Leadership Styles and Strategies for Aspiring Leaders

This study material provides insights into various leadership styles and strategies for aspiring leaders. It covers topics such as fundamental questions for leaders, key aspects of leadership, leadership theories/styles, organizational mission and vision, motivation theories, and more. The material also includes a case study on Starbucks, highlighting the challenges of practicing servant leadership in a complex and volatile environment.

Leading Business
Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
1. (a) The 2 fundamental questions that leaders needs to ask themselves..............................1
(b) Two key aspect of leadership............................................................................................1
(c) Leadership theory/style.....................................................................................................1
(d) Two different leadership style that are appropriate for business environment.................2
(e) Leaders need depth understanding in the range of leadership style..................................2
2. (a) Organisational mission and vision................................................................................2
(b) Individuals contribution in order to execute mission and vision......................................2
(c) Leaders contribution to make in execute vision and mission...........................................2
(d) Stakeholders contribution.................................................................................................3
(e) Aspiring leaders needs to be able to analyse contribution of the above...........................3
3. (a) Leadership strategy.......................................................................................................3
(b) Change leadership.............................................................................................................3
(c) Organisational potential....................................................................................................3
(d) Business context...............................................................................................................3
(e) Aspiring leader require to understand leadership strategies that can be applicable at
different business context.......................................................................................................4
4. (a) Motivation theory..........................................................................................................4
(b) Two categories of motivational theories...........................................................................4
(c) Contemporary term for employee motivation...................................................................4
(d) Appreciative inquiry technique.........................................................................................4
(e) Aspiring leaders require to define a range of motivational theories within organisational
context....................................................................................................................................4
5. (a) Potential leadership style..............................................................................................5
(b) Key strengths....................................................................................................................5
(c) Key challenges..................................................................................................................5
(d) Personal development to develop leadership ability.........................................................5
PART 2............................................................................................................................................5
(a) Introduction of Starbucks..................................................................................................5

