Leadership Development

 

Leadership is the act of leading a group of people or organization. When in a position of leadership, one has to establish a clear vision and share it with their followers, along with the information, knowledge, and methods required for the realization of that vision. Furthermore, leadership involves the act of coordinating and balancing conflicting interests of one’s group members and stakeholders (Day 2000, p 574). Swift action and creative solutions are expected on the part of a leader when a crisis arises. This ensures that no one is hurt and everyone is left satisfied. A leader has an obligation to inspire his colleagues and subordinates so that they can work towards achieving the set goals. Leadership is a quality that can be learned and enhanced through coaching and mentoring (Avolio and Gardner, 2005, p 320).

Leadership development entails activities which are meant to improve skills, abilities, as well as the confidence of a leader, either through coaching or mentoring. The quality of the coaching program and the character traits of the person who is going through mentoring will be determinants of whether leadership development will be a success or not.

My Observation

Mr. Richard Branson of Virgin Group is a business legend. He is a reliable leader and has a vision of how to establish a great company. He believes in the inclusivity of all people in the organization (Finkle 2011, p 101). He advocates for teamwork, arguing that no one can manage to achieve set goals on their own. Delegation of duty plays a key role in helping him realize where every employee is best suited. He also affirms that a favorable environment for all the staff members ensures a smooth flow of activities.

My choice to use the example of Mr. Branson is influenced by the fact that he proves to be a great role model. Hence, he will contribute significantly to my journey of practicing great leadership. I choose to follow what he does and advocates for so that I can improve my leadership style. Hopefully, I will do things more practically going forth. In particular, his  practice of incorporating all the staff members in decision-making is admirable. Additionally, Branson is of the view that attending leadership seminars ensures that one is up to date with relevant developments on matters leadership

I aim to seek an assessment from this great man concerning my improvement plan. I will consult the top management about the practices that I am learning. I am also counting on their support to enable me develop and determine how I will improve my leadership qualities. I will be observant of people’s attitudes and the response they have towards me regularly when I change to a different style.

What Makes Branson a Good Leader?

Leadership does not have a particular formula to follow. Every leader has their way of conducting things to achieve success. From my observations, certain things make Branson a good leader and are worth emulating. They include the following:

Thinking Differently

There is no exact leadership style that is considered the best. The ability to apply your knowledge separately from the other person is what makes everyone unique (Walumbwa, et al 2008, p 101). The style that is fit for the organization and one that will embrace every talent is what one needs to run an organization. Being able to think differently sets one apart. Richard Branson took a different path of believing differently. He applied a style of leadership that differed from that of the co-founder of his company. Though this is the case, both the leadership styles have managed to achieve success despite the differing philosophy and approaches.

A Positive Culture

Branson embraced the idea that it is not the qualifications of a person that are going to make the company successful, but the skills that they possess. The ability of a senior officer to use his powers to unite and direct the people below him is significant in leadership. Strong leadership skills are at the core of an organization rather than the number of degrees that one might hold (Toegel and Barsoux 2012. p, 60). Branson believed that the best candidate for leadership would take their responsibilities seriously and lead as an example. They would also = be quick to see the lighter side of life as well as promote a positive working environment.

Willingness to Learn and Listen

It is important that a leader should be ready to listen to their colleagues and be open to learning as well. Bear in mind that no one, no matter the experience they have or how senior they are, can have a monopoly upon good advice and the best ideas. Leadership and learning go hand in hand. The zeal to learn is crucial in leadership as one works with inspiring people. Also, it is important not to forget the people around you. This guarantees success when an individual agrees to come together with the rest and aim higher (Branson 2013, p 10)

Making Decisions And Not Dwelling on Mistakes

Leaders should be collaborative so that they get more from the people they lead. However, they also need to know the instances at which they need to make the final decision. As a leader, one has to know the extent to which they can go to make innovations and not dwell on a mistake once it happens. There is need to balance between empowering the staff and setting an example which they should follow. The right moves need to be made when it comes to the firm as well as decisive leadership. When a decision is made and does not work out as planned, the situation should be used as a learning approach. Hence, dwelling on a mistake for too long should be regarded as a waste of time. Every idea should be treated separately so that it does not drag the rest of the activities behind. This avoids time wastage, and saves on energy and resources. The lesson in this case is to move on from the setbacks and focus on the next move.

