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IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP IN ADMINISTRATION
Conference Paper · September 2013
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2588.1120
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IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP 1
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP
IN ADMINISTRATION
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In the paper you will cover the following topics.
What is Leadership in Administration?
Why do we need it? What if we lack it?
How do we align the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s vision for
success?
How might we develop an ethical culture, which is very important to your CEO?
Discuss Administrative Leadership responsibilities:
o to the staff (consider diversity and equality);
o to the company (consider measurable outcomes);
o to society (consider corporate social responsibilities).
Summarize with a compelling message of how important this proposed strategy
is to the success of the company.
Simon A. Elhajj
Duquesne University
Donald McAndrews/ MSPA 701-56
September 24, 2013
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 2
Introduction
Managers are important in the companies. Their role is to “Direct others in
performing their task. They focus on objects by producing and selling goods and
services. They maintain stability and create culture of efficiency” (Daft, 2011, p. 16). On
the other hand, leaders create vision and strategy. They help others to grow; focus on
people; inspire and motivate. They create change and a culture of integrity. (Daft, 2011).
In this paper, I will define leadership in administration and why it is important.
Furthermore, I will focus on Strategic business plan and ethical environment in a
company. At the end, I will explore Administrative leadership responsibilities to the staff,
to the company, and to the society.
What is leadership in administration?
We need to look at the meaning of leadership and administration to get an
answer to what is leadership in administration.
“Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real
changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes” (Daft, 2011, p. 5). It “Consists
of guiding, encouraging, and facilitating others in the pursuit of ends by the use of
means, both of which they have either selected or approved” (Ackoff, 1999, p. 21).
Administration is “To seek to make the best possible use of the resources available in
achieving the goal of the enterprise” (Wren, Bedeian, and breeze, 2002, p. 911). It
“Consists of directing others in carrying out the will of a third party using means selected
by that party” (Ackoff, 1999, p. 21).
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 3
Leadership in administration is the leading of the body of a company to achieve the
goals that were a result of the vision, mission, and purpose that are created by the
leaders of this company.
Why do we need it? What if we lack it?
We need the leadership in administration because there is a big role an
administrative leadership plays especially in Strategic business planning. The latter “is
the key to developing a business so that it runs effectively and efficiently” (Reading,
2002, p.1).
Fayol states that administration is “in charge of the staff making it in most cases the
predominant function, for we all know that, even if a firm has perfect machinery and
manufacturing processes, it is doomed to failure if it is run by an inefficient staff” (Wren,
Bedeian, and Breeze, 2002, p. 908). Without the leadership in administration “The
organization would fall apart” (Daft, 2011, p. 7).
How do we align the rapidly growing organization
around the CEO’s vision for success?
We do that by having clear strategic business planning. “It enables an
organization to operate by providing a forum and a structured process to resolve
internal confusion and to channel energy and effort in a commonly agreed direction”
(Reading, 2002, p. 4).
We need to have a focused company that shares a common purpose, communicates
clear strategy, and efficiency at work.
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 4
Reading, (2002), talks about the common purpose that is shared by everybody in the
company: “The result is an organization where functions and departments are directing
their efforts to achieve a common purpose. In addition, the way people, systems and
technology are organized and resourced supports the functions in moving towards that
common purpose” (p. 5).
Another source that helps in aligning the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s
vision for success is by communications. “Communicating a clear strategy to employees
and ensuring they understand how their contribution is important for its success is the
first requirement for creating a focused business. At a detailed level what is required is
that everything in the company is aligned with the company purpose” (Reading, 2002, p.
5).
Another requirement we talked about in helping a focused company is efficiency.
Drucker (Reading 2002) says that: “efficiency is doing things right” (p. 5).
As a result of all these answers, we can explore the benefits of strategic business
planning. Reading (2002) talks about these benefits as follows: “The benefits of
strategic business planning are threefold:
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an understanding by all senior management of the business, its unique attributes,
why customers buy from it, and the opportunities and threats it faces;
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a clear concept of where the business is going and the actions everyone will take
to move it there;
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A commitment by the leadership team to make the strategic plan work and to
ensure that the company moves in the direction they have decided is the best for
its future” (p.8).
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 5
How might we develop an ethical culture,
which is very important to your CEO?
A first way to do that is by creating ethical policies. First we have to know that
“Ethics has to do with the right and wrong of human conduct “ (Stimson, 2005, p. 69).
He continues: “Ethical policies affect the performance of employees; therefore,
ensuring ethical management at the process level enhances process performance and
benefits management in return” (Stimson, 2005, p. 73). In a company we can see a
code of ethics helps in developing an ethical culture. Management, employees,
customers, and society benefit from this code. It works for everyone. “All responsible
institutions use a code of conduct or ethics, naturally tailored to their business and quite
often confidential” (Stimson, 2005, p. 74).
