Final Project
ID:
System Control Center/Federal Electricity and Water Authority
Introduction
2.1. Prophet Muhammad
2.2. Self evaluation
2.3. My attitudes toward different challenges
2.4. FEWA’s desired future leadership competencies
3. Task 2
3.1. Jack Welch/former CEO of GE Company
3.1.1. Jack Welch leadership strategy
3.1.2. Jack Welch leadership style
3.1.3. Jack Welch strengths and areas of development
3.2. “Change plan”
3.2.1. Implementation plan for the change plan
3.2.2. Stakeholders’ involvement in the change.
3.2.3. Strategy for managing resistance to change
4.1. SWOT analysis.
4.2. Individual Development Plan (IDP)
5. Conclusion
6. References
7. Appendix
Introduction
Leadership is one of the significant factors to the success of any organization around the world. Leadership is essential to the human interactions and relationship in the organization. Managers and frontline supervisors are examples of leaders within an organizational setting. In most cases, leadership transforms employee’s potential into reality. Therefore, leaders are an essential human resources factor in the organization. They help to develop employees into useful assets that are used to compete with other organizations in their industry. Good leadership ensures sustainable teamwork in the organization and realization of organizational goals. Managers in the organizational setting influence their teams for work to be accomplished. This report analyzes the importance of a leader and leadership. It also evaluates my personal attributes as a leader and compares them to other world leaders such as the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and Jack Welch, who were all known for their leadership traits.
1.1. Prophet Muhammad
Prophet Muhammad is known to have strong leadership skills as expressed in his communication skills. He led the Muslim world as both a secular and religious leader. He used his communication skills and other techniques to accomplish his missions around the world. As a leader, he had absolute values and goals to achieve. First, he valued modesty, liberty, justice, and politeness. He used his speeches to match these values.
One of the leadership qualities that Prophet Muhammad displays is the charismatic quality of leadership (Tahir and Tahir, 2016). Prophet Muhammad used extraordinary means to teach his followers. Besides, he lived an extraordinary life that was full of challenges. Prophet Muhammad led various military activities and was involved in many battles (Tahir and Tahir, 2016. He used a disciplined approach to his leadership style to ensure that all his followers were doing the right thing. He guided his followers on the right decisions and steps towards their faith.
He was ready to work with the servants and other followers to ensure that all their goals are established. For instance, he was willing to labor with the builders in Medina to build the first mosque in the world (Tahir and Tahir, 2016). He inspired his servants and builders, and they could sing as they work mainly because they were motivated by his presence and his speeches.
Prophet Muhammad distinguished his authority as coming from God. He was able to remind his followers that the authority given to him did not come from his personal capacity but God. He had the charisma to distinguish the prestige of the prophets to other people. He ensured that people understood that the authority is in the hands of Allah through these charismas.
Each leader needs to set a clear vision for their organization. They must also set out their personal goals they want to achieve. The ability to set goals and achieve them is what differentiates most leaders in the world. Effective leaders must be able to set out goals for their short term and long term period. The prophet had unparalleled visions and could take decisions that at the first point looked unfeasible for many people, but later they turned out to be of great importance.
Prophet Muhammad was also an influential leader. He was a charismatic leader who would be able to convince people and mold people views and characters in the way he wanted to achieve the set targets. Many leaders lose focus and motivation in their workplace, and these significantly affects employee capabilities of doing work. However, Prophet Muhammad was an epitome of this leadership attribute where he could transform the miseries of peoples' lives and gave them hope to live and do work as requested by Allah.
He used Sunnah to spread Islam throughout the world (Tahir and Tahir, 2016. His actions and influences are still prominent even today in both spiritual and social issues around the world. He was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
Prophet Muhammad used a consultative approach of leadership in his activities. For instance, he used to discuss with companions about their defensive options against that were a much as three times their size. Some of his companions suggested tactics that were very successful in their battles. This shows the essentiality of consultation in an organization and why leaders must embrace consultations.
The prophet also combined authority and power together with mercifulness and kindness. He was able to use these skills to make firm decisions regarding his companions and their missions around the world.
