Leaders and leadership

In his article, Allio makes the case that managers who want to become stronger leaders must receive extensive training. As a leader grows, it is each person's responsibility to make sure that followers are treated equally. Contingency models have historically been appropriate to leadership philosophies, but this has altered over time. An growth in the power of the followers may often act as a limitation in the attempt to establish direction and control of information (Allio, 2013). According to the author, the primary role of a leader is to come up with a culture that enables employees to meet organizational goals and objectives. Usually, this makes it easy for workers to feel appreciated at the workplace (Allio, 2013).

Barclays set to exit African business. (2017). Ft.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from

https://www.ft.com/content/01d64502-dca4-11e5-827d-4dfbe0213e07

According to the report by the Financial Times (2017), the bank has in the past decade experienced challenges regarding financial performance in most of its African branches. Apparently, this has ended up leading to a reduction in the segment’s performance, thus the reason for the closure of some of its branches. According to the organization’s Chief Executive, selling of the African banks will help in addressing its capital issues and at the same time increase its global market share (Barclays set to exit African business, 2017). The devaluation of the South Africa currency against the British Pounds and the aggressive competition that the organization faces from other banks in countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Ghana further contributes to its declining performance, thus the essence of its closure.

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2014). Transformational leadership. New York.: Routledge.

Transformational leadership is vital to the success of an organization due to its visionary nature. Bass and Riggo, in their book, state that coaches and managers can develop a collective wisdom within a team by coming up with strategies such as worker motivation and allowing for individual contributions. Some of the elements of transformational leadership that the authors address in the book include individualized consideration and assessments, inspirational motivation among employees or individuals, intellectual stimulation in a company setup and idealized influence that the leaders have over their employees. Under transformational leadership, leaders are mandated with the roles such as the creation of visions, attaining of organizational goals and realization of the set objectives (Bass & Riggio, 2014).

BCS: Summary for Barclays PLC - Yahoo Finance. (2017). Finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BCS?p=BCS

Barclays Corporation remains one of the most dominant financial organizations across the globe and has specialized in offering financial services and products such as lending, wealth management, mortgages, capital raising and provision of financial advice (BCS: Summary for Barclays PLC - Yahoo Finance, 2017). Some of the business strategies that the company has embraced include market segmentation, aggressive advertisement and diversification of its production process. James Staley is the firm’s CEO and Director and is mandated with the role of ensuring that it’s aligned the set visions and values. Barclays has its headquarters located in London, United Kingdom (BCS: Summary for Barclays PLC - Yahoo Finance, 2017).

Castro, A. (2013). Rethinking Diversity.

Castro, in his article, argues that advancement in the levels of technology has not only contributed to economic globalization but has also redefined the workplace environment. In the modern era, companies are slowly embracing diversity, and it’s now easy for the leaders to supervise employees that are in various geographical locations without having direct contact. Those organizations that have incorporated cultural and ethnic diversity as a part of their daily operations have in the recent past reported an enhancement in their productivity (Castro, 2013). The author also argues that those companies that invest heavily in leadership development programs enjoy immensely regarding growth and expansion. It is vital for leaders to be open-minded and work hand in hand with their employees in ensuring that they shape the organizational strategic visions. Diversity is essential in creating a flexible workplace environment where all the staff members are treated equally regardless of their gender or race (Castro, 2013).

Davies, A. (2017). Barclays plans to close around 54 branches by the end of 2017. The Independent. Retrieved 16 September 2017, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/barclays-branch-closures-54-end-2017-year-cut-costs-uk-customers-high-streets-a7893656.html

In the past two years, Barclays has faced a significant drop in its African segment’s financial performance. Davies, in a newspaper excerpt, provides an overview of the bank’s plans to close down more than 54 branches before the end of 2017 (Davies, 2017). Barclays believes that the move will cut down on the costs that have contributed to a decline in its competitiveness in the market. Moreover, with the closing down some of its branches, the bank will benefit from the ease in meeting the needs of its consumers. According to the company’s CEO, the closure of the branches will have no significant effect on net job loss (Davies, 2017).

Dubrin, A. J., Dalglish, C., & Miller, P. (2012). Leadership. South Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage Learning Australia.

Dubrin, Dalglish and Miller look at characteristics of leaders in Australia. According to the authors, leadership traits are vital in determining the success of an organization, political setup, private and public sectors and the community. Some of the leadership concepts that are addressed in the book include contingency, situational, charismatic and transformational theories (Dubrin, Dalglish & Miller, 2012). Leadership is also viewed from an international context, with aspects of knowledge, communication and employee motivation being covered. Leadership requires that all followers or employees are treated equally and that they actively participate in any group meeting and have their grievances are taken into considerations (Dubrin, Dalglish & Miller, 2012).

