Blog 4: My development as future leader

 In my previous blogs, we learned about – what is leadership, how to lead in a changing world and how to handle the change. To me, twenty first century leadership is regarding leading with the guts and to serve instead of rule.

People tend to hunt leaders who have a strong character, clear image for the longer term, and are excellent in communication. They’re usually praised by the results. BUT, to be successful leader in today’s world you need to have far more qualities than just being the “result” oriented leader.

Therefore, to be a future leader, following are some of the qualities that I think (or in general many of us) will have to develop and eventually master onto:-

1. Integrity, Honesty and adherence to the Principles

Having strong moral values will allow others to clearly identify with you and being honest clearly shows your intentions to others.

2. Ability to continuously learn and improve myself not matter the situation

Every situation you encounter will teach you a lesson even if it’s a success or failure. Analyse the situation retrospectively and use the learning’s for your future.

3. Being resilient and tough under the adverse situations

Being calm and patience in adverse situation showcases your ability to work under pressure situation and would help others to come up with better solutions/approaches

4. Attitude towards looking at the bigger picture and at the same time going to the smallest details when the need arises

Being a leader does not mean you should not look at the things in details. In fact when you understand the work ground-up you will be able to connect with people at every level and would be able to appreciate them no matter what level they are working at. But, this is just one side of the coin, depending upon the audiences or the people you face, you should also be able to speak and showcase clear picture at a very high level as well.

Ability to inspire and motivate others not only by the words but also with the actions to propel others to go beyond their own limits

People will follow you no matter what when they see you taking actions on the ground and not just by talking. That will bring you closer to the people you are working with.

5. Being accountable and showing courage

You should be accepting the responsibility of the outcome that’s expected out of you and the people you are leading in both the cases – good and bad. Great leaders take initiative to influence the outcome and take responsibility for the results

6. And last but not the least, absolute control on time management

Time management is the essential quality that every leader should possess otherwise you would not be able to handle the various responsibilities that are expected to be taken by you.

You need to be always on your toes doing the perfect balancing act in the above mentioned qualities to be a successful leader.

While learning MBA – Global Business from Coventry University, I have learnt various aspects of business and not only business but knowing a proper differences how it is to work under someone or to work for your own. In college we have various factors that will help us in our future growth, like we get to study with international students, getting knowledge, knowing about their culture, their working style etc.  Rather I believe or have seen people saying that Time is money, actually they are correct! Let it be college sector if you are late you might miss some important information, if it is your own company you come late the same thing will go on your staff, they will also end up inn coming late.
As a future leader, I shall push and drive this common manner of thinking and acting. This could solely be achieved if I’m able to produce innovative methods, ones that drive a modification in culture by participating folks and making a shared want.

There are two types of people in an organization, one is Boss and another is Leader. What I want to be is a “Leader” and hence, it is very important to know the difference between the qualities of a Boss and Leader:-

Considering all this, the below chart will highlight you the key attributes / qualities I have learned and will develop to be future leader:

 

References:

https://www.leadershipthoughts.com/10-qualities-of-a-good-leader/

http://www.mentalgamecoach.com/articles/LeadershipQualities.html

http://briandownard.com/leadership-skills-list/

Blog 3: Change management

What is change: –

In today’s fastest growing and competitive world, it is very important to bring a change which may be in yourself to adapt the current trend or a change in a process of an organization where a change can save time and cost of the company.

It is an act or a process or an innovation through which something becomes very different. Every change is hard at first, messy in the middle and really gorgeous at the end. Any change in an organization has to be communicated to the people in an effective manner so that it is adopted in a positive way.

Progress is impossible without a change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

• George Bernard Shaw

 

Process of change –

 

Change management in an organization: –

Change management is an organized approach to cope with the transition or transformation of an organization’s goals, functions or technologies.

It is the discipline that guides but we tend to tend to organize, equip and support folks to successfully adopt amendment so as to drive structure success, outcomes and accomplish structure goals.

Change management process: –

                                           Change curve

The following are the main elements for effective change management –

1. Clearlyoutline the modification and align it to business goals – 

This is the primary and important step of modification management. It’s important to speak the modification which will be enforced and explain the criticism against structure objectives and performance goals to substantiate the modification can carry your business among the correct direction strategically, financially, and ethically.

This step also can assist to see the worth of the modification, which is able to quantify the hassle and inputs you ought to invest. At identical time, associate objective ought to be set for every individual to provide a transparent plan of what’s expected from them.

