-SIMON SINEK
People dont buy what you do;
they buy why you do it.
LEADERSHIP
In high school I heard this over and over again. I was an active member in a Jewish youth group all throughout high school and had a leadership position starting in 10th grade. The Union for Reform Judaism’s (URJ) North American Federation for Temple Youth (NFTY) is a youth group system that splits the US and Canada into 19 regions. Each region is run by a board of 6-10 teens who are elected each year. Under that regional board is a cabinet. The cabinet varies from region to region and is chosen yearly by the regional board. As a senior in high school I served as the president of the New York Area Region (NAR). Prior to my election I had spent two summers at URJ Kutz Camp, the URJ’s teen leadership program. It was there I first heard about the Golden Circle. “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” Simon Sinek gave a TEDx talk in 2010 entitled “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.” The talk outlines the idea that what makes a great leader is their thought process. He explains that companies that are typically unsuccessful will start by defining what they are making. He then distinguishes great leaders with successful companies beginning with WHY they are doing what they do. “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” My ideal organization’s leadership plan should be rooted in that concept. The textbook defines these types of leaders as transformative.
TRANSFORMATIONAL
TRANSACTIONAL
VS
transactional leadership is a leadership approach that is based on the exchange relationship between followers and leaders. There are three types of transac-tional leadership behavior types: contingent reward, active-management- by exception, and laissez faire.
transformational leadership is a leadership approach that involves motivating followers to do more than expected, to continuously develop and grow, to increase self-confidence, and to place the interests of the unit or organization before their own. Transformational leadership involves charisma, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration.
As discussed in my structure plan, my organization will have many leaders. The CEO is the head of the company but isn’t a monarch or single decision maker. Other leaders in my organization are the department heads and the project managers. Beyond that, I believe every member of an organization has moments of leadership. As an intern this past summer, I was the only person on-site who had a background in computer coding and was therefore looked to as a leader in times discussing technology, regardless of my intern status. That is the kind of organization I want to be a part of because everyone has leadership value. In my diversity plan I discuss the importance of diversity because it brings different perspectives and ideas. I think it's important to take diversity into consideration when creating a leadership style.
JOB-CENTERED LEADERSHIP
A behavioral leadership style that emphasizes employee tasks and the methods used to accomplish them.
EMPLOYEE-CENTERED LEADERSHIP
A behavioral leadership style that emphasizes employees’ personal needs and the development of interpersonal relationships.
Based on my structure plan, I think it would be best if the department heads have an employee-centered leadership style while my project managers have a job-centered leadership style. I say this with caution, because no leader should be completely following only one style. While I think it's important for project managers to be job-centered leaders, it is also important that they take time for the people on their team. The same is true for the department heads. The reason I structured my organization the way I did was specifically to make sure projects are completed on time while members of the team are still being supported. I also want to make sure there are no laissez-faire leaders in my company. Although some individuals prefer a more hands off approach, individual work without team and supervisor input can lead to mistakes and wasted time. Also, I think it is important for employees’ mental health to work with others throughout the day. In a perfect world, all leaders in my organization would be transformational leaders but I know that is hard to come by. Hopefully with experience and training, that may come in time.
I am okay with a mix of transformational and transactional leaders as long as the transformative aspect is the leading action. Even when inspired, some people prefer a little push or require incentive. Personally, I dislike the norm that sales organizations publicly rank their sales employees because that can cause extra stress and embarrassment, nevertheless it is important to understand that competition can help foster creative ideas. Because of this, it is important for supervisors to be able to adjust according to their employees’ needs. To do this, we will have monthly feedback forms. These forms are for both employees and their managers. In school, it can be hard to adjust how you are doing in a class if the professor doesn't tell you how you’re doing. Likewise, employees cannot improve without feedback. Also vital is that managers are given feedback. Although a manager's leadership style might be perfect for one employee, it might not be for another and its important managers hear about that and adjust to help everyone feel supported. I know this sounds a little sentimental and perhaps a little too hands on but conceptually I feel this is the best way to foster a successful and ideal organization.