Paying Attention to Every Detail

Richard Branson portrays how effective leadership should be when it comes to the details. There is a need to emphasize getting even the smallest thing right and addressing any problem that comes up. This ensures that other people embrace the culture of paying attention to details. It may involve dealing with someone on a personal level to solve issues or handling complaints from the staff. Paying surprise visits to junior staff and giving them a chance to air their grievances is also a good practice, which serves to motivate them and show them that their leader cares about their well-being (Likierman 2009, P 45).

Being Passionate about the Job Leaders should love what they do. Branson makes strategic decisions and builds a good team on the basis of employee motivation. In return, his employees give him their best. Passion ensures that one comes up with great ideas and is inspired. Richard points out that such a leader will instill the same spirit in the company, and a lot will be achieved. When one loves what they do, they will be more innovative, and are likely to identify gaps in the market that need filling. Branson affirms that one can accomplish a lot if they are passionate about their job. Leaders should aim to do something that will not only make them proud of their achievements, but also cause them to be appreciated by everyone else. (Higgs and Dulewicz 2016, P 84).

How to Use Power

A leader needs to know how to exercise control to make sure that there is positive growth in everything they do. The following ensures that such a leader commands respect as well as guarantees success.

Being Sensitive to Talents

Different people have different skills, and when they are put together, they will yield a lot. Branson believes that an effective leader should be in a position to spot the talents in his or her staff members. Regardless of the style and the method put in place, one should believe in themselves, their ideas, and those of the staff. A leader cannot achieve success on their own, and one needs a team of great people to be a great leader. A leader should incorporate people with the necessary skills, the drive as well as experience, and consider an ethical culture that is fit for the organization. Different talents brought together will bring forth excellent results (Boje and Smith 2011, p 312).

Encouraging Teamwork and Delegating Duties

Cooperation is vital in any setting to achieve the set goals. One cannot achieve success on their own, and so they need other people to have their back. Teamwork will reduce the workload, and in the process, give a chance to ambitious employees to exercise their abilities. Delegating responsibilities ensures that every person is in the place they work best in. Giving the staff the freedom to choose the duty they will perform encourages them to each do to their level best. Branson insists that whatever leadership style that a leader decides to use, they should give others a chance to thrive. Everyone needs to know that they have a part to play and deserve recognition (Shavinina 2006, p 230). They need to feel a sense of belonging so that they can chip in being forced to do so.

Leadership Development

I choose to hold Richard Branson’s leadership style as a role model in developing my own. His operating technique will be my guide in adopting the democratic form of leadership rather than being autocratic in terms of making decisions.  I also plan to read more books to improve my leadership qualities.

Goal	Strengths/Weaknesses	Activity	Timeframe	Measurement
Communication and focusing on positivity	One of the significant aspects that have been affecting my leadership skills is a negative perception. However, one of the qualities I have learned from Branson is the art of being positive.	Interacting with positive individuals         Reading more books on how to develop a positive attitude towards work.     Starting a daily Gratitude Practice	2-3 weeks           One month and then periodical update per week.   Daily	Change in verbal and non-verbal cues used while addressing co-workers and junior staff   Change of perception and approach to the subordinates     Appreciating all aspects of leadership and service
Setting higher goals	A negative mindset is always pessimistic and rarely allows one to set higher goals     Undermining other people`s ideas.       Poor planning	Starting a daily Gratitude Practice as a reminder of the need to set high goals   Interacting with people of all calibers to improve empathy     Engaging in a time perception task	Daily           2 months         Daily	Change in perception in terms of the goals set     Ability to appreciate others just as they are     Ability to manage time and set achievable goals
Listening more	Ignoring other people’s plans     Avoiding teamwork       Dictatorship	Interacting with the staff to change perception   A teamwork activity       Fairness in leadership	Daily       Once per week     Daily	Ability to treat all people equally     Increased appreciation for teamwork   Equal delegation of tasks
Mentoring someone	Few interactions with peers   Having few mentees         Being independent	Creating more time for friends   Identifying a person that can be mentored and start the process.     Including friends in planning	Daily     3-4 weeks continuously, then once in a week   Daily	Increased number of friends   Having 2 or 3 mentees       Conducting an inductive form of planning
Innovation and increasing creativity	Depending on other people’s ideas to develop	Making personal development plans.   Focusing on quality rather than quantity   Reading more books on creativity	Daily     Daily     2 weeks continuously, then once a week	Having an established plan   Establishment of quality services   Change of language and perception from within

