Leadership Styles and Characteristics

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Running head: LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 1

Leadership Styles and Characteristics

Learner’s Name

Capella University

Fundamentals of Leadership

Leadership Styles and Characteristics

June, 2018

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 2

Leadership Styles and Characteristics

The leader I admire is Mary Barra, chairman and CEO of General Motors (GM). Founded

by William C. Durant in 1908 and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, GM is a global

automotive company that develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes vehicles and vehicle

parts. It also offers financial services through General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (Forbes,

2018). GM has dealers in over 125 countries and has several prominent brands such as Buick,

GMC, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Holden under its banner (General Motors, n.d.-b, n.d.-c). Barra

has been with the company since she was 18 and is the first woman to lead this global giant

(Fessler, 2018a). In her 38-year-long career at GM, she has held several crucial positions and has

made some significant contributions to the company (General Motors, n.d.-a).

Analysis of Leadership Styles and Characteristics

The behaviors that leaders exhibit and how they conduct themselves indicate their

leadership style. I have analyzed Barra’s leadership styles and characteristics along with my own

to evaluate effective leadership practices.

Leadership Styles and Characteristics of Barra

Barra is an adaptable leader who modifies her style of leadership according to a situation.

In 2009, she was the senior vice president of global human resources at GM. During this stint,

she reduced GM’s 10-page dress code to two words: Dress appropriately (Fessler, 2018b).

Barra’s decision to trust her employees’ judgment and allow them to decide for themselves is an

excellent example of the delegating style of leadership. However, Barra received criticism from

several managers. One manager expressed that his team members had started wearing jeans,

which was inappropriate for important meetings. Barra advised him to brainstorm with his team

on the issue in question. After some time, the manager informed Barra that his team had agreed

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 3

that they would keep a pair of dress pants for important impromptu meetings and wear jeans

otherwise (Feloni, 2015). This instance is a good example of coaching leadership, a high

directive and high supportive style. In this style of leadership, the leader shares reasons for his or

her decisions and offers guidance that could be useful to employees for completing a task (Office

of Human Resource Services, University of Florida, n.d.).

Barra is an inclusive and collaborative leader. She believes in constructively discussing

tough decisions to ensure evaluation from every angle. However, in the absence of complete

unanimity, she does not hesitate to make the final decision (Engelmeier, 2014). In 2014, GM

faced a federal investigation for fatal accidents caused by faulty ignition switch of the company’s

Chevrolet Cobalt cars. Barra, who had then taken charge as CEO only a few days ago, addressed

the families of the victims with honesty, unlike her predecessors, who evaded controversy. She

accepted responsibility for the disaster, issued an apology, and took prompt corrective measures.

She told her employees that the debacle was not just another business crisis, and it should not be

forgotten (Rushe, 2014).

My Leadership Style and Characteristics

I am the head of marketing at a medium-size manufacturing company that has an

aggressive business model. I believe in being an adaptable leader because different situations call

for different approaches. I am directive toward trainees because they are unfamiliar with the

company’s functioning. For senior managers, I use the delegating style of leadership because

they are willing to perform their tasks and are capable of completing them. In the same way as

Barra, I believe in making my team members feel heard, and I approach them according to their

abilities and needs.

Comment [A1]: I really enjoyed the background information you provided on Barra, including the sources for support. Consider, instead of the extensive amount of examples and paraphrased works, some original writing that speaks to your opinion of her leadership. Which characteristics/styles does Barra have that make her a model leader? The idea here is to speak to those, and evaluate them to determine which ones make her an effective leader.

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 4

According to Hersey and Blanchard, every situation warrants a response from leaders.

Effective leaders should be able to adopt an approach according to situational needs based on

their members’ requirements, abilities, and willingness (as cited in Wright, 2017). As Barra and I

display adaptability to different situations, our leadership styles are effective.

Honesty, integrity, compassion, and collaboration are some of the traits commonly

associated with effective leaders. I believe that honesty and integrity are two qualities a leader

should never compromise on. Regardless of how rewarding an opportunity is for me, if it does

not serve the greater good of my team and the organization, I will not pursue it. I identify with

Barra because she has been an honest leader even in times of crisis.

According to research conducted by Kouzes and Posner (2017), leaders who spend a lot

of time and energy developing cooperative relationships with their team members are viewed by

the members as highly effective. I want to be an effective collaborative leader in the future

because collaboration helps in achieving and sustaining high performance.

Factors Affecting Leadership Styles

A global automaker such as GM is exposed to threats and opportunities from

environmental and social factors such as politics, innovation, and technology. These factors are

crucial to consider when forming a leadership style.

Politics

Government regulations, tax policies, and general changes in the domestic and global

political climate can affect any business. If the American government introduces environment-

friendly auto policies such as restricting car ownership and incentivizing the use of public

transport, then the auto industry might be affected. GM may have to focus more on producing

Comment [A2]: I like that you are drawing comparisons between yourself and Barra.

Comment [A3]: You listed honesty, integrity, compassion, and collaboration in the prior paragraph, and you stated that you identify with Barra because she is an honest leader. Does that mean that you need to continue to develop integrity, compassion, and collaboration?

Comment [A4]: I like that you are current with your social factors. Way to go.