Ghazinoory, S., Abdi, M., & Azadegan-Mehr, M. (2011). Swot Methodology: A State-of-the-Art Review for the Past, A Framework for the Future. Journal Of Business Economics And Management, 12(1), 24-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/16111699.2011.555358

In their article, Ghazinoory, Abdi and Azadegan-Mehr define SWOT Methodology as the assessment of the internal and external environments of an organization that are critical in the determination of its success rate. It entails environmental analysis that mainly focuses on a firm’s threats and opportunities and internal analysis that highlights on its weaknesses and strengths. The literature review of the article is a combination of papers that address SWOT and its applications in various scenarios (Ghazinoory, Abdi & Azadegan-Mehr, 2011). Some of the benefits of the methodology include it is simple and hardly requires complex information from the computer system, it is easy to interpret, and it offers a simple structure to identify an organizations position in the market. It is vital for organizational leadership to embrace the methodology when coming up with strategies that give their companies a competitive edge over their rivals in the market.

Gusain, N. (2017). Talent Acquisition Vs Development: With A Focus On Leadership Development Programs. Cornell HR Review, 1-5. file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Talent_Acquisition.pdf

Factors such as advancement in the levels of technology and the ever-changing market dynamics have increased the level of competition among companies. According to Gusain (2017), organizations have been forced to come up with measures that are vital in ensuring that they strengthen their market positions. The Human Resource of most companies has shifted their attention to leadership development and talent acquisition as a part of their sustainability. Through leadership development programs, the HR aims at ensuring that employees acquire leadership skills that are vital for the progressive movement of the companies. Moreover, those new employees that are hired into these firms also undergo training that helps them adapt to the culture as well as develop their talent (Gusain, 2017). It will be vital for organizations to set aside funds that will be used in strengthening the talent and leadership development programs which may in return contribute to an enhancement in their productivity.

House, R. (1971). A Path-Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2391905

Robert, in his article “A Path-Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness” highlights on leadership efficiency and their contributions in employee motivations and their job satisfaction. Some of the leader’s behaviors that may be vital to organizational growth include authoritarianism, initiating structure, integrity, and honesty (House, 1971). According to the article, those leaders that are involved in the initiation of structures to their subordinate are usually regarded highly within the organizational setup. The path-goal hypothesis is instrumental in the enhancement of organizational leadership, and this leads to the firm’s growth. It is the role of the leaders to ensure that they motivate their employees and this can help in improving their job satisfaction levels as well as performance when handling various tasks. Based on the path-goal theory, leadership effectiveness is critical in increasing organizational performance (House, 1971).

Kark, R., & Shamir, B. (2002). The Influence Of Transformational Leadership On Followers' Relational Versus Collective Self-Concept. Academy Of Management Proceedings, 2002(1), i-D6. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/apbpp.2002.7517557

The article by Kark and Shamir looks at the impacts of transformational leaders on their followers. In the past decade, transformational leadership has gradually become effective in most organizations regarding enhanced productivity. A creation of the followers’ identification to their leaders is instrumental in ensuring that the functioning and outcomes of the companies are sustainable (Kark & Shamir, 2002). The authors also define personal identification as a situation whereby individuals have self-defining views on their leaders. Social identification, on the other hand, is streamlined towards a group of leaders. Various transformational behaviors contribute to a variety of outcomes that may impact firm’s processes. On an individual basis, it increases self-worth and efficacy. In most cases, the leader’s behavior that contributes to an increase in the attractiveness of the group improves the followers’ efficacy (Kark & Shamir, 2002).

Katzenbach, J., & Smitb, D. (1993). The delicate balance of team leadership. Journal Of Product Innovation Management, 10(5), 431. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0737-6782(93)90102-v

Katzenbach and Smitb, in their article, focus on the existing delicate balance that is in existence on leadership circuits. According to the authors, successful leaders ensure that they foster team performance and motivate their followers in meeting the set goals. It is the role of the leaders to ensure that employees work as a team and that a good working relationship is enforced (Katzenbach & Smitb, 1993). It is vital for groups to strike a balance between independence, conflicts, integrity, and honesty when handling different tasks. Additionally, managers and supervisors in an organization need to come up with realistic goals that employees can meet. They also need to show a belief in the team’s purpose and support those team members that may be struggling in meeting the set objectives (Katzenbach & Smitb, 1993). Involving employees in the decision-making process can also be instrumental in ensuring that workplace relationships are bolstered.

Leadership | Barclays Directors & Leadership Team | Barclays. (2017). Home.barclays. Retrieved 16 September 2017, from https://www.home.barclays/about-barclays/leadership-team.html

The article provides an overview of Barclay’s organizational structure and the roles and responsibilities of each leader. The board of directors play a critical role in setting progressive strategies and ensuring that they are implemented (Leadership | Barclays Directors & Leadership Team | Barclays, 2017). John McFarlane in the Chairman of the company and Jes Staley serves as Barclay’s Chief Executive Officer. Other leaders on the board include Reuben Jeffrey, Dambisa Moyo and Mathew Lester (Leadership | Barclays Directors & Leadership Team | Barclays, 2017). The company has a transformational leadership style that has been applicable since the appointment of Staley.

