Effective Decision Making

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, contrary to popular understanding, there is no unique style of leadership for all situations, and the leader needs to be flexible and change his approach on a case-to-case basis. The author points out three elements that are seen common to most definitions of leadership. First, leadership is fundamentally a social phenomenon; second, leadership results in changing activities and structuring relationships and, third, to be categorized as a leader, the person must be recognized as having a higher ability to influence decisions. The paper states that there are five key leadership challenges that form important components of the leadership role: re-frame the future; develop commitment; teach and learn; build community; and balance paradox.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Case Study
Behavioral Theory
Contingency Theory
Transformational Theory
Analysis of the CEO's Leadership Style
Challenges to Leadership

From the Paper:

"Case Study: I am the Business Development Manager for a software company that has operations in many countries and delivers cutting-edge real time solutions to many leading international companies. After years of growth, the company at the start of year 2003, found itself riddled with many problems and faced a possible impedance of growth. While the company continued to enjoy the confidence of most of its major customers and thus repeat businesses, there was a significant reduction in income from new business opportunities. Competition was gobbling up new contracts by aggressive marketing, pricing and promising better deliverables. With the passing of every quarter, profitability was showing a negative growth and many felt that it was only a matter of time before the company slipped into losses. One fine Monday morning, the news hit us that the existing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was stepping down and a new CEO would shortly take his place. The new CEO, a rather youngish man in his early forties, joined the company in April 2003. Within six months of taking over the mantle, the new CEO had successfully managed to turnaround the company's performance by solving most of the problems. Sales growth rate was back on track and expected to increase further, costs were down and profits started climbing. What was more visible was the improvement in motivation at almost all levels across the organization and better team work. In my assessment, the new CEO's leadership qualities were chiefly responsible for this remarkable improvement in the company's performance."

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