Introduction
Leaders should empower their employees in order to complete various tasks (DuBrin, 2013). Many companies fail to achieve their potentials because of poor leadership. Organizational leaders should focus on the best business practices and approaches. Successful managers are usually aware of the major gaps affecting their organizations (Ismail, Mohamed, Sulaiman, & Yusuf, 2011). It is necessary for such leaders to use evidence-based tactics in order to achieve their objectives.
These practices will dictate the type of culture experienced in a specific organization. I have been appointed to lead a troubled organization. This position has given me the opportunity to exercise and use my leadership competencies. Such skills will eventually support the performance and goals of the organization.
Content and Analysis
Background of the Organization
The targeted organization manufactures and markets a wide range of household appliances. The firm has many international and local customers. The company has been performing well within the last three decades. However, the company’s profitability has decreased over the past five years. The majority of the employees in the company have left their jobs. The remaining employees have been fighting for various positions in the firm. This situation explains why power struggles continue to affect the profitability of the company. The current leaders in the firm have been unable to support their employees.
The majority of the workers are unhappy with the firm’s decision-making processes. The Human Resource Department (HRD) does not support the needs of the workers. Most of the decisions made by these managers have failed to support the expectations of different workers. The organizational culture experienced in this firm does not promote the best practices (Zaersabet, Ahangaran, & Chegini, 2013). These challenges explain why the firm has failed to achieve its business objectives.
New Leadership Role
I have been appointed as the company’s Executive Manager (EM). The role of an EM in a given organization is to ensure every function produces the targeted results. EMs should also make sure every department is ready to promote the best outcomes (Ismail et al., 2011). I am expected to deliver quality results within the shortest time possible. I possess powerful competencies that can make me successful. My duty is to empower, coach, mentor, and support every employee. The decisions made in the firm will focus on the greatest business goals. The leadership role will ensure the organization realizes its potentials. I will also collaborate with my followers in order to realize the targeted results.
Empowering Leadership Style (ELS) and Organizational Culture
A large number of leaders make every decision in their companies. More often than not, such decisions fail to support the expectations of many employees. This malpractice kills the morale of such workers thus affecting their productivity (DuBrin, 2013). Some managers also control and supervise their workers in order to get the best goals. These authoritarian approaches cannot work effectively in our modern world. Our organization is currently facing similar challenges. Such leadership malpractices have reduced the morale of many workers (DuBrin, 2013). Such malpractices have affected the company’s culture.
A new leadership style has emerged in the recent past. The empowerment leadership style (ELS) encourages managers to focus on the best values and competencies. Competent leaders should have the required wisdom and skill. They should be “experienced, optimistic, and ready to achieve the best results” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 80). These competencies will make it easier for them to support their employees.
This empowerment approach encourages leaders to collaborate with different participants. Empowerment Leaders (ELs) assign various responsibilities to their followers. Such responsibilities are usually distributed depending on the competencies of the targeted workers. The leaders always agree with their followers or workers. The leaders can appoint different employees to monitor different organizational functions (Zaersabet et al., 2013).
The above approach encourages more employees to set their deadlines. This practice makes it “easier for many teams to achieve their objectives within the targeted period” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 80). ELs empower their employees in order to perform specific tasks depending on their competencies. The followers are also encouraged to interact with one another. They are also “encouraged to become creative, focused, and goal-minded” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 82).
The role of this leader is to help his or her workers throughout the process. Such leaders also learn new concepts from the employees. They also present their ideas and inputs. Many firms with Empowerment Leaders (ELs) tend to achieve their goals much faster.
Managers should use effective empowerment approaches whenever focusing on specific goals. For instance, ELs can use powerful incentive systems to empower their workers. Such leaders reward different individuals who achieve their goals much faster. This practice also improves the level of participation. More employees will work harder in an attempt to achieve their objectives. Companies that use such “leadership tactics achieve their business objectives within a short time” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 89).
Ismail et al. (2011) define empowerment leadership as “a powerful process aimed at reducing every authoritarian practice” (p. 82). The important objective is ensuring that every employee is part of the targeted agenda.
Empowerment Leaders (ELs) use powerful competencies to guide their workers. Such workers are encouraged to make the most preferable decisions. Such decisions “were usually made by managers throughout the 20th century” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 80). Such ELs coach their employees using powerful strategies and incentives. Some of these incentives include “the power of delegation and teamwork” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 89).
The concept of empowerment makes it easier for ELs to trust their employees. Such workers should make evidence-based decisions that can fulfill the changing demands of many customers. The targeted workers will complete various managerial tasks even when the leader is absent (DuBrin, 2013). The “use of empowerment tactics and rewards makes it easier for employees to double their efforts” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 91).
