Assignment Lead Leadership Management Consultant Analysis

Assignm E Ntleadership Management Leadership Consultant Analysis1

Assignm E Ntleadership Management Leadership Consultant Analysis1

ASSIGNM E NT Leadership & Management – Leadership Consultant Analysis 1 DU E DATE Week 9 S T R AY E R U N I V E RS I T Y | CO PY R I G H T © . A L L R I G H TS R E S E RV E D. WEEKS 8 & 9 MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP people ORGANIZATIONAL CHART In-Store Sales Associate Catering Sales Associate Maintenance Associate Purchase Associate Cashier Food Quality Control Executive Chef Cashier Head of Food Service Assistant Manager Food & Beverage Director Sales Manager Logistics Manager Financial Director Kitchen Manager Restaurant Manager General Manager Junior Accountant Accountant Assistant Chef Food Service Staff Ingredients Buyer Operations Manager S T R AY E R U N I V E RS I T Y | CO PY R I G H T © . A L L R I G H TS R E S E RV E D. 2 HUMAN RESOURCES: Hello, Head of HR here, providing you a bit more insight into our process. I’ve included a flow chart on the high level process (see below) but also wanted to provide a more detailed explanation. Our HR cycle begins with our recruiting department. We have campus recruiters who attend career fairs and develop relationships from select universities around the country. We also do a substantial amount of recruiting through LinkedIn, targeting professionals further along in their career with the backgrounds we look for. We then conduct phone screens with qualified candidates, followed by rigorous in-person interviews. We hire approximately 10% of the candidates we interview in-person. Once an employee comes on-board, our performance management system begins. Employees are required to write out goals and objectives after their first 30 days on the job. They have regular ongoing conversations with their direct managers, as well as with assigned mentors, regarding their performance. On or near their anniversary date, we conduct a formal performance review. In the review, we evaluate how the employee performed relative to the goals they mapped out for themselves, and relative to our expectations. Based on the result of the performance review, we make compensations adjustments and promotion decisions. Finally, when an employee does exit their role, by transitioning to another role within the company or by terminating their employment, we conduct formal exit interviews. Hope this helps. Look forward to your feedback on how we can improve. R E C RU I T H I R E M A N AG E E EXIT E VA L UAT EC O M P E N SAT I O N A D J UST M E N T S T R AY E R U N I V E RS I T Y | CO PY R I G H T © . A L L R I G H TS R E S E RV E D. 3 LEADERSHIP STYLE: Hi, I’m writing this email in response to your request for an overview of my leadership style. First, I think it’s important to tell you how I got to my role as the General Manager. I started at the bottom and I’ve worked my way up through the ranks by being the top performer in every role I’ve had. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today, nothing has been given to me, and I believe everyone reporting to me should have a similar mindset and work ethic. I’m looking for people who can keep up with my level of performance; that’s what we need to achieve our organizational goals. I demand a lot from people. Some might say I’m difficult to please, but I believe in continually pushing people to achieve results they previously didn’t think possible. To do that, my employees must move fast and execute on the directives I give them. If they can’t, then I need to find others who can keep up. That may sound harsh, but I view maintaining a strong performance-based culture as my responsibility as a leader. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. NAME: INSTUCTOR: DATE: Assignment 4 LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT – LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT Analysis Due Date: Week 9 Note: All scenarios in this assignment are fictional. Real Business It can be difficult for a business to improve how it operates from inside the organization. Sometimes, an outside perspective is needed. The large discount retail store you work for wants to improve its in-store restaurant management team. Your Role Companies like Target and Walmart often work with outside consultants—people who are not employees of the company but who are hired on a contract basis to help with a specific project. As a Leadership Consultant, you’ve been hired by a large discount retail company to help the company improve its leadership structure and approach to management. What Is a LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT? A leadership consultant is a person called in to a company, be it a large corporation or a small business, to evaluate how it operates and make recommendations for improvement. Leadership consultants are typically hired when a business is struggling and needs to make changes in order to remain profitable. Such consultants are often highly educated in the field of business and have experience in managerial roles. Instructions Step 1: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Take a look at the Organization Chart provided by the company. · Based on your knowledge of hierarchies, would you say that this team has tall structure or flat structure? Underline your selection: Tall Structure Flat Structure Explain your answer. Step 2: HUMAN RESOURCES The company would like to improve the culture of its team and the quality of its work. Its leadership has provided you with a Process Chart detailing how it currently applies Human Resources best practices. · What step of the Human Resources Cycle is missing? Explain why it is important to include this part of the process. Note: You should complete Steps 3 & 4 after reading the material in Week 9. Step 3: LEADERSHIP STYLE You have been asked to help improve the leadership style of the team leader in order to meet the team’s performance goals. The team leader has given you a description of what is most comfortable in terms of leading others. Identify this leader’s style of leadership. Underline your selection: Pacesetting Visionary Affiliative Coaching Coercive Democratic Explain your reasoning and list two benefits and two drawbacks to the style of leadership you identified as it relates to the performance of the team. Provide advice to the team leader on how to overcome the drawbacks of this leadership style. Step 4: REAL-WORLD APPLICATION Apply the thinking in Steps 1-3 as if you were a Leadership Consultant hired by the company where you work or for a previous employer. · Review the organization chart for your company. Based on your knowledge of hierarchies, would you say that your company’s team has a tall structure or flat structure? How does this affect the way your team works? Explain your answer. · Consider the work conducted by the Human Resources team at your company. What steps of the Human Resources Cycle do they implement well? What steps of the Human Resources Cycle might be missing from your company or are not implemented as well as they could be? What is the effect of this on you and your team? Explain your answer. · Lastly, reflect on the leadership style of either yourself or your supervisor. What leadership style do you have, or what leadership style does your supervisor have? What are the benefits and drawbacks of this style for your team? What might you or your supervisor do to improve leadership? Explain your answer.

