Online Tutoring on Leadership

Summary:

A competent leadership had always played a major role among the society or business organizations. It is the distinctive qualities that make an individual a leader. These qualities are either natural or earned by training or experience. Leaders taking aid of their unique qualities lead’s a group of their followers towards a designated target. Leaders adopt different leadership styles as per the type of their followers or the goals that are to be achieved.

Whereas for leadership to be effective it is vital that the followers must acknowledge the guidance of their leader. Therefore, leadership qualities might be ineffective unless the leader is capable of utilizing his qualities in a most competitive manner. Successful business organizations are the outcome of effective implementation of leadership qualities.

Introduction:

Individuals in our society or at work place are more often inspired by a specific personality, and try’s to follow his actions, messages and directives. Such specific personalities possess unique characteristics, skills and attitudes which makes them a role model for many. These unique qualities are developed either through experience, learning or are gift of nature. Such individual personalities hold a meaningful status among the society or a corporate organization, being recognized as a leader. Leaders are born and not made; leadership consists of certain intrinsic traits or qualities that a person either has or has not (Adair, 2005, p.9).

Leaders in support of their specific characteristics lead or guide a group of individuals to achieve a particular goal. In business organizations it is the leadership qualities of an individual that enables him to make effective decisions, motivate the workers, avails opportunities and design future plans to achieve the desired targets. Establishing communication links and persuading the workers to produce the best and ability to counter with the challenges defines good leadership qualities.

Leader’s competency of enhancing motivation and loyalty level among its followers, persuading them for achieving the desired goals, taking right decision at the right time and availing opportunities for the benefit of community/organization, reflects true leadership qualities. Leadership is the process of inspiring, influencing, directing, and guiding others to participate in a common effort (Cassidy & Kreitner, 2010, p.29).

The current scenario of globalization and rapidly changing economies has highlighted the importance of competent leadership in business organizations. It is the leader’s skills that lead its organizations to success and retain its position among the highly competitive markets. It is the leadership qualities that define goals for the workers, provide directives and motivate them to achieve the goals. Leadership is the ability to influence individuals and groups to cooperatively achieve organizational goals (Burrow, Kleindl & Everard, 2008, p.296)

Fast food business is one of the most competitive and challenging business at present. Leaders of such business who effectively implement their leadership qualities are able to cope up with the market challenges and run the business operations profitably.

Leader’s role in an organization:

Organizational leaders perform for the best interest of its organization and at the same time for its employees. Their performances are in compliance with the ethical values, equality and effective communication. As noted by Johnson (2015) that a leader’s job is to work through others to achieve specific goals. By taking employees on board in the decision making processes, leaders gain their loyalty, thus their motivation level is enhanced.

As stated by Blanchard & Barrett (2013) that in high performing organizations, leadership practices support collaboration and involvement. Leader’s responsibilities are collective of, illustrating organizational targets, designing management strategies, implementing employee’s motivational plans, and organizing the workforce to achieve organizational targets. One of the most significant leadership qualities is to develop the work interest and enthusiasm among the employees. Effective leaders influence followers to think not only of their own interest but also of the interest of the organization through a shared vision (Lussier & Achua, 2010, p.7). Also, leaders adopt flexible strategies to counter with the continuously changing challenges both internal and external. They are self-motivated, broad minded, good communicators and task oriented.

Leadership Styles:

Every individual leadership portrays a different style in leading its followers. The leadership is more likely to be influenced by the followers and the goal that is to be achieved. Leadership in a business setup is quite different from that of leadership of community or society.

In the current era, when the technical advancements are at its height, global economy is not stable, market competition is increasing every day and consumer demands are constantly changing, business organizations needs an effective leadership that will lead the organization towards its desired targets. Successful leaders articulate the vision and the mission in such a way as to inspire a desire for an eventual commitment to the accomplishment of the goals and objectives (Gottlieb, 2007, p.79).

Effective leaders not only make sole decisions but also take the aid of employee’s feedbacks, ideas and suggestions, prior to finalizing the decision and implements different strategies to upgrade the employee’s moral. In business environment the most successful and commonly adopted leadership style is ‘Transformational Leadership’. Transformational leadership is practiced when the leader intellectually stimulates the subordinates, excites, arouses and inspires them to perform beyond their expectations (Kondalkar, 2009, p.285).

The Fast Food Industry:

The rapid pace of today’s lifestyle has been the major support for plethora growth of fast food outlets. Due to the excessive number of such outlets and consumer’s demands, extreme level of competition is witnessed. Each individual fast food business is continuously modifying its policies and implementing new strategies to lead the market. Whereas, all such actions are directly linked with the leadership skills of the individual at the leader’s position, of a particular business setup. As the organization faces the realities of day to day competition, it must continually morph, and these adjustments are reflected in ongoing incremental changes to objectives and priorities (Groe, 2005, p.66).

