Leadership In American Community Colleges -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Leadership In American Community Colleges? Answer: Introduction Based on the topic, Bill Gates can be considered as one of the known personalities with the traits and behaviors like that of a transactional leader. Bill Gates can be portrayed in multiple ways, as a billionaire, humanitarian, IT business tycoon, perceptive interpreter of future technologies. He is not only the worlds richest man but he can be considered as a prominent leader who has transformed the whole world in form of technological renovation. Based on the leadership style of Bill Gates, he can be tagged as a transactional leader (Colbert, Barrick Bradley, 2014). On the other hand, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, the largest shopping portals in the world can be considered as a transformational leader, who has changed his leadership style from being transactional. It can be considered that Jeff Bezos and Amazon have traveled together from the first and the main credit that contributes to the success of both the company and the owner is his transformation in the leadership (Rock, 2014). Based on the innovations and the leadership strategies that Jeff has taken the initiatives to change in the company to help it become one of the high grossing e-commerce companies of all time helps conclude Jeff as a transformational leader (Chou et al., 2013). Organizational introductions Microsoft is the major player in the Information Technology platform with the operating system as one of the very base of this whole industry. The company has been created in the year of 1975 until the year of 2006. Microsoft has not only been responsible for the production of computer-based operating systems but the company has taken the initiative to introduce multiple portable devices to its large consumer base. Bill Gates had been primarily held for the responsibilities regarding the changes in the companys product strategy (Burke Barron, 2014). He had uncompromisingly broadened the companys product range that has in turn helped Microsoft achieve a dominant position in the global market. In the early phases of Microsoft, the focus was kept more on the achievement, rather than reassurance, well-being, and retention of the staffs (Dale, 2015). Based on which some of the critics have argued that the company only broadened the spectrum to satisfy the customer base but nothing has be en done to invent newer product lines (Goetsch Davis, 2014). However, it can be considered that it is the transactional style of leadership that has helped the company to touch soaring heights. On the contrary, Amazon is the typical example of a company, which has led the way of e-commerce. It is an American e-commerceandcloud-computingcompany, which is based inSeattle, Washingtonand was established byJeff Bezosin the year of 1994. It can be considered that the successful repositioning of the core business along with active investment in the new growth of the business has helped Amazon expand its founding retailing platform into innovative categories, such as groceries and entertainment content streaming. With parallel to the same, it has built the worlds largest cloud computing enterprise known as the Amazon Web Solutions. With the company generating revenue of $ 135.99 billion in the year of 2016, Jeff Bezos has surpassed Bill Gates to top in the Forbes list of the richest man in the world. This success, in turn, can be contributed to the transactional turned transformational style of leadership of Jeff Bezos. Transactional Leadership vs. Transformational Leadership Northouse (2015) considers that the transactional leadership styles are more apprehensive with the maintenance of the standardized flow of the operations. In simple words, transactional leadership can be described as helping keep an organization sustained in the competition. It can be stated that the transactional leaders utilize disciplinary powers along with an assortment of incentives to help motivate employees to perform at their best (DInnocenzo, Mathieu Kukenberger, 2016). The phrase "transactional" signifies the fact that this type of leader fundamentally encourages subordinates and staffs by the exchange of rewards for performance. A transactional leader usually does not look forward to the strategic guidance of an organization to a position of market leadership; instead, the leaders are solely concerned with smoothly flowing of the operations. Based on the analysis, Bill Gates is a perfect example of a Transactional Leader (Daft, 2014). On the contrary, transformational leadership goes much more beyond the management of the daily procedures and devises strategies for taking the company, its departments or the working team to a subsequent level of performance and accomplishment (Braun et al., 2013). Transformational leadership styles primly focus on the building teams, motivation and collaboration with the employees at the different levels of an organization to adopt changes for the betterment. The transformational leaders set the goals, objectives and the incentives to push and motivate the associates and subsidiaries to a higher level of performance while imparting with opportunities for both personal and professional growth for each individual staff (Odumeru Ogbonna, 2013). On a further note, it can be added that this kind of leadership and strategies are long surviving and flexible, which is a total opposite to the transactional style of leadership (McCleskey, 2014). With relevance to this kind of leadership, Je ff Bezos can be considered as one of the famous persona adopting the transformational style of leadership. Strategies