McNally, K. (2017). Leading a Multigenerational Workforce. Healthcare Executives, 58-62 file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Leading_a_Multigenerational_Workforce.pdf

According to McNally, creation of a culture of mutual respect in a workplace is integral in enhancing the performance of the staff. She further states that an understanding of diversity, respect, and ethics enhances communication and collaboration among the workers which leads to a more productive company. The workplace serves as a platform through which generational attributes are reflected, and these are evident in the form of goals, employee attitude, and their job satisfaction. Successful leaders have the following characteristics: adaptability, ability to emphasize on the common goals and lack of attachment to stereotypes. Factors such as motivational differences on the employees’ age groups and organizational work styles contribute to generational conflicts. In the quest for leading multigenerational teams, it is vital for leaders to involve all age groups in the decision making, creation of a multigenerational team and designing of learning and development strategies that focus on all the generations.

Pritchard, R. (1973). Effects of varying performance-pay instrumentalities on the relationship between performance and satisfaction: A test of the Lawler and Porter model. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 58(1), 122-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0035420

Robert, in his article, argues that a high pay system in an organization contributes to an increase in the levels of employee motivation and job satisfaction. Those employees that have pay rise will always increase their performance and this, in return, leads to an improved organizational productivity. The Lawler and Porter model stipulate that in the event of a strong relationship between organizational performance and rewards, there is a positive correlation between employee performance and the levels of their job satisfaction (Pritchard, 1973). Based on the article, it is clear that those organizations where workers are recognized regarding awards or monetary incentives tend to enjoy high levels of productivity and vice versa. The employee motivation and recognition system that is embraced by a firm has to be equitable to avoid departmental divisions (Pritchard, 1973).

Reinharth, L., & Wahba, M. (1975). Expectancy Theory as a Predictor of Work Motivation, Effort Expenditure, and Job Performance. Academy Of Management Journal, 18(3), 520-537. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/255682

Expectancy theory is an instrumental concept in leadership. According to Reinharth and Wahba, employee motivation is dependent on the measures that the leadership puts in place, and it affects job satisfactions and attitude levels as well as productivity. Various methodologies are used in the assessment of the accuracy of expectancy theory in predicting employee and work motivation as well as performance (Reinharth & Wahba, 1975). The efficiency of the expectancy model is dependent on its ability to provide a description and prediction of work motivation, job satisfaction and employee performance (Reinharth & Wahba, 1975). It is the role of organizational leaders to ensure that there is inclusivity in the workplace, conflict resolution is effective, and that individual contribution is embraced.

References

Allio, R. (2013). Leaders and leadership – many theories, but what advice is reliable?. Strategy Leadership, 41(1), 4-14. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/LeadersLeadership-rjallio-StrategyLeadership2013-1.pdf

Barclays set to exit African business. (2017). Ft.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2014). Transformational leadership. New York.: Routledge.

BCS : Summary for Barclays PLC - Yahoo Finance. (2017). Finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BCS?p=BCS

Castro, A. (2013). Rethinking Diversity.

Davies, A. (2017). Barclays plans to close around 54 branches by the end of 2017. The Independent. Retrieved 16 September 2017, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/barclays-branch-closures-54-end-2017-year-cut-costs-uk-customers-high-streets-a7893656.html

Dubrin, A. J., Dalglish, C., & Miller, P. (2012). Leadership. South Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage Learning Australia.

Ghazinoory, S., Abdi, M., & Azadegan-Mehr, M. (2011). Swot Methodology: A State-of-the-Art Review for the Past, A Framework for the Future. Journal Of Business Economics And Management, 12(1), 24-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/16111699.2011.555358

Gusain, N. (2017). Talent Acquisition Vs Development: With A Focus On Leadership Development Programs. Cornell HR Review, 1-5. file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Talent_Acquisition.pdf

House, R. (1971). A Path Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2391905

https://www.ft.com/content/01d64502-dca4-11e5-827d-4dfbe0213e07

Kark, R., & Shamir, B. (2002). The Influence Of Transformational Leadership On Followers' Relational Versus Collective Self-Concept. Academy Of Management Proceedings, 2002(1), i-D6. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/apbpp.2002.7517557

Katzenbach, J., & Smitb, D. (1993). The delicate balance of team leadership. Journal Of Product Innovation Management, 10(5), 431. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0737-6782(93)90102-v

Leadership | Barclays Directors & Leadership Team | Barclays. (2017). Home.barclays. Retrieved 16 September 2017, from https://www.home.barclays/about-barclays/leadership-team.html

McNally, K. (2017). Leading a Multigenerational Workforce. Healthcare Executives, 58-62 file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Leading_a_Multigenerational_Workforce.pdf

Pritchard, R. (1973). Effects of varying performance-pay instrumentalities on the relationship between performance and satisfaction: A test of the Lawler and Porter model. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 58(1), 122-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0035420

Reinharth, L., & Wahba, M. (1975). Expectancy Theory as a Predictor of Work Motivation, Effort Expenditure, and Job Performance. Academy Of Management Journal, 18(3), 520-537. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/255682