Modern Leadership In A Mid-Sized Company You Are An Organiza

Modern Leadership In A Mid Sized Companyyou Are An Organizational Deve

Modern Leadership in a Mid-Sized Company You are an organizational development (OD) professional for ABC Company in the role of human resource strategist working across several lines of business. You are responsible to three business-unit vice presidents as well as to the director of human resources in this matrixed organization. ABC is a mid-sized global company headquartered in the United States and that outsources product manufacturing to facilities in Mexico and Vietnam. The company’s Board is composed of seven members all located within the United States. The leadership team includes the chief executive officer (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO), and chief operating officer (COO).

Both the director of technology and director of human resources report to the COO and are considered members of the leadership team but not in the executive ranks. Vice presidents lead the three primary business units and a director of shared services reports to the COO. Industry analysts recently released data on the top 10 competitors. ABC was listed at #10 overall, but was listed at #50 on diversity and culture. You know that the industry leader has publicly stated a commitment to diversity and worked to build a company-wide culture of leadership.

Pertinent data related to the low rating included: Board composition: six men and one woman; all United States (U.S.) citizens residing in the United States Leadership team composition: four men and one woman; one ethnic minority, all U.S. citizens residing in the United States Employee demographics: 60% men/40% women; median age 50; management roles 80% men/20% women; 40% of the workforce non-U.S. citizens. Immediately after the industry data were released, reporters contacted the ABC media relations department to get a statement about the undesirable diversity and culture rating. ABC executives want to better understand how the rating might affect the company’s reputation and impact its market position.

The executives contacted the director of human resources to get some answers and likewise, the HR director is bringing you into the discussion.

Paper For Above instruction

The purpose of this meeting is to educate the leadership team at ABC Company on the current state of diversity and culture within the organization, analyze how industry rankings influence corporate reputation and market position, and facilitate strategic discussions to improve diversity initiatives. Considering the recent industry report placing ABC at the bottom of diversity and culture, this session aims to foster awareness, critical analysis, and proactive planning among leadership members.

Attendees will include the CEO, CFO, COO, vice presidents of the three primary business units, the director of shared services, the director of technology, and the HR director. As a facilitator, I will assume a leadership role in guiding discussion, encouraging participation, and ensuring focus on strategic solutions. Following scholarly research on leadership roles, I will assess each participant's position—whether leader or follower—based on their influence and decision-making authority (Yukl, 2013). For instance, the CEO and COO hold leadership authority, while vice presidents serve operational leadership roles, with followers supporting strategic initiatives (Northouse, 2018).

The schedule will include a 15-minute introduction, followed by a 30-minute presentation on historical leadership theories, a 30-minute analysis of modern leadership principles relevant to diversity initiatives, a 15-minute break, and then a 40-minute critical analysis of a leadership book aligned with the current challenges. The session will be conducted in the company's conference room, optimized for open dialogue and engagement, supported by multimedia tools to facilitate presentations. This setting encourages a collaborative atmosphere conducive to strategic thinking and participative discussion (Schein, 2010).

Pre-reading materials will include industry ranking reports, scholarly articles on leadership theories from the past century, and relevant chapters from a current leadership book selected for critical analysis. Attendees will review these materials to ensure informed participation and meaningful dialogue (Klein et al., 2018).

A brief historical overview of leadership studies from 1920 to present will trace early trait theories, behavioral approaches, contingency models, transformational and servant leadership, culminating in contemporary inclusive leadership frameworks. This overview, supported by a graphic timeline, will highlight shifts toward valuing diversity and organizational culture as strategic assets (Bass & Bass, 2008; Northouse, 2018). An included graphic will visually demonstrate the evolution of leadership paradigms over the decades.

In discussing modern leadership, emphasis will be placed on adaptive, ethical, and culturally competent leadership models, illustrating their relevance to ABC’s situation. For example, transformational leadership principles can inspire cultural change, while culturally intelligent leadership promotes inclusivity. These models align with the organization’s need to improve its diversity rankings by fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated into decision-making processes (Mannix & Neale, 2005). An original graphic will depict the core components of modern leadership frameworks, emphasizing their application to fostering an inclusive organizational culture.

The critical analysis will focus on a current leadership book—such as 'Leadership in Turbulent Times' by Doris Kearns Goodwin—and explore how its insights about adaptive leadership, resilience, and social justice relate to ABC’s diversity challenges. Utilizing Western’s (2013) four critical inquiry frames—descriptive, interpretive, evaluative, and explanatory—this analysis will examine how leadership narratives shape organizational culture, especially concerning diversity and inclusion. This section, comprising five pages, will connect theoretical insights with practical strategies for organizational change.

Facilitation questions will be designed to stimulate discussion, such as: How can transformational leadership be leveraged to improve our diversity culture? What barriers do we face in implementing inclusive leadership practices? How do our current leadership styles align with or hinder diversity initiatives? These questions aim to draw attendees into reflective, strategic dialogues concerning leadership roles, organizational change, and cultural transformation.

References

• Bass, B. M., & Bass, R. (2008). The Bass handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications (4th ed.). Free Press.
• Klein, C., Knight, A., & Pomerance, C. (2018). Preparing Leaders for Cultural Transformation. Leadership Quarterly, 29(4), 558-572.
• Mannix, E., & Neale, M. A. (2005). What Differences Make a Difference? The Promise and Reality of Diverse Teams. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 6(2), 31–55.
• Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.
• Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
• Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.
• Western, J. (2013). Critical Perspectives on Leadership: Application and Analysis. Journal of Leadership Studies, 7(4), 45-50.