Essay on Organizational Leadership

One of the most critical values of listening leaders is the fact that they are capable of enlarging conversations throughout the decision making process, appreciate all possible solutions in a clear manner from different perspectives, thereby making superior decisions for their organizations. Discernment plays a central role in facilitating all these as it serves as a foundation block for effective decision making processes (Greenleaf, 1996). For the most part, discernment originates from situations that call for leaders to understand how to create the opportunity and space to extend the conversation. In addition, discernment is ultimately shaped through accurate consideration and determination of when to invite the input and ideas of other individuals into the decision making process. Throughout the course, it became evident that discernment concerns the quality or capacity to understand that which is obscure, and the capacity to acknowledge and appreciate situations, things, and people both intelligently and clearly. All of these require a high sense of intellectual perception since discernment requires a definite level of wisdom and knowledge to ensure appropriate application of perceptions in the event of tough decisions or dilemmas.

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Situations that have the potential to change an organization require more discernment in decision making, including taking time to formulate keenly informed judgments rather than come up with hasty decisions. In this regard, it becomes critical for leaders tasked with making decisions that can alter the organizations direction and effectiveness, to engage in the process of discernment. Notably, it is sometimes easy for leaders to misinterpret interests of expertise, efficacy, and efficiency, for instance, by considering their positions and opinions as superior to those of others in the organization, rather than encouraging decisions that are not only fruitful and beneficial to the organization, but its stakeholders as well (Davis & Spears, 2013). Such instances expose self-promoting leaders.

Effective organizational decision making requires meticulous planning to ensure that prudent and proper decisions are realized through a collaborative spirit. The idea of servant leadership reminds modern leaders of the value of listening, as well as the practice of being mindful to the opinions and values of other people within the organization (Burley-Allen, 1995). In essence, servant leaders do not consider themselves superior to their subordinates, but rather as partners with their subordinates with the common objective of ensuring the attainment of organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Whether conducted face-to-face or via the electronic media, listening is the substance of communication, as well as the key to establishing strong relationships in the workplace. Given this, leaders who are able to demonstrate effective listening are able to engender respect among their subordinates, as well as ensure the collaboration of others within the organization in tackling organizational challenges that might otherwise prove different to resolve by a single self-promoting leader who demonstrates unwillingness to listen to the input of others.

In addition, the course made it clear that listening enables servant leaders to look within themselves and to gain an understanding and awareness of the challenges and barriers that potentially undermine their capacity to listen effectiveness. In the end, this allows leaders to discern information that fosters understanding, instead of judgment that ultimately results in contempt of leadership, disrespect, and lack of cooperation (Frick, 2011). When leaders acknowledge that they have personal prejudices and biases, even if they would like to think otherwise, they attain the first key to unlocking their listening potential, and ultimately their capacities to come up with the most effective solutions to deal with organizational problems.

Listening enables leaders to serve by exposing their biases and prejudices, which can potentially filter select words, distort messages, and deter the leaders from considering the points of view of other individuals within the organization. The calling of servant leaders is to offer service to others that is reliant on their capacity to listen to and comprehend the needs of other individuals beside themselves (Greenleaf, 1996). Servant leadership involves creating a space in which individual voices thrive and are discernible, as well as where leadership rooted in fear is overcome. In addition, the essence of a servant leader is to encourage the constant practice of thoughtfulness and listening to oneself. The rationale of this is that the depletion of ones inner voice makes it rather difficult to become receptive (Sardello, 2008). Ultimately, servant leadership encompasses continually reminding others, including both leaders and subordinates of the value of developing greater listening etiquette.

Everyone within the organization desires the opportunity to engage, whether fully or to the degree of their choosing, in organizational decision making. According to Frick (2011) worker satisfaction is the direct result of work that is both rewarding and meaningful, as well as organizational processes that foster shared decision making, which enhance the potential to hearken to a larger array of voices that speak into decisions. When leaders become aware of the interests of individuals to engage, in meaningful ways, in decision making, then it becomes easy to attain employee well-being and satisfaction. Such inclusion of people in processes of discernment engenders employee buy-in that not only enhances the excellence of decisions, but the overall quality of the workplace. Without a doubt, encouraging participatory decision making within the workplace upholds principles of free society by undermining negative perceptions that decisions are made without the input of individuals they potentially affect, which can potentially produce detrimental effects with regard to the workplace climate, organizational culture, and employee satisfaction. Through listening and discernment, effective leaders engender shared decision making, which ultimately guarantees that individuals thrive within an organizational environment that esteems the knowledge, wisdom, and expertise of others.

Another central value of transparent decision making process is the establishment of checks to control power within organization. Openness in decision making further allows for leaders to listen intently to the needs of others individuals within their organizations. In the end, proper discernment involves an open process to establish opportunities for other leaders and subordinates voices to be heard within organization-wide procedures and policies. Organizations can endeavor to limit beliefs by employees that their opinions and voices do not matter by enshrining and modeling self-governance through the practice of public involvement and shared decision making. However, effective leadership is only possible when leaders learn to determine the types of decisions to open up by inviting others to participate and the types of decisions that are best made through the use of a streamlined process (Burley-Allen, 1995).

Notably, some individuals in organizations fully place their trust in leaders to come up with decisions on their behalves, as well as for the good of others. To such individuals, merely performing the tasks they are assigned is sufficiently satisfactory. However, other employees believe that leading a fully satisfactory work life involves having the capacity to create, innovate, or engage actively in decision making that impacts them personally. For such employees, their inclusion in the process of discerning the best alternatives and decisions proves to be more of a moral obligation and right that is only attainable through active participation in the discernment process, thereby allowing them to act on the belief that their opinions matter. Ultimately, it is evident that acknowledging and predicting that involvement in decision making processes is of great importance to some employee (Davis & Spears, 2013). This is a leadership best attained by active and engaged leaders.

The material covered throughout this course will prove instrumental in shaping my performance within my company. The company functions as a service platform for food searching and delivery. The aim is to establish the business in school where we will convince customers in need of information on the best restaurants around campus where they can either book their lunches or dinner online or have food delivered on time. The company also intends to offer food delivery services for restaurants that do not already have this service. The company will adapt to rapid changes in society by continually innovating and exploiting emergent technologies. To attain optimal organizational performance, as a manager, I will engage constantly in the processes of planning, management, leading, organizing, and controlling. In line with the courses central tenets, the organizations management system will involve great emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, including in the decision making process. To attain employee satisfaction, the organizations leadership will reasonably accommodate employee needs, including providing them with good insurance coverage and a safe working environment.

References

Burley-Allen, M. (1995). Listening: The forgotten skilla self-teaching guide. New York: John

Wiley & Sons.

Davis, P., & Spears, L. (2013). Fortuitous encounters: Wisdom stories for learning and growth.

Mahwah: Paulist Press.

Frick, D. (2011). Greenleaf and servant-leader listening. Westfield: The Greenleaf Center. Essay

(No ISBN)

Greenleaf, T. (1996). On becoming a servant leader. San Francisco: JosseyBass.

Sardello, R. (2008). Silence: The mystery of wholeness. Benson, NC: Golden Stone Press