Portfolio Milestone: The Influence Of Leadership And Leadership

Portfolio Milestone: Rough Draft

In the fast-paced, global economy that is so prevalent today, organizations will always need managers, for they are the proverbial squeaky wheel keeping their company functional. Thompson (2015) described management as a necessary function in any business; however, when people are the focus, leadership exercises the most influence on the success of an organization. The value of a true leader is most apparent when the inevitable conflicts and misunderstandings arise in today’s diverse healthcare workplaces. Certainly, diversity can lead to tremendous innovation in all industries as skills from various demographic populations and ethnic groups bring unique ideas to a team. However, diversity can also lead to misunderstandings

This is where transformational leaders excel in their roles as motivators and change agents; however, one characteristic that resonates most with followers is the leader’s ability to define vision and mission. Ballou (2015) used the analogy of an orchestra conductor possessing the musical score that provides the details for every participant in the ensemble. The ability of the leader to bring clarity to the vision enables followers to understand the ‘why’ of their hard work. While seemingly autocratic, followers accept direction from transformational leaders because they demonstrate selflessness and are most interested in the team’s success, not their own. These highly regarded traits can alleviate tension in diverse groups by focusing on the vision, not individual differences. While there are similarities between the servant and transformational leader, there are important differences as well. In the book, The Leadership Challenge (2002, p. 153), the authors suggested that transformational leadership affects not only the followers, but the leader as well, by raising each other to achieve the higher purposes of motivation and morality. Another vital component of transformational leadership is the fostering of participation when making decisions. It is never the intention of the leader to inject his or her opinion, especially at the onset of the process. This ability allows followers to arrive at consensus by encouraging team participation, which invites involvement and buy-in of the vision, while decreasing the likelihood of inter-team conflict. The true transformational leader inspires the team because they have achieved a high level of self-actualization, which allows them to encourage and recognize the achievements of others without feeling threatened. When followers are fortunate enough to be led by a transformational