Introduction
There is no particular concoction of characters that make an individual a successful leader. The truth is different traits matter in various situations. However, this does not mean that one should not learn how to be a good manager. It only suggests that people need to comprehend the distinct approaches to leadership for them to choose the suitable technique in a particular event. One method of doing so is acquiring knowledge about the core models and theories that give the leadership its backbone. This essay explores these approaches and structures using the example of a CEO in the 21st century. The focus extends to the leadership skills of Sundar Pichai, the head of Google, and well-known global search engine.
There are four core classifications of leadership traits. They include behavioral theories, influence and power, character, and contingency. The best technique is transformational leadership that entails showing integrity and inspiring a robust vision amongst the personnel. The individuals encourage employees to attain objectives; they manage the delivery process and create strong and successful teams. Influence and power theories focus on the source of authority of the leader.
According to Northouse (2010, 74), the most prominent models under this category are transactional leadership and the Raven and French Five Styles of Power. Contingency theories are the situations that affect good management. They include Fielder’s Contingency Paradigm and the Path-goal model. Behavioral theories indicate what a good leader should do. Kurt Lewin depicted three forms of management under this category: laissez-faire, democratic, and autocratic (Scouller, 2011, 23). Lastly, the trait models show what type of person should become a leader. The leadership style of Sundar Pichai will be placed under observation to evaluate whether it conforms to the above notions as well as many others.
Description of the Leader
The appointment of Google’s new manager, Sundar Pichai came as a surprise to many in 2015. Though he has not been in the limelight for a long time, it is best to analyze his techniques to foretell the future of the company under his hands. The technology executive was born in 1972 in India. His father was also in the same practice since he was an executive electrical engineer based in General Electric. Following the path of his father, Pichai studied product management and engineering (Mohan, 2015, par. 4). In 2004, he joined Google and chaired the department of innovation efforts and production management. He controlled Google software such as Google Drive and Google Chrome. He also oversaw the development of essential applications such as Google Maps and Gmail. In 2009, Pichai provided a demonstration of Chrome Book that was released in 2011.
In 2010, Pichai introduced open-sourcing and new video formats such as VP8 and WebM. 2 years later, he added the Android system under the Google items he oversaw. The program was formerly managed by Rubin Andy. In 2014, rumors began that he was a strong contender for the CEO post in the company. The announcement of the start of tenure was made in 2015 after the completion of the Alphabet Inc. For a leadership post in Google, individuals must possess at least three standard deviations above the normal range of technical skills. That is, the executives of the firm are above average is software engineering abilities. The particular trait does not necessarily correlate with emotional intelligence or empathy. The leaders are not exactly people’s persons. Sundar Pichai is that rare example of the managers who can mingle with other individuals (Mohan, 2015, par. 5).
The Indian-born leader is said to possess both soft and hard skills equipping him with the ability to control maintenance and understand products. His appointment was well-founded because of his numerous achievements in product formation. He also slowly took over all the products of Google within his term as an employee of the company making him the best candidate for the vacancy. Other factors that led to his appointment include the facts that his is Google’s founder right-hand man, he is the first non-white manager, and he exudes a unifying characteristic in the company. According to Scouller (2011, 97), the man has a sterling reputation of being liked by many people and is a definite example of the ideology that the nice people finish first. In the production management department, Pichai had the ability to helm the complicated products and build a capable group. He appointed, mentored, trained, and maintained a supportive team.
Sundar’s group had the reputation of being the best at their respective tasks. He also avoided making rivals and navigated office politics to ensure that his team prospered without inflicting any harm on other groups. He also demonstrated his devotion for teamwork by working with key executives. There are instances that he would wait outside the offices of the administrators to ensure that his team was given solid performance scores in their department. In addition to the teamwork skills, Pichai also had the ability to enforce a firm wrist if necessary. In one occasion, he was reported to have told Samsung that Google was willing to leave the enormous partnership with the company if they did not listen to their demands. According to Northouse (2010, 129), the impressive work ethics and track record led to big corporations such as Twitter to approach him requesting him to lead their firm. However, Pichai declined their offers.