that help consider Bill Gates as a Transactional Leader Bill Gates has been represented as a commanding and stern leader to his adversaries as well as to his employees. He has productively altered Microsoft into a stable domination. In order to maintain the companys existing status, Gates had kept the center of attention on creating barriers to the new candidates or employees. Besides being a staunch leader, he had strictly kept control over the organizations production process to enable them to be received by the patrons. Bill Gates is not really known for his engaging or adaptive communication strategies. Rather, he is known for his rude, abrasive nature that is often dismissive of others ideas. For example, it is well evident from the idea that he once addressed his hiring process as non-selection of bozos, who will tell him how to run the business. This, in turn, demonstrates his prescience in the hiring process by actively selecting the dedicated and hard-working individuals at the initial development stages of Microsoft. His task-or iented behavior is evident by the display of strong personality attributes such as focus, passion and as a confronting taskmaster (Hackman Johnson, 2013). Jeff Bezos, on the other hand, can be reverted to the fact that Jeff is the best leaders in the existing time. This is evident from the fact about the growth and performance of Amazon in the international market. Amazon is the result of the vision, the long-term application of the strategies, the inspiration, and the innovation, which is not accepted by most other leaders. The successful repositioning of the operation and the expansion of the other ends of the business helped Amazon to grow on a large scale. Large-scale introduction of product lines, services and business opportunities and innovating business models by the CEO is the primary key that has contributed to the economic growth and performance of the company. These attributions have helped conclude the fact that Jeff Bezos is one of the prospective leaders in the current space. With respect to the qualities of a normal individual, transformational leaders are just regular people. However, these kinds of leadership are not about the position, the designation or the amount of money generated but a good transitional leader is about humbleness, passion, and vision. It is not only making one great but also helping other to expand to a higher level of greatness. Jeff Bezos inspire others with his vision and complies with the fact that vision does not count without actions and innovations. He certainly considers that vision and innovation needs a long-term implementation. Evident from an example regarding the qualities of Jeff as a leader, it is apparent from the point that he considers the customers to be the greatest asset of Amazon and takes an extreme level of measures to embrace and bind his customers to the business. Organizational management in Microsoft under Transactional Leadership Microsoft can be considered as a highly stressful environment because of Bill Gates, who drove others as hard as he directed himself. Bill evidently grew into a taskmaster who would literally stalk the parking lot on the weekends to see who had made to the office premises. The employees keep into boiling and it eventually gets on their nerves by the fact that Gates constantly keeps a push to drive them to their limits. It can be assumed that Gates as a transactional leader likes to sort out things in a rigorous, one-on-one discussions. He prospers on conflicts and does not hesitate in instigating the same. Being a task-oriented leader, he has helped the official groups to understand their goals by providing a sequence of steps that structures their initial meetings. In terms of managing the people, Bill considers that if the individuals can be directed towards the problem with its solution at the same time, then they can be motivated to jump into action, without any delay. In other w ords, it can be assumed that Bill Gates motivate the employees and helps them grow in his own manner and under tough situations that can help them prosper and sustain in the tough competition. However, the major change that takes place in the company when Satya Nadella takes the place of a CEO in the company, who brought a wealthy experience, an exceptional international perspective, and aleadership style, which would be tested as he commands an employee base of over 100,000 professionals. Amid new possibilities that spawned from a diverse assortment of tech platforms, ever-expanding wireless and mobile markets that have been continuing to explode across the marketplace along with a recent history of playing catch-up to other Silicon Valley upstarts, Nadella has been appointed to carve out a bigger slice of market share for Microsoft. Organizational management in Amazon under Transformational Leadership Two of the effective management strategies that have been adopted by Jeff Bezos is customer-centric service and more expectations from the employees. It can be said that Jeff Bezos places a great deal of focus on the customer needs and demands. The management through the information of customers hating delays, defects and out-of-stock products are the major issues that are being taken into consideration (Bolman Deal, 2017). One example of more expectation from the employees is followed by the fact that Amazon has 500 employees just for the sole task of email answering. Each of them is expected to answer 12 emails per minute and can be possibly fired if that number dropped below 7. By having high expectations of his employees, Bezos has created an incredibly efficient machine, which is now famous for being able to make