The book by Belasen is mainly focused on management of a learning organization. Often, leading a learning group is cumbersome since some believe that leadership in intellects is not necessary. This type of leadership usually comes with uncountable numbers of problems mostly when it comes to organization of the intellects. The main problem encountered is ideological difference, which is a common phenomenon among learners (Belasen, 243).
Chapter ten of the book’ leading the learning organization’ form the conclusion of the book thus offers the whole book summary in brief. The chapter deals with the exemplary leadership and how to come up with a matrix that works for the organization. From the book, an exemplary leadership is fully attributed to the efforts of the manager. Therefore, leadership is a managerial task and quality that a manger should have (Belasen, 386). When a manger is able to have exemplary leadership qualities, he/she becomes a master manager. In simple terms, a master manager is a manager who sustains high performance without necessarily becoming hyper-effective (Belasen, 296).
Becoming a master manager is not an easy task since it is accompanied by many challenges. In spite of the many challenges, some of the key qualities that define a master manager include:
1. Ability to work and motivate the other workers with minimal ease.
2. Social and co-operative team player in enhancing performance.
3. Knows his organization member well to ensure that he/she knows how to approach and deal with any member of the organization.
4. Great interpersonal skills.
5. Instilling confidence in staff for improved performance (Belasen, 408).
There are some common challenges that face most managers and often bar them from becoming master managers. Some of the common challenges are discussed below.
The backbone of management in any organization is communication. This is because the staff comprises of people of diversified origins thus a proper code or language structure is necessary. Often, many manager lack the ability to fluently communicate with the junior staff (Quinn, 338). This is mainly depicted by the way they pass commands. For maximum co-operation of the staff, the manger should be intelligent enough to use a friendly language while issuing commands not a language depicting some threats to the workers. In spite of using a friendly language, the managers should stay focused and firm on the decision he/she makes. This is the main pit hole that most managers fall into since they use a language that exhibits their power in the organization. Since great ideological dynamicity exists in a learning organization, the outcome of the command toned orders is a go slow reaction which adversely affects productivity of the group (Quinn, 338).
Most of the managers have a clear vision at the beginning but with time, the lose focus on the vision. This is mainly attributed to the idea of being excessively social with the workers influencing hi/her perspective on the vision. Though the manager requires being very social with the staff to be a master manger, he/she should be take care to avoid negative influence that might make him/her disillusioned. Loss of focus on the vision results in reduced performance of the organization (Quinn, 339).
Another challenge that usually bars some managers from becoming master managers is the lack of ability to accept mistakes. It is a common phenomenon to find that mistakes commited in an organization is reported to the manager. If the root cause of the manager him/herself, in most cases he/she denies the blame and shifts it to another person. This usually results in reduced performance in the organization and spread of some poor working relationship and environment (Quinn, 342).
The forth challenge that faces most managers barring them from becoming master managers is interpersonal skills. A manager or any leader is expected to relate in the best way possible with the junior staff (cliffnotes.com). In most cases, personal differences between the manager and some of the staff members are very visible in the organization adversely affecting the working relationship. This in turn makes the manager to hold some negative attitudes towards some staff members something a master manager must avoid since it sores the working relationship (Quinn, 346).
In most cases, a manager is required to make difficult decisions pertaining to his/her staff. In some instances, the cases are too sensitive to require emotional judgment on top of professional judgment. The main drawback is the differentiation of the two decisions and which should have more impact where. This often results in poor final judgment which adversely affects the learning organization (cliffnotes.com).
All these challenges makes a manager become a hyper-effective manager instead of a master manager. A hyper-effective manager tries to always push around the staff so as to elevate performance rates. The staff reacts to his/her close supervision and follow-up with reduced performance once the manager is not around. Since the manager can’t be around all the time, the overall output of the organization is low due to the hyper-effectiveness of the managers (Belasen, 237).
In my university education level, I was a member of a student group help which was headed by a very active manager. The main problem of our leader was his hyper-activeness in official matters. He could not let us as the members of his staff make any independent decision and present it to him. With time, we lost interest in the group and one by one, the staff members started to quit the group. The performance rates also started dropping on the side of his fellow leaders making the group look like it was in a crisis.
In conclusion, I would comment that leadership is not determined by the amount of commands given or issued. It is determined by communication, dedication, interpersonal skills and decision making skills. A leader does not issue commands; he/she gives commands as recommendations. This works best since human beings are reluctant to being pushed around and instead like working under free will and self motivation (Quinn, 348).
References
Belasen, A. Leading the Learning Organization: Communication and Competencies for Managing Change. Albany: State University of New York Press. 2000. Print.
Quinn, R. Becoming a Master Manager: A Competing Values Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.2011. Print.
www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Challenges-Facing-Leaders.2011. Print.
