Leadership in Complex Organization
Introduction
The complexity of an organization depends on how the leaders in a position will react to ensure that the organizational goal is achieved. The leadership group in an organization that is complex is the one to influence the performance of that organization either positively or negatively. An organization is problematic if it’s involved in many activities, and all of those activities run at the same time. These activities are still under the control of different persons, and they ensure that the organization runs effectively. At this organization, they have other departments where they exercise decentralization of power. It involves where they are the team leaders in these departments who are responsible for day to day decision making of an organization who ensures that there is effective running of those departments. Therefore, these organizations require high skilled leaders who will work to ensure that the goals of the departments are coherently working for the organizational purpose as a whole. In such organizations, they are likely to face some problems, such as a communication barrier. Hence this document will be evaluating the principles which the leaders use to solve the problem as well as the lessons learned from these leaders.
Description of the complex problem
Lack of communication is a complex problem where most of the involved organizations may suffer. Communication is a vital factor in an organization, and it’s the one that helps the leaders to enhance team working in the organization. Mostly in a complex organization, when the leaders do not involve all the staff in decision making, or they do not communicate about the changes or plan of the organization can affect the running of that organization (Davila, Elvira, Ramirez, & Zapata-Cantu, 2012). Lack of communication causes some staff not to be in the right or even does not understand what they are aiming for as an organization. Communication can be the main problem in an organization than even what the leaders can think about. For instance lack of communication has been the main reason as to why Thais Airways CEO lost his job.
The CEO Piyasvasti Amranand has worked for the company for more than three years. The chairman of this organization claims that the communication problem between the board and the CEO is the main challenge of the company to meet its profit target. Amranand places an order of new aircraft without seeking approval from the board of this organization. The board decides to disapprove his proposal because of the financial crisis the company was passing through.
Some of the issues that are associated with communication may include the following; Filtering of information involves where the data can be distorted or withholding so that to manage the reaction of an individual. It prevents the staff from understanding clearly how things are in an organization. It’s a piece of clear evidence that in Thai Airways there was some issue with communication where both the CEO and the board were just doing their things in the organization without involving each other. Another factor is the selective perspective, which involves filtering of the information and keeping only the one that best fits our needs. It applies where people may start assuming the way things should be depending on their past experiences. Thirdly another factor involves where the information is overloaded, and it consists of a situation when a lot of information is passed to the staff in a way that even they cannot perceive it. It’s when after maybe an hour, a piece of information is given to them where they may receive more than either five emails in a day with different demands; hence even forgetting what some were demanding. Another factor that can cause the communication barrier is emotional upset. It is when the sender or the receiver of the information is either upset or reacts to the information they receive emotionally. It affects the message, or even the meaning of the story is distorted. Lastly is when the data passed lacks credibility. That is when an individual or a leader may be joking, and other people take it’s as severe. Therefore it may end up being the source of conflict in the organization.
Analysis of leadership response
A good leader is the one who takes the problem facing the organization as a new opportunity and as a continuous improvement for the organization than the one who sees it as destruction. Problem-solving is one of the critical roles that every leader should be in a problem to ensure it’s enhanced. Therefore, leaders should always target to minimize the occurrence of the situation in the organization. Hence, every leader should always be courageous to tackle a problem in their mind even before the circumstances force them to react. Therefore, leaders should always try to create an environment that is favourable for the employees so that they can be more effective in the organization (Salas, Pegasus Professor and University Trustee Chair Department of Psychology Eduardo Salas, Goodwin, & Burke, 2008). Therefore, the following are the principles in which leadership is a complex organization can use to solve their complex problem in communication.
Transparency in communication.
It’s the responsibility of each leader to ensure that their transparency in communication in an organization. Openness in communication will solve the problem since every person’s opinion of view is freely expressed. When people are freely speaking up in an organization, it is easy for the leader to solve a problem since people will be willing to share all the information, hence understanding the root cause of the issue (Etzioni, 1975). Where it’s only easy for the leaders who enhance transparency in communication but not easy for the organization that people do not speak up. Communication is essential for all the problems that may be happening in the organization. That’s why most of the people may not speak up when they are faced with an issue since they fear to lose their job or even exposing other staffs. Therefore, effective communication towards problem-solving is determined by the ability of the leader to facilitate an open dialogue between him and the other employees. It will only be effective if the people involved trust them and understand their intention. It helps those employees to feel safe and is always ready to share all the information about the problem as well as sharing the possible solution to the problem. If only the chairman of Thai company encourages openness in communication therefore the CEO could have informed them earlier about the order he wants to make for new aircraft. It could have called for a discussion between the whole board and have an understanding between themselves.