Pichai is married to his sweetheart, Anjali, whom he dated while still in India before she could join him in the U.S. and is a dad to two young ones. He has a unique gift of curiosity that he says served him as a child and still does to date. He also has the insane ability to recall all the numerical values he has come across. Google’s newest executive has come a long way both career wise and literally from his departure from his home country, India. As a young lad, Pichai led a cricket team that won various titles in the region. Their family did not own a car or a television. They would travel through public means or hull up in their scooter. Today, he can afford so many valuable items due to his lump sum salary. According to Mohan (2015, par. 1), his intellectual and leadership abilities are the primary contributors to his success.
Evaluation of the Leader
The amount of data that a manager in Google has to deal with is overwhelming. Sundar has such a key eye for every detail that he can share information concerning an item that he did not manage to the extent of revealing facts that the owner did not know. He possesses a skill known as the attentiveness to details. The leaders in the enterprise are required to know underlying concepts and dashboard highlights where the knowledge is drawn. The decision-making relies on the insights gleaned with the understanding of facts that the manager should not ignore. Pichai is known to have coped with the toughest projects in the corporation. The ability to lead the programs to their success demonstrated the zeal to do things that most people avoid or the phenomenon of breaking out of his comfort area (Scouller, 2011, 136). Through this, he earned the authority to control more projects, power, responsibilities, and position.
Pichai’s take on tough programs conforms to the sayings of Robert Frost that a person should take the path less traveled on to witness the difference. Leaders should be delighted to pursue complex tasks that contribute towards the success of the company. Another management skill that Sundar holds is the ability to prioritize. He focuses on each activity at its period by delegating, handling, and automating the work required. The method of prioritization promotes productivity and ensures that no task is left unfulfilled. In this era of intense rivalry, information overload, and competition, there is the need to outline a vivid vision of the roadmap for achieving goals. Sundar stands in the realm of Google and articulates its direction better than others who were there before him. A manager should look at the macro and micro goals to plan beforehand (Mohan, 2015, par. 3).
As stated earlier, Sundar mentored and built a strong team. His interpersonal policies are based on meritocracy and going an extra step to ensure that the efforts of his group are seen, and the due credit is provided. Leaders should place their employees and team interests before theirs to reveal the success of the group (Northouse, 2010, 138). Social media is plagued with numerous comments regarding the way that Sundar has the skill to tune his interactions based on his listeners. He is always at ease while communicating to VPs, customers, bosses, and partners at all levels. The aspect involves comprehending the mission and cascading it in a clear and simple manner. He was not naturally endowed with the ability, but he strived to learn about the industry to attain success. Managers should be adept at communicating either sideways, up or down to learn in a consistent manner.
In a firm filled with exceptional and skilled individuals, Sundar inspires them with his professionalism, work ethics, enthusiasm, integrity, brilliance, innovation, and risk-taking initiatives. These are traits that the company looks for in a leader. He or she should act as the individual who encourages his subordinates to pursue larger goals. Controlling the revenues, products, and technology of such a corporation can be a herculean job. The stress and pressure that Pichai has to undergo are too much to fathom even. His ability to cope with stressful situations can be witnessed from the different phases in his life such as being a leader of a cricket team and production management in various companies. He also practices his trade today to continue with the inspiring momentum. The leader should not avoid roles rather they should find techniques to handle pressure and stress effectively (Scouller, 2011, 145).
The no-nonsense work ethics that Sundar utilizes earns him an unmatched respect and reputation in his workplace. The marketing team adores him, his group worships him, his employer appreciates him, Googlers feel proud of him, rivals want him, his associates respect him, and the markets welcome his appointment. In spite of the overwhelming and growing popularity in the corporation, Pichai always maintains a humble stature (Mohan, 2015, 10). He allows his work to speak on his behalf. His demeanor and persona are one of an inner self that is soft-spoken, approachable, and affable. Amidst all the daunting tasks, he takes the time to mentor youngsters showing his focus to remain rooted. Another essential quality that Pichai has is that he avoids making rivals (Northouse, 2010, 150). Google like any other enterprise has organizational politics. Sundar makes sure that he navigates the firm’s operations without instilling any harm.
