Consultancy Proposal
After assessing the case study of Camp Apex, there were many challenges experienced in the management team. Just like any other firm, Camp Apex experiences a lot of leadership challenges. Many organizations invest heavily in terms of cash and time, aiming at shaping competent leaders who can lead other employees in order to improve performance of the organization. There are many different leadership challenges faced by various companies and how they can be corrected.
Lack of Communication
The ability to communicate with a team of people that you are assigned to lead is one of the essential aspects of leadership. In our case study of Camp Apex, lack of communication between a leader, and employees is experienced. Most staff members complain about receiving different mixed messages via performance management. The messages cause a lot of confusion since they are not channeled through the proper channel. The messages show a lack of clear communication goals, and expectations between team leader, and fellow employees.
Employees Mental Health Management
Many companies advocate for physical activities at work, and provide a lot of physical health advantages to its employees. Mental health is never taken with concern in many companies. There are two primary mental health issues experienced in workplaces, depression, and anxiety (Hoch, Bommer, & Dulebohn, 2018). Depression and anxiety are a mental illness, which is mostly ignored by the management. In Camp Apex, a lot of employees suffer anxiety, and depression due to the hurry to meet a specific target. Every employee is focused on achieving a specified goal. If a specified destination is met, then there is certainty of promotion, which makes all the employees concentrate on target hence lose focus on everything else.
Building Trust
In most companies, almost one in every three employees does not trust their supervisors. Trust is brought out by the lack of transparency. Four reasons bring out the importance of transparency (Gregory, Russell & Patterson, 2004). In Camp Apex, there is lack of trust and transparency between employees and employer. The difference is brought out when one of the senior instructors Janika was talking to her colleague. Janika said, “I don’t know why the boss bothers to delegate a task to me when he will only come in and take over again.” Janika’s statement proves there is a lack of trust between her and her employer.
Team-Based Enticements
An good salary, and benefit are some of the desired incentives by the employees. Many leaders often think that all employees work for monetary rewards, which is wrong. Employees need more than monetary values to be productive and produce high job satisfaction (Hoch, Bommer, & Dulebohn, 2018). Some of the factors that contribute to high job satisfaction from employees are; extra responsibility, great work and life balance, and sense of camaraderie. Just like many companies, Camp Apex is only concentrated in motivating employees through a monetary form. This reward causes a lot of problems since there are employees who feel they deserved the award, but they were not awarded. The less privileged employees tend to leave the company and search for greener pastures from their competitor companies.
After noting the several differences that enhanced leadership to employee’s differences, I came up with several methods to improve great leadership qualities. Also, minimize the differences between employer and employees. Several leadership theories contribute a lot in the leadership and business fields.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership theory distinguishes between transactional leaders, and transformational leaders. Transformational leaders always lead employees by combining both employees’ goals with the leader’s goals. Employees working for transformational leaders focus mainly on the development of the company irrespective of their objectives and needs as employees (Gregory, Russell & Patterson, 2004). Transactional leaders focus primarily on the right behaviors since the leaders provide resources in exchange. Transformational leadership possesses four tools, which are used to influence the employees, and commit the employees to the company’s goals.
Firstly, transformational leaders are charismatic. Charisma is a behavior demonstrated by leaders that inspire confidence, admiration, and commitment towards the leaders. Charismatic leaders tend to be very influential and contain a personality that tends to be attractive to employees. Secondly, transformational leaders can also be called inspirational leaders. Transformational leaders tend to come up with visions that inspire others (Gregory, Russell & Patterson, 2004). Thirdly, transformational leaders use intellectual stimulation. Intellectual stimulation means employees are encouraged to work harder and think creatively — finally, the use of individualized consideration. Individual consideration means showing personal care and concern for the well-being of their employees.
Transactional leaders rely on three different methods only. Transactional leaders tend to reward their employees for their achievements for the company. Through transactional leadership, employees are left to do their jobs without interference from the supervisors. Passive management is similar to active management in that employees are also left alone to do their work, but in passive management, the manager only comes to rescue when something goes wrong.
Between the two modes of leadership, I prefer transformational leadership, which has a powerful influence on leader effectiveness and satisfies the employees. Transformational leaders continuously motivate their employees, build a strong relationship with them, increase performance and creativity of their employees, and create high levels of commitment to the company’s change efforts (Punjaisri & Balmer, 2016). Transactional leadership styles are also useful. Transactional leaders have a positive influence over leader performance, and positively influences employees attitude.