same-day deliveries in more than a dozen US cities. This change can be considered as one of the strategies that would keep the competencies amongst the employees activ e and in turn help the company to be become more flourishing (Raes et al., 2013). It can also be added that through this leadership style individualized consideration to followers by paying attention to and meeting the needs of followers can be exhibited. In the process, Jeff Bezos as a transformational leader serves as role model for his followers, thus allowing them to identify the organizational vision, and help provide a sense of meaning and achievement (Noruzy et al., 2013). Contrast of Incremental and Radical Changes In contrast to the incremental changes, it can be defined as the innovation which is mostly concerned with the existing product, service, process, organization or perhaps a method, whose performance has been significantly enhanced or upgraded. In simple words, incremental changes are small changes that are comparatively slow and unplanned, with predefined results. On the contrary, the radical changes can be considered as certain disruptive changes that have a significant impact on the market as well as the economic activity of the organization. This change is also known as the transformational changes that work side by side with the employees along with the leader. Organizational changes that take place in Microsoft Based on the analysis it can be considered that the company did not take up or undergo any major change, thus a few changes that have been undertaken can be considered to be incremental in nature. For example, Incremental changes can be exhibited when Microsoft decides to come up with newer versions of Microsoft and upgrade the existing user interface of the operating platform to give a good user-friendly work experience to all of the customers. Newer introduction and expansion of product lines also falls under incremental changes as it is certain that people are influenced by not highly patronized by the same. The certain changes in the leadership style by the new CEO are yet to be tested and it can be considered that these changes would not affect the existing management of the company. On the contrary, the changes in Amazon can be considered to be radical, due to the sudden changes in the business expansions. The highly expanding platform of the previously e-commerce platforms is now going to service a wider customer base with service that has never been expected to be provided by an online retail seller, such a grocery, entertainment, networking services (Kerzner, 2013). The changes in the logo of Amazon is a change that signifies a big meaning of making the customer smile with the a-z services that are being provided. Even though the company did not undergo major changes, yet this sudden expansion can be considered to be a radical change. Perception of an incremental change for a radical change along with the role of leader Sudden and drastic changes in an organization can certainly affect an individual working in the organization, which in turn can take a toll on their performance, the mindset, and strategies of working in a predictable environment. For example, an employee who is working for Amazon, in the basic customer retailing and product supply can work under proper guidance under the manager, who can help guide them to cope with the radical changes. However, if the same employee is transferred to a different expanded wing of the company, he/ she might face stress, which can, in turn, the performance of the employee (Antonakis Day, 2017). It can also be added that the sales and promotion of the parent company products are not same as the newer products or expanded service that the company has introduced in line. Based on the two changes, it can be elaborated that often-incremental changes taken by a leader can be perceived as radical changes by employees due to differentiation in the perspective s. However, this perception of the individuals is subjected to certain factors that can be taken into consideration such as expertise, qualification, confidence, and guidance from the leader (Reiche, Mendenhall Stahl, 2016). For example, the transference of an employee into a different operational wing might not affect the employees with adequate knowledge and experience but this incremental change can affect a new individual who would be relocated all of a sudden. Gradual implementation of a radical change It can be considered that indeed the radical changes can introduce slowly and steadily in the process. It can further be added that the radical changes can appear to be a sudden and tough move, that just comes out of nowhere and can hit the employees, from where it is least expected. However, it can be assured that these changes are entirely subjected to the needs and demands of the company and as per the requirements of the leader (Cameron Green, 2015). For example, the organizational policies in Amazon can be incorporated and modified slowly, keeping the employees in mind. Sudden changes can not only drive the employees into shock but also affect their performance. The only means to control the same is to steadily, inform the employees to avert clash in the workplace, thus saving the company from criticism and defamation. Potential barriers faced by the leaders in implementing the changes Based on secondary research it has been found that Amazon has recently expanded its divisions and Jeff Bezos have alleged bought the Washington Post under his control. Even though this strategy has been considered as one of the motives to lean and expand the profits, yet according to President Donald Trump, this can be considered as a motive