*To hear the original recording of " Thought Leadership in the Field of I/O Psychology - How to be a Leader of the Charge" during the SEBOC 3-Day Virtual Experience, check out Ep. 155 of the WorkCookie podcast here.
Organizations are striving to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of leadership within their structures and foster its growth within themselves. Leadership brings direct and indirect impact to the employee’s performance and also has a strong effect on fostering a culture that encourages knowledge sharing, employee retention and creating loyalty to the organization.
Let's explore several key subjects in leadership.
The significance of focusing on the growth of leaders within an organization:
Leaders who have not received proper training within an organization or are not putting effort into their own development can potentially have significant negative impacts. An emerging leader can be very successful even if training is not provided because they are motivated to grow into a position anyway. Individuals entering leadership roles within an organization should prioritize their own growth and development.
Leadership isn’t always defined by title. It applies by influence, input and also impact:
Leadership can transcend titles. Leadership is not solely determined by having a specific job title or position within an organization. Instead, leadership can manifest in various ways, irrespective of one's official rank (Dadi, 2020; Sharma, 2019). Leadership involves influencing others to achieve common goals or objectives. Someone who can inspire and guide others, even without a formal leadership title, is exercising leadership through their ability to sway opinions and actions.
Thought Leadership:
The concept of thought leadership has gained considerable prominence in examining the influence of leadership styles on employees' job performance. Recently, thought leadership has gained substantial recognition. Thought leadership rests on two fundamental pillars: novelty and trust. Thought leaders have distinct abilities such as championing new ideas, the ability to provoke a new mindset in addressing challenges, communicating with clarity regarding how to turn ideas into reality, and the ability to develop actionable strategies (Wen et al., 2019).
Change management:
Change management is particularly relevant in the current fast-paced business environment where organizations frequently need to adapt to stay competitive. Leadership has become an essential component for a successful change in any organization in facing ever contentious market competitiveness challenges. In view of that, leaders in organizations are recognized as supporters of change (Mansaray, 2019). It helps organizations navigate the challenges that come with change, such as employee resistance, reduced productivity during transitions, and potential disruptions to established workflows.
Providing opportunities for others' potential:
It is important for leaders to provide opportunities for others to engage and harness their potential. Leadership holds a crucial position within an organization. Additionally, the data suggest that most managers and leaders integrate coaching into their everyday conversations and interactions (Digirolamo & Tkach, 2019).
Diversity and equity:
In the modern interconnected world, the relationship between diversity, equity, and effective leadership is crucial. Embracing diversity in an organization fosters a wealth of ideas and perspectives, leading to inclusivity. Leadership in this context involves valuing differences, eliminating biases, and creating opportunities for all. Diverse teams are more innovative, solving complex problems with varied viewpoints.
Sharing Knowledge:
Sharing knowledge in the context of leadership involves transmitting valuable insights, skills, and experiences to others in order to foster growth, development, and effective leadership practices. Leader competencies are critical for promoting knowledge sharing and enhancing employee job performance. Both knowledge sharing and employee job performance are found to have a direct effect on employee loyalty (Swanson et al., 2020).
Leadership is about feeling:
"At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said and did, they will remember how you made them feel" - Maya Angelou
The effectiveness of leadership goes beyond rational decision-making and extends into the realm of emotions and empathy. Leaders who understand the significance of emotions in leadership recognize that emotions influence how people perceive situations, make decisions, and collaborate. Every interaction between a leader and their team members contributes to the emotional environment within the workplace.
By: Zakieh Hoseinpoor
BRIDGE Builder - The Bridgify Group
https://www.thebridgifygroup.com/
*To hear the original recording of "I/O Career Pathfinder Member Panel" during the SEBOC 3-Day Virtual Experience, check out Ep. 163 of the WorkCookie podcast here.
References:
Dadi, K. (2020, August 27). Leadership is action not a position. Castlebay Companies, https://www.castlebayconsulting.com/leadership-is-action-not-a-position/
Digirolamo, J. A., & Tkach, J. T. (2019). An exploration of managers and leaders using coaching skills. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 71(3), 195.
Mansaray, H. E. (2019). The role of leadership style in organisational change management: a literature review. Journal of Human Resource Management, 7(1), 18-31.
Sharma, O. (2019, June 30). Leadership Is Not a Position Or a Title, It is Action and Example. Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-position-title-action-example-ojus-sharma/
Swanson, E., Kim, S., Lee, S. M., Yang, J. J., & Lee, Y. K. (2020). The effect of leader competencies on knowledge sharing and job performance: Social capital theory. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 42, 88-96.
Wen, T. B., Ho, T. C., Kelana, B. W. Y., Othman, R., & Syed, O. R. (2019). Leadership styles in influencing employees’ job performances. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(9), 55-65.
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