Determining_Your_Perfect_Position

Determining Your Perfect Position Desmond Douglas University of Phoenix Online April 27, 2010 Instructor Panizo Determining Your Perfect Position A managers leadership style influences his or her effectiveness in the workplace because workers expect guidance. A team depends on the leader to dictate or control the situation. In my current position as a Sales Manager for Verizon Fios, my subordinates are definitely responsive to my participative leadership style. “Most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that it involves a process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to guide, structure, and facilitate activities and relationships in a group or organization” (Yuki, 2006). My experience and influence as a sales manager would benefit Verizon if I were Director of the National Sales Acquisition Channel. The knowledge, experience and influence I acquire make me the best candidate for the position. After analyzing the self assessment library, I had a chance to discover that my high conscientiousness means I am dependable, reliable, thorough, organized, able to plan, and persistent. This means I have higher job performance in most occupations. Also, my high scores on extraversion indicate that I may be a good fit for a managerial or sales position. With just a couple of examples from my evaluation, it is evident that a position such as Director of the National Sales Acquisition Channel would benefit from my organization skills, persistence, and extraversion. As Director of the National Sales Acquisition, my duty is to inform, motivate, and inform almost 100 vendors and sub-contractors across the nation that Verizon hires to sell finer-optic service. As a participative leader, I have an advantage. Most executives in upper level management have no idea of field operations, customer issues or concerns that a sales associate must tolerate daily. Coming from a sales associate and sales manager position, I have been a part of the sales process from all levels. “Participative leadership is concerned with power sharing and empowerment of the followers, but it is firmly rooted in the tradition of behavior research as well” (Yuki, 2006). The strengths of using this type of method is earning the employees trust and can receive the feedback that upper level management needs to place the product strategically. Empowering a subordinate could also be detrimental to the company if that employee begins to take the management position for granted.   Coming from a sales associate position, which many consider the frontlines of Verizon Fios, I can relate to many levels of the business. What makes me an effective leader is that I understand what it is like to deal with customers. I also appreciate my subordinates more than a manager who doesn’t have my type of work experience. Gaining respect from subordinates comes from a leader displaying knowledge of the industry, their professionalism and ability to teach subordinates successful ways to attain personal and company goals, and earning trust from subordinates that rewards come with the employee’s efforts. Some managers take subordinate appreciation for granted. I prefer to use participative leadership theory than authoritative leadership theories simply because it’s necessary to include feedback from the employees into the company’s operations. When an employee believes his or her opinions and remarks have value, and upper level management actually implements these suggestions, it empowers an employee. Work performance is more efficient and morale increases in the workplace when the workers make their own decisions based on the situations they face. Considering a good leader takes many factors. Education, practice, and trial and error are all leadership styles that develop over time.  Some believe that a leader is born, although others disagree. In both cases, a leader must still develop his or her style through dedication and determination to be effective. To compare and contrast leadership theories entails recognizing and choosing a method. Supportive leadership: Giving consideration to the needs of subordinates, displaying concern for their welfare, and creating a friendly climate in the work unit. Directive leadership: Letting subordinates know what they are expected to do, giving specific guidance, asking subordinates to follow rules and procedures, and scheduling and coordinating the work. Participative leadership: Consulting with subordinates and taking their opinions and suggestions into account. Achievement-oriented leadership: Setting challenging goals, seeking performance improvements, emphasizing excellence in performance, and showing confidence that subordinates will attain high standards. “According to path-goal theory, the effect of leader behavior on subordinate satisfaction and effort depends on aspects of the situation, including task characteristics and subordinate characteristics. These situational moderator variables determine both the potential for increased subordinate motivation and the manner in which the leader must act to improve motivation. Situational variables also influence subordinate preferences for a particular pattern of leadership behavior, thereby influencing the impact of the leader on subordinate satisfaction” (Yuki, 2006 p.21).   A leader must first establish the legitimacy of his or her authority by appearing competent and trustworthy to his or her followers. When leaders are extremely effective in image management, they are seen as possessing remarkable, charismatic levels of capability and trust. Next, leaders must coach, guide, and support their followers in a way that allows the followers to contribute to group goal attainment while satisfying their own personal needs and goals (Chemers, 2000). An authoritative or directive leader only dictates commands and doesn’t care to hear feedback or opinion from the workers. I have found when a manager disregards workers opinions and suggestions, work satisfaction decreases and the quality of work or work efficiency suffers. No one wants to listen to someone if one doesn’t want to listen themselves. This will be a benefit to Verizon when I am Director of Sales Acquisitions Channel. I will not start the position hoping to gain respect from my subordinates, I already have respect from my subordinates. They will feel more comfortable listening to me as a director because of the experience that I have, but what is more important is that I manage from a ground level perspective. I am approachable, I am assessable, I have genuine concern for employees and will personally help them acquire their personal goals as they help me attain company goals. I definitely use the power-influence approach in my leadership tactics. Working on ground level with my team gives me a true sense of what is going on. It is important that I understand how my followers or subordinates think about the mission, what input they may have that I may not see from my higher position, I like to hear feedback from customers and how other employees feel. I like to be the one to motivate, inspire, and coach my team. I am not egotistical. I'd rather train the next generation of leaders than to have everyone just following me. I like to empower others. I love to hear other peoples success stories. It inspires me to hear the successes of some, just as it motivates me to hear the failures of the less fortunate. "Participative leadership is concerned with power sharing and empowerment of followers, but it is firmly rooted in the tradition of behavior research as well" (Yuki, 2006). I have always had characteristics of a leader ever since I was five years old creating clubhouses, organizing my friends to go on bike trips, collecting dues for the club, selling any and everything I thought I could make a dollar from. Being a leader is just natural. Now that I am older and I have learned even more about people because I have an interest in learning about different cultures, backgrounds, ethics, morals, and principles of people. It is very easy to presume a leadership role in just about anything I have an interest in. To become Director of the Sales Acquiistion Channel at Verizon Fios, I can make a difference in the company, as well as the industry. Considering all of my skills, talents, abilities, influence, and leadership style, this would definitely be the perfect position. References   Chemers, Martin (2000) Leadership Research and Theory: A functional integration. Group dynamics: Theory Research, and Practice, Vol 4(1), Mar, 2000 Yuki, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY: I certify that the attached paper is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or anyone else for any class. I further declare I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas, and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. I have obtained written permission from the copyright holder for any trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet or other sources. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have, the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature: Desmond Douglas