A Day in the Life of Alex Simonov

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According to the pathway theory, a leader’s behavior or style of leadership should fit the workforce and work surroundings or situations to attain certain objectives (Anderson, & Sun, 2017). Alex demonstrated this pathway concept through his instrumental traits. Alex demonstrated his instrumental character while performing daily duties. For instance, he finished writing his reports before the morning break and trained a student on how to file. During the morning break, he engaged his subordinates on new ideas to make informed decisions. The ability to socialize with other people and even ask for help brings out the instrumental behavior necessary for managing any situation. He speaks openly with his subordinates and airs out their worries hence helping them create a solution for any arising challenges. This way, he can easily fulfill his leadership position and satisfy other people’s suggestions.

            Based on the path goals concept, Alex also exhibited supportive behavior. Supportive behavior implies that he is extremely helpful particularly when it comes to solving issues. For instance, he engages Sylvia in a welcoming dialogue, and at the end of it all solves her problem, he even asks why she failed to come earlier. This paints a picture of a genuine leader who is supportive and action-oriented. Moreover, Alex's supportive behavior demonstrates that he is aware of his surroundings and the importance of the people he works with. He is not just focused on the outcome but also concentrated on offering people working under him an easier time. The supportive approach introduces an alternative dimension to his leadership role- leaders are required to be more people-oriented than income-oriented (Fiaz, & Saqib, 2017). In simpler terms, Alex is a supportive leader because he is not just interested in giving commands and micromanaging each aspect of his subordinate’s workspace but also learning from them. This way, he ensures the wellbeing of the workforce which in turn leads to a top-notch performance due to the removal of obstacles. One of the main benefits of supportive leadership traits is the collaborative effort between the workers and the employer or boss hence rekindling innovation and empowerment among the workers.

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 Not all leadership styles fit all situations. However, it is important to comprehend the natural style of leadership so that one can nurture skills he or she is missing (Cummings et al., 2018). Hence leaders should balance different approaches so that they might not compromise any leadership style. This way, a leader can accommodate different leadership styles so that he effectively managed all situations arising from his context or point of view. Accordingly, on the Blake and Mouton's leadership grid, Alex can be placed in the team management part. Based on case study details, and how he handles his fellow workers, Alex is a brilliant leader which translates into a remarkable administrator. Under the team management section, an effective leader is passionate and outperforms the rest of the workers due to his dedication. Sound managers commit to the establishment’s objectives and assignment, inspire other workers who get in touch with them, and work hard so that other people might follow suit. This usually leads to great results. On the other hand, other workers recognize them as leaders and are ready to do as they are told.  Alex is not only a team leader but a team builder and this is seen in the manner in which he treats other people. For example, he asks for advice from his subordinates and then uses the information to make informed decisions. As a team manager, Alex has been able to prioritize the establishment’s essentials and at the same time meet other individual’s needs. He did this by ensuring that his subordinates comprehend the establishment’s purpose and involved them in the decision-making process. For instance, implementing other people's ideas.

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Alex’s leadership style is based on situational leadership concepts. Situational ideals claim that leaders pick a solution befitting a certain situation. Various leadership styles might differ depending on how well the leader makes the final decision. For instance, Alex is approachable and this puts him at a central position hence he is seen heard and called upon to solve issues directly and indirectly (Gandolfi, & Stone, 2017). Subsequently, he has been able to effectively execute his mandate and realign his actions with that of the establishment vision. Also, he set the tone and the culture of the organization he works under. For instance, Alex ensures that his employer is informed on Lisa's retirement party after which he cleverly meets with the personnel director and informs him of the vacancies in his section. This makes Alex an exemplary leader who not only accomplishes many tasks but also solves many situational challenges that he comes across while performing his duties.

Shock Therapy

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 As stated earlier, a leader needs to balance different approaches so that he or she can be effective (Al Khajeh, 2018). First of all, autocratic leadership can work effectively in small groups or situations particularly where no leader has emerged yet. This explains the underlying reasons which made Jose Morales succeed. He practices this leadership style in a small restaurant. Secondly, his intentions are direct- hired Robert Manson to take over the restaurant's management before he could set up shop elsewhere. Secondly, autocratic leadership succeeds whenever there is a lack of experience.  In a context where experienced leaders team up to attain certain objectives, they are likely to succeed and this explains the need for the formation of the organizational hierarchy. In this particular case, Jose Morales brings in an inexperienced Robert Manson to take over his managerial position. Jose Morales trains Robert Masons with the aim that he will learn all the ropes of the business management. Throughout the day, Jose Morales orders around his subordinates hence shaping their actions and how they did their work. In this particular situation, Jose is the only choice hence the people have no other option but to listen to him. Thirdly, in the restaurant business, there is no room for failure. One has to completely do as he or she is told. Any mistake can lead to delays and revenue loss.

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            Bob opts for a participatory management style. However, in a restaurant situation, some rules or procedures can never change (Raziq et al., 2018). Restaurants only deal with the menu and how fast one can move from one client to another. Instructions help in guiding other people and showing them the best procedure for examining the situation. It is vital to note that an area where people rely on experience and expertise instructions is highly important. Hence, Jose is not wrong for dictating the rules. A restaurant follow certain rules and regulations for it to succeed hence the need for dictatorship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Al Khajeh, E. H. (2018). Impact of leadership styles on organizational performance. Journal of Human Resources Management Research, 2018, 1-10.

Anderson, M. H., & Sun, P. Y. (2017). Reviewing leadership styles: Overlaps and the need for a new ‘full‐range’theory. International Journal of Management Reviews, 19(1), 76-96.

Cummings, G. G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C. A., Paananen, T., Micaroni, S. P., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International journal of nursing studies, 85, 19-60.

Fiaz, M., Su, Q., & Saqib, A. (2017). Leadership styles and employees' motivation: Perspective from an emerging economy. The Journal of Developing Areas, 51(4), 143-156.

Gandolfi, F., & Stone, S. (2017). The emergence of leadership styles: A clarified categorization. Revista De Management Comparat International, 18(1), 18.

Raziq, M. M., Borini, F. M., Malik, O. F., Ahmad, M., & Shabaz, M. (2018). Leadership styles, goal clarity, and project success. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.