Prophet Muhammad was also a good leader in terms of allocating works to his companions. He was able to analyze and evaluate his companions and assigned them work based on their personal strengths. He also used to assign to their work based on the individual preferences like Kaatib-E-Wahi, teaching, negotiating, and envoys. He was also good in delegating work to his companions The Prophet( SAW) saw the need to delegate work during migration to Medinah to some of his companions like Hazrat Ali And Abu Bakr. Through delegation, he prepared his companions for succession management once he met his death.
Unlike prophet Moosa, the prophet was an exceptional leader that saw the need to train people. He was and educator and ensured that all his companions understood the importance of prayer. This was one of the significant differences between him and other leaders like Prophet Moosa. He also appraised his companions based on the work they did. However, he did not penalize his companions who did make mistakes like Hazrat Anas but only used the appraisal as a means of understanding the gaps between actual results and the targets.
Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moosa have some similarities in the quality of their leadership. Both prophets were religious and political leaders. Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all humanity; his mercy covered all, Muslims, non-Muslims, trees, animals, humans, non-humans (Wali Zahid, 2015).
1.2. Self-evaluation and comparison with my leader
The metrics Jung typology test is an online test that is a personality frequently used to tell the personality types of leaders. The metrics has 16 types of characters based on psychological type, and people can be characterized using the extroversion-introversion, sensing, intuition, thinking, and feeling. This test emphasizes that the judging –perceiving relationships also influences characteristics of personality. These personality tests help one to discover the careers and occupations that are most suitable for a particular personality type. It also gives a list of academic institutions where one can get relevant training and famous personalities that share the same sort of personalities.
After carrying out this test, I found out that my personality test was ENFJ. These kinds of leaders are benevolent of humanity. They have tremendous charisma. They have the power to manipulate others people in their teams. Moreover, they also have exceptional interpersonal skills. These skills are good if they work as salespersons as they can convince other people quickly. They also believe in their visions and always see themselves as helpers and enablers hence global leaders. ENFJs are also described to be appreciative. They are focused on the well-being of all people around them. One of the careers that are suitable is the occupation that requires excellent interpersonal skills to establish productive collaboration as well as maintain efficient work process. Therefore, they can operate well in middle and high ranking management roles in sales, healthcare, teaching, community care, and social services. Some of the leaders with the ENFJ personality include David King of Israel, Barrack Obama, and And Abraham Maslow.
As an ENFJ, I have learned that I have the power to manipulate others with my interpersonal communication skills. Besides, I am a learner, and I would like to learn from others within my working environment. One of the similarities that I have with Prophet Mohammed is that we are both charismatic leaders. One of the things that I have realized that is that these leaders must have excellent communication skills. Like Prophet Muhammad, I tend to use excellent communication skills to ensure that all the team members have the best information of what is required by them in the organization. All charismatic leaders have extraordinary skills that they use for their communication purposes.
Communication helps leaders to motivate their team members. In addition, one must have a good personality that shows a high degree of maturity to the team members.
One must also show wisdom and knowledge in the areas of their work and should demonstrate this leadership attribute to their peers. In every aspect of my duty is tend to be reasonable enough and responsible just like Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) was in a high leadership role. Another key significant value that is used in my work is placing value for my fellow employees. There is a need to listen to each employee’s concern in their work and ensure that each of their concerns is addressed. I always try to convince each employee in the organization of the significant value they bring to the organization and how much this value is needed. Their contributions always impact the strategic interests of the organization. One should inspire people towards making a positive change in the organization. One of the significant differences between my leadership skills and those of the Prophet Muhammad is that he was a great influence. In the modern world, it is quite difficult to convince people to the extend at which Prophet Muhammad was able to influence his followers.
2.3. My attitudes toward different challenges
My attitudes towards the various aspects of social life, such as ethics, diversity and corporate social responsibility are affected by my charismatic point of leadership. I am always compassionate humanity. I believe that as leaders we must be focused on doing right things at all times despite having goals to make profits for the organization. There is a need to put values on the needs of the people that are affected by the business and the organization in general. Therefore, I always have a compassionate attitude that values integrity and honesty for all activities. One of my major concerns in business is doing ethical business. As leaders, we should adhere to high ethical and moral standards that are set by the organization and the society in general.
