Leadership and Change Management in Public Sector

This assignment delves into the crucial concepts of transformational leadership and its effectiveness in driving change within public sector organizations. It analyzes various theories and models related to leadership, change management, and their interplay in shaping organizational outcomes. The assignment draws upon academic literature and real-world examples, such as Ryanair's case study, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

MANAGING
LEADERSHIP
And
CHANGE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................5
1. Critically assess the importance of good leadership and management....................................5
2. Discussing critically the approaches to change in the context of management styles.............6
3. The adoption of different approaches to leadership and management....................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Leadership refers to the efficiency of organizations management to make fruitful
decisions and encourage members to give their best performance. It can be regarded as
important process through which top executives or managers of entity inspire the organizational
members to attain the strategic goals of business (Wei and Johnson, 2014). Leadership play a
important role in facilitating change within organization and avoiding issues of change resistance
among members. On the other hand, change management is a formal process of introducing
change in business, using a organized concept and employing knowledge and strategies. It is
important process that help employees in accepting new processes, beliefs, techniques, system
and structure. Therefore, change process help in transforming the present way of working of
people to the craved way of doing things (Chapman, 2012). In this context, mangers use their
leadership ability to understand members that change is important for business as well as
employees. Therefore, leadership encourage individuals to accept challenges and foster new
modifications in working pattern, techniques etc. It further develop enthusiasm in entity during
the period of challenges or hard changes. The organizational members are stimulated by
management of company to give their performance beyond their potential through exercising
various leadership style. Also, leaders use their skills in avoiding conflicts arising within various
teams, divisions or members.
Broadly, there are three types of leadership style that can be used by management to
influence change, autocratic, democratic and transformational. In autocratic leadership style, the
decisions are taken solely by manager without involvement of others. Therefore, changes are
imposed upon members and they have to accept it. On the other hand, in democratic leadership
style, manger seek suggestions, opinion, feedback of members on various aspects and thereafter
make final decision (Leadership styles, 2016). Therefore, manger discuss the changes they are
likely to introduce in business and assure consent of members by encouraging and motivating
them. Hence, members willingly contribute to the change process as they are part of decision
process and know the significance of such alteration in business and their career lives as well.
Further, transformational leadership is a best style that can be used by management to facilitate
change. Therefore, it enable managers to set challenges and inspire members to accept the
changes. Therefore, the perception and needs of organizational members are redirected through
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transformational leadership style. Other than this, transactional leadership style can also be
considered which help management in using rewards or punishments. Therefore, manger can
monitor the change management process and reward members who give their best performance
after the modification process. However, there are certain traits that must be present within a
leader so that he/she can effectively encourage employees (Bolman and Deal, 2014). Therefore,
leader must have enthusiasm, confidence, emotional stability, conscientiousness, charisma,
honesty, creativity and openness to experience new things and various other traits so that leader
can use them to encourage others.
Change management is important and constant procedure of aligning a business with its
market. It also help company in responding more promptly and effectively than its rivals. It
further help in bridging the gap between present state and perceived one where business want to
reach. Therefore, company can attain its strategical goals by introducing change when required.
However, it has been identified by the studies conducted by Harvard business review in 2006
that 76% of change initiative could not be attained due to high resistance from employees. It
other factors that prevent change are communication barriers, staff turnover during change
process etc (Paton and McCalman, 2008). Therefore, it can be stated that leadership power can
be used by management for reducing gap between management and employees. This further help
in strengthening communication process within company. Thereafter, leader can use its
stimulating power and exercise employee engagement within entity to induce competent
members to stay within the enterprise. Most importantly, leadership can be used to influence
members regarding change. Overall, it can be stated that leadership play a important role in
facilitating change.
In the present report, various aspects of change management and leadership will be
studied in the context of Ryanair Ltd. It is renowned company working in aviation industry since
1985 headquartered in Ireland. It is regarded as low cost airline company that operate more than
300 Boeing 737-800 next generation aircraft. The Ryanair have fleet size of 326 and provide its
cost effective services in around 192 destinations (About Ryanair, 2016). The vision of company
is to become leading airline company of Europe that renders its air travel services at lowest
possible fares by doing continuous modifications in techniques and operating efficiencies. With
the help of present report, the significance of effective leadership and management in assuring
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smooth and productive operations in business will be critically assessed. Thereafter critical
evaluation of various approaches to change in the context of management styles will be studied.
