Free Custom «The New Team Leader» Essay Paper

Introduction

This essay revolves around a case study involving leadership and the challenges associated with new leaders during transition. A leader is an individual/person who is given the responsibility to guide others within an organization. It is important to note that sometimes you could hold a leadership position however there is no authority attached to the position. Therefore we should realize that leadership is challenging but there are developed strategies that would facilitated effective leadership as well as helping in managing leadership failures. Therefore this discussion will answer the following questions;

1. Why did Paul have problems making changes and maintaining discipline when he was first promoted to a position that required leadership?
2. Analyze Paul's leadership situation in terms of his sources of power. Are there types of power he couldn't or shouldn't use? What types of power could he draw on, and how could he use those types to greatest effect?
3. Which traits, skills and behaviors associated with successful leaders does Paul possess? Cite specific examples in support of your answer.
4. How could Paul improve his leadership effectiveness in his new position? Apply relevant leadership theory/theories to answer the question.

Why did Paul have problems making changes and maintaining discipline when he was first promoted to a position that required leadership?

 

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Paul was appointed as a new leader in his company and his promotion was based on his previous record of performance in the company and hard work. He had all the required expertise to deliver in his initial appointment as a technician but lacking in some leadership skills. First, although Paul had been working in the company for a long time and well versed with all its operations he take time to jump-start his transition. Although he knew and related well with his colleagues technicians while working at the same level he did not take time to understand the culture of the company as well as the company’s politics but on the contrary he dedicated all his time facilitating changes that he anticipated that would boost production. This means that he neglected a very important leadership strategy of taking time to understand his subordinates and this would have helped him gradually assert his authority (Dan Ciampa, 1999, p. 14).

Secondly, Paul focused more on laying down strategies aimed at increasing the customer’s satisfaction and the execution of new policies that would see the company flourish. He did this ignoring to understand the interests of his subordinates who initially considered him as their role model. Eventually, his subordinates developed a negative attitude to his new strategies and ganged up against him. In addition, this behavior was also adopted be the newly employed technicians. As he struggled with his new position, Paul forgot that he had no power to implement new policies without deriving the same from the general manager who was the chief authority and this led to his failure.

Thirdly, although Paul had a great vision for the company and the necessary strategies for the success of the company, he failed sell his ideas to the manager who in turn could have supported him by implementing the ideas and ensuring that the policies are followed to the letter. This means that Paul kept his ideas to himself and as a result struggled to implement them alone instead of motivating his superiors and work as a team.

Finally, in his bid to enforce his new policies he lost touch with his colleagues and as result became isolated. He was unaware of the fact that this de-motivated team work and eventually he had no one to his side that could support his ideas. He broke down all the previous ties/bonds and this affected the output of his subordinates thus reducing satisfaction of the customers hence decline in company’s earnings.   

Analyze Paul's leadership situation in terms of his sources of power. Are there types of power he couldn't or shouldn't use? What types of power could he draw on, and how could he use those types to greatest effect?

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Paul though he had good strategies as a leader to see to the success of the company he overlooked the fact that where there is differences in opinions conflict is inevitable. He did not take time to learn how to anticipate issues that would lead to differences and eventually conflict. If he did so he would have been in a position to establish the necessary conflict resolution measures. This could possibly be attributed to the fact that he borrowed some leadership strategies from the former leader of the company. However, he lacked in his conflict resolution strategy. Paul failed to be resilient in solving prevailing problems and he therefore resulted to negative confrontation. He failed to appreciate the fact that conflicts are inevitable but sometimes they are healthy because reveal underlying issues that could be explosive and eventually stalling the operations in the company. He resulted into confrontation which in return faced stiff resistance from his subordinates worsening the situation.

As a good leader, Paul needed to employ conflict resolution strategies such accommodation. This would have involved understanding the source of the problems and listening to the ideas of his subordinates and took all these into account. Then, he would have come with a compromise and eventually a consensus thus satisfying both parties. In addition, Paul needs to consider harmonization while resolving the conflicts. Instead of acting bossy over his subordinates, Paul would have come down to the level of his subordinates. This way he would have managed to create harmony and in return he would understand the root cause of the problems as well as earning the trust of his subordinates. This would have enabled him gradually positively confront the problems thus cultivating his authority.

To be an effective leader it is important to note that the ability to influence team players is very important in achieving the company’s goals and objectives. A good leader should build and maintain power and this is what Paul lacked right from the start and hence failed to enforce his influence. Expertise is a major source of power Paul’s case. However, he failed to use to assert his influence and eventually gain power. In addition his responsibilities in the organization could have helped him in gaining influence and power which he needed in his leadership (Kelly, 1998, p. 8). Paul failed to realize that although he got his promotion from his seniors, he only could derive influence and power through his subordinates. Alternatively Paul would have shared his responsibilities through delegation and this would have built trust. His subordinates would have felt that he considered and valued their ideas and this would have contributed to bringing the closer to him and this way he would be able to amicably and easily take control of his team players.

Which traits, skills and behaviors associated with successful leaders does Paul possess? Cite specific examples in support of your answer.

Despite these teething problems that Paul experienced in his initial stages of leadership. It can be noted that Paul processed several good leadership traits. First, following his long period of service as a technician in the company and the fact that he could relate well with previous mangers, Paul was clearly aware of all the production operations of the company (Team, 2002, p. 38). He understood the goals and objectives of the company and also the ways and means the previous managers used to achieve the goals. In addition, Paul after having related well with his colleagues clearly knew their expectations and this is a good starting point of a good team leader.

Secondly, Paul was hard working man and this is proven be the fact that he was ready go an extra mile beyond his colleagues. We can note that he was able to handle even double the amount of work that his colleagues would handle before he was even promoted to his leadership position. This fact shows that Paul was readily available to his subordinates and this is a good quality of a good leader.

Thirdly, Paul understood how to participate in management for he had a history of relating well with the management prior to his appointment to his new leadership position. This is a good leadership trait because it enabled him acquire relevant knowledge he required to lead. Participatory management also enabled Paul to learn the company’s policies, goals and objectives and strategies employed by the managers to achieve these goals. This would serve an important tool in his leadership for these are issues he would struggle to acquire had he not been serving in the same company or if he didn’t employ participatory management practices. Fourthly, Paul was a fair and a friendly man and this is also a good quality of a good leader. This fact may be proven by the fact that he could relate well with his colleagues before his appointment. He was fair and very aggressive in his duties (Team, 2002). This is because of the amount of work he could do without complaining. He was also able to relate well with his superiors because he was able to serve in his capacity as technician for many years and his hard work was eventually rewarded with a promotion.   

How could Paul improve his leadership effectiveness in his new position? Apply relevant leadership theory/theories to answer the question.

Paul could improve his leadership by first understanding the root cause of the problems he is experiencing with his colleagues. He need take time to learn how to anticipate issues that would lead to differences and eventually conflict. If he did so he would be in a position to establish the necessary conflict resolution measures and cultivate ways and means of coming into consensus or compromise without resulting to negative confrontation. In addition, he should appreciate the fact that conflicts are inevitable but sometimes they are healthy because reveal underlying issues that could be explosive and eventually stalling the operations in the company and also realize that resulting to negative confrontation instead of being accommodative and allow criticism would be answered with a stiff resistance from his subordinates worsening the situation.

As a good leader, Paul needed to employ conflict resolution strategies such accommodation. This would have involved understanding the source of the problems and listening to the ideas of his subordinates and took all these into account. Then, he would have come with a compromise and eventually a consensus thus satisfying both parties. In addition, Paul needs to consider harmonization while resolving the conflicts. Instead of acting bossy over his subordinates, Paul would have come down to the level of his subordinates. This way he would have managed to create harmony and in return he would understand the root cause of the problems as well as earning the trust of his subordinates. This would have enabled him gradually positively confront the problems thus cultivating his authority.

To be an effective leader it is important to note that the ability to influence team players is very important in achieving the company’s goals and objectives. A good leader should build and maintain power and this is what Paul lacked right from the start and hence failed to enforce his influence. Expertise is a major source of power Paul’s case. However, he failed to use to assert his influence and eventually gain power. In addition his responsibilities in the organization could have helped him in gaining influence and power which he needed in his leadership (Kelly, 1998, p. 8). Paul failed to realize that although he got his promotion from his seniors, he only could derive influence and power through his subordinates. Alternatively Paul would have shared his responsibilities through delegation and this would have built trust. His subordinates would have felt that he considered and valued their ideas and this would have contributed to bringing the closer to him and this way he would be able to amicably and easily take control of his team players.

Paul would need to be innovative and be able to device new ways of accomplishing the same or better results than the previous leaders. His greatest focus would be on his subordinates and be part of them as leader and finally be able to inspire trust among the team players (Gill, 2006, p. 27).

Conclusion

This essay based on a case study sought to demystify qualities of a good team leader in management and problems faced by team leaders in their bid to assert themselves and build confidence with their subordinate staff members. The case study focused on a team leader who has just been appointed on promotion in a business firm that deals with electronics products. The essay has discussed in details problems faced by new appointees as team leaders, why they face the problems, what factors leads to the resistance they encounter and how they can effectively solve the problems, and finally what they would do to avoid those problems.