to evade tax. The main reason that is responsible for this kind of perception is the question of why a retail owner would look forward to buying a newspaper. Challenges due to change in the business model No matter how effective is the business model how effective the strategies might be, it has been always under the impression that the business model of Amazon is highly pressurizing and complicated, even though there is no doubt regarding the leadership of Jeff Bezos. It can be added that the workload in the organization is tremendous and extreme. Lack of the customer service With the following change, it can be considered that the customer-centric company can face probable barriers due to the extension in the business model and wings, where it would be difficult to manage the demands of each customer, imparting a load on the employees, thus rising to chaos. Mismanagement of the employees With the extension of the business model and the expansion, there can be a potential mismanagement of the employees due to the rising needs and demands to meet the customer services of the ever-expanding customer base. This, in turn, can affect the existing diversity of the company. Clear financial report to keep a track of the financial transactions In response to the allegation, the company can keep a transparency in the financial transactions, including the tax records, to keep a clarity in the financial operations and activities of the company. This, in turn, can not only keep the company clean and free from allegation but would help in restructuring the business model. Simplification of the Business model The business model can be restricted to a simplification that can be easy enough for everyone to accept and follow the same. This would not only help the employees to understand and comply with the operations but also help the company to work on further improvements. Imparting of proper training The customers are the prime key to the success of the company and inadequacy in the customer-centric activities can severely affect the operations of the company. Imparting of proper training to the staffs and employees can help understand the value of time management, customer demands, and service. Improvising the HRM of the company The managing of the employees due to the radical changes can be a crucial task, the employees can be imparted with proper knowledge and coordination, that can help facilitate better performance and activity from their end. Relocation in the departments can obviously strain the employees but managing the diversity can solve the issue. Using Lewin's three-step change model The three stages of the model developed by Kurt Lewin has been used to manage the change in the organization, Microsoft. They are as follows. Unfreezing This step is the first stage of the change process, which mainly involves the revelation and the acceptance of an idea that has been unfrozen to create an awareness about the idea that has generated. For example, Microsoft wishes to implement a new service "Cortana" with all the Microsoft operating systems, which would help the users to filter their searching options. Changing This is the second stage of the process and involves the initiating of the alteration process, which enforces the movement to a level of stability. This stage is mainly the balance where the changes transfer from the initial to the final stages of the change. For example, the new CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella explains the significance and the benefits of the new changes that would be implemented. This would also help the employees understand the need for change. Refreezing This is the final stage of the change that is finally incorporated into the system and has been consolidated based on the activities that have been done to successfully implement the same. For example, after the successful implementation of Cortana in the Windows system, the benefits of the application has helped the employees understand the usefulness of the same. This, in turn, has motivated the employees to rethink and introduce more useful application based functions that can benefit everyone. Using Kotters 8 step change model The eight stages of the model developed by John Kotter has been used to manage the change in the organization, Amazon. They are as follows. Stage 1: Urgency This stage refers to the need for urgency. The need for urgency refers to a need for a change in the organization, which in turn justifies the change in the organization to be an urgent matter for the implementation. For example, there is an urgent need to implement and restructure the time management process in terms of a certain perishable product that the company offers to the valued customers. However, for the urgent implementation of change, the employees need to see the need for the change. Stage 2: Coalition Formation The second stage of the model involves the selection of the right employees for the job with the appropriate skills to deliver a perfect service. For example, Jeff Bezos has divided the operational teams who expertise in the customer service and time management to amplify the better service (Hawkins, 2017). Stage 3: Vision for change This stage involves the developing of a vision for the company as well as helps the employees look forward in the same prospect regarding that change that needs to be implemented in the organization. For example, Jeff Bezos visions to make Amazon the best e-commerce retailer in the world. The extensive leadership skills of Jeff would lead him to achieve the same due to his focused, visionary, appealing and extensive leadership skills. Stage 4: Communication of the Vision This is the fourth stage where