Collaborative Group Assessment and Teamwork Analysis

Working in teams requires cooperation and participation from each individual group member. Group members should be selected based on common values as well as shared goals. When working in a well functioning team, the problematic symptoms of group work do not interfere with the group’s objectives. Many times certain individuals in a group end up taking on the brunt of the work because other group members do not adequately share the workload. The tendency for a group member to put less effort into a project when they are working with a group rather than when they are working by themselves is known as social loafing.  One way to make sure that each group member participates is to assign different, specific roles to accomplish, but at the same time making sure that each member coordinates their work the other member of the group.  This will prevent one or two team members from feeling overwhelmed with work or resentful toward the rest of the group because those attitudes deter the overall productivity of the group.

The ability to accomplish complex, independent tasks that stretch beyond the capabilities of individuals is one of the most beneficial components of working in groups. People intrinsically have different ideas and bring different strengths to a group. By avoiding group think, which is the pressures conformity from all group members, new ideas and solutions can be created.

This group demonstrated the qualities of a productive and cohesive team. Each group member adequately contributed a specific section of the blog. The absence of social loafing ensured that no single group member was overwhelmed or put in a great deal more effort than other members of the group. Furthermore, our group members were accepting of different views on leadership which prohibited group think and allowed each member to learn new facets of leadership. Overall, our team worked together efficiently and created an outstanding blog.

Validation of Leadership by Erica Elliott

Validation of a Leader

"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." (Woodrow Wilson)

Leadership is not a one dimensional aspect of an organization, what works for one company may not work for another.  Differences need to be accounted for and taken into consideration when a company builds leaders from within their organization or actively looks for one.  A competency model can be developed within an organization which encompasses individuals in the development and implementation of the model.

The competency model focuses on five stages:

Stage One: Assemble Focus Team and create a list of processes

The focus team should include a diverse mix of senior leaders as well as first-line and lower leaders with a company; they should be experts in their field, show strong leadership qualities.  Utilizing interviews, surveys, and observations, this will produce a list of major requirements needed to be a leader in that field.

Stage Two: Build behavioral indicators for each process

This stage is used for analyzing the data and coming up with what major behavioral indicators are needed in order to produce desired output. The major behavior indicators are then listed. The major behavioral indicators are: skill, knowledge, and attitude. These indicators must excel in performance.  The behavioral indicators need to be:

• “Future-focused, rather than need or problem-focused, as they are creating a powerful tool to guide the organization” (Clark).
• “Part of a strategic planning or organizational change process model. The best results are often achieved when built in tandem with other processes” (Clark).

This is an example of how the information gathered in stage two can be put into a model that that is easier to follow.  For each category the behavioral indicators are listed.  The core competencies are what is expected from everyone in the organization, while the leadership competencies are geared towards management and supervisors.  Professional competencies are detailed oriented for each position. It is important that with professional competency that each behavioral indicator are what is really required. One does not want to over look and individual whom may bring fresh eyes to the organization.   This pyramid is to only give an idea of how competencies should be aligned; it does not necessarily have to be organized like this.

Popular Press, Public Opinion & Ongoing Debates by Stephanie Brown & Shannon Burger

In today’s society there is a lot of pressure on leaders to be flawless. There are many different opinions and debates about the effectiveness of today’s leaders.

TIME Magazine compiled a list of 100 people that most affected the world in 2010. Among the list of leaders are Barack Obama, Glenn Beck, Nancy Pelosi and Sarah Palin (TIME). All of these people share some of the traits and skills that are important in leadership. In order to be an effective political figure it makes sense that each of these people possesses dominance. Each one of them has a desire to influence masses of people and make a difference in the way people think and live. They all share the trait of self-confidence as well. In order to get in front of millions of people and speak (whether on a podium or via TV/radio) one must have confidence in themselves and their beliefs. Many of the skills identified by Stogdill are common among these leaders as well. Each one of these people is intelligent; even if a person does not agree with all of their opinions or political views, they are still educated, intelligent people. Furthermore, they have the ability to persuade people and adapt to different social situations. The president must learn to conduct business with people from different parts of the world and communicate effectively.

Apart from TIME magazine’s list there are many other public figures that have a leadership role. As the president’s wife, Michelle Obama has taken on her own role as a leader. Therefore, she is expected to understand the social skills and intelligence that Americans expect from leaders. However, she has come under much scrutiny in the last few weeks for not being socially aware of other cultures leadership norms. While visiting the Indonesian government, Michelle Obama eagerly shook the hand of conservative Muslim, Information Minister, Tifatul Sembiring. In Indonesian, it is not considered socially acceptable for Muslim males to shake the hand of a woman (Minister Admits). This sparked controversy and debate among the conservative Muslim community. Had Obama had a better grasp on social and cultural norms of the Muslim community, she may not have inappropriately extended her hand. This is not the only incident of an American leader’s lack of awareness or regard for other cultures. That is why it is important for global leaders to be aware of social behaviors worldwide and become educated on policies other than their own.

In society, leadership is a topic that causes controversy and public opinion. If a company’s sales decline or the company has high turnover typically the leader is blamed for the failure. How a leader chooses to motivate its employees can highly impact a company. However, the theories that a leader implements to their employees can cause positive or negative public opinion. For example, the Container Company uses a variety of theories to motivate its employees. The company uses a combination of Theory Y, Theory Z, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and the Expectancy Theory to satisfy employee needs. Theory Y raises opinions because the theory assumes the best in people, allows freedom, and allows responsibility for employees to make decisions without complete management supervision. The Container Store’s implementation of Theory Y has allowed the company to flourish. The firm has a low turnover rate partially due to job enrichment, satisfaction, rotation, enlargement, and empowerment. The leaders of this store allow staff members the autonomy to make decisions, and grow within the company. It is important for people in leadership roles to tailor motivational theories to satisfy their employee’s needs.

Real World Application by Rich Grisan

Few things in the history of this world are timeless, and most are intangible. At some point, even the monuments the human race cherishes so much will disappear. The Pyramids are falling apart, Lady Liberty is slowly decaying and the Eiffel Tower will eventually rust into nonexistence. The things that last forever and are remembered by all are most often unable to be captured, photographed, or even documented.

Leadership is one of those everlasting qualities that nearly all species turn to for guidance in both good times and bad.  Most animals have an alpha that leads; uncivilized tribes have a chief; teams have a coach and captain; and developed countries have a leading body of
people.  We remember such leaders as Sun Tzu, Achilles, George Washington, Vince Lombardi and Martin Luther King Jr. for their impact on the world, not measurable by common scales, but by the movement of the individual.

 Leadership, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is "the office or position of a leader" or "capacity to lead."  True leaders, the ones that leave a mark on those they lead, are rare and I believe that is why we have such an affinity for leaders.  That is why leadership is such a valuable asset to both an individual and an organization, which we have tried to dissect the quality to its very core.

 John C. Maxwell, known as America's expert on leadership, has written over fifty books on leadership, its qualities and how to further an individual’s leadership capabilities.  Two of his most popular titles break down leadership into twenty-one characteristics in the hope that each sub-section of leadership can be tuned and mastered.  In my personal favorite of his books "The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow," each chapter focuses on one of the 21 qualities.  Maxwell opens each chapter with a real world example of a professional leader exhibiting that quality. In these short paragraphs before each chapter, Maxwell mentions historical figures such as Michelangelo, Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Regan and Donald Trump; characters world-renowned for their ingenuity and creativity, but not entirely for their leadership. Maxwell tries to show his readers that leadership can be found in the most odd and recluse locations at a variety of historical times.

Leadership has a variety of real world uses. Analyzing and teaching leadership, like Maxwell, is only one example. Vince Lombardi is my personal favorite leader, and he made a living off leadership. Lombardi was the Coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s.
Coach Lombardi was known for his strong words and memorable quotes directed to his team, popular businesses and political figures. Lombardi inspired the will and ability in his players to perform at the highest level at all times.  In "Winning is a Habit," a book compiling some of Coach Lombardi's most popular quotes and speeches, Coach Lombardi speaks of leadership as a gift.

 -"The leader must be willing to use it. His leadership is based on truth and character. There must be truth in the purpose and willpower in the character. Leadership rests on only upon ability, but upon commitment and upon loyalty and upon pride and upon followers."
In closing, leadership is an intangible that, regardless of career choice, profession, age, or gender, is valued at the highest expense. The power to move the hearts of individuals is so important in every aspect of society, and organizations both big and small, rely upon leaders to further their endeavors.

"Men respond to leadership in the most remarkable way, and once you have one his heart, he will follow you anywhere"- Coach Vince Lombardi

Conclusion to Research and Theory Analysis by Stephanie Brown and Shannon Burger

Behavioral, situational, and trait theories relate to OB because it is vital to know a leader's traits, his/her behavior, and how situational influences are handled. Since each model is different and each theory has its flaws, a company should take key factors from each theory into consideration when determining who to put in leadership positions.

Leadership Theories: Contingency and LMX Theory by Stephanie Brown & Shannon Burger

Contingency theories are used to analyze situational influences on leadership effectiveness. Fiedler Contingency Model and the Leader- Member Exchange Theory are both used to analyze situational influences on leadership. The Fiedler Model focuses on basic leadership style. A person can measure his or her leadership style through a questionnaire called the LCP (least preferred coworker questionnaire). From this questionnaire a person is described as being task or relationship oriented. From the results of this test, the manager should match the leader with the situation that best fits his/her leadership style. There are three dimensions that Fiedler describes. The first is leader-member relations which is the degree of confidence, trust, and respect that members have in a leader. Secondly is task structure which is the degree to which job assignments are structured or unstructured. Lastly, position power describes the degree of influence a leader has over power variables. An example of power variables could be, promotions, hiring, firing, discipline, salary, etc. A person can then be evaluated on these three dimensions. An optimal leader would have a high degree of all three dimensions. This is important to an organization because based on a leader's style, a person can be placed where he/she can perform effectively. However, according to Fiedler, leadership is fixed. Therefore, a leader can only improve in two ways: a leader can change to fit the situation or a situation can be changed to appropriately fit the leader. Extensive research has shown that Fiedler's model provides positive conclusions, and evidence supports substantial parts of the model. However, there are flaws. Fiedler's model is complex, making it hard for managers or practitioners to access and evaluate leaders on the three dimensions (Robbins and Judge 163-165).

The Leader Member Exchange Theory (LMX) argues that leaders establish a relationship with a small group of members because of time pressures. A small group that forms a special relationship with the leader is known as the "in-group." These people are trustworthy, get attention from the leader, and often receive special privileges. Other followers of the leader are known as the "out-group." These followers receive less recognition and attention from the leader, and receive fewer rewards controlled by the leader. A leader's followers that fall into the "in-group" category have similar characteristics, traits, qualities, and work ethics as the leader. While those in the "out-group" hold different attitudes and characteristics (Robbins and Judge 165-166).

Leadership Research: Behavioral Theory by Stephanie Brown

After years of research, analysts found that leadership qualities all can fall under each of the characteristics in the Big Five Model, however new traits are emerging such as emotional intelligence. The behavioral theories of leadership began at Ohio State University in the late 1940s. Researchers wanted to find and identify behaviors that leaders exhibit in their daily lives. These behaviors were broken down into two categories, initiating structure and consideration. Initiating structure is to the extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his/her role and those of employees to attain goals. The main focus of this dimension is to get each groups task done. In the context of the behavioral theory, consideration is the level a leader has mutual relationships with their employees such as trust and respect for their ideas and feelings. A person who ranks high in consideration would be a person who helps employees with personal problems, is friendly, approachable, trustful, believes in equality for all employees. Sixty-six percent of employees are motivated by appreciation; therefore, this is a key trait for leaders to have (Robbins and Judge 161-162).

Leadership Research: Trait Theory by Shannon Burger

One of the most influential theories of leadership is the Trait Theory. The trait theory of
leadership differentiates leaders from non leaders. This theory states that there are certain inherent traits that people are born with that make them well suited to become leaders. Ralph Stogdill from the University of Ohio Columbus conducted research on this theory and documented his finding on what traits and skills are crucial for leaders to possess. His list of traits for leaders include: cooperativeness, ambition, dominance (wanting to influence people), self-confidence, willingness to take responsibility, persistence, ability to adapt to all situations, assertiveness, dependable, tolerance for stress, social awareness and the ability to be decisive (Trait Theory). Along with these traits he found sever skills that were common among leaders. They include the following: intelligence, diplomacy, knowledge, persuasion and social skills.

