Leadership Article Critque

Unit VI Remote Workers Transcript

(0:00-1:00)

Dr. Sonya Rogers: In this unit, we will discuss what leaders must consider as

a method of providing better assistance, connectivity, and support for those

followers who might particularly work in a remote fashion. So, Dr. Hargadon,

what do you think is important for leaders to consider when they're wanting

to make their workers perform better? And what can they do to connect with

them in a better fashion?

Dr. John Hargadon: So I think that the key leader characteristics are going

to be very similar, whether the employees are remote or they're all co-

located in the same place. In my opinion, for a leader to be the most

effective that he or she can be, there has to be a certain level of confidence.

There has to be a certain level of humility. So that the leader can understand

that the organization, in a very real sense, is the individuals that are being

led, right? And so for the organization to

(1:00-2:00)

grow, it makes sense in my mind for the leader to be focused on trying to let

the individuals that are part of the organization grow. So I'm going to need

to make sure that they have the resources that they need, the hard assets.

If there's a machinery involved, that they have machinery that works. If

there are supplies, if there's equipment. They have to have everything that

they need from a hard asset standpoint to be able to be successful. But then

also as a leader, it's my job to make sure that they've got the motivation,

the discipline, the training. Some of those soft assets that they need in order

to be successful.

And then, once they have everything that they need in order to be

successful, then you can get down to that individual level. Get to know them

personally, and figure out how to let them grow as an individual. Because,

again, as they grow, the organization is going to grow, because they are in

fact the organization. So I think that having an outward focus and other

focus,

(2:00-3:00)

just that spirit of humility. Understanding that the others within the

organization really are the key to the organization being successful and

growing is a key component. A key characteristic for leadership.

Sonya: Right, and I've always told people, it's not just knowing what tasks

need to be completed, but knowing your people. What helps you lead those

people critically, and what motivates them to do well? And so, again, I agree

with you. That does promote organizational growth.

John: Yeah, anybody can do tasks. But a leader's going to figure out how to

help the individual.

Sonya: That's true, thank you.