The peer reviewed article “Values as Foundation: The Role of Values in Leadership and organizations” is written by Harvey Kaufman who works as a Collaboration Consultant with Interaction Associates, Inc. His work mainly entails helping companies deal with resistance to change by providing individuals with the mindset and expertise of thinking strategically.
In this article, the author argues about the significance of organizations maintaining their values in action in their daily dealings with their workers and clients. He notes that while many companies have well adorned core values, their significance and relevance to the day-to-day functioning of the company have been thwarted (Kaufman, 2005). The author also points out that leaders should behave in a manner that reflect the organization’s core values, the thinking and actions of employees should be guided by the values, and an organization should be accountable for the behaviors stipulated in its core values.
This article is very significant in assisting an organization in maintaining its core values since they have tangible application in its various aspects. First, in this current competitive job market, core values assist an organization during the recruitment process by determining the relation between the job seeker’s values and the company’s values. Therefore, this reduces the friction between the employee and the company. Second, in combination with the company’s mission and vision, core values assist a company in setting appropriate direction to follow (Sims & Quatro, 2005). Lastly, defined values are significant in decision-making. This is because in making important decisions, managers will try to align them with the company’s core values so as to validate the direction taken.
This material plays an important role in my life since it will help me in defining my own core values as a person. Core values are very much important in life since they provide the basis for building a person’s life by defining a person by what he or she personally stands for (Leboeuf, n.d.). More so, since I want to be a successful manager, this article has assisted me to develop the relationship between my core values and philosophy of leadership as well as develop appropriate strategies on how I can realize the goals of whatever company I will be working for.
The next peer-reviewed article, written by Gary Yukl, is titled “Leadership in Organizations.” The author is Professor of Management and Leadership at the State University of New York in Albany. He is a renowned scholar and writer on leadership. In this article, the author focuses on managerial leadership aspects in large companies. These aspects include effective leadership strategies, participation and empowerment, leading change in organizations, the role of teamwork, leadership development, and ethical leadership and diversity.
The author stresses, “Personality traits are considered especially relevant to successful leadership, and those highlighted ad the most pertinent include energy levels and stress tolerance, self-confidence, internal orientation, emotional maturity, and maturity” (Yukl, 2001, p.2). “Leadership in Organizations” covers a broad survey of theory and research of leadership in formal organizations in an attempt to bridge the widening gulf between academics and management practitioners.
The significance of this article is that it highlights the role of effective leadership skills in the success of an organization. Currently, effective leadership is crucial for ensuring that an organization maintains a competitive edge in the market. Effective leadership is the hub of an organization since it acts as a liaison between all the parties concerned with running the organization.
It is important to note that providing the workforce with the necessary expertise and behaviour is able to make an organization to realize its objectives (Covey, 1991). Leadership ensures that team spirit is upheld, as all the parties would strive to work as a composite whole in meeting the requirements of the organization. “Leadership in Organizations” has a specific focus on these elements.
Since I am an aspiring manager, this material influences me in a number of ways. First, since leadership techniques are increasingly becoming central for the success of organizations, the material has assisted me in understanding my leadership styles and tendencies. Therefore, this will help me to develop integrity and demonstrate it every day by providing clear expectations to the employees, monitor destructive emotions in the organization, and exhibit remarkable interpersonal skills (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Second, understanding my leadership style will help me in developing appropriate strategies for achieving the goals of the organization by interacting freely with everyone and avoiding conflicts at the place of work.
Lastly, Prof. Sunil V. Chaudhary, who is a lecturer at Semcom College Vallabh, India, is the author of the article titled “Organizational Behavior in Practice.” In this article, the author illustrates the practical aspects of organizational behavior. He points out that because of the ever-changing demands of the workforce, organizational behavior is fundamental in enhancing the management style of different organizations (Chaudhary, 2010).
Organizational behaviour scrutinizes the various types of employees in all kinds of diverse circumstances. The study of organizational behavior seeks to benefit those in managerial and supervisory positions in a number of ways. It is important in all the different aspects of the organization. Chaudhary maintains that organizational behaviour aims to understand the human behaviour in an organization and its association with the organization.
The study of organizational behavior can significantly contribute to the enhancement of the effectiveness of an organization in various ways. First, because of the unpredictable behavior of employees, it helps the management of an organization in understanding the various distinct needs and motivation factors that influence the behavior of the employees (Griffin & Moorhead, 2010; Robbins, 1994).
Second, organization behavior provides techniques for establishing effective interpersonal relationship at the place of work; therefore, this assists in avoiding disagreements that can lead to reduction of productivity amongst the employees. Next, organizational behavior proposes appropriate incentive systems that an organization can use to motivate its employees towards realizing its overall objectives (Kelly & Kelly, 1998). Lastly, this article is significant since it emphasizes that when organizational culture has turned into the very culture of a business enterprise, it will be able to experience significant progress in its development.
This material influences me to develop good interpersonal skills. This is because in most duties in an organization, one is required to have good interpersonal relationship with others in order to do them better (Baker, 1985). Effective performance of tasks requires an excellent understanding of others and even the employee’s own interpersonal skills. To handle grievances, which are an everyday occurrence within a company, one is usually advised to posses the ability to compromise for a win-lose outcome and strive at best for a win-win outcome or at the very least, an acceptable result. However, achieving this requires one to recognize the needs and perspectives of other people, which is a tenet of organizational behavior postulated by this article.
Reference List
Baker, M. (1985). Marketing Strategy and Management. London: Macmillan.
Chaudhary, S. V. (2010). Organizational Behavior in Practice. Articlesbase. Web.
Covey, S. R. (1991). Principle-centered leadership. New York: Summit Books.
Griffin, R., & Moorhead, G. (2010). Organizational Behaviour: Managing People and Organizations. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Kaufman, H. (2005). Values as Foundation: The Role of Values in Leadership and Organizations. Leader Values. Web.
Kelly, J., & Kelly, L. (1998). An existential-systems approach to managing organizations. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2002). The leadership challenge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Leboeuf, C. M. (n.d.). Developing a leadership philosophy. US Military Academy. Web.
Robbins, P. (1994). Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Sims, R. R., & Quatro, S. A. (2005). Leadership: succeeding in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. London: M.E. Sharpe.