2.     Determine the impacts and people affected –

Once you recognize precisely what you would like to attain and why, you ought to then confirm the impacts of the modification at varied structure levels.
Review the result on every business unit and the way it cascades through the structure structure to the individual. This info can begin to create the blueprint for wherever coaching and support is required the foremost to mitigate the impacts. Correct coaching and steerage ought to be provided for any amendment that’s being enforced.

3.     Develop a communication strategy –

Although all workers ought to be taken on the modification journey, the primary 2 steps can have highlighted those workers you fully should communicate the modification to. 
Determine the foremost effective suggests that of communication for the group or a private which will bring them on board. The communication strategy ought to include a timeline for a way the modification are going to be incrementally communicated, key messages, and also the communication channels and mediums you intend to use.
Along with communication, a feedback mechanism ought to be in place to concentrate to the priority and voice of individuals.

4.     Provide effective training –

With the amendment message call at the open, it’s vital that your individuals recognize they’re going to receive coaching, structured or informal, to show the abilities and information needed to work with efficiency because the amendment is unrolled.
Training may embody a collection of micro-learning, on-line modules, or a amalgamated learning approach incorporating face to face coaching sessions or on-the-job employment and mentoring.

5. Implement a support structure –

Providing a support structure is crucial to help staff to showing emotion and much accommodates the amendment and to make proficiency of behaviour’s and technical skills required to realize desired business results. Some amendment may result in redundancies or restructures; therefore you’ll take into account providing support like message services to assist folks navigate true.
To help staff accommodates changes to however a task is performed, a mentorship or associate degree open door with management to raise queries as they arise may well be came upon.

6. Measure the change process –

Las however not the smallest amount, throughout the amendment management method, a structure ought to be place in situ to live the business impact of the changes and make sure that continuing reinforcement opportunities exist to make proficiencies.
You should conjointly valuate your amendment management commit to confirm its effectiveness and document any lessons learned. Correct follow up and practice ought to be disbursed so as to establish whether or not the amendment is enforced and accepted in a much desired means.

References:

http://www.hypnosisfirst.com/change-your-mind-and-the-rest-will-follow/

Blog 2: Contemporary Leadership Styles: How relevant are they in today’s changing world?

 

Leadership may be viewed in many ways, typically than not we’d fall upon similar leadership qualities in our organization.

Leaders that demonstrate the 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership have evidenced to be a lot of satisfying to figure with, as they create you’re feeling a lot of committed, excited, energized and provides the organization a lot of positive influence (Kouzes and Posner 2006). Kouzes and Posner (2006) discovered once leader’s area unit at their personal best, there area unit 5 basic practices that area unit common: –

If your action inspires other to dream more, learn more, and become more, you are a leader.

• John Quincy Adams

Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you           

• Margret Thatcher

 

Being a leader does not mean you will always be angry or showing attitude to your staff, as leadership speaks about the confidence to speak for better good.

The voice of people is what matters the most. A leader should be a good listener. There should always be a two ways feedback mechanism followed by a leader – with effective communication and listening skill, i.e. all feedback should be given to team in a positive way and also a team’s feedback on a leader should be taken in a positive way which will develop a trust among the team and also help the leader in self-improvement.

How to lead in a changing world: –

Leadership with changing times will make a significant contribution to meet challenges.

1. Neverstop learning.

The amount of your time that they pay learning the way to improve their already formidable leadership skills and a recent Korn Ferry study indicated that booming leaders would like skills like ability, flexibility and a thirst for data.
The challenge of a pacesetter during this setting is that the breadth of skills is being redefined all the time. A pacesetter should stay receptive what the marketplace is hard from ME as a pacesetter.

 

2. React faster.

   The world is moving faster, partly because of the technology and conjointly the compression of stories cycles.

   This means that leaders don’t have the amount of your time that they once use to had, that makes tension between long-term ways that and short imperatives.

   Leaders have to be compelled to react rather additional quickly to dynamic business growth and conclude a way to produce an honest atmosphere with team members.

 

3. Make time for face time.

 

Leaders pay a big quantity of your time traveling, therefore face-to-face interactions with team members are often troublesome for them. Hence, leaders got to learn the way to maximise contact by mistreatment net technology and email, as these interactions area unit additional vital than ever.

 

4. Increase Communication.

   The revolution in technology implies thattypically our team isn’t at intervals a similar area as we would

   The accumulated use of mobile devices facilitates communication across generations and continents, and changes not exclusively but leaders move with their team, but put together the definition of leadership.

 

5.Find and retain a new kind of talent pool.

The intensive amendment in communications has needed Public relation agencies to draw in and retain professionals with totally different skills, and to appear for existing talent to broaden their own skills, the executives said. PR execs have continually been sensible at managing quality.

