Leadership styles and organizational behavior

A person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country – this is the official definition of the word leader according to the Oxford dictionary. These people are essential within any organisation as they are able to establish and maintain strong teams whom are responsible for executing the functions of the business. However, the qualities that embody a true leader can be much more elusive.

Leadership goes beyond the scope of management. Where the latter functions in enforcing, the former focuses of inspiring. A good leader would commonly exude traits such as: integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity.

One tool available to leaders enabling them to understand how to go about motivating their teams and extracting the most out of the available resources is with the incorporation of organization behaviour techniques.

Firstly, organizational behaviour is the study of both group and individual performance and activity within an organization. This area of study examines human behaviour in a work environment and determines its impact on job structure, performance, communication, motivation, leadership, etc.

Some of most effective techniques used are those of:

• Survey feedback – perhaps the most popular method of data collection by assisting in identifying problems and finding solutions through the evaluation of results.
• Team Building – a technique that assists team members to express their views and see how others interpret it.
• Sensitivity Training – the aim is to help people understand each other and gain insight so that they feel free and become fearless through open-communication and transference of ideas.
• Managerial Grid – this a self-assessment tool by which individuals and organizations can help identify a manager’s or leader’s style. This is done by identifying a leader’s sense of task-centeredness versus their person-centeredness.
• Management by Objectives(MBO) – this mostly conventional method includes providing fixed objectives, The responsibility to achieve them lie on the managers with the expectation of the desired results
• Brain Storming – another commonly used method; herein the participants are asked to come forward with novel ideas on a premise that everyone has a creative mind and the capability to generate new ideas.
• Process Consultation – a method that is somewhat therapeutic in nature, it involves an industry expert providing guidance to a specific individual regarding specific issues and scenarios.
• Quality Circles – this approach encompasses several managers coming together to speak about how to solve different, but pre-determined problems on a regular basis (e.g.; weekly).
• Transactional Analysis – is a technique which helps to understand the behaviour of other person so that communication becomes effective. This is underpinned on identifying the ego-state of the communicator.

Patterns of human behaviour has a directly correlation in the performance or achievements of an organization – both internally and externally. The internal organizational environment includes factors such as: employee morale, commitment, loyalty, work engagement, financial fluctuations, and company structure. Whereas, the external environment includes impactful political, economic, and environmental changes.

Managers need to consider the nature of the people working for them. Employees are individuals from different backgrounds, with a variety of skill sets, personality traits, and world views.

Workers must be treated as a whole person, without judging anyone on any factor apart from their quality of work. Staff members want to be valued, respected, and appreciated for their skills, efforts, and the contribution they make to the success of the organization. They also need opportunities to develop and grow as individuals.

Happy employees drives a positive organizational culture

When leading an organization or team, leaders must remember that the nature of their organization is perceived within the social system in which they collaborate with other organizations, through mutual ethics or interests.

Effective leadership must lead to the advanced performance of team members, improved motivation and morale of teams and to guide teams through times of change. Leadership will ensure organizational success by keeping employees responsible and accountable.

Go and be a brave and excellent leader!

Jeanie