Secondly, we must accommodate all people in the community. As the world faces increased globalization, there is a need to accommodate people of different diverse cultural, religious, or ethnic backgrounds. All organization should value these people and ensure that they have the necessary materials that are required in the organization to facilitate in their racial integration. I believe that we are all created by the same God. Thus, it is upon to view our differences as a positive thing that will enhance our growth in the society and businesses. All organizations should encourage diverse teams. Diversity in teams always brings a good image to the society. We need to have substance in our life and work to enjoy the fruits of diversity in the workplace.
Also, organizations must engage in corporate social responsibility activities within their area of work. The society gives organization power and an avenue where they do business. Therefore, it is upon the organization come up with effective social responsibility programs that will ensure that the societies where they operate have enough resources and other programs to support their life.
Integrity is also a fundamental process that all stakeholders within a defined business environment should adhere. There is a need for the firm to have high ethical standards a core value of their relationship with other people in the organization. I have a positive attitude towards issues of the corporate social responsibility since they give the business a good image beside helping communities around them to live in harmony with the firm.
Technology is also another significant element in the organizations today. Every aspect of business activities is influenced by technology. Technology has changed the way communication occurs in a business environment. It has made connections to be fast and cheap. Business can communicate with clients around the world through communication. Technology has made the communication to be reliable. In addition to communication, another significant element of technology is that it has changed the quality f products and services in the organization. Most of the companies have managed to change the way they produce their product.
Enhanced technology in the production systems has improved the quality of other factors within the business. Besides technology has led to the development of other factors within the organizational concept such as the issue of virtual teams. Managing such teams requires that leaders be conversant with the issues of information technology. They should be ready to use their leaderships and IT skills in managing such teams. Therefore, as a result of these advantages in technology, I believe that proper utilization of technology should be encouraged in all business environments. As leaders, we one should embrace the use of technology in their organization since it will help in managing employees and other factors within the organization platform. With proper technology in place, it is easy to communicate with the employee as well measure their performance towards having a successful working environment.
2.4. FEWA’s desired future leadership competencies
My ENFJ personality seems to form a relationship with the desired behavioral competencies which are required for the organization. The company’s vision is to have a strong customer focus. On the other hand, the ENFJ personality describes leaders of such personality as being global leaders. It is also explained that they see the big picture. Their focus is expansive as required by the vision and mission of FEWA. Customer focus can only be achieved by an organization that shows empathy and compassion to their clients. ENFJs have such personality since they have tremendous power to manipulate others with their exceptional interpersonal skills. They should be ready to treat all customers equal. Besides, they should high moral and ethical standards within the organizational setting to have a strong customer focus that meets all the customer requirements. Furthermore, FEWA being a service industry, it is one of the suitable areas where ENFJs can work. Teamwork is another necessary factor within this corporate environment where ENFJs have demonstrated ability and purposiveness to include people in their activities.
All personnel in the different departments within the organization should be ready to embrace teamwork. They should strive to create a conducive working environment where each employee enjoys cooperation. Therefore, leaders must have strong leadership skills that will ensure all their members are working towards a common goal in the organization. They should be ready to have a mutual relationship with team members. To achieve this target, the leader should be charismatic. All leaders within the organization should have the ability to influence others and give them the direction that will facilitate teamwork in the organizational setting.
Another significant vision in this organization is to have organizational commitment. The organization expects all employees in the organization to be committed to working for the organization and meeting its targets. To have these commitments, all employees must be motivated to continuing to work in the organization. Thus, leaders must be in the forefront to ensure this objective is achieved in the organization. They must motivate employees and lead by example. They must offer employees a healthy working environment to ensure that they have the necessary resources that will help them achieve their personal and organizational goals. Besides the organization is committed to delivery focus where all employees are expected to deliver to the organization.
Delivery can be attained if all the staff has enough skills and leadership. As and ENFJ, I have to develop strong numerical and ability learning skills to help me in my career. The key to this vision is leadership. The leader must be visionary. He should be able to focus on the future and identify the organization's needs in the future. Change is also inevitable in any organization.
Thus, the leadership must focus on both the current and future requirements of the organization. They must also analyze both the internal and external factors within the organization and establish the areas in the organization that might bring changes to the organizational setting. Managing change involves responding to the external and internal factors within the organization that might bring changes to the organization
3. Task 2
3.1. Jack Welch/former CEO of GE Company
3.1.1. Jack Welch leadership strategy
Jack Welch leadership can be seen in three phases. In the first phase, Welch was focused on getting into and out of business. He was determined in finding the best employees who could work towards realizing the organizational goal.
