Leadership And Management, Theory And Practice Assignment Sample

Introduction Of Leadership And Management, Theory And Practice Assignment

I will discuss a specific instance of leadership in my chosen organisation that I have either directly experienced or participated in in this essay. Using pertinent theories and ideas from leadership academic literature, I will assess the leadership process. I will provide recommendations for my own leadership growth based on my study, concentrating on qualities or talents that require improvement. This reflection will be set in the context of the ideas and theories covered in class as well as in the reading, I did for the module. The main theories that will be used in the study are charismatic as well as transformational leadership theories. The company that will be used to further present the reflection is Barclays.

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Main Body

Brief about the company

With its headquarters in London, Barclays is a global British investment bank in addition to the provider of financial services. One of the biggest banks in the world, it operates in more than 40 countries as well as has a workforce of more than 80,000. In addition to retail as well as commercial banking, investment banking, wealth management, in addition to credit cards, the corporation also offers other financial services. Barclays has won praise for its work in this area since it places a high priority on sustainability as well as social responsibility.

Explanation on own experience of leadership

According to my own learning I understood that Leadership is the capacity to persuade, inspire, as well as direct others towards a common aim. Depending on the circumstance as well as the people involved, it requires the application of various leadership philosophies, methods, and tactics. A variety of abilities, such as communication, decision-making, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and flexibility, are necessary for effective leadership. Organisational success is largely dependent on strong leadership, which can motivate and enable teams to produce outstanding outcomes (Kouzes,2012).

I was entrusted with heading a group of managers to launch a new customer service programme across all branches in the United Kingdom as the Head of Retail Banking at Barclays. The effort entailed educating front-line employees on how to better serve clients and offer individualised solutions to their problems. I used the transformational leadership style throughout the planning stage, which entails inspiring and encouraging team members to realise their full potential and contribute to a shared objective (Bass & Riggio, 2016). I explained the initiative's vision and goals to the team, emphasising the value of delivering great customer service and how doing so would affect the bank's reputation and client loyalty. In accordance with the situational leadership paradigm (Hersey & Blanchard, 2018), I assigned duties to specific managers based on their skills and capabilities to guarantee the initiative's effective execution. One manager may be in charge of creating the training materials, while another would be in charge of choosing and putting in place a method for gathering customer feedback in order to gauge customer satisfaction.

I constantly checked on progress during the implementation phase and gave team members constructive criticism. In keeping with the participative leadership style, I also promoted open communication and gave team members the chance to express their thoughts and worries (Yukl, 2010). I stayed motivated and supported my team despite the difficulties and setbacks encountered throughout the implementation, including opposition from several frontline employees. I exhibited strong emotional intelligence by sympathising with staff members who were having trouble adjusting to the new procedures and by offering advice and assistance to help them get through these difficulties (Goleman, 2015).

After this incident, I became aware of my propensity to micromanage, which occasionally may stifle team members' autonomy and innovation. I'll endeavour to build an empowering leadership style that encourages team members to take ownership of their work in my future leadership positions. My overall leadership experience at Barclays has demonstrated the value of many leadership philosophies and techniques in attaining business objectives. I was able to inspire and direct my team towards the effective execution of the customer service programme by utilising transformational, situational, participatory, and emotionally savvy leadership approaches. But I also realised that there's always opportunity for development, so going forward, I'll concentrate on fostering a more empowered leadership style.

Describing the situation and evaluating the leadership process using relevant theory

The leadership experience at Barclays described above shows how charismatic and transformational leadership philosophies may be used successfully.

According to House (2017), charismatic leadership refers to a leader's capacity to move and persuade people by their own charm, charisma, and vision. In this situation, I effectively conveyed a vision for the customer service endeavour that emphasised the significance of offering top-notch customer service. This is consistent with charismatic leadership since I was successful in inspiring and motivating my team members using the strength of my vision and own charm. Additionally, the execution of the customer service programme shows how transformational leadership may be used effectively. Inspiring and encouraging followers to reach their maximum potential and cooperate on a single objective are key components of this leadership style, according to Bass and Riggio (2016). I offered team members control over their work by assigning assignments to individual managers based on their skills and competencies. This is in line with the individualised attention aspect of transformational leadership, which emphasises putting the needs and skills of particular followers first (Bass & Riggio, 2016).

The participatory leadership approach I used during the implementation phase is another example of how transformational leadership is applied. This leadership approach places a strong emphasis on the value of integrating team members in decision-making and giving them platforms to express their thoughts and worries (Yukl, 2010). I was able to foster a feeling of shared ownership and responsibility for the initiative's success by promoting open communication and giving team members opportunity to express their opinions.

