Every successful leader and manager goes through a long journey of trial, and error, learning philosophies, and approaches to leadership. Joan Carter, my boss and the head of the ________ company, is no exception, as over the years of experience, she has acquired valuable skills and knowledge that she provides to young managers. Her practical experience in business and management allows her to formulate theoretical knowledge and share specific tips, techniques, and approaches to which every manager should pay attention.
Leadership Philosophy
Joan Carter believes that every manager should form a leadership philosophy from the beginning of their career. She defines this term as a system of internal human beliefs related to humanity, morality, discipline, intelligence, and goal setting. Leadership is the ability to develop responsibility towards others and a vision of common group goals (Vandekerckhove, 2019). According to Carter, leadership cannot be imagined without respect and responsibility to the team. Otherwise, people will despise a manager who does not cherish those on their team. A good leader must motivate employees to achieve goals and involve them in the work process, using all their talents and skills.
Moreover, managers should develop their competencies and understand what type of leadership they can implement. The leader should behave naturally and not try to adopt other people’s management tactics mindlessly. Carter shared that she initially made the mistake of thinking that she should be a gentle and democratic leader with a delegative leadership style because she is a woman. Realizing that there was much more strength and directness in her character, Carter changed her leadership style and became a more active, authoritarian leader. More natural and open behavior earned her respect from subordinates, inspired by Carter’s inner strength and determination.
Vision and Goals for the Organization
Seeing the organization’s goals separate the average employee from the leader. Joan Carter advises all managers to constantly work on their vision, which means regularly learning and studying the market and the company’s industry. A good leader must update their knowledge of the market and ongoing changes in order to orient the company and create a strategic vision for its development (Vandekerckhove, 2019). When the goals are formulated, managers divide them into smaller steps and delegate the tasks to employees. At this stage, young leaders often forget to share their vision with employees (Vandekerckhove, 2019). However, it is an essential part of the work process, affecting morale and motivation within the organization. Carter advises making sure to bring employees up to date with the company and explain to them the bigger picture.
Conflict Management Techniques and Suggestions
Joan Carter considers conflict management one of the most crucial leadership skills, as people are often afraid to deal with conflict. They avoid problems and delay their solution until the last moment, which makes the work incredibly difficult. A good leader must know conflict resolution strategies, be able to and not be afraid to put them into practice. First, it is necessary to identify the conflict in time and not leave it without attention (Raines, 2019).
Second, all participants in a tense situation should be able to express their points of view freely (Raines, 2019). Third, each situation requires its approach and solution strategy. For example, using an intermediary in some situations can be beneficial, and sometimes only legitimation will suffice (Raines, 2019). Fourth, after a solution has been found, it is necessary to monitor the conflict further to exclude the possibility of its recurrence. Carter recommends that all managers take courses in conflict management and psychology on an ongoing basis.
Methods for Establishing and Building Trust
“A leader is someone the team trusts,” – says Carter. If the manager cannot build trust, then all the methods and tactics of coordinating work will not help to achieve collective goals effectively. Teams with a high level of trust have higher motivation, less stress, better self-organization, and other performance indicators (Raines, 2019). The leader must look at themself first and determine how their behavior interferes with establishing trust. It is necessary to be an example for subordinates to have personal development plans, take responsibility for their own life, keep promises and be honest. Communication between managers and employees should be transparent and understandable, based on humane principles, and non-toxic.
Methods for Empowering Others
At the end of the interview, Carter said that the highest purpose of a leader is to empower others. The fulfillment of common goals is essential for the organization. However, disclosing subordinates’ internal qualities, development, and well-being is also one of the most important goals for a good leader. To achieve it, the manager must create a favorable work environment, transparent team communication, and a coherent promotion system. A straightforward and understandable environment is the basis for considering and unleashing each employee’s potential. Strategic human resource management in the modern world is the foundation of success for companies, as high-skilled workers bring the highest profit and benefit to the company.
Conclusion
Joan Carter is a fantastic boss and leader who cares about her company and organizational goals and helps her people improve their soft and hard skills. She understands the value of leadership in the company’s management, as a high-quality organization of work and processes gives an advantage in the modern market. Nurturing and educating new leaders is an integral part of the work process, without which the development of the company is impossible.
References
Raines, S. S. (2019). Conflict management for managers: Resolving workplace, client, and policy disputes. 2nd Edition. Rowman & Littlefield.
Vandekerckhove, W. (2019). Practical wisdom, respect and metaphysics: A broad spectrum for philosophy of management. Philosophy of Management, 18(3), 211-214. Web.