According to Scouller (2011, 211), an exceptional leader should also be a good listener. Pichai is known for sitting quietly during conferences and meetings to allow people to present their ideologies and then after everyone is done he consolidates the ideas and chooses the ones that work for every department. When he presents speeches, he appears soft-spoken and speaks with conviction. Much of what he provides sounds futuristic and fascinating. Using an earnest, rational, and logical technique, he discusses future developments making them seem practical and possible. Sundar is a private man not known for parachuting or racing cars. The calm and collected stature draws people towards him because they can relate easily. The ascent of Pichai comes with revenues and challenges. The problems include the threat that Google faces from rival companies such as Amazon. People no longer spend their time using the search engine; they prefer to indulge in different applications.
Facebook is targeting advertising by advocating that it knows its users at a personal level, unlike Google. Sundar is also confronted by the charges from European regulators that the company improperly favored its operations over that of its competitors. The regulators are also evaluating whether Google coerced the producers of the Android System to join the institution. Through his tenacity to enjoy and cope with challenges, I am confident that he will find solutions for the difficulties facing his management. Based on the leadership theories, Sundar Pichai shows that he is a transformational manager, the best form of leadership in a firm (Northouse, 2010, 161). He possesses integrity and the ability to inspire people to pursue organizational goals. Sundar is adaptive since he uses different leadership strategies depending on the situation. There are times he has to be strict. Other times he lets his guard down especially when he is mentoring students.
The new Google CEO incorporates various leadership styles since he is democratic, participative, relationship-oriented and task-oriented. He is the complete embalmment of holistic leadership. According to the trait models, Sundar has the qualities that make him a good manager. Some of the traits he wields include likability, the appropriate decision-making skills, empathy, integrity, and assertiveness. Regarding the behavioral theories, he does what an exceptional leader should do, and his behaviors are an indication. The approaches determine whether a manager should dictate operations and people’s cooperation. Or, will he or she use teamwork in making choices to encourage support and acceptance (Mohan, 2015, par. 6).
Pichai proves that he values team building. He also ensures that individuals get the recognition they deserve for good work. He allows them to generate ideas then chips in to consolidate them based on importance. He is; therefore, a democratic leader. The way a manager reacts affects the outcomes of a company. Contingency theories entail how occurrences affect leadership styles. For example, when a leader needs to make hasty decisions, what strategy should he or she employ? All the managerial models have a particular level of contingency since a good leader knows how to apply the different styles based on the situation (Northouse, 2010, 173). Pichai is such a leader who employs suitable theories to cope with different circumstances in Google.
Conclusion and Discussion
The 21st century is a period that focuses on the needs of the employees as a crucial element in achieving organizational goals. People are no longer viewed as tools or machines. The efforts to secure the essence of human capital have led to trade unions being strict and monitoring the acts of various leaders to ensure that they treat their workforce accordingly (Scouller, 2011, 300). Pichai is aware of the value of the modern theory of management. He develops the skills of his workforce and nurtures them to focus on the objectives of the corporation. Frankly, based on Mr. Pichai’s sterling record, I doubt I would have done anything differently. His experiences in the industry provided him with the necessary skills to lead the multi-national company. He is a true embodiment of the fundamental elements of a good leader who inspires his followers to focus on the vision of the company. He always enjoys challenges since they present a forum for him to express his skills.
Pichai has to utilize the same zealous attribute to solve the current problems facing Google. Under Sundar’s tenure, I am quite sure that the firm will reach greater lengths. Management is a mixture of characteristics, actions, situational responses, and transformations that direct the company towards growth. A suitable leader should employ the concoction to the best of his or her abilities (Northouse, 2010, 206). I also find the Pichai’s ability to avoid office politics remarkable because it minimizes the conflicts in the workplace providing a suitable surrounding in carrying out duties (Mohan, 2015, par. 7). It takes a great deal of strength to shun rivalry since it emerges at every given instant. The new area or transformational leadership that Pichai brings to Google is appropriate for maintaining the performance of the company. There is no need to having a well-endowed and intellectual leader that cannot motivate people to work. Other managers in the 21st century should look up to the leadership styles portrayed by Sundar Pichai of Google Inc.
References
Mohan R., 2015. 10 Leadership lessons to imbibe from Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google Inc. Retrieved January 17, 2016 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-leadership-lessons- imbibe-from-sundar-pichai-ceo-google-s.
Northouse P. G., 2010. Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Scouller J., 2011. The Three Levels of Leadership: How to Develop Your Leadership Presence, Knowhow and Skill. New York: Management Books 2000.