 

Feedback

	YES	NO	UNCLEAR
Are the goals set out clear and achievable?	YES
Are the activities set out clear and doable?	YES
Are the goals aligned with the strengths or weaknesses set?	YES
Are the activities aligned with the strengths or weaknesses set?			UNCLEAR
Is the timeframe for the activities and goals reasonable?			UNCLEAR
Are the measurement indicators appropriate and measurable?	YES
Would I do the same as the student?	YES
Overall, is the development plan feasible/reasonable/appropriate? (E.g. does the proposed plan address the strengths and weaknesses?).	YES

 

The feedback is mostly positive expect for a few areas which require slight improvement. The leader felt that I could work more on the activities aligned with the strengths and weaknesses as well as the set time frames. Following this, I have set more specific activities designed to accomplish my goals in leadership. For instance, instead of simply planning to increase interactions, I have clarified who I will be interacting with often. Similarly for the time frames, I have set out precise timelines for the activities. I believe this will increase my focus.

To ensure that my goals are achieved, the measurement criteria set out in the leadership development plan will come in handy. For instance, for the goal of achieving better communication and positivity, the measurement criteria will entail a change in verbal and non-verbal cues. It will also include changing my perception towards my colleagues for the better. All the other goals have their measurement criteria outlined. Hence evaluation will include ticking against the measurement criteria once the time frame has elapsed. A right tick will mean that the goal has been achieved while a wrong one will mean more work is needed. This will entail self-evaluation on why I did not achieve the goal. After understanding the reason for the failure, I will then set additional time with a better plan to achieve that goal

As a means of improving my leadership skills, I will consult senior management concerning my improvement plan. I will request them to identify and support my strengths. Also, I will ask them to identify some of the negative aspects of leadership that might be deterring my progress. I will also make a point of observing my attitudes as well as the responses that I receive. This step will be critical in experimenting with different styles of leadership, and choosing one that is beneficial to both the company and myself.

The work integrated learning and assessment task has been significant in identifying my areas of strength as well as weaknesses in matters of leadership. Through this self-discovery, I hope to be a better leader and to inspire my peers to greatness. I also believe that this assessment will contribute towards my future, in terms of career, social relations, and family as well.

References

Avolio, B.J. and Gardner, W.L., 2005. Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The leadership quarterly, 16(3), pp.315-338.

Boje, D. and Smith, R., 2010. Re‐storying and visualizing the changing entrepreneurial identities of Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Culture and Organization, 16(4), pp.307-331.

Branson, R., 2013. Like a Virgin: Secrets they won’t teach you at business school. Random House.

Day, D.V., 2000. Leadership development: A review in context. The leadership quarterly, 11(4), pp.581-613.

Finkle, T.A., 2011. Richard Branson and Virgin, Inc. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, 17(5), pp.109-121.

Higgs, M. and Dulewicz, V., 2016. Developments in leadership thinking. In Leading with emotional intelligence (pp. 75-103). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Likierman, A., 2009. Successful leadership—how would you know?. Business Strategy Review, 20(1), pp.44-49.

Shavinina, L.V., 2006. Micro‐social factors in the development of entrepreneurial giftedness: the case of Richard Branson. High Ability Studies, 17(2), pp.225-235.

Toegel, G. and Barsoux, J.L., 2012. How to become a better leader. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(3), pp.51-60.

Walumbwa, F.O., Avolio, B.J., Gardner, W.L., Wernsing, T.S. and Peterson, S.J., 2008. Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), pp.89-126.

