Qualities of Effective Leadership in M&S

The provided document discusses the importance of organizational structure and culture in achieving business success, specifically highlighting the qualities of a leader in Marks and Spencer (M&S). These qualities include communication, problem-solving, knowledge of work, confidence, motivational skills, and relationship building. The document concludes that strong culture enhances trust among employees and encourages their involvement, while appropriate structure facilitates effective communication and minimizes workplace confusions.

CRITICAL EVALUATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.................................................................................................................................................3
Suitability of organizational structure......................................................................................................3
Effectiveness of organizational culture....................................................................................................4
Qualities of leader....................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Culture and structure of any organization have significant impact over its success.
Effective culture and appropriate structure assist management in creating healthy atmosphere and
retaining skilled employees in firm for longer duration (Young and Ghoshal, 2016). Present d is
based on Marks and Spencer (M&S), entity has strong global presence in clothing industry.
Current assignment will critically analyses suitability of organization’s structure in order to meet
with the company’s goal. Furthermore, it will explain effectiveness of organizational culture in
enhancing satisfaction level of employees. In addition, quality of leaders will be explained with
reference to M&S.
MAIN BODY
Suitability of organizational structure
Organization structure can be defined as interrelationship between various department of
company and overall hierarchy in workplace. Each firm implements various kinds of structure
as per the objective and size of business unit. In tall structure people are not given any rights and
they can not communicate with higher authorities directly. Employees have to work under strict
regulations and they have to follow their instructions (Senarathna and et.al., 2014). Though
entity motivates its workers by offering rewards and recognition but tall structure does not
encourage friendly atmosphere. On other hand flat organization structure is another kind of way
of handling people , in which entity makes direct coordination with its staff. It involves people in
decision making process. It is very important for business that to implement effective
organizational structure in order to achieve its goal.
M&S follows flat structure that is suitable for the growth of firm. As main agenda of
Marks and Spencer is to expand its business across the world and raise its profitability (Grijalva
and Newman, 2015). For achieving this goal company requires talented people those who can
perform well and can serve consumers well. Flat structure helps in developing healthy bonding
between employees. Top management involves employees in decision making process, by this
way they all share their views. This enhances creativity and helps in bringing innovative idea for
the development of entity. In such kind of structure workers become able to share information

with each other’s . Supervisors monitor task of all individuals appropriately and guide them well
so that they can improve their working efficient (Scott-Hill, 2014). This is beneficial for
company in increasing satisfaction level of its employees and retaining them in firm for longer
duration.
Flat organization structure is also beneficial in order to control over resources. Effective
communication among all department assist in identifying issues and minimizing wastage. By
this way higher authorities become able to utilize their resources well. In such kind of
environment employees of M&S become more committed and they put their hard efforts to meet
the organizational goal (Kwamie, van Dijk and Agyepong, 2014). But sometimes flat structure
creates issue because it affects discipline. People behaves causal and they pay less attention on
their work. Informal behavior of employees sometimes raises noise at workplace.
Organization structure is very helpful in making communication easier. Marks and
Spencer creates atmosphere where subordinates can coordinate with managers directly and can
put their point. Flow of information is very smooth and all people get information about sudden
changes in business unit. But sometimes this creates confidentiality issue in M&S (Barlow,
2017). organization structure of Marks and Spencer aids the firm in improving employees
performance and raising their commitment towards brand. Management appraise their
performance and give them rewards on the bases of their working performance in business. This
motivates people and encourage them to retain in firm for longer duration. By this way company
becomes able to provide satisfactory services to its buyers that increases market share of the
organization (Mosey, Noke and Kirkham, 2017).
Effectiveness of organizational culture
Organizational culture can be defined as values, believes of any entity. There are several
types of culture such as task, role, person etc. All this culture has significant impact on overall
success of business unit. M&S follows task culture, it gives responsibilities to its staff members
on their bases of their abilities. This makes people comfortable in business unit and makes them
able to perform well in organization (The Advantages of an Effective Organizational Structure,
2018).