A new organizational culture emerges whenever organizational managers use this leadership style (DuBrin, 2013). The culture of an organization determines the actions, interactions, and decisions made by different individuals. The employees “will embrace the power of teamwork” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 91). Such workers will be ready to address every organizational challenge. The employees will also tackle various problems affecting the firm. The targeted workers will be ready to share their experiences. Goals are achieved within a very short time. The organization can also introduce new educational programs and coaching services. Such programs will encourage more workers to interact positively.
The newly-created organizational culture will ensure the employees focus on their goals. They will “work overtime and support one another” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 90). They will forget their differences and improve the level of diversity. These practices will support the goals of every multinational firm. Managers should therefore embrace the benefits associated with ELS. The leadership style brings many workers and managers together. Every person will embrace the best actions in order to achieve targeted organizational goals (Ismail et al., 2011).
Empowering Leadership Style and Organizational Effectiveness
The main goal of every leadership strategy is to improve the effectiveness of an organization. An effective firm is characterized by successful functions, practices, and goals. The ELS approach makes it easier for managers to achieve their potentials. The approach also makes it possible for different employees to work as teams. These individuals will also address their differences and challenges. They will collaborate with other employees from different cultural backgrounds. The concept of diversity emerges thus supporting the best organizational practices. A “diverse team will share the best skills in order to improve the level of performance” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 97). These developments will eventually result in organizational effectiveness.
According to DuBrin (2013), the empowerment leadership strategy improves the level of creativity. This approach also creates the best working environment whereby the targeted employees can share their competencies. The newly-developed climate results in personal motivation. The workers will embrace the best practices such as collaboration. They will perform well in order to get the best outcomes. This leadership process results in “new organizational tactics such as work-life balance” (DuBrin, 2013, p. 29). Such employees will always be ready to get more results.
The above strategies will result in organizational effectiveness. The above kind of leadership “enhances personal dignity, commitment, productivity, and a sense of accomplishment” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 101). Managers should ensure their employees understand the most desirable outcomes. They should also be ready to tackle the obstacles affecting their inputs. Managers should also collaborate with various stakeholders and customers in order to understand the issues affecting them. The acquired knowledge will result in new practices that can improve the level of performance. The empowerment leadership approach will eventually result in organizational effectiveness.
Recommendations
The above discussion highlights the importance of Empowerment Leadership (EL) tactics in my organization. I will use powerful strategies to empower my team members. The first approach is a delegation of duties. I will always focus on the best organizational goals. I will ensure every employee is contented with the working environment. The workers will be encouraged to complete specific tasks depending on their skills and competencies (DuBrin, 2013). This practice will ensure every team completes its duties in a timely manner. I will use my skills to promote various practices such as “proper decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, and interaction” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 92).
I am also planning to use powerful training sessions. The proposed sessions will equip my employees with new competencies. Such skills will make it easier for them to focus on the most desirable goals in the company. The targeted workers will “embrace new concepts such as work-life balance, evidence-based performance, diversity, and interaction” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 91). These practices will ensure every employee is ready to support the mission of the organization. It will also be appropriate to discuss various alternatives with my employees. This strategy will be critical for supporting the company.
Leaders should use ethical and honest approaches to increase the effectiveness of their employees. Many employees “will work hard whenever they are allowed to make critical organizational decisions” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 91). I will encourage my workers “to focus on the best decisions and actions that can add value to the company” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 97). My workers will be mentored and empowered using various rewards and support systems.
Hardworking employees will get better remunerations. The workers will get proper allowances and medical covers. These incentives will encourage them to focus on the best goals. Leaders should “never criticize their employees for making poor choices” (Zaersabet et al., 2013, p. 91). It will be necessary to empower my workers in order to get the best goals. Leadership should be “a continuous practice that empowers different stakeholders” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 97). I will use the best ethical theories in order to achieve targeted objectives.
Conclusion
The targeted organization has the potential to achieve its business objectives. However, an unhealthy organizational culture has been affecting the performance of different workers. Some challenges such as power struggles have made it impossible for the firm to achieve its goals. The empowerment leadership style (ELS) offers powerful solutions to the problems affecting this firm. I will use the best approaches to empower and guide every employee. I will encourage my followers “to support the targeted organizational goals” (Ismail et al., 2011, p. 97). The ELS makes it easier for leaders to identify and address the gaps affecting their companies. The workers will be guided, empowered, and rewarded using the best incentives. The approach will eventually make my firm a leading competitor in its industry.
Reference List
DuBrin, A. (2013). Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills. Boston, MA: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Ismail, A., Mohamed, H., Sulaiman, A., & Yusuf, M. (2011). An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Transformational Leadership, Empowerment, and Organizational Commitment. Business and Economics Research Journal, 2(1), 89-107.
Zaersabet, F., Ahangaran, J., & Chegini, M. (2013). Empowerment and Leadership Style with New Approach in Organizations. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 3(2), 88-93.