In the second phase, Jack Welch was committed to working with other people to determine their strategies and tactics in the organization. He drafted out the issues that were in the organization and left the teams to develop solutions for such problems. He could accept or reject the solutions proposed and or ask for more information. In the third phase, Jack Welch utilized the six sigma approach. The main aim of this strategy was to transform everything around the organization and provide the much-needed quality in the organization.
He used communication to lead in each of the three phases of leadership. He used simplicity to break things down into simple parts and made sure that all parts would be understood by all people.
Another key strength that was employed by Welch in the three phases was the development of other people by giving them power. He used the corporate execute council meeting to coach and observe managers interacting with one another.
One of the fundamental strategies that Jack Welch used in managing GE was ensuring that all employees in the organization have the bigger picture of where the organization was heading. He created a vision of where each employee should focus and where the organization wants to be in the future. Through constant communication and reminding employees in the organization, he reinforces his vision of where the organization should target. He used dialogue to achieve this purpose. For instance, he could write messages to all employees personally and hand written to ensure that each employee receives personal communication from the CEO (Advice.vietnamworks.com, 2016). He also showed empathy and concern for all employees. He could spend time with staff and try to solve their problems in the organization.
Dealing with employees on a personal level was one of the key strategies that Jack Welch used to ensure that he had employees with the right attitude towards their work. For instance, he had known over 1000 employees at a personal level and with their names. Through engagement with employees, he created a new organizational culture that was accepted by most employees in the organization. For instance, he restructured the organizational management and created new functional units that were near the employees in the organization. Besides, he was able to create cost effective structure that engaged almost all employees in the firm. He stood with his plan regardless of how his subordinates would feel. Through this approach he was able to take risks of how the employees would feel in the organization.
3.1.2. Jack Welch leadership style
Jack Welch used a charismatic style of leadership as the CEO of GE. He had high expectations for all employees at his organization. He used to challenge his employees to be either in the first position or the second position in the organization. His attitude towards job was simplicity. He did not think business as being complicated. His primary role in the organization was to make things simple. He also approached the employee’s bay energizing them not managing by authority.
Secondly, Welch main concern was to lead and create a vision for the business. He wanted all employees to be passionate about their work. He also encouraged all employees to maintain his goal and vision for the organization through motivation. He was also a transformational leader who ensured that all employees in the organization are inspired in their work. He was able to influence other people within the organizational setting through his approach to work and other aspects within the organization. Besides, he was also motivational. He was inspirational in his communication and through the letters he sent to his employees.
Welch attitude towards management was working towards establishing a less formal environment. He preferred people to call him ‘Jack’ instead of ‘Mr. Welch’. Moreover, most of the employees that worked under Jack Welch acknowledged that he was intelligent in his activities
3.1.3. Jack Welch strengths and areas of development
Jack Welch strength of development was of his transformational style of leadership. He was able to set high expectations for his employees. He was able to share value with his employees and ensure all employees in the workforce became innovative and focused on achieving their goals. He needed to provide support to all staff for them to achieve the overall organizational goal. He used all employees to create culture and mission for the organization. Jack Welch was able to see the change as if part of the reality in a business environment. He stated that willingness to change is strength in business even if it means getting the whole business into total confusion. As a leader, he was able to follow up on everything that was set out in business. Through this follow-up activities, he could measure the success of the firm.
One of the areas of development from Jack Welch leadership traits is building and articulating the vision. It 's hard to set out a vision that could inspire all employees to act towards attaining such vision. Therefore, there is a need to expand my leadership skills in this area to instill confidence and open to the right ideas. Developing skills that make people energized and do what appears to be impossible.
3.2. “Change plan.”
3.2.1. Implementation plans for the change plan
Education and communication
The first approach towards change is to provide all employees in the organization with enough resources needed for the change action. Through constant communication and education, I am aimed at increasing efficiency of communication in the organization. The primary focus will be to create the urgency for communication change.
Participation and involvement
Secondly, there is a need to form a coalition between employees and management in the organization. This collaboration will be used to create a shared vision of communication in the workplace.
