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Introduction
This paper focuses on leadership and management. Great Start Nutrition has launched a new product design for designing, developing and delivering infant formula globally and therefore needs an executive director for this new division. The paper starts by distinguishing between leadership and management. It also describes the various management and leadership skills that the new executive director should possess. The paper also outlines the best leadership style recommended for the new executive director. Finally, the paper analyses the things Helen and the consultant group are looking for in the new executive director, assesses the three candidates, and recommends the best candidate for selection.
Management and leadership
Leadership is the act of leading and motivating people in a team towards the achievement of the group’s common goal. In an organizational setting, leadership is directing and inspiring workers using a strategy aimed at meeting the organizational goals. Management, on the other hand, involves working through and with other people and other resources to achieve organizational goals (Kotterman, 2006).
The major difference in management and leadership roles is that leadership is about inspiring others while management involves more of planning. Leaders cheer success and drives followers but managers find problems and offer solutions. Leaders have a vision of the organization and inspire their followers to turn it into reality. They think beyond the skills possessed by their followers but activate them to become better. They appreciate the fact that well-functioning teams can perform better that people working individually. On the other hand, managers focus on setting, assessing and achieving goals by finding faults and solutions to them.
Leadership functions are different from those of management. A leader should have a vision by knowing exactly where they want to go and how. A leader must also be inspirational by helping their followers to understand their roles better. They also should have integrity and honesty as people look up to them. Leaders also should be challengers to move beyond the status quo and find ideas and solutions outside the box.
On the other hand, managers find the organization already having a vision but they have a role of executing it. They must be able to direct in terms of day to day operations and reviewing all resources that may be needed (Kotterman, 2006). Managers must also keep people focused by meeting their needs, listening to them, and considering their requests.
Leadership skills needed by an executive director
The executive director will need to have some leadership skills to be successful. First, he/she must possess exceptional communication skills. As mentioned earlier a leader formulates the vision for the organization. Consequently they must communicate this to the employee in a great way for them to understand and work towards it (Yammarino, 2000). Secondly, he/she needs great decision making skills. Leaders are mandated to make decisions for the achievement of the vision they have set.
To be successful in as an executive director he/she must possess great management skills. He/she must have inspirational skills. As a leader he must motivate and inspire employees to become better every day than they found them. Through this achieving their mission becomes easier. He/she must also be able to delegate. As a leader they may not do everything right and therefore he/she will need to empower followers and give them tasks and focuses on more important things (Kotterman, 2006). Finally, he/she must have critical thinking and creativity. This is what will make them different from a mere employee. This will make the division stand out among other competitors.
Management skills needed by the new Executive Director
The executive director will also need some managerial skills to be successful. First, he/she needs technical skills. This is having the manual skills for this case, some nutrition skills. Moreover, he/she will need skills in product design, marketing, and skills to boost sales. Secondly, he/she will also require having conceptual skills. He/she must have the ability and knowledge to think in an abstract manner and to formulate ideas (Goetsch, & Davis, 2014). He/she must see the entire concept, identify problems, and offer solutions for him to predict outcome for the business. Finally, He or she needs great interpersonal skills to enable him/her interact and effectively interact with employees. This will help create potential in employees as well as motivating them for better results.
The leadership style that best fits the new Executive Director position
The best leadership style for this position is transformational leadership. The executive director must be able to intrinsically motivate employs by treating them as individuals, inspiring them, and creating a vision (Ashkanasy & Tse, 2000). The executive director must view the world positively and encourage employees by boosting their values and talents.
The rationale for this style is that it will help executive moving the new division to greater heights through growth. By treating the employees right, they will be productive and thereby enabling the new to grow (Ashkanasy & Tse, 2000). Employees who are motivated have lesser turn over as they are satisfied and therefore no need to look for better pastures. Such employees would also put extra effort in marketing the business even when they are not at work.
Candidate assessment and selection
In choosing the right candidate for this there are various things that Helen and the consultant group are specifically looking for. One is that they are looking for someone with creativity and innovative skills so as to develop green and sustainable products which will be unique in the market. Secondly, they are looking for someone who will help in marketing the products of the new division. Thirdly, the candidate must include cultures, values, and traditions of the host nation employees. Forth, he/she must be able to motivate employees as well as customer base in the industry.
The three candidates are competent and meets some of the quality being looked for. Erin has experience as she has worked as a deputy executive director in this company. In her earlier position she has been motivating her employees, which is one of the things being looked for. She participated inorganic ingredients research which shows some concern in environmental conservation. She also has technical skills since she has done chemical engineering. She however lacks marketing experience which is one of the things Helen and her group are looking for.
Betty also meets some of the qualifications. She has worked in a company in the same industry. She has marketing skills and experience since when she was the vice president of operations and marketing there was an increase of 12% in market share. She also has demonstrated great management skills in being at the ground work and being involved in decision making. She also has interests in making the company’s product environmentally friendly products even though not as entrants. She has cultural competence as she has worked in Asia before
Arthur also has experience as he owned a company in the same industry. His company’s sales were doing well that he is selling the company to the hiring company. He has the experience as he was the one running his own company. He however does not have marketing skills as he says it is his wife who was handling marketing in his company. He will meet the traditional and cultural needs of host nation employees as he has initially worked there.
The best choice for this position is the second candidate Betty Jackson. She fulfills all the qualities demanded by Helen and the consultant group. She has a record of leading and managing well in a way that she motivates her employees. She also has worked in Asia and therefore she is capable of handling employees while valuing their cultures and traditions. She has a record of visiting plants to know what is happening aiding her decision making which is also a great trait. She also has great marketing skills that helped her to boost her previous company market share.
References
- Ashkanasy, N. M., & Tse, B. (2000). Transformational leadership as management of emotion: A conceptual review.
- Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
- Kotterman, J. (2006). Leadership versus management: what’s the difference?. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 29(2), 13.
- Yammarino, F. J. (2000). Leadership skills: Introduction and overview.
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