Introduction
What is your opinion on the feature contained in the opening thread and how do the chapter concepts apply to help understand your view.
My opinion on the features contained in the opening thread and how the chapter concepts apply to help me understand about leadership and the concept of participative management is as expressed in the opening of chapter 8 on Leadership- member exchange Theory. It outlines the relation found between the leadership and the employees.
Most leadership theories analyses leadership from the leader’s point of view, which is; traits approach, skills approach and style approach or the following, contingency theory and goal-path theory.(pg. 161 paragraph 1) The leader therefore requires many positive characteristics to ensure its success. He is the path in which the future of the organization follows. His communication, motivational and charismatic skills will be paramount since this is a two-way travel (page 143, strengths). He is a management tool who sacrifices his hard-earned position to carry out commitments that will see the achievement of the company objectives. (Paragraph 1 & 2, chapter 8 pg. 161)
Experience and research
Participative management yields the best results, as the employees are actively involved in deciding their future and that of the company. Such managers have adequate knowledge on conflict resolution, public relation and understanding (page 163 paragraphs 1 & 2). Research shows that companies ran by such leaders yield the best in terms of profit and customer and staff satisfaction (subtopic strengths pg. 145)
References
Schermerhorn, J. R. (2002). Management. New York: Wiley.
South Carolina (1998). Participative management. Columbia, S.C: South Carolina DHEC, Office of Quality Management.
Stewart, R. (2007). The reality of management. Jordan Hill, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Responses to the attachment 1
The attachment on participative management is comprehensive and covers most of the issues outlined in the PM analysis. It has a good outline and relevant examples that clearly explain the art of PM. The writer has written in depth about PM giving its strengths and weaknesses, supported by vivid examples.
Participative management also ensures the organization meets its objectives as the collaboration between the manager and the employees ensures that the company’s objectives are timely met. These contribute to customer satisfaction, staffs and management. As a result, PM in its full implementation yields high returns and ensure success of the company.
Response 2
Leadership in a company, which involves participative management, calls for a leader who is charismatic and has a good relation with customers and his subordinates. A good leader will:
- Increase the degree of cohesiveness
- Provide the overall objective and view of the company to all staffs
- Reduces conflicts between the members and provide solutions
- Increase individual understanding of the company future and objectives
- Provide a platform for free expression of opinions
- Develop a work climate that is satisfactory to clients and the members
Its basic concept involves power-sharing arrangements among members in an organization who are positional unequal. This power sharing will result to workers determination, problem-solving and better decision making.
Leadership management will have the following advantages:
- Job satisfaction
- Commitment by employees
- Good relation with member
- Good job performance and customer satisfaction
- Productivity
- Reduce employee absenteeism
For that case therefore, the leader should have the following characters:
- Recognize the value of other members
- Share information with other members
- Be of good character
- Use their influence, skills and experience for the good of others
- Be skillful and committed
- Be motivational
- Have self-control
- Able to work under pressure
- Be a good communicator and ready to learn.
- Accessible, friendly, accountable and visionary
A good example of such a leader is Starbucks CEO Schultz. His leadership qualities were exceptional in1997 treatment of the families who had lost their loved ones in the line of duty.
Retrieved from: https://www.openforum.com/articles/10-examples-of-tremendous-business-leadership-1/
References for response 2
The journal of business retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/2353517&img=dtc.4.tif.gif&uid=3738336&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21102692531867&orig=/discover/10.2307/2353517?uid=3738336&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21102692531867
The journal talks about organizational leadership and participative management. It gives an elaborate explanation of management and leadership.
Plas, J. M. & Lewis, S. E. (2001). Person-centered leadership for nonprofit organizations: Management that works in high pressure systems. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
The book talks about how one can succeed in a pressured leadership environment. It gives characteristics of a good leaders and motivation on how to overcome leadership. It contains relevant life examples on applicable leadership are and its returns.
Response 3
My opinion about the attachment 3 is that the writer on criticizing participative leadership gives a good example of two employees where one is involved in decision making whereas the other is not but rather excluded in the same. As a good leader, one is supposed to encourage the employee by applying the path-goal theory as explained below.
The path-goal theory provides that the manager’s role is to constantly remind subordinate members and help them define their goals. If the subordinate are uncertain whether their efforts will result in reaching their goals, the leader needs to prove that their efforts will be rewarded. (Leadership| Theory and Practice, pg. 148) the assurance from the manager that an individual efforts to ensure the achievement is rewarded will motivate the employees to work extra hard and consciously to please the manager. Such rewards would be in form of promotion or other gifts. Such motivations and rewards will keep the employee urge to get involved in the company’s activities.