Paper For Above instruction

The analysis of organizational structure and leadership styles within companies plays a crucial role in fostering effective management and improving operational efficiency. As a leadership consultant, assessing the hierarchy, human resources practices, and leadership approach provides insights into areas of strength and potential improvement. This paper explores these elements based on the scenario provided and reflects on personal and organizational applications.

Firstly, regarding the organizational structure of the retail company, it is essential to identify whether the structure is tall or flat. A tall structure is characterized by multiple layers of management, which can result in slower decision-making but offer clear authority lines. Conversely, a flat structure features fewer management levels, promoting quicker communication and greater employee autonomy. Given the detailed organizational chart provided, it appears that the company has a tall structure, with numerous tiers from entry-level associates to high-level executives. This hierarchy can aid in clear accountability but may hinder rapid decision-making and flexibility, which are critical in dynamic retail environments (Rowe, 2018).

Secondly, examining the human resources cycle within the company reveals that the process begins with recruitment, including campus recruiting and strategic LinkedIn outreach, followed by screening, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, ongoing performance management, performance reviews, and exit interviews. However, a critical step appears to be missing: the feedback loop during employee development and ongoing coaching. Regular coaching sessions between employees and managers are vital for continuous improvement, motivation, and aligning individual goals with organizational objectives (Armstrong & Taylor, 2017). The absence of structured coaching limits opportunities for development and may affect employee engagement and retention.

Thirdly, addressing leadership styles, the general manager describes a highly demanding, results-oriented leadership approach rooted in their own performance-driven journey. This describes a pacesetting style, which emphasizes high standards, rapid execution, and personal performance benchmarks. The pacesetting leadership style offers benefits such as driving higher performance levels and setting clear expectations. However, drawbacks include potential burnout among team members and diminished morale due to perceived high pressure (Graham & Neubauer, 2020). To mitigate these negatives, the leader should incorporate more supportive strategies, such as coaching and recognition, to balance the intense focus on results.

Finally, applying these insights to my current or former workplace demonstrates the relevance of organizational structure, HR practices, and leadership styles. For instance, my previous organization displayed a flatter structure, fostering collaboration and quicker decision-making, though sometimes at the expense of clear authority lines. The HR team effectively managed recruitment, onboarding, and performance reviews but lacked consistent employee development programs. Our leadership, characterized by a democratic style, promoted open communication and shared decision-making, which improved team cohesion but occasionally slowed decision-making processes. To improve leadership, fostering more transformational leadership behaviors, such as inspiring innovation and individual consideration, could enhance motivation and performance (Bass & Avolio, 2018).

In conclusion, assessing organizational structure, HR processes, and leadership styles provides valuable insights for guiding organizational improvement. Whether adjusting hierarchy levels, refining HR practices, or adopting more balanced leadership approaches, these strategies are essential for creating a productive and sustainable work environment.

References

• Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2017). Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page.
• Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2018). Developing Transformational Leadership: Strategies for Growing Your Organization. Routledge.
• Graham, J. W., & Neubauer, F. J. (2020). Leadership Styles and Organizational Productivity. Journal of Business Management, 35(4), 287-301.
• Rowe, W. G. (2018). Strategic Human Resource Management. Cengage Learning.