Team dynamics
For an effective business, leaders should ensure they have orchestrated teams that are focused and responsive to the needs of an organization; to develop the teams, managers need to understand their team dynamics. Generally, teams are formal groups within an organization; formal groups have some set goals and objectives to attain in an organization; some examples of formal teams include human resources management team and project management teams.
According to chapter seven, leadership within an organization plays an important role in creating successful teams; when team spirit has been made, then the organization is more likely to attain its corporate objectives and goals. Depending with the size of the team, he may have the power to be operating with the help of line leaders who are answerable to him/her. Through when appointment is taking place, he should be vetted for leadership character traits; it is not always that he is a charisma leader.
The quality of leadership whether formal or informal determines is the motivation and creation of positive relationship to the success of the company, though the top management may not have employed information leadership, managers need to learn and understand the influence that they have on the group behavior. Alongside formal groups, some informal group results not from deliberate management making but they exist by the virtue that human beings are beings and tend to live in groups. Mutually shared interests among members of informal groups hold the groups together; some examples of informal teams are social welfare groups, security, knowledge acquisition and groups to purporting to liberate the organization.
The case of Nelson Mandela
Identify whether Nelson Mandela displays a leadership style that is congruent with Charismatic or transformational leadership
The first charismatic character was seen in the leader when he was in second year of his studies; he decided to leave the community predetermined pathway of leadership and decided to join African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg. After the bold move, he did not forget his mission in life despite the struggle for independence as he accomplished his studies.
Mandela is a transformational leader who had a vision for his country that included delivering the country from apartheid rule to multiracial democracy; he did this with great determination and lack of individualism. For twenty-seven years, he spent behind bars fighting for social justice; while in jail, as a leader he understood that the best way to deliver his people from oppression and slavery was through education and understanding ones roots, culture and through education. He continued with his education and did a law degree when in prison.
As a charismatic and transformational leader, he encouraged other leaders to improve their educational background and remain statesmanship; he never did this through the word of mouth alone but was in the front line showing them the right pathway to success. He was a statesmanship who clearly understood his mission in life.
How did Nelson Mandela’s leadership role change as his circumstances changed?
Different situations offered Mandela a chance to exercise different approach to leadership; when young and humble in the council, he remained cool and accepted guidance from the elders and other chiefs. At this time, it was the time when he was developing and lying strong foundations of leadership that would later become the pillars that the country was delivered from slavery through. After leaving the council and joining the ANC, the character that he portrayed was rather different than the one he had when in the chiefdom; here he was vocal and condemned the oppressions by the government directly.
When in prison, he decided to take advantage of his situation and improve his education and build his base of knowledge; on the other hand he ensured that other leaders understand the benefits of education and the way it can do to a nation.
Lessons from Mandela’s leadership
All along the life of Mandela, there are a number of lessons that can be learnt and applied in modern political and business leadership; the most outstanding character is how he well understood his goal in life and precisely knew the destiny that he has to get to in life. The vision and mission that he had for the country kept him going and aiming higher; in modern leaders, they should learn how to keep the nation or organization in the frontline and aiming to the attainment of the organizations corporate goals and objectives.
Another trait that can be learnt from the leader is the need to be selfless when leading a certain activity in the community or the country; the suffering that Mandela got was as a result of his love and care of the people he was serving.
Why is Nelson Mandela so admired as a leader? How is he similar or different from other world leaders?
When the life of Mandela is discussed, the most outstanding and admired character of the leader is how he suffered for the sake of his country to the point that he accepted over 27 years of imprisonment to deliver his country from apartheid. He remained focused and knew what was right and wrong for himself and the interests of the country.
In most world transformational leaders, they share the character of statesmanship and willing to suffer for the good of the country; in Africa, the leaders can be divided as those for fought for Independence like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana , Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kenneth Kauda and Dedan Kimathi. The next set were the leaders who fought for democracy and end of one party system.
Characters of transformational leader and whether they can be developed
Transformational leaders are more concerned with engagement of hearts and souls of their followers to ensure that they feel a sense of belonging and are self motivated; under the style achievement is attributed to the efforts made by team members.
The main character that leads to their success is their selflessness and charismas; when they aim at a certain mission; they are willing to fight for it to the end not for their own benefit but for the benefit of the people that the leader is presenting.
In real life situations, characters of transformational leaders can be developed as people only need to concentrate on what has built them and the interests of their followers. The leadership calls for someone to dedicate his life to serve the people; leaders should understand that they derive their power and followership from the strong attributed they portray when fighting for their followers. Leading by example and being focused are some of the strong attributes of a transformational leader portrayed by Nelson Mandela (MeShane, Olekalns and Travaglione, 2020).
Reference
MeShane, S. Olekalns, M. and Travaglione, T., 2020. Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim Focus. Sydney: McGraw Hill Irwin.