The case of Ryanair will be used to show light on various approaches of leadership and
management that are adopted by company so far.
TASK
1. Critically assess the importance of good leadership and management
Leadership is a crucial function of the management which assists in maximizing the
efficiency and to accomplished the organizational goals. According to Nancarrow and et.al.
(2013), leader is the person who allots the task to their subordinates to start their work
(Nancarrow and et.al., 2013). As the leader of the Ryanair, should also be effective in their work
by communicating proper policies and plans to their employees. On the other hand, if this is not
done properly then it will directly affects the management of the company in achieving their
objectives. The leadership helps in providing the important role in adding incentives to the
workers. The leader also motivates their workforce by giving rewards and bonus to them so that
they can work more properly and efficiently. Despite of this, Solomon, Costea and Nita (2016)
leadership can be limitation for the company because it is not the productive activity (Solomon,
Costea and Nita, 2016). This is because managers as a leaders do not able to produce the goods
and services. Leadership activity is time consuming because leader spends their time in giving
tasks whereas actually they have to spend their time with clients. But, a leader also provides
guidance and supervise their subordinates so that the employees should done their work
effectively and efficiently and give proper results to the Ryanair. The leader is useful for the
chosen company because through this they can achieve their goals, explain their role in
accomplishing the objectives of the Ryanair. However, the leader should be able to handle the
problems and complaints which are important for them to know the reviews (Armstrong and
Taylor, 2014).
As per the view of Johnston and Marshall (2013), a good leadership and management
qualities should be needed by the organizations to enhance their their profitability as well as to
run their business operations smooth and properly (Johnston and Marshall, 2013). Leader and
managers helps the employees in co operation of their work which helps in the building the trust
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between the leaders and their followers. The leader plays a morale booster in achieving their
employees' co operation in the work which helps in performing well in their activities with their
best of abilities. However, it can be critically assessed that ineffective leadership and
management can reduce the productivity in the Ryanair (King, 2013). For example, if managers
keeps easy tasks for himself and allot difficult tasks to their employees then it will lead to the
less productivity and sourness between relationships. As it is said, management is getting things
done from people. If there is a sound and stable environment in the organization then company
can done their work carefully. The leader should listen all the queries and problems of their
employees and try to solve them. In contrast to this Tourish (2014), argued that another
disadvantages is the relationship between employees and leaders is not that cordial (Tourish,
2014). This is because both have different mindsets and they ain't relate to each other. These
types of drawbacks affects the Ryanair which reduces their productivity due to the conflicts and
disputes among employees and mangers.
So the managers need to have the excellent people skills and able to adapt their
leadership styles to deal with the personalities of the different employees. Furthermore, co
ordination will be achieved through the personal involvement with their organizational
objectives. The main motive of leader should be provide synchronization in the organization so
that work should be done effectively and properly. Despite of this, Gray, Sparrow and Field
(2016) contended that recruiting and training the new employees can be costly for the Ryanair
but encouraging with high morale through good leadership can have affect the subordinates
(Gray, Sparrow and Field, 2016). Through this managing change, it will enhance the creativity
and driving change of the chosen company. The other role of the leader and management is
meeting with the customers' expectations to improvise their products and services to gain
customer satisfaction. Managers also assists in managing activities and resources according to
the budget and quality on the proper time given.
2. Discussing critically the approaches to change in the context of management styles
Since its inception that change management is terminology that is utilized to mention to
the change or transformation of individuals, groups, organization and projects from one form to
other. It can be regarded as ceaseless process that need time, efforts, skills and dedication to
employ and operate (Dunphy, Griffith and Benn 2007). With the help of change management,
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entity can respond to emerging opportunities and avoid possible threats in market by doing
necessary modifications. There are various approaches to change management that can be used
within business to introduce new and needed alterations. Therefore, management of Ryanair can
use contingency approach of management that enable change implementation within business.