Culture of any firm creates its unique image in the mind of consumers and employees as
well. Positive culture differentiates a business from other competitors. Employees like to work in
healthy workplace environment where they get respect and equal treatment. M&S treats its
workers well and give them promotional opportunities on the bases of their performance.
Manager of company always ensure developing healthy relationship with its staff members.
They involve them in decision making process and take their feedback time to time (Kwamie,
van Dijk and Agyepong, 2014). By this way they feel valued and become committed. If culture
of company is not good then it demotivates employees and that is the major reason of increasing
staff turnover rate in UK.
Organizational values support in raising performance of business and raise coordination
among all people. Employees are most important stakeholder of M&S, it always emphases on
retaining its skilled people in firm for longer duration. For that entity ensure that it motivates its
workers by giving rewards and recognition. Positive culture helps in meeting with expectation of
workers and it becomes platform for inspiring people. In such condition, employees of Marks
and Spencer feel so involved and they put their hard efforts for serving best to consumers so that
brand image of entity can be improved (Scott-Hill, 2014).
Companies those which has strong culture always perform better than the firms have poor
culture. Strong cultural aspect leads to employee’s motivation and encourage higher
performance. In recent time most of the companies pay attention on creating healthy corporate
culture so that talented people feel satisfied and they work so hard for achieving goal of business
unit. Organization culture is most essential element for ongoing changes in business unit. This
helps in implementing changes in firm easily and gaining support of employees as well. Strong
culture enhances communication that develops respect and creates mutual trust (Young and
Ghoshal, 2016). In such kind of environment people like to work more. Thais is beneficial in
reducing turnover rate and help in raising financial performance of Marks and Spencer.
Qualities of leader
Leader is the person who leads people , individual has multidimensional traits that makes
them different from others. Leader of Marks and Spencer have different qualities:
Good communicator: Leaders needs to have good communication skill, this makes them
able to lead their team members well (Qualities of a Leader, 2018). Leader of M&S always

coordinate with its staff members well. That is why information gets passed to all in correct
manner, they understand the message and perform their work accordingly. This communication
quality helps leader in minimizing confusion and completing task in efficient manner.
Problem solving skill: It is another quality of leader of M&S, individual examine
situation well and analyses rout cause of problem. This aids in finding best solution for each
issue. Person has good intelligence that assist in measuring facts and summarizing situation
well. By this way leader selects best solution out of many for resolving any critical situation
(Young and Ghoshal, 2016).
Knowledge of work: This is another quality of leader, leader of M&S has good
knowledge that supports person in guiding other subordinates well and making them aware with
their responsibilities. That is why lower level staff members have trust on their leader. They
follow instruction of their leader carefully.
Confidence: Leader is confident person that is most important quality of person that
makes him different from others. This confidence helps in boosting others and motivating staff
members. By this way all people become able to face critical situation well (Senarathna and
et.al., 2014).
Motivational skill: M&S has faced issue of increasing staff turnover. In such condition
leader of entity has motivated people for retaining in firm. They have appraised their work and
have given them rewards for their contribution in business. This has helped in encouraging staff
members thus, entity has became able to reduce staff turnover rate.
Relationship building: This is another quality of leader of Marks and Spencer. S
individual develops healthy bonding with its staff members. By this way all people share their
feeling and leader gives them immediate solution for their problems (Scott-Hill, 2014). That is
why company has become able to create friendly workplace atmosphere.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that organizational structure and culture impact
on success of business unit. Strong culture enhances trust of employees and encourage their
involvement. Appropriate structure helps firm in raising communication and minimizing

confusions at workplace. By this way employees feel comfortable and happy in business unit.
This helps business in achieving its goal significantly. Leaders needs to have good
communication, problem solving, relationship building, motivational sills. These qualities aid the
person in performing their duties well and fulfilling the goal.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barlow, S., 2017. Creating a resilient management system delivering a flexible foundation for
growth in an energy organisation. The APPEA Journal. 57(2). pp.393-396.
Grijalva, E. and Newman, D. A., 2015. Narcissism and counterproductive work behavior
(CWB): Meta‐analysis and consideration of collectivist culture, Big Five personality, and
narcissism's facet structure. Applied Psychology. 64(1). pp.93-126.
Kwamie, A., van Dijk, H. and Agyepong, I.A., 2014. Advancing the application of systems
thinking in health: realist evaluation of the Leadership Development Programme for district
manager decision-making in Ghana. Health research policy and systems. 12(1). pp.29.
Mosey, S., Noke, H. and Kirkham, P., 2017. Building an entrepreneurial organisation.
Routledge.
Scott-Hill, M., 2014. Deafness/Disability–problematising notions of identity, culture and
structure. In Disability, culture and identity (pp. 102-118). Routledge.
Senarathna, I. and et.al., 2014. The influence of organisation culture on E-commerce
adoption. Industrial Management & Data Systems. 114(7). pp.1007-1021.
Young, C. and Ghoshal, S., 2016. Organization theory and the multinational corporation.
Springer.
Online
Qualities of a Leader. 2018 [Online]. Available through
<https://managementstudyguide.com/qualities_of_a_leader.htm>

The Advantages of an Effective Organizational Structure. 2018. [Online]. Available through
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-effective-organizational-structure-
20211.htmladvantages