6. Encourage employee engagement.

Leaders should recognize the importance of skills and knowledge of each and every employee.

7. Be part of social media.

In a rapidly changing world, is leading by an example. To have a good credibility with team, one should jump into social media. This gives a idea and daily update on how to work with new generation.

8. Be Genuine.

The men population is a lot of attuned to what is going to or doesn’t build an honest leader. Thus bear in mind that every move you build AR progressing to be build is also higher together or worst together.

Learning outcome: –

After finishing my master’s degree, I hope to be associate ethical leader who can never be afraid to simply accept modification. i feel if I’m persistent, the organization would be ready to settle for my views as a pacesetter.

 

References: –

Book – Changing leadership for changing time

http://apps.prsa.org/intelligence/TheStrategist/Articles/view/10379/1084/How_to_Lead_in_the_Rapidly_Changing_World_of_Publi#.WuOPQ0NEnIU

Blog 1: Can culture’s be managed within organization

 

Sainsbury

Acquiring the status of second largest supermarket chain of retail stores in United Kingdom, Sainsbury’s has become a household name. From everyday groceries to everyday utilities, the company has made its mark in its 148 year old long journey. Little did its founders –John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury know that their quality focused affordable store in the city of Holborn would become the giant that it is today. Over a hundred years of its existence, surviving through the wages of World War II and cut throat competition from Tesco, Sainsbury has managed to focus on its core business.

As their motto goes- Live well for less, their focus has always been on achieving economies of scale along with total quality management. Although its glamour has sustained through the years but following heavy losses and low profits last year, Sainsbury has made desperate attempts to revive its market share in the UK economy.

To save itself from accumulating operational costs, recently this month, the company has been in news for downsizing around 1700 people from its workforce. The company believes this form of corporate restructuring of management will enable it to cut down on managerial costs and build a more efficient and effective structure.

In this attempt to achieve better profits than the previous quarter, Sainsbury might have to face a number of challenges that now seem unimportant. Most obvious being barriers to organizational changes. The supermarket chain business is highly labor intensive and the issue of sudden downsizing becomes a sensitive subject in the employees’ lives. In this case, old employees were given the opportunity to accept new management roles and titles at lower wages, to which many of them opted for redundancy instead.

Employee resistance is another unforeseen challenge. The retained workforce however may not be as motivated by the idea of sudden layoffs, thus resulting to a poor performance. When employees feel threatened, they might not perform as well and this could cost Sainsbury more than it originally anticipated cutting down.

Poor planning of newly formed management structure could lead to further operational problems at the company.

With removal of many managerial and supervisory posts the employees may now have more decentralized process where the top executives will have more autonomy and authority.

Introducing new technology to replace old systems of functioning will help the company to address its customer complaints regarding placing online orders, payment options and availing other services.

Thus this effort could be both profitable and destructive.

Restructuring 

After a four month of pursuit, in the month of April 2016, Sainsbury agreed the acquisition of home retail group for £1.4bn. Within next six months, Sainsbury finished all the procedures. This deal also included retail groups like Catalogue chain Argos and furnishing retailer habitat, with which Sainsbury’s has become UK’’s largest retail merchant. After the acquisition, Sainsbury’s Group was split into three new divisions and were named as Sainsbury’s, Sainsbury’s Bank and Sainsbury’s Argos.

After this successful acquisition, in 2016 and 2017 Sainsbury’s concentrated on its expansion and pursued expansion of its multi-channel strategy by improving the number of fulfilment centres and also locations, grocery clicks and collect points to serve its online customers by improving online delivery network by improving and increasing geographical coverage.

At the same time in the month of November, 2016 they announced cutting down of £500 million from their business and in next 4 months i.e., by March 2017, 400 jobs were cut down and were reorganised to 4000 jobs improving the job opportunities. Within next few months they changed security system, MITIE decreased the number of security officers within the store. At the same time Sainsbury’s opened up their plans to axe all store based employees including Human Resource managers, Payroll and administration clerks, training and development managers summing up to1400 jobs.

Next year, January 2018 Sainsbury’s proposed to make changes to their store management structures which would result in 1000’s of job losses. Ones who lose their jobs were offered junior roles and were given changes to apply for well-paid higher roles. In February they made an announcement of buying Nectar from Aimia. This deal cost £60 million which in turn gave full control of all the information stored by the Loyalty Scheme to Sainsbury’s Argos. Sainsbury’s being the co-founders of this scheme were the most prominent participants of this scheme.

 

References:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=169880

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton