Transformational Leadership and the Integrated Leadership Model

To optimize the rate of success in todays competitive market, businesses must have an effective leader who will maximize the human resources available to increase market share. Transformational leadership focuses on developing leadership strategies that align an organizations vision with the tasks performed. A characteristic of Transformational leaders is that they create a new vision; a vision that separates them from competitors, and from where the organization is now (Symons, 2006, p. 18). The behaviors exemplified by a transformational leader provide the effective leadership skills necessary to provide momentum that will innovate todays businesses. Over the past two decades, transformational leadership has emerged as one of the most popular approaches to understanding leader effectiveness (Piccolo and Colquitt, 2006, p. 327).

The integrated leadership model emphasizes leadership behaviors which focus on establishing a relationship between increased job performance and customer satisfaction. Leaders can use the philosophy of the integrated leadership model to obtain the momentum necessary to motivate and maximize the utilization of human resources. The integrated leadership model illustrates a relationship between job satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Integrated Leadership Model promotes job satisfaction and motivates staff to participate in activities that will produce quality customer outcomes (Perra, 1999).

Knowledge of Skill Levels

Gaining a broader understanding of employees skill levels is a behavior in transformational leadership that helps leaders to develop strategies to maximize the use of human resources. Leaders can use the practice of evaluating the behavior aspects of employees to determine how to provide successful motivation and stimulation for employees. For leaders, understanding the differences in how generations approach authority, leadership, and loyalty can be especially important (Salopek, 2006, p. 22).

The lack of knowledge on the skill levels of employees can cause an organization to have treats that have a negative effect on organizational performance. Successful leadership depends on a leaders ability to develop strategies which maximizes the use of available resources. The process of maximizing the use of available resources includes matching skill levels with organizational tasks.

Understanding Core Objectives

Preparing employees to have a better understanding of an organizations core values and objectives is an example of the utilization of the integrated leadership model. The awareness of employees on the values and objectives of an organization promotes consistencies in work ethic and performance. A better understanding of organizational values and objectives will assist leaders in providing the direction employees need in completing the mission and vision of the organization.

Lack of knowledge on the goals and objectives of an organization can negatively influence the performance of members of an organization. Rosen discusses how sales teams have the tendency to focus on only 20 percent of an organizations customer based on the assumption that 80 percent of an organizations revenue being generated by only 20 percent an organizations customer base (Rosen, 2006). Building your sales team around the 80-20 rule contradicts the core objective of leadership which is, to make your people more valuable (Rosen, 2006, p. 26)

Cultural Leadership

Focusing on cultural leadership is a behavior characteristic in the transformational leadership which enhances the merger of employees personal values with an organizations values. In an interview with L. Daniel Jorndt, chairman and chief executive officer of Walgreens Co., Jorndt illustrates this confidence he has with Walgreens Companys current culture. Jorndt stated, True to the generations of leaders before them, the people who run Walgreen Co. today are not flashy. They dont generate much media buzz, stage lavish parties or generate headlines like higher-profile corporate trendsetters. They speak plain, Midwestern terms about hard work, discipline and long-term rewards rather than short-term gains (Griffin, 2000, p. 221). The interview portraits the strong cultural values which Walgreens has built over their 100 plus year tenure in the drug store industry.

The existence of sub-cultures within an organization can make it difficult for an organization to enforce its cultural values among the organizations employees. Businesses must evaluate and focus on ways to improve organizational management the awareness of the organizational values and desired cultural environment. Turman feels that organizational management includes using focused agencies designed to improve program management, and created or enhanced an evaluation culture within an organization (2003).

Conclusion

To compete in todays market place business must have the ability to maximize the use of available resources. Effective leadership will provide organizations with the direction and the vision needed to maximize survival. The behavior characteristics discussed by the author provide a collaboration of transformational leadership and the integrated leadership model to optimize organizational leadership. The combination of transformational leadership and the integrated leadership model represents an optimal leadership model for todays competitive market.

References

Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row. New York. Retrieved June 26, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Griffin, M. (2000, December). Positive, Productive People Are Key to Walgreens' Success: An Interview with L. Daniel Jorndt. Chain Store Age. 76(12), 221. Retrieved June 28, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Duta, A. (2005). Meta-Level Dialectical Interpenetrations in Transformational and Leadership. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, Annual Meeting. New York, NY. Retrieved June 28, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Piccolo, R. and Colquitt, J. (April, 2006). Transformational leadership and job behaviors: The mediating role of core job characteristics. Academy of Management Journal. 49(2), 327-340. Retrieved June 26, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Perra, B. (1999, January). The Leader in You. Nursing Management. 30(1), 35. Retrieved June 27, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Rosen, Keith. (June, 2006). Kill the 80-20 rule. Qualified Re-modeler. 32(6), 26. Retrieved June 26, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Salopek, J. J. Leadership for a new age. (June, 2006) T+D. 60(6), 22-23. Retrieved June 25, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.

Symons, J. (April, 2006). The vision thing. e.learning age. 18-19. Retrieved June 26, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database.