Facilitation and support
Negotiation
Negotiation will be the important approach towards change in any organization. It will assist in understanding the employee needs and the other stakeholder’s needs of the organization. It fosters healthy relationships and encourage mutual agreements.
Co-optation and manipulation
It will be the best way to work with employees who do not want change in the organization. Co-opting with employees who have significant influence towards other employees in the organization will help to create effective decisions.
Explicit and implicit coercion
Coercion will be used when speed is needed, or it is the last resort for the organization to change. In this case, the necessity of change will be of great importance than the interests of employees.
3.2.2. Stakeholders’ involvement in the change.
Stakeholders are an important factor in any organizational change process. They provide insights into the issues surrounding the change process within the organization. Stakeholders will be involved in all the steps in the change process. They will be used to ensure that their concerns within the organization change process are addressed. The stakeholders will share their views on the effects of changes in the organization. They will also communicate the need for change in the organization.
3.2.3. Strategy for managing resistance to change
One of the ways to achieve change in this organization is through communication and education of the current changes in the organization. There is a need to inform all stakeholders on the advantages of the changes in the organization communication structure. Besides participation of all interested parties in creating the change will be effective to curb resistance to change in the organization. Facilitation and support of stakeholders in their interest will also be necessary for controlling resistance to change. On the other hand negotiations and agreements on matters that may cause resistance will be used.
4. Task 3
4.1. SWOT analysis.
Strengths
• Ability to communicate effectively with employees
• Influential leader
• Charismatic
• Ability to motivate
• Excellent interpersonal skills
Weaknesses
• Lack of resources to influence large teams
• Giving up quickly
Opportunities
• Information technology advancements that can lead to effective communication
• Ability to juggles different responsibilities
• Thin psychological boundary
Threats
• Balance the Stakeholders needs
• Balance work and personal needs
• Thin psychological boundary
4.2. Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Setting goals
I need to learn new skills that will help me develop and become one of the best leaders in leading big organizations. Thus, I need to complete my MBA and have enrolled in a development program. I will need support from the organization as well as family support.
Secondly, I need to widen my leadership skills on emerging issues that face managers. I need to learn from the current successful leaders and industry leaders within the organization industry (Adeniyi, 2007). One of the best resources is through analysis of current senior employees in the organization as well as engaging in mentoring and performance appraisal in the organization. My personal health is also significant for personal growth, thus I will have to allocate some of my free time for personal health. I will have to join the health club at my organization.
Finally, I must ensure that I have received a promotion to middle management and gain the support of both the organization and employees. I should have the ability to manage a small to medium team in the organization.
5. Conclusion
Leadership is one of the most challenging tasks in any organization. One needs to ensure that they have the right attitudes and vision in the leadership goals. Besides, one should have clear objectives in their personal growth and development. Understanding these concepts will help one to become a successful leader.
References
Adeniyi, M. A. (2007). Effective leadership management: an integration of styles, skills & character for today's CEOs. Bloomington, IN, AuthorHouse.
Advice.vietnamworks.com. (2016). Twelve lessons from Jack Welch’s leadership style | Vietnamworks.com. [online] Available at: http://advice.vietnamworks.com/en/hiring/effective-management/twelve-lessons-jack-welch-s-leadership-style.html-0 [Accessed 24 Apr. 2016].
Glanz, J. (2002). Finding your leadership style: a guide for educators. Alexandria, Va, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Iqbal, T. (2011). The impact of leadership styles on organizational effectiveness: Analytical study of selected organizations in IT sector in Karachi. Munich, Grin Verlag.
Tahir, F. and Tahir, F. (2016). Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him); Greatest leader and blessing for all mankind. – Islamic Economist. [online] Islamiceconomist.com. Available at: http://www.islamiceconomist.com/?p=1893 [Accessed 24 Apr. 2016].
Wali Zahid. (2015). Leadership of Muhammad (SAW): Lessons for CEOs. [online] Available at: https://walizahid.com/2015/06/leadership-of-muhammad-saw-lessons-for-ceos/ [Accessed 24 Apr. 2016].
7. Appendix
Quotes
http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/quote1.html
http://www.answering-christianity.com/philosophers.htm