The description of this model can be as follows,
As per the views of Contingency approach for change (2011) contingency approach of
management is formed on the principle that management efficiency is conditional, or relied,
upon the interaction between employment of management behaviours and certain states. In other
words, it can be stated that management can modify its administrative style as per the needs of
situation or circumstances prevailing in market. Therefore, contrasting situation requires various
kinds of leadership style. According to the contingency model of leadership provided by Fred
Fiedler it can be stated that success of leadership depends upon steps taken by leader in various
situation. It has been critically stated that there are three factors that further determines
leadership effectiveness, relationship between leader and followers, degree of task structure and
status of leader within Ryanair (Grol and Wensing, 2004). Therefore, the relationship of leader
and member further determine the behaviour of employees. Therefore, there must be high degree
of trust, confidence among members regarding leader so that he/she is accepted, recognized and
followed willingly by members. The high cooperation among leader and member facilitate in
attaining the desired goals within the provided time frame. Thereafter, task structure relates to
the extent to which the needs of a task are broad and certain. Therefore, task must be highly
structured and standard procedure can used within business so that they are completed
effectively on time. Further, position power relates to the extent of authority a leader possess to
reward or punish the members (Markus, 2004). For instance, leader may use its authoritative
power for rendering incentives for meeting the performance objectives or terminating members
for failing in meeting the objectives. Furthermore, the aggregation of the aforementioned factors
like, leader member relation, task structure and position that determine the efficiency and easy
in change management process (Murphy and Willmott, 2010).
Further, there are significant approaches that are proposed by Kotter and Schlesinger that
help in dealing with situation of change resistance. This approach critically state that employees
resist change due to reasons like, parochial self interest which individual are only concerned
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about its impact on themselves. In addition to this, lack of proper information and insecurity
within members is also a reason responsible for change resistance among members. It further
provided various methods which are as follows, participation, education, power, support,
manipulation and negotiation (Papenhausen, 2009). Therefore, leader can ensure employee
participate in decision making process and should be given freedom to set their own job etc.
Thereafter, employees can be educated regarding the importance of change so that they accept it
and thus it leads to easy application of change management strategy. Also, organization
members must be supported and facilitated so that it help in overcoming their insecurities related
to change process. Thereafter, management can also use manipulative tactics like detailing only
the advantages of change and getting consent of maximum members regarding change process.
Further, negotiation factors can be used by leaders which enable various parties that are opposing
change to negotiate and come to a state of agreement and compromise (Paton and McCalman,
2008). Therefore, by adopting these leadership styles , management can avoid the issue of
change resistance within Ryanair.
3. The adoption of different approaches to leadership and management
The adoption of different approaches to leadership and management will help the
company to enhance their productivity as well as increase their market share. The case of the
Ryanair which has adopted various approaches of leadership and management is “the leading
low fares airlines of the future” (About Ryanair, 2016). For this, the organization should need
effective and successful leaders which helps the firm in their profitability. There are several
approaches and theories in leadership and management and they are as follows: The Trait Theory of Leadership: This approach is all about the characteristics of the
leader which one poses. This theory shows the capabilities of the individual leader and
the positive relationship between the effective leadership. The personality traits which
leader should be carry in making the Ryanair effective is extroversion, intelligence, self –
efficiency and openness to experience etc. (Bolman and Deal, 2014). If this type of
approach is followed by the leader then they can able to handle the various tasks and
situations. For example, if the leader of the Ryanair is possessing the trait like technical
skill, task motivation, social skill, general skill and intelligence etc. then this will help the
company in the positive way. The effective leader will focus on the market research to
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know their competitors pricing policy and other aspects which helps in reducing their air
fares (Leadership styles, 2016). By the use of intelligence, the leader can help the
organization to reduced their operating cost and enhance their profitability. The Contingency Theory of Leadership: This theory stated that the people who are
leaders in one situation may not be possible that he becomes in other other situations also.
