Introduction
The American Tool & Die key owners are considering shifting the location of their organization to a place close to the current emerging foreign automakers. Their former consumers are faced with the challenge of reduced demand that in turn affects the production at American Tool & Die. The AT &D leadership is, therefore, contemplating on the need to change in order to rescue the organization from financial turmoil’s, as well as closure of the company. Mueller plans to establish a fresh plant near the foreign automakers that are taking the market by storm and are potential consumers’ of AT & D products. Nevertheless, Brofft, Mueller’s father, is totally adamant about the idea of opening a new plant elsewhere. In essence, there was a need for change in AT & D because its former customers no longer sustain its production volume. In order to initiate and implement the necessary change at AT&D successfully, a leadership plan is vital, so as to provide a roadmap that guide all process of initiating the change.
Leadership roles entail the positions that are described by a set of expectations about the behavior of any occupation that one undertakes currently (Ireland & Hitt, 2000). The role that a person assumes comes along with certain tasks and duties that may or may not be necessarily indicated. Different situations need different roles, skills and behaviors, implying that an all-round category of leadership may involve a combination of conceptual, technical, and human relations. Thus, a proper leadership mix may vary depending on the situation. For instance, the top leadership at AT&D requires more conceptual and good human relations skills than technical skills. In the case of AT&D, the leadership has the responsibility of guiding the employees, as well as the organization through the process of change. Mueller acts as a change agent where she tries to search for fresh business opportunity that would save the company from the effects of the recession. She clearly recognizes that change is crucial for the survival of the business and as a leader she takes the initiative to adapt.
The other leadership role portrayed by Mueller’s ability to run giant organization earns her a vast experience as a chief operation officer. For fifteen years Mueller led a remarkably successful career as an engineer at two U.S. automakers, a skill that has convinced her father that she was ripe enough to assume the role as a family firm’s president. In addition, she currently runs the family company for her father. Mueller assumes the role of decision making within the family company. She came up with the plan of relocating the firm near to the foreign firms in Mississippi. Her roles in the execution of the plan entails negotiating with the Toyota leadership and strike a deal that would allow them sell their product to Toyota. The manner in which Mueller acts portrays her as a transformational leader. She tries to change the family company beliefs and methods of working by acting according to the situation demands. Mueller is a problem solver and rational thinker who act when it is necessary, and she does not confine by the status quo. In fact, she defied her father’s resistance and went ahead with the plan to relocate the family plant to Mississippi where opportunities were available.
The leadership role Brofft assumes is engaging the plant management and the union leaders on the financial condition of AT&D. Brofft conducts a meeting with the two parties to explain to them the plans he had and that he thought would save the company wanting financial situation. He is a problem solver due to his ability to offer options to be considered. Moreover, he was able to produce a vision and maintain it for the 195 employees of the organization.
Leader as an individual
As an individual leader, Mueller had a vision to rescue her family firm from threats of competition and economic recession as well as see it prosper even in the future despite the challenges. Mueller had already foreseen the eminent risk that was likely to affect the prosperity of the family company and subsequently developed a plan to relocate the company to Mississippi. In addition, Mueller is mindful about what the company employees think and feel about her leadership and those of her father and grandfather. Mueller practices the aspect of charismatic leadership in that she passionately pursues the idea of relocating the family firms close to the foreign companies. She makes calculated moves to ensure that her plan for the company becomes a reality. In essence, she first accesses the possible opportunities for the company and secondly, she holds a number of successful presentations with the Toyota top executives at Mississippi. In her capacity as a leader at AT&D, Mueller often interacts with the employees to understand the feelings they have about the former leadership, as well as the present leadership. In his individual capacity, Brofft proposes the three strategies that he thought would save the company financial situation at least in the short-run. Brofft plans seem to be reactive as opposed to those of her daughter, Mueller.
Social Architect
The work of social architect is to design social environment and to bring into reality the organizations and societies that benefit both the marketplace, as well as the companies’ employees (Ireland & Hitt, 2000). A social architect designs the social environment. Vince Brofft, the CEO of AT&D, intends to downsize the size of the company’s employees in order to ensure the company survives from the financial problems affecting the company. In doing so, Brofft demonstrates the aspect of social architect since a redundancy would ensure that the organization continues to provide the employment in the future after the economic recession in Farmington hill. Mueller depicts the element of social architects in that she often talks with the company employees concerning the organization leadership.
