Week 5 - Post 4: Applying what you’ve learned

King Dick needs to attend anger management classes and a psyche appointment or two. But in the mean time, the text has provided a road map for us to assist Richard in learning how to communicate through the Systems Perspective on Organizations and Communications (Chapter 4). Richard sounds like he is organized and can execute plays on a sports team. Therefore, a systematic approach to communication may be his key to succeeding in this challenging position.

Miss Elizabeth needs to go! A second look at Chapter 5’s Cultural Approach may be of some assistance to us. Also, we may try hiring personnel in her age group to neutralize some of the conflicts which she throws her age around. A group of personnel who feel just as entitled may be the key to calming her insecurities and unprofessionalism.

Week 5 - Post 3: Strategic Positioning

Appropriately placed in Chapter 9, we learned that empowerment of employees by an organization’s leaders entails bringing the employees aboard to see the leader’s vision and participate in its execution. Now, in Chapter 10, the organization brings the consumer aboard to participate in its strategic positioning of leadership in the industry. A prime example of a finely evolved competitive strategy is that of Walmart. The giant conglomerate advertises itself as the cheapest, and delivers. Jack in the Box claims to be the best quality among all the fast food chains because they, “…don’t make it ‘till you order it!” The strategic position a company takes on is usually apparently clear and well known. If it is not clear, the organization will be shaky inside and out.

Week 5 - Post 2: Communicating Leadership

The current presidential campaign debunks the Trait Leadership theory in the present day an age only in that instead of a tall white male, there is a chance that a tall black male may lead this country. Although he has the same excellent orator skills as past leadership, only one change has really taken place. I would argue the Trait Leadership style is still alive and well throughout the United States.
The text’s disagreement with the styles approach on leadership is right on the money. Effective leaders must utilize more than one style to manage the diverse teams most organizations employ. I believe the ‘Organization Man Management” to be the most effective and clearly the middle ground. But, as previously stated, there are a time and place and even certain individuals who require the other styles to be employed to obtain a desired result.
Although situational Leadership can be useful, it can also be very dangerous to lead in a reaction mode. Often, when faced in a situation, to react instead of initially heading of a situation is not good. A more participatory manager will have less of a need for Situational Leadership.
I find Transformation Leadership as perhaps the most difficult to enact. Transformations can entail movement of personnel to internal and external positions, (nice way of saying they get fired ;) ), development of new processes and procedures to promote growth, etc. Change is never easy and when leading a team into a period of change and not simply a day of transition; teams can enter a fragile state that takes a strong leader to pull them through. The vision of the leader and how they portray and compel the team to jump aboard is key the leader’s success. The communication of the leader’s vision is essential to empowering the team to feel the obligation to fulfill the vision.

Week 5 - Post 1: Lecture on Democracy

Sure the United States in layman terms is a democratic state as it gives the power to the people to rule themselves. But as a nation, the forefathers also solved the questions posed in lecture. The people rule themselves through our republican system. A representative structure has been developed and practiced since the constitution was ratified. In an organization, such a system of representation does not exists and instead, we are left to create a democracy with all the rights that it entails but also the responsibility that would normally fall on representatives. My point is, simply stated, a democracy is ideal but unrealistic in an organizational setting.