It is the leader who foresight the challenges, capable of making accurate decisions and are proficient to persuade the employees for contributing their share to achieve the organizational targets. For a business to be successful, its organizational culture must fit the competitive environment (Kleindl, 2007, p.286).

Domino’s:

It is one of the top rated fast food chains in Australia, with more than hundred outlets all over the country. Domino’s has been successful in capturing much of the market share due to its effective leadership qualities. Domino’s has developed many programs for the benefit and upgrading of its employees and as the employees are more devoted and motivated. Whereas, continuously introducing new innovations has made Domino’s the market leaders.

Leadership at Domino’s:

The leader of international food chain ‘Domino’s’ portrays a true transformational leadership style. The leadership of Domino’s believes that a strong team culture will be an advantage for the company to retain its market position among its competitors. Company’s policies are based on the theme to value others the same way you wish to be valued. Whereas the parent company’s policies are inherited by all the franchises the world over and hence they are successful in attaining their targets.

Further we will analyze the leadership strategies of Domino’s in accordance with the components of Transformational leadership.

Charismatic Motivation: As quoted by Schermerhorn (2012) that truly great leaders are extraordinarily good at turning their visions into accomplishments. The founder of Domino’s Tom Monaghan, has been innovative and stubborn towards his aims throughout his career. Starting from almost nil and ending up a millionaire is due to his optimistic attitude, well informed of the market trends, consumer’s demand while availing advantages of the opportunities modified his personality as inspiring for his followers. Followers trust charismatic leaders, are loyal to them, and are inspired to work toward the accomplishment of the leader’s vision (Williams, 2016, p.404). Leaders’ working style, devotion, foresightedness and effective decision making makes him a role model for his followers, thus unintentionally impressed by their leader, followers put in their full efforts for accomplishing the organizational tasks. Strong moral and ethical standards cause followers to imitate them (Land, 2014, p.54).
Employees Concern: the work force of any organization is its main source of its entire operations. Business organization might not prosper in the long terms where the work force are least motivated, feels insecure and are not well communicated with the top management. As noted by Rodriques (2000) that as organizations need people and people also need organizations, people can use organizations and organizations can use people to reach their objectives by communicating properly with one and other.

Employees at Domino’s are more devoted and enthusiastic. There are many examples of Domino’s employees who started as a simple delivery boy and within few years established his own individual outlet of Domino’s, while many are promoted to senior management levels. At Domino’s employees are quite confident about their job’s future status. The leadership of Domino’s gives particular importance for its employee’s up gradation, hiring and retaining the best. Best performing employees are awarded with incentives, casual leaves or promotions. While to further develop employee’s skills, an in-house pizza college is in operation, many employees have been benefited from it. Moreover, to support the deserving staff members a non-profit organization is established. This organization provides funds to the employees of Domino’s during their crisis times. Thus, investing in the employees to improve the service parallels making a direct investment in the improvement of a manufactured product (Zeithaml et al, 2006).

Creativity: As noted by Land (2014) that transformational leadership emphasizes influence and inspirational motivation. These leaders stimulate their follower’s efforts to be innovative and creative by questioning assumptions, reframing problems and approaching old situation in new ways (Sengupta & Bhattacharya, 2007, p.138). At Domino’s there is an effective communication link among the employees and the top management. Periodically formal and informal day-out for employees are conducted, as a strategy to get their feedbacks. Their ideas and suggestions are welcomed and considered for any future strategy or finalizing a decision.
Mission Statement: it defines the purpose of existence of an organization, and all participants of organizational operations must be well acquainted with the vision of their organization. The working principle of each individual Domino’s outlet is based on its mission statement. The company informs its employees of what it considers its vision and what it wants to be (Morris, 1996, p.45). The employees at Domino’s during the course of their pre-job training are clearly elaborated about the mission of the company and are required to perform in compliance with the company’s mission. This enables them to be more informed about their job requirements and procedures for accomplishing their task. Research has shown that firms where employees understand organizational goals have considerably higher returns on capital than those where employees feel excluded or uninformed (Dennis & Harris, 2002, p.158).
Adaptability: Domino’s have been regularly introducing new innovations for its prospective and regular customers. Considering the busy life schedules and changing consumers demand, the leadership of Domino’s took advantage of advance internet technology by introducing online ordering services, further for the facility of its customers who are continuously on the move started online ordering iPhone application. Later on by inducting Domino’s android App and online pizza tracking to its innovation’s list, the leadership proved its capabilities of staying ahead among the most competitive and challenging market. In broad terms, an innovations can be understood as the ‘successful introduction of something new and useful, for example introducing new methods, techniques, or practices or new or altered products and services (Font, Courbage & McGuire, 2009, p.220).

Conclusion:

The busy life schedule, remarkable increase in global population, and globalization has generated more complex challenges for the business organizations. Moreover, the new advance technologies have made the people more knowledgeable producing high demands. Thus more pressure is exerted on organizational leaders to navigate their organization through all such challenges.