The key to success in the age of disruption is effective leadership, which is value-driven rather than bottom-line-oriented. The need for leadership is more than ever in the age of disruption. Strong leadership is directing companies that are successful in navigating digital advancements (Chng et al., 2018). With the help of the many leadership qualities exhibited by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of the American apparel firm Patagonia, Tom Wilson may develop and evolve as a leader.
Making decisions that direct practice is the primary characteristic of leadership. These frequently include difficult decisions and go against the “what we have always done” attitude. These decisions are made by leaders, who then take action. Brands suffer when judgments are made only based on mission statements and directions without taking any action. They suffer more as a result of the conflict between the mission and the practice than they would otherwise. Leaders need to have values that are very clear with what the business does. The manager may then offer a level of openness that will distinguish the business (Allal-Chérif et al., 2022). Additionally, leaders accept accountability. An effective leader, for instance, accepts responsibility when something goes wrong (they do not shift blame such as throwing vendors and employees under the bus). Finally, leaders set an example through both their actions and words.
Yvon Chouinard, the creator of Patagonia, engaged in authentic leadership. It is a type of leadership that emphasizes developing the leader via an open and sincere relationship with their partners and workers, which is based on moral principles. In addition to exercising excellent leadership, Yvon urged his team members to find a balance between work and personal obligations, so they could spend time with their loved ones and pursue their interests. On the other side, Yvon Chouinard is focused on how well workers work together, which entails fostering interpersonal ties and genuinely caring about their needs. He also challenges the staff to offer comments on recommended ideas and thoughts for them to participate in innovation and creativity at work. Chouinard’s staff showed a capacity for comprehending group dynamics (Ims, 2019). Additionally, he tries to persuade the staff to work for the organization’s goals while also taking care of their needs. His interactions with employees are built on trust and the truth, which helps the company grow to trust him as a leader. Patagonia’s creator successfully motivated his staff to work harder and even more effectively, which helped advance the business.
References
Allal-Chérif, O., Climent, J. C., & Berenguer, K. J. U. (2022). Born to be sustainable: How to combine strategic disruption, open innovation, and process digitization to create a sustainable business. Journal of Business Research, 154, 113379.
Chng, D. H. M., Kim, T. Y., Gilbreath, B., & Andersson, L. (2018). Why People Believe in Their Leaders-or Not. MIT Sloan Management Review, 60(1), 65-70.
Ims, K. J. (2019). Caring Entrepreneurship and Ecological Conscience—The Case of Patagonia Inc. In Caring Management in the New Economy (pp. 197-220). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.