For effective leadership, a leader is advised to use both transformational and transactional methods. Transformational leadership is more effective. Research has proved that leaders who demonstrate transformational leadership qualities tend to gain a lot of trust from their employees. Transactional leaders have strong lower belief.
Leader-Member Exchange Theory
Leader to member exchange theory proposes that, the type of relationship leaders have with their employees is the key to understanding how employees are influenced by their leaders. Employees from different kind of relationships with their leaders. In leader to member exchange relationships, leaders tend to form a trust-based relationship with the employees (VVYNN, TAYLOR & OVERALL, 2016). The leader and the employee tend to like each other, help each other during the time of need, and finally respect one another. Both the leader and the employee are ready to go above their job description to promote one another or to gear one’s success.
Research has proved that in high quality leads to member exchange relationship, employees are more comfortable with their jobs, committed in their areas of work, and have to their knowledge what is expected of them, hence perform at a higher level. Because of the support, they tend to receive from their employers; employees have a good relationship with their manager, thus in an excellent position to perform a great job (VVYNN, TAYLOR & OVERALL, 2016). High quality relationship between the employer and the employee is a buffer against many stressors. Stresses incurred are like, an employee feels he does not fit in the company, he does not have personal qualities that match the job demand, and having a lot of expectations not met.
Problem incurred is that, not all employees have a high quality relationship with their leaders. Managers are entitled to develop a high quality trust-based relationship with the employee by treating the employees in a fair manner. Employees also have a role to play in developing a great relationship with the employer. Employees are entitled to seek feedback to improve their performance, be open to learning new things on the job, and engage in political behaviors.
Leader to employee exchange theory generally implies that one way of influencing employees is through the kind of relationships they form with their leaders. Relationships between employer and employee develop naturally because of work and personal interactions between the manager and the employee (VVYNN, TAYLOR & OVERALL, 2016). Employer to employee relationships has a significant influence on the employee’s attitude and behavior. Leader to employee relationship also has the potential to create a low working environment due to favoritism and unfairness. Managers are advised to be careful about the kind of relationships they build. Managers should be open in forming a good relationship between all employees irrespective of their background, race, sex, age, or disability status, which may lead to a low working environment.
Servant leadership
According to a servant leadership approach, the main aim of the leader is to develop employees and help them attain their goals. Through the servant leadership approach, the employee comes first (Hoch, Bommer, & Dulebohn, 2018). The leader aims to uphold the employee’s personal needs and desires, empower them, and help them grow their career. Unlike other management approaches, servant leadership is not necessarily driven to meet the company’s objectives. Leaders feel much obliged to their employees and the external community. Leaders sometimes tend to sacrifice their needs for the success of the employee.
Research shows that servant leadership, impact employee commitment positively, employee citizenship behaviors towards the community, and how they perform in their work-related duties. Leaders who use servant form of leadership create a fairness environment in their departments, hence leading to helping behavior (Hoch, Bommer, & Dulebohn, 2018). Servant leadership becomes hard for egocentric leaders, who tend to put their needs first. Many of the leaders today are remembered by their humility. However, those leaders that use servant leadership can attest to its effectiveness.
A leader who can in co-operate Transformational leadership, Servant leadership, Leader-Member Exchange Theory or two of them are likely to provide excellent leadership skills. Employees working for transformational leaders focus mainly on the development of the company irrespective of their own goals and needs as employees. Through the servant leadership approach, the employee comes first. Also, research has proved that in high quality leads to member exchange relationship, employees are more comfortable with their jobs, committed in their areas of work, and have to their knowledge what is expected of them, hence perform at a higher level
References
Gregory Stone, A., Russell, R. F., & Patterson, K. (2004). Transformational versus servant leadership: A difference in leader focus. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 25(4), 349-361.
Hoch, J. E., Bommer, W. H., Dulebohn, J. H., & Wu, D. (2018). Do ethical, authentic, and servant leadership explain variance above and beyond transformational leadership? A meta- analysis. Journal of Management, 44(2), 501-529.
Punjaisri, K., & Balmer, J. (2016). Brand value co-creation with employees through the Leader- Member Exchange theory: the case of a corporate brand.
VVYNN, M., TAYLOR, J. L., & OVERALL, J. Case Study Monitoring: An Approach to Urban Management.