Management
Lubna Olayan
Lubna Olayan is one of the most influential women in the Middle East region. She is the Chief Executive Officer and Principal of the Olayan Financial Company. Olayan Financial Company was incorporated in the year 1947 by Sulaiman S. Olayan. He is survived by a son and three daughters and they are a part of the board of directors of Olayan Financial Company which is the holding body for Olayan Group’s business enterprise spreading across the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.
The Olayan Group is a significant global investor and has diversified business operations across Middle East. The Olayan Financing Company is entrusted with the responsibility to manage and hold all the business operations of the Olayan Group including its investments across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region. The company has established successful joint partnerships with leading multinational firms (Olayan.com, 2013). This organization has several business establishments across industrial, investment, trading and services conglomerate. It is a leading distributor of hospital supplies, consumer products, building supplies, office automation goods, industrial and telecommunications equipments. Other than these, the firm also engages itself in providing real estate development, industrial services, construction and project management, investment and financial services, food services and property management. The company also manufactures medical, industrial and consumer products. The vision of the Olayan Group revolves around the concepts of strength, impact, alliances and opportunities (Olayan.com, 2013).
Competitive leadership style of Lubna Olayan
Lubna S. Olayan is a competitive leader and has led the Olayan Group to a path of success and growth. She was the first women board member of the Saudi Hollandi Bank. She is a supporter of women’s rights and encourages women to hold responsible positions in Arab countries. Lubna Olayan was the first women to speak in a conference on Jeddah Economic Forum. The conference was held in Saudi Arabia on mixed gender.
A competitive leader is an individual who believes in continuously trying to attain the best in every aspect of life. Moreover such leaders believe in not following the status quo by doing things without taking help from anyone. Born in the Arab world, Lubna S. Olayan had to fight against the societal norms which do not support the empowerment of women. Hence, she had to establish herself as a business woman in the male dominated world. This may be the reason for her to be a competitive leader so as to soar ahead of others. Competitive leaders are those who believe in driving change which in turn will help the firm as well as the leader to grow and succeed. Lubna Olayan is highly competitive as she has broken boundaries to be the first women to speak at a conference held in Jeddah. She is an independent thinker and is capable of making objective judgments based on observations and past experience rather than depending on the opinions and statements made by other individuals. She is a strong believer in nonconformity to certain elements and has immense faith in the ability to make excellent judgments. Lubna Olayan is a person who would have make decisions even when she faces stiff opposition from other people (Billick & Peterson, 2001). She motivates and encourages women to come to the forefront and think themselves on par with men. She is an extremely competitive leader and has successfully expanded the Olayan Group to secure attractive Middle East distribution franchisees for leading brands like Coca Cola, Nestle, Burger – King and Colgate – Palmolive (ArabianBusiness.com, 2013).
Challenges faced by women leaders in the Arab world
In Middle East, women have the same struggles akin to women from other nations while moving across their respective careers and industries. However, there is one additional hazard that such women have to share. This is termed as “cement ceiling” and is an extremely impenetrable and heavy matrix of legal, social and cultural obstructions which hinders women to be upwardly mobile. Most women leaders in the Arab world have some select attributes like a passion to consistent enhancement, refusal to accept the usual path chosen for women in these countries, untiring confidence and the capability to modify their comfort zone – both professionally and personally. One of the most important qualities that successful Arab women leaders have in common is that of confidence to work as such nations has a society which does not encourage women to have professional ambitions. In addition to the above internal hurdles, there are several external hurdles like the social and legal dictums and cultural attitudes which may potentially harm their career and job prospects. One of the main hazards is that women in the Arab world have to consistently prove their mettle to their male counterparts as they are doubted with fulfilling any kind of work which falls outside the house.
Leadership style of Lubna Olayan
Lubna Olayan is a woman who believes in driving change. She has a modern outlook and believes in empowering women in the male dominated Arab world. She has displayed the four mainly attributes of transformational leaders – individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation and idealized influence (Bass & Riggio, 2006). She displays certain emotions akin to transformational leaders and these are the display of emotion flexibility, conscientiousness, kindness and open to face far more hazards than men. Moreover transformational leaders are those who believe in building relationships. Lubna Olayan is one of the leaders displaying a style which advocates team work, cooperation, communication and building robust relationships (Dubai Women Establishment, 2009). In other words, she is a person who believes in competing and leading as a woman in the tough and competitive global market.
Transformational leaders are those who believe in delegating work and help in the career growth and development of subordinates. They promote an organizational culture of innovation and creativity. Such leaders have the capability to impact the perception of their employees. They are the ones who facilitate a process of knowledge management by encouraging effective communication process and establishing a strong culture in the organization (Birasnac, Rangnekar & Dalpati, 2011) .
Reflection
The Olayan Financing Company is one of the largest growing organizations in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia. Working with such a firm will help in chalking out a career. The company has a women CEO and this means that it respects and provides women responsible positions depending on their academic qualification and experience. The firm has a lot of subsidiaries and hence there will be more chances to find a dream job in this firm. Lastly, the firm encourages an individual to innovate, grow and prosper in this organization. It will be a pleasure to be a part of this firm.
Reference
ArabianBusiness.com (2013). Lubna Olayan. Retrieved November 13 2013 from http://www.arabianbusiness.com/gccs-most-admired-executives/list?view=profile&itemid=150885#.UoNeHfmVMbI
Bass, R.M. & Riggio, R.E. (2006). Transformational Leadership. New Jersey: Lawrence Ernbaum Associates.
Billick, B. & Peterson, J. A. (2001). Competitive leadership: twelve principles for success. Chicago: Triumph Books.
Birasnav, M., Rangnekar, S. & Dalpati, A. (2011). Transformational leadership and human capital benefits: the role of knowledge management. Leadership & Organizational Development Journal, 32(2), 106 – 126.
Dubai Women Establishment (2009). Arab Women: Leadership Outlook 2009 – 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2013 from http://www.pwc.com/en_GX/gx/women-at-pwc/assets/Arab-Women-Leadership-Outlook.pdf
Olayan.com (2013). Olayan Financing Company. Retrieved November 13, 2013 from http://www.olayan.com/operation_details.aspx?productid=35
Olayan.com (2013). Saudi operations. Retrieved November 13, 2013 from http://olayan.com/operations.aspx?catid=1