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 5

electric cars or promote its car-sharing service, Maven. Additionally, GM would have to find

new markets to sell its existing line of traditional fuel vehicles.

Technology

In today’s digital age, it is vital for organizations to keep abreast of the latest trends and

innovations to stay one step ahead of their competitors (Smith, 2018). According to an analysis

by Reuters, the electric car market will see an investment of at least $90 billion from car

manufacturers across the globe (Lienert, 2018). Barra promised her investors that by 2021, GM

would make profits selling electric cars (Lienert & White, 2018). The company should focus on

achieving this target and invest further in its self-driving unit, GM Cruise, to find a footing in the

electric vehicle market.

As a leader, I would have to ensure that my team’s goals are aligned with those of the

current corporate strategy. My overall leadership at my current organization leans toward the

delegating style, wherein I delegate day-to-day responsibilities to the senior managers in the

department, who coach team members on completing tasks. My leadership style is bound to

change if the corporate strategy at GM changes due to any of the discussed external influences. I

will have to adopt the coaching style of leadership to explain the reasons for the change in

corporate strategy and to help the team cope with the change. Additionally, I will also have to

guide the senior employees in transforming existing marketing strategies to suit the business’s

requirements.

Economic Conditions and Leadership Style

Businesses will have to modify their corporate strategy to cope with change due to the

economy. In a strong economy, customers’ confidence is high, and so is their disposable income

(McQuerrey, 2018). As this is a good time to focus on growth and expansion, I will delegate day-

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 6

to-day responsibilities to my managers and supervise the overall progress of the work. Customers

spend cautiously during economic decline because of the lack of job security (McQuerrey,

2018). This scenario can affect revenue growth and employee morale. Therefore, I will use the

supporting leadership style during an economic downturn. I will listen to my employees’

concerns and motivate them to achieve their goals.

Conclusion

Leadership style is an extension of the behavior displayed by leaders toward their

followers, customers, and other stakeholders in the business. A leader can choose a style

according to situational requirements. Barra is a textbook example of honesty and sincerity, and

these two qualities make her one of the best leaders in the world. Her leadership styles and

characteristics make her leadership practice effective.

Comment [A5]: Perfect application of this unit’s learning.

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 7

References

Engelmeier, S. (2014). Did Mary Barra’s inclusive leadership style propel her to the top?

IndustryWeek. Retrieved from http://industryweek.com/companies-amp-executives/did-

mary-barra-s-inclusive-leadership-style-propel-her-top

Feloni, R. (2015). GM CEO Mary Barra explains how shrinking the dress code to 2 words

reflects her mission for the company. Business Insider. Retrieved from

https://businessinsider.in/GM-CEO-Mary-Barra-explains-how-shrinking-the-dress-code-

to-2-words-reflects-her-mission-for-the-company/articleshow/46720675.cms

Fessler, L. (2018a). GM CEO Mary Barra says too many women quit their jobs for the wrong

reason. Retrieved from https://work.qz.com/1175673/general-motors-ceo-mary-barra-on-

her-leadership-style-and-career/

Fessler, L. (2018b). GM’s dress code is only two words. Quartz. Retrieved from

https://work.qz.com/1242801/gms-dress-code-is-only-two-words/

Forbes. (2018). The world’s largest public companies. Retrieved from

https://forbes.com/companies/general-motors/

General Motors. (n.d.-a). Leadership. Retrieved July 3, 2018, from

https://www.gm.com/company/leadership/corporate-officers/mary-barra.html

General Motors. (n.d.-b). Our brands. Retrieved from https://www.gm.com/our-brands.html

General Motors. (n.d.-c). Our company. Retrieved from https://www.gm.com/company/about-

gm.html

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary

things happen in organizations. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-

com.library.capella.edu/lib/capella/detail.action?docID=4836524#h

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS 8

Lienert, P. (2018). Global carmakers to invest at least $90 billion in electric vehicles. Reuters.

Retrieved from https://in.reuters.com/article/autoshow-detroit-electric/global-carmakers-

to-invest-at-least-90-billion-in-electric-vehicles-idINKBN1F505K

Lienert, P., & White, J. (2018). Insight: GM races to build a formula for profitable electric cars.

Reuters. Retrieved from https://in.reuters.com/article/gm-electric/insight-gm-races-to-

build-a-formula-for-profitable-electric-cars-idINKBN1EY0GI

McQuerrey, L. (2018). The economy’s effects on small businesses. Retrieved from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/economys-effects-small-businesses-10269.html

Office of Human Resource Services, University of Florida. (n.d.). Maximize your leadership

potential. Retrieved from

http://training.hr.ufl.edu/resources/LeadershipToolkit/job_aids/BecominganAdaptableLea

der.pdf

Rushe, D. (2014). GM chief Mary Barra: ‘Pattern of incompetence’ caused fatal recall delay. The

Guardian. Retrieved from https://theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/05/gm-mary-barra-

fatal-recall-incompetence-neglect

Smith, A. (2018). How business environmental factors influence strategy. Retrieved from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-environmental-factors-influence-strategy-

65009.html

Wright, E. S. (2017). Dialogic development in the situational leadership style. Performance

Improvement, 56(9), 27–31. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary-wiley-

com.library.capella.edu/doi/epdf/10.1002/pfi.21733