After listening to every member of the board, the chairman can give direction towards a straightforward solution to the problem. Therefore, as a leader, it’s his responsibility to ensure that they are confident in believing their intuition to challenge the team and enforcement of accountability is enhanced as well as the suitable solution to the problem hence maintaining peace and unity in the organization.
Break down of silos
Silos involve a situation where people may be unwilling to share information with other people from the other department but in the same organization. It’s an attitude that affects the organizational effectiveness hence involving the company to achieve its goals. Therefore it’s at the transparent communication level where the leader can break down this problem in the business. When there is a silo, it does not encourage teamwork in the organization rather than showing some hidden agendas in the industry, which leads to fights and many problems in the organization. Therefore, the leaders encourage the cross collaborate and navigation of the employees to solve this problem in the organization. Through it, the leader is in a position to understand when there are signs of silos in the organization and therefore taking the necessary steps that help them to fight against all the likely problems in the company.
Encouraging open-minded people.
Solving the communication barrier in a complex organization requires open-minded people. When working in an organization where people are open-minded, it becomes easy for the organization to solve all the problems than working in an environment where people are close-minded. In situations where people are close-minded, they make the case hander since they keep on causing chaos so that they can cover their mistakes. But in open-minded people, they will work on hand when a problem arises. They always evaluate themselves and work for the best of the organization. Therefore, these leaders in the complex organization will encourage and ensure they create an environment where people are open-minded.
A solid foundation strategy
For an organization to solve a problem, they should ensure that they implement a solid strategy. It’s through these strategies that will help most of the leaders to understand the process behind every problem. The influential leaders are the one who knows and understands how to bring together the right people, resources, and budget for problem-solving. In this strategy, the leaders use the problem-solving process as a form of uniting people in the organization hence enhancing teamwork and unity. These leaders are more effective since they always understand which strategies they can use to manage an issue in the business. Therefore, these leaders are also in a position to motivate their teamwork to work effectively to achieve the organizational goal.
Leadership lessons to be learned.
Leaders are always role models for most of the people in the organization. Therefore, many lessons can be learned from leadership. These lessons may include the following;
It’s the role of the leader to solve the problems that are faced day to day in an organization. To be an effective leader, one should always be in a position to be a problem solver but not a problem creator in the organization. They should always be ready since every person depends on them to look for the solution to the problem they are experiencing as an organization. Therefore, the leader should be wise and an all-round person who understands his organization and employees well. It will help him to detect when there is an issue in the company.
A good leader is a person who listens to his employees effectively and analysis every action they take. For instance, the board of Thai Airways should have tried to listen to the reason why the CEO makes an order without informing them instead of firing him immediately. They could have evaluated whether his order will help them save more or increases losses in the company. If it will increase their profitability then well they can adopt it but if not then they do away with it explaining the reason to avoid creating conflict in the organization. This will be easy by ensuring they come up with an organizational culture that will direct every decision and action to be taken in the organization. Developing a communication culture such that every decision should be passed by the whole board, therefore, will solve the issue in the company and avoid one leader following their own decision.
A good leader should be an emotionally intelligent person. It’s a person who understands his employees’ emotions, and he puts himself in the condition that his employees are passing through. He is a person who understands that when employees have a favourable environment for them, they will be useful and willing to work for that organization. He will be motivating the workforce of the company hence achieving the organizational objectives within the given period.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the complexity of the organization is determined by the number of portfolios that an organization is operating at the same time. In a complex organization, it shows that many people are working in that organization but in different departments. Therefore, the leadership of this organization should also be strong since the more it faces complex problems. Mostly the common question that this kind of organization is likely to face is the communication problem. Therefore, the leader should come up with strategies that they can use to solve the problem and ensure that the environment is conducive for every employee to work. Therefore, the performance of the organization will be sufficient.
References
Davila, A., Elvira, M., Ramirez, J., & Zapata-Cantu, L. (2012). Understanding Organizations in Complex, Emergent, and Uncertain Environments. Springer.
Etzioni, A. (1975). Comparative Analysis of Complex Organizations, Rev. Ed. Simon & Schuster.
Salas, E., Pegasus Professor and University Trustee Chair Department of Psychology Eduardo Salas, Goodwin, G. F., & Burke, C. S. (2008). Team Effectiveness In Complex Organizations: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives and Approaches. Routledge.