So the the traits of the leader should be match the situation which they faced in difficult
times. The leader should be formal in giving the authority and should structured the their
tasks well. This theory comprises of motivating their subordinates, budgeting scarce
resources and serving as a source of communication. If the people is working as the
group then they are developing two factors which are leadership styles and situational
favourableness. In this, the leader of Ryanair should concentrates on the relationship
with their colleagues (King, 2013). For instance, if there are cordial relationship between
workforce and managers then the task given to them will accomplished well. If the
relations are good, then task structure will go right and the position power of the leader
go high. If employees are giving support to their employees then the leader can make
effective decision and strategies for the development of the Ryanair airlines. The cost
effective strategies can be make for the airlines so that they can sell their air tickets at low
prices.
 The Full- Range Theory of Leadership: This approach is the component of the
transformational leadership that encourages the motivation and morale by connecting the
creativity and innovation of the employees and the collective analysis of the Ryanair. The
important qualities of an effective leader should include individualized consideration
(Ljungholm, 2014). In this, the leader attends the employees concerns and needs and try
to help in their tasks which helps the organization to accomplished their objectives.
Secondly, intellectual stimulation determines the managers to to take risks for the firm,
challenges the assumptions and solicits followers' ideas and creativity. This will assists
the leader in making useful decisions, plans and strategies. For example, this will helps in
lower the cost of air fares of the Ryanair by taking the risks and challenges to compete
with their competitors. In addition to this, it will helps in meeting the needs and
requirements of the customers. Thirdly, inspirational motivation assists the leader in
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articulating a vision which is appealing and inspiring to followers (Wei and Johnson,
2014). In this, managers will set some vision which will inspires the employees to
achieve the goals and objectives. Here, the goals is to lower the air fares of the Ryanair
and encouraging the employees to follow the vision and help them to gain the
profitability.
CONCLUSION
In this report, it has been concluded that Ryanair is the low cost airline which based in the
United Kingdom. The company is expanding rapidly by the success of the low cost business
model. This is because Ryanair is providing their air tickets at the lower price. The company is
serving their customers effectively which has given the Ryanair – a deserved reputation for
nastiness. The first task is concluded that there are various limitations and advantages for the
importance of the leadership and management. In addition to this, the second task is all about the
change management approaches which assists in the management styles. This will helps in the
organization to adopt the changes which occur in the bad circumstances. Moreover, there is a
case in the Ryanair which has adopted various approaches and theory to the leadership and
management to enhances the profitability and market share of the chosen organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Bolman, L. and Deal, T., 2014. Leadership and management. Christian Youth Work in Theory
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Dunphy D, Griffiths A and Benn s., 2007. Organizational Change for Corporate Sustainability
Routledge.
Gray, D., Sparrow, N. and Field, S., 2016. Response from the CQC: the importance of effective
leadership. Br J Gen Pract. 66(642). pp.14-15.
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evidence-based practice. The Medical Journal of Australia. 180(6).pp.57-60.
Johnston, M. W. and Marshall, G. W., 2013. Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
King, C., 2013. The importance of leadership and management in process safety. Process Safety
Progress. 32(2). pp.179-184.
Ljungholm, D. P., 2014. Transformational leadership behavior in public sector organizations.
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Markus, M. L., 2004. Techno change management: using IT to drive organizational
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Nancarrow, S. A. and et.al., 2013. Ten principles of good interdisciplinary team work. Hum
Resour Health. 11(1). p.19.
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Papenhausen, C., 2009. A cyclical model of institutional change. Journal of foresight. 11(3).
pp.4 – 13.
Paton, A. R. P. and McCalman, J., 2008. Change Management: A Guide to Effective
Implementation. 3rd ed. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Solomon, I. G., Costea, C. and Nita, A.M., 2016. LEADERSHIP VERSUS MANAGEMENT IN
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Tourish, D., 2014. Leadership, more or less? A processual, communication perspective on the
role of agency in leadership theory. Leadership. 10(1). pp.79-98.
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Online
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on 2nd May 2016 ].
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<http://www.businessballs.com/changemanagement.htm>. [Accessed on 2nd May 2016 ].
Contingency approach for change. 2013. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_87.htm>. [Accessed on 2nd May 2016].
Leadership styles. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://sites.google.com/a/stgregoryschool.org/mr-roberts/home/theoretical-and-applied-
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