Managerial_Skills

In every company there is a set of policy and procedures that must be followed. One should have some knowledge of the mission and statements of the company. One should also have knowledge if the vision and mission statement of the organization. One should also have complete knowledge of the daily operations and process of not only the business but also the department as well. By knowing ones qualities it will allow him or her to better define the responsibilities that will be most beneficial in the organization success. Identifying ones strengths and weaknesses, a personal leadership style will assist one in the defining processes for which position will be a perfect fit. Examining going over my management skills, I know that the best position that would suit me and my business needs would be my current position as manager/owner. This position has allowed me to exercise my leadership’s skills and effective decisions making skills while developing relationship with others in my business to increase the centers assets and future endeavors. This will be done by relentless marketing and strategic planning involving all team members within the center. Robbins (2007) defines leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. “Leadership is the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organization.” (House et al. 1999) Organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimal effectiveness.” Leadership is a social influence process; it cannot exist without a leader and one or more followers. There are different types of leadership theories, each can be applied to fit various situations that may arise in a company’s daily activities. By taking the prentice hall self assessment on my leadership style, it concluded that the leadership style that matches my personality is a task-oriented individual. This type of individual primary concerns is ensuring that the job is able to be done. The theories in leadership approaches have set standards for each individual to facilitate what actions needs to be taken. Based on my experience at my current place of employment, “Paul Hershey and Ken Blanchard have developed a leadership model that has gained a strong following among management development specialist. This model-called situational leadership theory (SLT) is used by more than one million managers a year within any give organization. According to Robin and Judge (2007), the emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leader. Effectiveness depends on the actions of the followers, regardless of what the leader does. The term readiness refers to the extent to which people have the ability and willingness to accommodate a specific task. This leadership style concentrates on the task at hand and getting the most out of the individual. For example, in an inexperience worker who displays immature behavior when dealing with a certain task given, leadership must ensure that direct supervision and step by instructions is given to individual while completing the task. This allows the employee to develop confidence in his ability to complete the job that is required of the employees. One of the strength of this type of leadership is that he or she is providing hands- on- training to that individual. It can be concluded that the task will be completed accurately and in a timely manner. One weakness would occur when attention is redirected to a single individual and that may take away from other subordinates that need constant guidance to improve their skills and productivity. In these theories, the objective is to ensure that the task is done properly. In a leadership substitute theory, the subordinated behavior triggers the outcome of the situation or task needed to be performed. As noted by Howell and colleagues (1990, p. 23),” behavior substitutes focus on if subordinates are receiving needed task guidance and incentives to perform without taking it for granted that the formal leader is the primary supplier.” With that in mind, effective role as a leader must be clearly defined. In the leadership substitute theory, the task characteristics stated employees can quickly learn the appropriate skills for their given task without extensive training, and direction by the leader. The employees become self sufficient when they believe that any given task or situation presented can be handled without intervention from leadership. Whether one is managing a team at work or even leading a business, ones leadership style is important to his or her success. Developing an understanding of one’s leadership style, one can be more flexible and better for a leader. I would describe my leadership style as the Situational Approach. This approach emphasizes the importance of appropriate factors that influence leadership processes. As describe by Yukl (2006), major situational variables include the characteristics of followers, the nature performed by the leader’s division, the type of organization, and the nature of the external environment. In my role as a manager of a Daycare Center Preschool program, I will be able to use my leadership style to create an environment based on trust, open communication, creative thinking, and consistent team effort. It is the job of a leader of a team not only to ensure that the standards of the team are high and that the tasks are been assigned, but also to ensure that the team spirit and moral is kept. I will also be able to motivate and encourage team member to achieve any goals that been set forth by me. I will be communicating with different teams that display various work habits within the center. If a certain team is not meeting the set goals for the center, it must be addressed immediately. My leadership style will allow me to coach and develop any team members as well as resolve any dysfunctional behaviors that may arise. The role of a team leader is important because, I should be able to recognize and acknowledge any contributions and ideas of all my team members. My current day center focuses on the quality of education that children of different ages receive. For this process to take place, I must ensure that all employees are trained and fully comprehend the tools and curriculums that it takes to identify any areas that need improvement. When I am short on staff, I will make sure that the substitutes know what is expected of them. An example of task oriented behaviors include; setting specific goals and standards of performance, assigning work to groups or individuals, and organizing work activities to improve efficiency. Effective leadership begins when subordinates think empowered to complete a task without constant supervision. Often leadership is confused with the managing of a company. “Management involves planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. A manger has formal authority by virtue of his or her position. Leadership, by contrast, primarily deals with influence. A manager may or may not be an effective leader. A leader’s ability to influence others may be based on a variety of factors other than his or her formal authority or position (Marilyn M Helms, Gale Cenage, 2006).” Several assessments are available that will help one determine what is or her leadership style. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses, along with my personal leadership style, I will be able to define and determine which leadership position will best suit me.