The emotional intelligence I showed during the event is also consistent with charismatic and transformative leadership. The capacity to comprehend and control one's own emotions as well as those of others is referred to as emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1995). I was able to foster a supportive work atmosphere and establish trust with my team by being understanding of those team members who were having trouble adjusting to the new procedures and by offering advice and help. This fits nicely with both charismatic and transformational leadership philosophies, which place a significant emphasis on developing close bonds with followers and motivating them via emotional intelligence (Kotter, 2016).

Overall, the leadership experience at Barclays described above shows how charismatic and transformational leadership styles may be used successfully. I was able to inspire and lead my team to the effective execution of the customer service programme by expressing a compelling vision, assigning duties based on individual talents and abilities, fostering open communication, and exhibiting emotional intelligence.

Reflection on what the leadership experience taught

I learned a lot about my personal leadership style and how I can continue to refine it from my leadership experience at Barclays. Being able to articulate a compelling vision and inspire my team to work towards a single objective was one of my primary talents. Additionally, I was able to empower team members and foster a feeling of shared ownership and responsibility for the initiative's success by allocating work based on individual talents and abilities and promoting open communication. But after considering the event, I also saw some room for development in my leadership abilities. I needed to improve my emotional intelligence abilities, which was one of my major areas of weakness. While I was able to empathise with team members who were having trouble with the new procedures, I now realise how critical it is to increase my awareness of both my own and other people's emotions in order to foster stronger connections and a more constructive work environment. I also understood that I needed to improve my delegating abilities. While I was able to assign assignments based on people's talents and skills, I discovered that I occasionally found it difficult to relinquish control and let team members take responsibility for their work. In the future, I want to improve my ability to delegate duties, offer direction and support, and give team members the freedom to decide for themselves and be accountable for their work. I also noted that I needed to improve on my capacity for initiating and overseeing change. Although the customer service initiative was successfully implemented, I discovered that I occasionally found it difficult to handle change resistance and make sure that team members were totally on board with the new procedures. My long-term goals are to improve my ability to manage change, better manage resistance, and include my team in the change process (Northouse, 2019).

I learned a lot about my personal leadership skills and flaws as a result of my leadership experience at Barclays. While I was able to articulate a compelling vision, assign work in accordance with each person's talents and abilities, and promote open communication, I also saw that I needed to improve my emotional intelligence, delegation, and change management skills. I intend to keep improving in these areas so that I can be a more capable and all-around leader in the years to come.

Areas for own development

My examination of the leadership experience at Barclays led me to the conclusion that there are a number of abilities and qualities I need to work on if I want to grow as a leader. The development of emotional intelligence is one of the most important topics. To forge deeper bonds and foster a more pleasant work atmosphere, I understand how critical it is to increase my awareness of both my own emotions and those of others. I want to improve my emotional intelligence through practising mindfulness and self-reflection, getting feedback from others, and attending training sessions and seminars on the subject.

The art of delegating is another area that needs improvement. While I was able to assign assignments based on people's talents and skills, I discovered that I occasionally found it difficult to relinquish control and let team members take responsibility for their work. I want to concentrate on establishing trust with team members, giving clear instructions and expectations, and giving continuing feedback and support as I work to improve my delegation abilities.

Finally, I want to improve my abilities in change management. Although the customer service initiative was successfully implemented, I discovered that I occasionally found it difficult to handle change resistance and make sure that team members were totally on board with the new procedures. I want to participate in activities like attending change management-related training courses and seminars, getting feedback from others, and honing my effective communication and stakeholder engagement techniques.

I think that by concentrating on these areas for improvement, I may continue to advance as a leader and improve my ability to influence good change and accomplish organisational objectives.

Action plan

Area for Development	Actions	Timeline
Emotional Intelligence	Practise self-reflection and mindfulness, get feedback from others, and participate in workshops and training programmes for emotional intelligence.	6 months
Delegation Skills	Develop a sense of trust among team members, be explicit about your expectations and directions, and offer continual assistance and feedback.	3 months
Change Management Skills	Attend change management-related training sessions and seminars, get input from others, and put good communication and stakeholder engagement techniques into practise.	12 months

Conclusion

In conclusion, thinking back on my time as a leader at Barclays has given me important new perspectives on my leadership style and opportunities for improvement. Applying pertinent ideas like charismatic and transformational leadership has helped me assess my performance objectively and pinpoint my strong and weak points. The action plan created as a result of the event serves as a useful manual for enhancing my capacity for emotional intelligence, delegation, and change management. I am certain that by putting the plan into practise, I can lead my organisation better and create good change. This research emphasises the significance of self-reflection and ongoing learning in the growth of leaders, as well as the ways in which a structured approach may assist leaders in honing their abilities and achieving greater results.

References

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2016). Transformational leadership. Psychology Press.

Goleman, D. (2015). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.

Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (2018). Management of organizational behavior: Utilizing human resources. Prentice Hall.

Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in organizations (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things happen in organizations. John Wiley & Sons.

Kotter, J. P. (2016). Leading change. Harvard Business Press.

Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.