A second way to develop an ethical culture, which is very important to the CEO is by
developing emotionally intelligent leaders. “Emotionally intelligent leaders, especially
those with well-developed interpersonal and empathy skills, are more likely to be able to
appreciate the impact of their behavior and are also more likely to care about the
consequences. They are also more likely to want to understand what is important to the
people who work in their organizations and society at large. EI leaders tend to be more
engaging because people can relate to them; they will feel more accessible, inspire trust
and have a greater understanding of what is considered fair. Therefore, developing
emotionally intelligent leaders is crucial to developing ethical organizations” (Gregory,
2010, p. 47).
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 6
Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:
To the staff ( consider diversity and equality)
“Organizations establish workforce diversity programs to promote the hiring,
inclusion, and career advancement of diverse employees and to ensure that differences
are accepted and respected in the workplace. A workforce is made up of people with
different human qualities or who belong to various cultural groups” (Daft, 2011, p. 332).
Diversity includes everyone. It refers to “All the ways in which people differ, including
dimensions such as age, race, marital status, physical ability, income level, and
lifestyle” (Daft, 2011, p. 332).
Successful leaders in an increasingly diverse world have a responsibility to
acknowledge and value cultural differences and understand how diversity affects
organizational operations and outcomes. “Strong culturally-sensitive leadership can
move organizations toward diversity, whereby people are valued for the abilities they
bring to the workplace. Leaders should develop a culture that supports inclusion and full
participation of all individuals, regardless of race, gender, age, cultural or ethnic group,
physical ability, or other characteristics” (Daft, 2011, p. 349).
Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:
To the company (consider measurable outcomes)
A main responsibility for the administrative leader is that he “Must institutionalize
practices for observing past experiences and capturing what works and what doesn’t
work in an effort to improve. Key activities involve post-mortem analysis of work, and
training on areas where the organization is weak. Sometimes weaknesses are related to
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 7
skills, and sometimes lack of process. In both cases, processes and procedures need to
be addressed and trained” (McAndrews, 2013, p. 9).
Their role is to “Define the task, concentrate work on it, define performance, make the
employee partner in productivity improvement and the first source of ideas for it, and
build continuous learning and continuing teaching into the job of every employee and
work team” (Drucker, 1991, p. 79).
We can measure the outcomes by the supply and demand. When we see more
customers, this will let us understand that the quality of the products or services is good.
Near that we need to make sure that we have well trained employees that have high
skills in maintaining this success.
Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:
To society (consider corporate social responsibilities).
“Raising the productivity of service work is administrative leader’s
(management’s) first social responsibility “(Drucker, 1991, p. 79).
His role is to make the “company stay in business” (McAndrews, 2013, p. 11).He can do
that through Sustainability. The latter “Meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (McAndrews,
2013, p. 11). He can do that through clear vision.
Summary
We cannot imagine a company without an administrative leader. He has the
biggest role in growing this company. Without his presence or even his good skills, the
company might lose money in big amounts and might fall apart. One of his duties is to
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 8
develop an ethical culture by presenting himself as a model. A second role is to unite
the body of this company by sharing the vision, mission and purpose through a strategic
business plan. That will align the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s vision
for success. He holds responsibility to the staff, to the company and to society.
Leadership in administration is not a one person role; it is everyone’s role in the
company. Any individual, manager and executive have to play this role for the success
of the company. Leadership in administration is a team work sharing one purpose.
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 9
References
Ackoff, R. L. (1999). Transformational leadership. Strategy & Leadership, 27(1), 20-25.
Retrieved December 28, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
38782927).
Daft, R. L. 2011. The Leadership Experience (5th. Ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.
Drucker, P. F. (1991). The New Productivity Challenge. (cover story). Harvard Business
Review, 69(6), 69-79.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Gregory, P. (2010, September). Ethical leadership. Training Journal, 44-47.
Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
2142960721).
McAndrews, D. (2013, September 14). MSPA 701 weeks 3-4 Slides.pdf, 1-14.
Retrieved September 15, 2013, from Duquesne university blackboard website:
https://duquesne.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-858136-dt-content-rid3663119_1/xid 3663119_.
Reading, C. (2002). The Purpose of Strategic Business Planning. In C. Reading
(Ed.)Strategic Business Planning, (2nd ed., pp. [7]-16) London: Kogan Page.
Retrieved December 30, 2010, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale:
http://go.galegroup.com.authenticate.library.duq.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=pl3834
Stimson, W. A. (2005). A Deming inspired management code of ethics. Quality
Progress, 38(2), 67-69+.
Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
795172061).
Wren, D. A., Bedeian, A. G., & Breeze, J. D. (2002). The foundations of Henri Fayol's
administrative theory. Management Decision, 40(9), 906-918.
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