (Yukl, 2010 In the past, management was mainly seen as a technical, functional and mechanistic activity related to effective organisation and implementation of resources.

Although synthesis, coordination and direction are really important functions of managerial behaviour, it does not mean that they are homogeneous; on the contrary, managerial functions are extensively diverse (Bandura, 1982). Consistency is paramount during periods of recession. Implementation of sustainability programs must exist to ensure the long run success of the operations. This is considered true by Fiksel (1999) in his study of strategies employed by top international corporations to maintain superior business performance Case Scenario: D2 Manufacturing (See Appendix A) The D2 car manufacturing case scenario will be analyzed by use of the ‘Appreciative Inquiry 5D framework’ method (Cooperrider & dan Whitney, 2001): a.

Definition b. Discovery c. Dream d. Design e. Destiny The following questions will be