Appendix

Plan Template

GOAL	STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES	ACTIVITY	TIMEFRAME	MEASUREMENT
Goal #1	Strength/weakness #1 (e.g. improve self-confidence)	Activity #1   Activity #2   Activity #3	Period 1   Period 2   Period 3	Indicator #1   Indicator #2   Indicator #3
Goal #2	Strength/weakness #2 (e.g. improve team-building skills)	Activity #1   Activity #2   Activity #3	Period 1   Period 2   Period 3	Indicator #1   Indicator #2   Indicator #3
Goal #3		Activity #1   Activity #2   Activity #3	Period 1   Period 2   Period 3	Indicator #1   Indicator #2   Indicator #3
Goal #4		Activity #1   Activity #2   Activity #3	Period 1   Period 2   Period 3	Indicator #1   Indicator #2   Indicator #3

 

Self Confidence test

	DS	D	N	A	AS
1. I frequently say to people, “I’m not sure.”				2
2. I have been hesitant to take on any leadership assignments.		4
3. Several times ,  people  have asked  me to  be the  leader  of  the  group to which I belonged.			3
4. I perform well in  most situations in  life				4
5. At least several people have told me that I have a nice, firm handshake.	1
6. I am much more of a loser than a winner.	5
7. I am much more of a winner than a loser.					5
8. I am cautious about making any substantial change in my life.				2
9. I dread it when I have to learn a new skill, such as reading a foreign language.	5
10.  I freely criticize other people, even over minor matters such as their hair style or word choice.			3
11.  I become extremely tense  when I know it  will soon be my turn  to present in  front  of  the  group or  class.					1
12.  Speaking in front of the class or other group is a frightening experience for me.		4
13.  When asked for my advice, I willingly offer it.					5
14.  I feel comfortable attending a social event by myself.			3
15.  It  is  rare  that  I change my opinion just  because  somebody  challenges me.			3

Based on addition of all the scores, total score = 50 (Average Confidence)

Team Leadership Skills Test

	Mostly True	Mostly False
1. I am more likely to handle a high-priority task than to assign it to the team	T
2. An important part of leading a team is to  keep members informed almost daily of information that could affect their work	T
3. I love communicating online to work on tasks with team members		F
4. Generally, I feel tense while interacting with team members from different cultures	T
5. I nearly always prefer face-to -face communications with team members over email	T
6. Building trust is very important for building a team	T
7. I enjoy doing things in my own way and in my own time	T
8. If a new member were hired, I would expect the entire team to interview  the person		F
9. I become impatient when working with a team member from another culture		F
10. I suggest ways each team member can make a contribution to the project	T
11. I am uneasy interacting with people from  different ethnic or racial groups		F
12. If I were out of the office for a week, most of the important work of the team would get accomplished anyway	T
13. Delegation is hard for me when an important task has to be done right	T
14. I enjoy  working with people with different accents	T
15. I am confident about leading team members from different cultures		F

 

Based on the correct answers which are as follows:

1. Mostly false
2. Mostly true
3. Mostly true
4. Mostly false
5. Mostly false
6. Mostly true
7. Mostly false
8. Mostly true
9. Mostly false
10. Mostly true
11. Mostly false
12. Mostly true
13. Mostly false
14. Mostly true
15. Mostly true

 

My score is 7. This is interpreted as leadership skills which lack in cultural diversity and open communications with team members.

 

Locus of Control self-assessment

 

1. When I get what I want, it is usually because I worked hard for it. 7

 

2. When I make plans, I am almost certain to make them work. 5

 

3. I prefer games involving some luck over games requiring pure skill. 2 reverse to 6

 

4. I can learn almost anything if I set my mind to it. 7

 

5. My major accomplishments are entirely due to my hard work and ability. 6

 

6. I usually don’t set goals because I have a hard time following through on them. 3 reverse to 5

 

7. Competition discourages excellence. 7 reverse to 1

 

8. Often people get ahead just by being lucky. 6 reverse to 2

 

9. On any sort of exam or competition, I like to know how well I do relative to everyone else. 6

 

10. It’s pointless to keep working on something that’s too difficult for me. 1 reverse to 7

 

Where:

1 _ strongly disagree

2 _ disagree

3 _ slightly disagree

4 _ neither disagree nor agree

5 _ slightly agree

6 _ agree

7 _ strongly agree

 

My score is 52. This falls within the mean score.