Question:
In this assessment you will evaluate and discuss approaches to leadership, including your own, and create a leadership development plan for yourself.
Answer:
1.0 A change event at workplace Organizations adapt to a number of changes in order to maintain their competitive advantage within the industry (Anderson, 2010). Change is often defined as a strategic process integral to managing the complex demands of the competitive markets. A change is often viewed by employees as a negative process, one such change process is installation of automated software in office for various accounting and other functionalities. This change experience was unique to me, as it was brought about suddenly with lots of paper and other stationery being removed and creation of office space in order to accommodate Bluetooth laser printers. Our senior team leader brought about the changed process with gradual training and updating regarding the various processes and software. Each one of us was given a computer or a laptop and they were connected by means of a central server called ‘intranet’. The process eased working and flow of information thus enabling efficiency within the system (Liu, 2010).
2.0 Transactional leadership
Transactional leadership is a managerial leadership style that stresses on supervision, performance and organizational goals. In this style of leadership the primary focus is on compliance for performance through punitive and reward methods. (Pieterse, 2010) This type of leader’s follows performance of followers closely for any deviation and hence is extremely effective in crisis situations. Transactional leaders generally want their team members to follow to obey in return of which they offer rewards. Individuals who are ambitious often thrive in transactional leadership framework as they are generally motivated by external rewards or compensation. But in other cases it can lead to immorality and high employee turnover and even dissatisfaction to an extent.
3.0 Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership is a relatively new style of leadership, which was developed where leaders worked along with subordinates for guiding through a process of change and innovation. Transformational leaders were identified as motivated individuals with vision and communicating capabilities (Gumusluoglu, 2009). The key inspiration for transformational leaders is to increase motivation and morale amongst followers through inspiration. A transformational leader tries and enacts role model for followers; hence take greater ownership of work and team members. They have good skills for resolving conflicts and understand the strengths as well as weaknesses of followers, which helps enhance their performances. Transformational leaders are known to increase employee engagement and productivity, which leads to low employee turnover.
4.0 Aspects of transactional leadership in the above change event
Transactional leadership can be applied to a change event in case the team consists of ambitious employees, who can be motivated by rewards and other benefits. A transactional leader in a change event defines and delegates appropriate targets to his followers or employees who then need to follow the same (Fisher, 2009). A transactional leader is effective in achieving targets by continuous and regular monitoring of activities designated to employees. A transactional leader can sometimes be very strict and also turn punitive in case employee fails to achieve deliverables. Thus, in a change event a transactional leader monitors and handles the situation by taking directives from management and then allocating responsibilities amongst employees.
5.0 Appropriateness of transactional leadership for this change event
A transactional leader is during a change event is appropriate in bringing about the change effectively within the specified deadline. In the above change event a transactional leader will design and set targets for his employees team and then provide necessary rewards or pay benefits to achieve the same. A transactional leader adequately takes goals regarding the change process from upper level management (Aarons, 2006). A transactional leader is instrumental in designing of goals for individual team members and is able to motivate them by announcing adequate rewards for the same. A transactional leader brings about competitiveness within the team and challenges which brings about motivation. Thus, a transactional leader functions within the cultural framework of the organization.