Costs of Leadership by Alisha Balcerowiak

Often individuals do not consider leadership as requiring a cost. Leadership is not necessarily “bought” at a market or store; however, in the workplace leadership is directly related to success and may be the key to having satisfied employees, as well as a low turnover rate. Its costs include the compensation for veteran employees, hiring new employees and potential leadership clinics.  By not compensating powerful leaders properly, a variety of problems may start to arise within the business.  Decreased effort, a lack of organizational commitment, and in general, a lack of production and efficiency within the firm are all problems that can devastate a business. 

If an employee in a leadership role does not feel that they are being fairly compensated, the amount of work completed may decline as time progresses and the injustice becomes more apparent.  This is a strong example of the Distributive Justice Theory, explaining that the reward system and the method use for allocation may not be viewed as fair or just (Robins and Judge 74).

Another case could be when an employee has been with the company for an extended period of time, and is still being paid the same as the new hires. The experienced employee can show new employees the ropes of the business by training and mentoring. Welcoming a new employee into the business is a form of leadership, and the employee may recognize that they are not being properly compensated for their contributions.  This may cause the employee to feel entitled to a raise and greater compensation because they can add value to the company.  By teaching new employees the proper procedures of the company, the added value requires direct compensation for the employee.

In both situations, if the employee does not feel that they are being fairly compensated it may lead to the employee leaving the organization in search of a new career. When leaders feel that they are not being fairly compensated they may choose to leave the company in search of proper compensation for their skills. If this cycle continues, there will be a high turnover rate and a lack of competent leaders.  This may also increase costs because the company now needs to hire and train new employees. This is an expensive endeavor, where increasing the pay of valued leaders may be a more inexpensive option, as well as better for the company.  When leaders feel that they are compensated properly, this could lead to a more positive and productive environment. Pay satisfaction will release any negative feelings about unfair pay, and increase the morale of the leader.

Besides internal costs, there is the opportunity to hire an outside consultant to speak to the organization on leadership.  The services of motivational speakers and leadership experts can cost anywhere from fifty to twenty-thousand dollars a day (Motivational Speakers).  Without internal leaders, these costs may become a necessary option, putting the organization at a disadvantage.

In closing, when an employee portrays leadership qualities, take advantage of the opportunity to promote and maintain the employee’s compensation in order to prevent astronomical costs in the future.

Introduction by Candice Cosby

Guidance, discipline, inspiration, and influence, are all characteristics of a powerful leader. Although a leader can be defined in many ways, the book “Essentials of Organizational Behavior” defines leadership as the “ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals” (Robbins and Judge).  Although it is apparent that a leader is needed in order to guide others, it is not  to be confused with the term of management. A manager is defined as the person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business, institution, etc. It is management’s responsibility to execute proper order and monitor outcomes of different situations. Leaders set the examples for others, and by setting examples for others, it allows motivation to take place. In the long run, this motivation will pay off and tasks will be completed so that goals are met. Leaders are there to extend a helping hand despite obstacles and to show they care. Additionally, a leader must be able to gain the trust of his or her followers. Simply put, with no trust, there is no relationship. In any organization, there must be an apparent leader who takes charge and directs employees. Although the term management and leadership are defined differently, there are managers who are also leaders. In addition, without a leader, there is a good chance that there could be a downfall in the organization. Is it critical that organizations identify leaders by applying different leadership theories. Furthermore, placing a leader in a role that highlights his/her specific leadership characteristics and style is critical to maintain a healthy and successful work environment.

There are many facets of leadership that will be described further throughout this blog. Topics that will be covered include: the costs of leaders in an organization, research on leadership theories, popular press, public opinion, ongoing debates, and validation of leadership. Finally, the blog will end in a conclusion that analyzes teamwork. The analysis comes from the authors of the blogs reflecting their experiences of working in a team environment. In result, people can learn how to use these key topics in their workforce, future business ventures, and in their daily lives.