The leadership characteristics that empowers success are one of the deeply soughtafter topics of interest, in both the business organizations and the academic research
communities. Currently, the subject has been causing contradictions due to having
news approaches in the field which led to being one of heavily debated topics in both
theoretically and practically implementing it in the workplace.
In this essay, the analysis of these leadership aspects is examined on the following
three articles (Capelli et al. 2010; Larkin and Weber 2011; Useem 2010) with two
engaging in the business sector and one being in the military sector. Since each
article’s findings have been conducted in different countries, diverse ideas and values
for the aspects have been established. Capelli et. al, for example, takes place in India,
where the ideas of powers practiced traditional business models are changed from the
CEO to their employees who are now succeeding them as leaders. Whereas, Larkin
and Weber’s focuses in China, interviewing top business leaders for advice in coping
challenges in the changing tourism industry and Useem’s article mainly focus on the
military who created new tactics that adapted the new environment which the
businesses could take inspirations from. The main objective of this, is to examine on
their similarities or differences on mission-building, communication-skills and learningstyles.
While all the articles do practice the aspect of having a mission being built, in which is
to be used as means of establishing purpose for the organization/group to accordingly
act upon, the scope (of domain) where its set for are different. The Indian leaders for
example, has been well-known for being internally and externally aiding the people
and the infrastructure, both in and out of their business which they call their “social
mission” (Capelli et. al, pg.56). While this responsibility is practiced out beyond their
workplace area in building and maintaining healthy relationships, the rest of the articles
4/19/2020
Portfolio 6 – Final Draft
Zaw*
are internally focused on their groups (for stability and consistency). According to
Larkin & Webber, the ten global leaders claim that supporting teams with systematic,
well-structured plans and strategic leadings is mainly the most important mission
among all else, for bringing in the team to together to work inside is far crucial than the
outside. This includes bringing right people to talk to the right team and having a
department to rightly execute it (pg.29). Similarly, Useem’s US Military bootcamp does
not differ far from this, except from the fact that they are in a survival mode where
conformity is primarily the only way to establish the mission, in accords to their laws
of the Marine Dictum (pg.76). To clarify, the dictum says only decisions are to be made
when the consensus is dominant (e.g. 70% consent-act principle) and must act as
their sole mission.
Applying comprehensible communication skills towards member are another
commonly connected aspect that all these articles leniently agree on, with very little
distinctions to be made. Being able to state a clear set of goals and objectives, is a
trait that Larkin & Weber (pg.30) as well as Useem (pg.77) both tend to concur: helping
individuals find reasons to understand why their responsibilities and directions are
being planned and conducted. Although, Capelli et. al has these traits, he emphasizes
more on building relationships, encouraging openness and empowering them for to
him, it is the essential part in the teams’ communicating process as instructing alone
does not help bring engagement in working (pg.58). In addition, the method also
deeply affects the well-being of the individuals and contributes their productivity.
Despite that all the articles have made proposals to address uncertain situations by
having a learning style, there is a huge variation in their approach. To Capelli et. al,
the way of the learning in the Indian workplace is made by enrolling the staffs on
workshop trainings that are heavily invested, for it is taught by the successful experts
4/19/2020
Portfolio 6 – Final Draft
Zaw*
(pg.59). This is so that the inexperienced staffs could use them as their experienced
role-model and learn to become that example, copying the experienced to become the
experienced. However, in Larkin and Weber’s version, their learning style happens
when practicing the qualities of being self-reflective and humble instead of being
entitled in a god-like status, where one is shy of having their reputation ruined and is
in constant denial. The concept of admittance, honesty, humility and responsibility is
taken into their account, since applying in this way could help find a solution to the
problem, especially in the long-term moments between their members (pg.29). On
Useem’s style, the learning occurs by one’s personal experience that they undergone
in, using self-reflection as a key to understand and being aware of their situations so
they could adapt if necessary (pg.77).
By looking at the three articles so far, it can be noted that their aspects of missionbuilding, communication-skills and learning-styles, are indeed are important
characteristics for success, although it is differentiated due to their nature of business
types. For this reason, there are such decentralized (India) and centralized (USA &
China) focuses in the organizations as well as different ways of learning. Although
communication has far less variation, overall, it was served as a functional means for
the group. Personally, I would like to point out that if businesses are driven into highly
competitive environments, following Useem’s militia is my recommendation whereas
for the challenging environments, take Larkin & Weber’s advice, and Capelli et. al for
creating a new environment.
4/19/2020
Portfolio 6 – Final Draft
Zaw*
References:

Capelli et al. 2010, ‘Leadership Lessons from India’, ‘Harvard Business
Review’, March, pg.56-59.

Ladkin & Weber. 2011, ‘Leadership Issues and Challenges in the Tourism
Industry: A Hong Kong Perspective’, ‘Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism
Research’, Vol 16, Issue 3, pg.29-30.

Useem. 2010, ‘Four Lessons in Adaptive Leadership’, ‘Harvard Business
Review’, pg.76-77
(AEC’s academic essay version uses no bullet points in references and it makes it confusing
for the readers to determine in whether there is one or many sources in the essay. Also, the
2-inch spacing makes it worse, but it’s not bad enough with the bullet. Also, the use of jargon
and a strict use of words & structuring in a certain way really tear with the real-world ways. It
is however, a fine academic sample to be used as a specimen but if we are to write in the
workplace of the industry, this writings from the academy is highly off the base.
Also, please tell Zaw to remove this 3 portfolio in his Samsung after the exam, thanks!)
4/19/2020
Portfolio 6 – Final Draft
Zaw*