Change agent
Change agents are those individuals who act as catalysts for change as argued by Caldwell (2003). A leader initiates change in an organization he leads when it is the necessary thing to do. Change is, in fact, inevitable in today’s competitive business environment. At AT&D, Mueller identifies the need to change the family company’s location therefore acting as a change agent. Mueller categorically tells her father that the company must change because the AT&D has no future to continue production at Michigan. Mueller’s father acts a barrier to change since she resists the closure of the plant in Michigan and relocating to Mississippi where opportunities are available.
Short-term and long-term goal orientation
The father as manager with short-term goal orientation came up with strategies that he thought would save the AT &D financial situation. Brofft short –term strategies plans includes the cut down of the workers’ wages for a year, downsize the employees number by thirty percent and two-week unpaid vacation at the end of December. On the contrary, Mueller is future-oriented and considers long-term plans for the company. She identifies fresh opportunities for the company at Mississippi and went ahead to access and negotiates with the Toyota manufacturers to supplier their products to them. Relocating the AT&D seems to be only solution that would guarantee perpetual success of the business in the next generation.
Relationship builder
Her father worked with about 195 employees in Farmington Hills Company in mutual relationships leaving a legacy that was recounted by employees about her father whenever he talked with them. Brofft took the responsibility of calling the meeting of the following delegates: the union leaders and the plant manager to solely give an account to dire financial situation of AT&D. He called upon them to make ultimate concessions in the employee reimbursement as per the agreement, and he elaborated that these strategies would hoard the company from setbacks like insolvency and bankruptcy. He further went ahead and made a proposal regarding the strategies to be taken.
He was of the opinion of the following three vital strategies to sustain the employees in the company. A reduction in the wages by ten percent to spearheads the mission of paying the increased number of workers in the company are all attempts to maintain the status quo. He considered the issue of moving the plant to Mississippi as a mean act and retained the company. This behavior was because he was relationship oriented and therefore wanted a candy relationship with the employees. On the other hand her father, build up relationship to the external environment for effective and smooth running of the company. Brofft made three automakers energetically and tirelessly that substantially reduced the cost of production as the economy was in a swaying mode. The inventory that started scaling up lots, automakers curtailed production in order to cope up the sudden drop in the demand hence smooth production and selling process.
Moral compass that give direction to the implementation of mission and sustainability of a company
Moral compass encompasses ethics, diversity, leadership and people as a competitive advantage (Lindsay, 2008). Firstly, ethics such as honesty, integrity and trust among the employees, customers, suppliers and the external environment enhance corporate governance that consequently lead to implementation of visions and sustainability of a company in question. In an organization, ethics can be exercised by implementing two-way communications and holding all the parties accountable for their deeds and acts (Thompson, 2009). Secondly, diversity of culture and inclusion should be called for. Appreciation organization’s culture is of vital importance as it recognizes different cultures, skills and expertise. This practice eases the implementation of vision due to acceptance by the organization fraternity.
Additionally, leadership helps in the sustainability of a company. An influential leader in an organization will positively inspire them in the acceptance of the mission and visions of the company hence implementation and sustainability of the company. Moreover, people as the competitive advantage develop, attract and motivate most skilled people and work in collaboration across the board. The nature of leadership improves employees and staff training needs, and they get ready to accept any vision that can be implemented for their benefit. However, understandability among the management and subordinate will spear-head mission discharge as all the parties will be contented with the company’s objective. An acceptance of the mission will augment sustainability of the organization.
Lastly, selflessness in organizations enables leaders to delegate authority and responsibility to subordinate who in turn accept the responsibilities and make sound decisions. This virtue will help in the implementation of mission as they are ready to accept the authority from above.
References
Caldwell, R. (2003). Change leaders and change managers: different or complementary?. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 24(5), 285-293.
Ireland, R. D., & Hitt, M. A. (2000). Achieving and maintaining strategic competitiveness in the 21st century: The role of strategic leadership. The Academy of Management Executive, 13(1), 43-57.
Lindsay, A. A. (2008). Mind the builder: "The new psychology" continued ; the relationship of the designer and the builder. The treatise with formulas for body building or physical culture, mind building or mental culture, character building or soul culture (4th ed.). Portland, Or: Lindsay Pub. Co.
Thompson, L. J. (2009). The moral compass: Leadership for a free world (3rd ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Pub.