the vision corresponds to every employee so that develop awareness about the vision and could help improvise the same. For example, organizing of regular communication sessions and meetings can be helpful to disseminate the ideas and the concepts to the employees regarding the managing of the change in the company (Roueche, Baker III Rose, 2014). Stage 5: Obstacles Removal Based on this model, there are several challenges that can come upon the path of implementation of the change, which in turn needs to be taken care of. For example, Jeff faced several challenges in the process of implementation of his vision to make Amazon a diversified company. He faced several challenges for political background along with the management of the company, but these challenges have been worked out with his better communication and leadership skills. Stage 6: Short-term goals - The sixth stage of the change model can be explained as imparting of small appreciation tokens and incentives to the employees in the beginning of change, which would motivate the employees to contribute more on their efforts. For example, Jeff managed to appreciate the employees with a small token of appreciation and incentives after each season to keep them motivated and active in their interaction and participation. Stage 7: Building of change This stage of change building can be addressed as the implementation of the change for some point of time. However, the implementation of the change is subjected to the time. For example, Jeff allows the target of each team to maintain the competition and efficiency of the team for better implementation of the organizational change. The setting of the target also helps the employees to be indirectly directed towards adapting to the change (Barna, 2013). Stage 8: Consolidating the change in the workplace diversity The final stage of the model refers to the permanent consolidation of the change in the work culture and the diversity, where the main objectives, principles are cultivated within the employee's perception on a regular base. The regular implementation, in turn, takes a permanent shape in the work culture. For example, the better management and shortening of the time management for the deliveries, on a wide array of products have resulted in immense customer satisfaction as a result, newer clients have generated, who have switched from other services and existing clients have remained on the same side. References Antonakis, J., Day, D. V. (Eds.). (2017).The nature of leadership. Sage publications. Barna, G. (2013).The power of team leadership: Achieving success through shared responsibility. WaterBrook. Bolman, L. G., Deal, T. E. (2017).Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley Sons. Braun, S., Peus, C., Weisweiler, S., Frey, D. (2013). Transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and team performance: A multilevel mediation model of trust.The Leadership Quarterly,24(1), 270-283. Burke, R., Barron, S. (2014).Project management leadership: building creative teams. John Wiley Sons. Cameron, E., Green, M. (2015).Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers. Chou, H. W., Lin, Y. H., Chang, H. H., Chuang, W. W. (2013). Transformational leadership and team performance: The mediating roles of cognitive trust and collective efficacy.Sage Open,3(3), 2158244013497027. Colbert, A. E., Barrick, M. R., Bradley, B. H. (2014). Personality and leadership composition in top management teams: Implications for organizational effectiveness.Personnel Psychology,67(2), 351-387. DInnocenzo, L., Mathieu, J. E., Kukenberger, M. R. (2016). A meta-analysis of different forms of shared leadershipteam performance relations.Journal of Management,42(7), 1964-1991. Daft, R. L. (2014).The leadership experience. Cengage Learning. Dale, B. (2015).Total quality management. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Goetsch, D. L., Davis, S. B. (2014).Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hackman, M. Z., Johnson, C. E. (2013).Leadership: A communication perspective. Waveland Press. Hawkins, P. (2017).Leadership team coaching: Developing collective transformational leadership. Kogan Page Publishers. Kerzner, H. (2013).Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. McCleskey, J. A. (2014). Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development.Journal of Business Studies Quarterly,5(4), 117. Northouse, P. G. (2015).Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications. Noruzy, A., Dalfard, V. M., Azhdari, B., Nazari-Shirkouhi, S., Rezazadeh, A. (2013). Relations between transformational leadership, organizational learning, knowledge management, organizational innovation, and organizational performance: an empirical investigation of manufacturing firms.The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 1-13. Odumeru, J. A., Ogbonna, I. G. (2013). Transformational vs. transactional leadership theories: Evidence in literature.International Review of Management and Business Research,2(2), 355. Raes, E., Decuyper, S., Lismont, B., Van den Bossche, P., Kyndt, E., Demeyere, S., Dochy, F. (2013). Facilitating team learning through transformational leadership.Instructional Science,41(2), 287-305. Reiche, B. S., Mendenhall, M. E., Stahl, G. K. (Eds.). (2016).Readings and cases in international human resource management. Taylor Francis. Rock, D. (2014).Quiet leadership. HarperCollins e-books. Roueche, P. E., Baker III, G. A., Rose, R. R. (2014).Shared vision: Transformational leadership in American community colleges. Rowman Littlefield. Roueche, P. E., Baker III, G. A., Rose, R. R. (2014).Shared vision: Transformational leadership in American community colleges. Rowman Litt