MT304-1: Analyze a leader’s characteristics and style.
The textbook authors present leadership principles, techniques, and methods in the form of “Nine Key Areas of Leadership” (Manning & Curtis, 2021, p. 11). Approaching the multi-faceted construct of leadership from this perspective allows you to improve the likelihood of success for yourself, your team, and the organization. Success or failure can be traced back to how effectively the methods in one or more of the author’s nine key areas are applied.
Scenario:
Akim (the president) has been running his Standardized Home Units (SHU) company for just over a year with lackluster success. The company produces standalone stainless steel kitchen units. These units come complete with a sink, regular-sized refrigerator, and dishwasher with standardized countertops that can fit any space at an affordable price. Homeowners can change countertop locations by unhooking countertops.
The company president is an entrepreneur who believes in letting each person follow their inner guidance for the job. He outsources the human resource function and believes in his product so thoroughly that he is thinking about laying off two customer service representatives. In the meantime, the people that report to him have been forming internal alliances.
The media marketer speaks with the customer service director, who tells her that customers love the product but keep asking for information on other company products. The online sales manager and one of the customer service representatives keep in touch with each other, wondering what is next. The director of finance speaks with the plant manager weekly and, although the production line seems to be moving smoothly, there have been increased employee absences over the last few months. The director of production feels out of touch, and when asked what the standard procedures are, he only says to follow the production steps — there are no procedures. He also wonders what new products, if any, the president has in mind. The president always seems busy meeting with the product development manager in his workshop day after day, experimenting with new products.
When asked by the director of sales and marketing why sales are so lackluster, the customer service director replies that the company seems lost. The president receives queries by email daily, requesting his decisions about product designs, pricing, new markets, etc. He either does not respond to the emails or says, “figure it out.” When these employees ask him (when passing in the hall) when they can meet with him, the president says, “Sorry I cannot meet today, things are really busy.”
Read the scenario above and then address the items below.
Checklist:
Refer to the “Nine Key Areas of Leadership” (p. 11). Analyze the scenario to identify at least seven (7) key areas that appear to have broken down in this situation. Explain your answer.
Analyze at least two examples of the president’s characteristics that may have led to the current situation at the company.
Describe the employees’ experience of the president’s leadership.
Analyze and discuss at least two potential strengths and at least two potential weaknesses of the president’s management style and leader characteristics.
Explain the impact of the leader’s characteristics and management style on both the employees and Akim’s business.
Provide and explain three ways to improve the company’s leadership and move the company forward.
Your paper must be at least 500 words in addition to the title and reference pages in a Microsoft® Word® document. Use APA format and style. (See Unit 1 reading area for assistance with APA.)
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