(b) Overview of “Servant” leaderhsip style and challenges associated with practising it in the
complex. Ambiguous and volatile (VUCA) environment......................................................6
(c) Critical evaluation of Kevin Johnson's leadership style...................................................8
(d) Why Johnson have personal strong brand as an effective leader...................................10
(e) Recommendations in order to build success and maintain sustainability as well as
competitive advantages towards Starbucks..........................................................................10
(f) Views on the basis of Johnson is an effective role model for aspiring leaders...............10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Business organisation can be defined as the act, that brings resources and utilised them in
a better way which is generally used to distribution and production of overall goods and services
to earn profit by giving better services and customer's satisfaction in an appropriate manner. In
addition to this, business organisations are segmented in so many forms on the behalf of
management and ownership as well in order to fulfil organisational goals and objectives within
the short period of time. This report is divided in two parts which is categorised as reflective
statement on leadership for aspiring leaders and case study on Starbucks. Furthermore, this study
has different models and theories of leadership style with the help of effective suggestions. At
last, to improve overall performance of firm will also get covered (Young and Ghoshal, 2016).
PART 1
1. (a) The 2 fundamental questions that leaders needs to ask themselves.
From the best advice I learned that if “I have a plan so that I can win” and I never forgot
that as it gave me the courage to speak thoroughly in front of so many people by which I can
define management principles, business strategies and lots of things that brings innovative
changes. Therefore, there are 2 types of fundamental questions which is necessary for me being a
leader, such as How can I maximise the data that I am collecting and another is How can I
identify it all in aspect of personalization and services.
(b) Two key aspect of leadership.
Excellent communication: According to me effective leader is one of the person who
always communicates in a better way with the help of using accurate directions, telephone, email
and so on, in order to fulfil purpose effectively.
Confidence: On the other side, leaders also known as backbone of an organisation by
having confident and strong relations with their seniors. Therefore, these sorts of key aspects
makes leader energetic into the business place.
(c) Leadership theory/style.
Leadership generally considered as natural trait along with it is something about people
and their behaviour within the working place. Most of the leadership theories identifies that, why
and how particular individuals become leaders.
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(d) Two different leadership style that are appropriate for business environment.
Transactional leadership: It refers to the unique style of leadership which is mainly
focused on performance, supervision and organisation. According to me, if firms will adopt this
approach then they can work accordingly and encourage leader by which they motivates its
employees perfectly.
Transformational leadership: It refers to the theory of leadership in which leader works
with their team and group members in order to develop effective vision and develop inspiration
for all employees within the working place. By having these assorted leadership styles they can
manage situations of business like uncertainty, volatility and complexity from work.
(e) Leaders need depth understanding in the range of leadership style.
Aspiring leaders are really needed to have accurate information towards different types of
leadership styles in order to lead employees within the particular organisation. Therefore, leaders
need depth understanding towards every topic by which they can guide its employees by
applying several leadership styles.
2. (a) Organisational mission and vision.
Mission: Business firms mainly have culture, strategies and values by interviewing
employees, customers and suppliers.
Vision: Is to ensures that objectives are considerable along with approach is actionable so
that vision can be achieved.
(b) Individuals contribution in order to execute mission and vision.
Individual contribution is much essential into the firm by which managers and other
subordinates of firm can develop better tools to make effective mission and vision by applying
new techniques (Abdelkafi and Täuscher, 2016). Therefore, employees contribution is necessary
for the betterment of future.
(c) Leaders contribution to make in execute vision and mission.
Leaders always contributes in the firm in order to achieve desired goals and objectives
towards an organisation. According to my point of view leaders are the only one who can
execute on mission and vision and make firm productive appropriately.
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(d) Stakeholders contribution.
Within the corporation stakeholders can be supportive aspect which helps firm to achieve
their desired aims. Stakeholder works under the organisation and able to give their 100%
contribution appropriately.
(e) Aspiring leaders needs to be able to analyse contribution of the above.
From the above contribution of leaders, employees and stakeholders shows that aspiring
leaders are those who always encourage their team members and employees by using several
leadership styles and tools in order to make organisation attractive and fulfil customer's desired
and wants.
3. (a) Leadership strategy.
This type of strategy has ability to influence others and make unique decisions to increase
business growth within the marketplace during maintaining overall short term financial stabilities
effectively. Therefore, this is used by leaders to take accurate decision towards maximisation of
business efficiency (Christopher, Mena and van Hoek, 2018).
(b) Change leadership.
Change leadership has ability to influence other by vision and drive, personal advocacy
and to access resources which is generally build a strong platform in order to bring so many
changes within the firm. With the help of changes business firms are able to achieve desired
goals in an appropriate manner.
(c) Organisational potential.
With the help of potentiality leaders are able to have ideas about how organisation is
going and what kind of efforts they are having in order to achieve more success within the
marketplace. Herein, organisational potential is very effective and helpful aspect for employees
by which they can use few services and able to implement on new strategies to gain desired
outcomes.
(d) Business context.
According to this context, employees works in the larger business community and able to
achieve organisational goals in a proper manner. Along with this leaders are always ready to help
employees as they guide them in a different manner and make them valuable for firm to achieve
goals towards organisation.
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(e) Aspiring leader require to understand leadership strategies that can be applicable at different
business context.
As per the aspiring leader this can be said that if they will follow different types of
leadership strategies then they can use numerous methods in order to meet business goals and
able to achieve targeted goals in an appropriate manner.
4. (a) Motivation theory.
Motivational theory refers to the task by having different types of individual drives
towards achieving common goals and objectives. According to this theory businesses are
interested within this just because it help them to motivate employees and leading to more
economic use of various resources.
(b) Two categories of motivational theories.
According to my point of view there are two types of categories named as monetary and
non monetary. Whereas, monetary defines while firm use this sorts of category then they can
provide effective benefits to its employees or workers. In the case of non monetary it helps firm
to reduce inflation rate from the economy.
(c) Contemporary term for employee motivation.
According to the contemporary term motivation is generally known as the foundation by
which managers can easily understand different needs and wants of their workers and able to
give them proper theory in order to support employees at every level (Gassmann, Frankenberger
and Sauer, 2016).
(d) Appreciative inquiry technique.
According to Appreciative inquiry technique of organisational changes which mainly
concentrates on strengths as compare to the weakness in order to overcome so many issues by
which firm can get effective or desired outcomes appropriately.
(e) Aspiring leaders require to define a range of motivational theories within organisational
context.
Aspiring leaders are needed to describe different types of motivational theories within the
firm in order to bring effective strategies for betterment of future. If leaders are able to analyse
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each and every task so that it will directly influence employees and encourage them towards
works.
5. (a) Potential leadership style.
Being a leader it is very important me to have different types of innovative tools and
techniques by which I can easily motivates my group members and I am able to give them
various task so that they learn so many things and able to finish task within short period of time.
With the changing times leadership styles are also changing, therefore, I need to focus on
powerful area of business by which I can make organisation attractive.
(b) Key strengths.
As a leader I am very honest as well as a good communicator by which I can create
confidence into the employees mind towards achievement of common goals and objectives. By
having assorted strength I can achieve desired goals towards organisation.
(c) Key challenges.
Sometimes in the firm there are so many challenges and issues which is faced by leader
such as dealing with difficult people is a big situation by which working burden can be
maximise. Along with, being a leader I need to motivate employees every time so that they can
achieve goals towards firm.
(d) Personal development to develop leadership ability.
In order to improve personal development along with leadership skills I needed to have
practice discipline by which I can become an effective leader and able to develop discipline as
well. There is another ability of leadership which is take on more projects which mainly creates
effective leadership skills so that I can take more responsibilities and able to increase firm's
growth effectively.
PART 2
(a) Introduction of Starbucks.
Starbucks corporation is an American coffee organisation and it was founded in the year
of 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker and headquartered is in Seattlle,
Washington U.S. It deals with different types of coffee with several flavours in order to target
quality-minded coffee drinkers with hand0made coffee in order to satisfy customer's needs and
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wants perfectly. Now a days this firm is dealing with automated espresso machines in foe
developing better efficiency and safety tools. Apart from this Starbucks always offer high quality
of coffee to its entire consumers in order to achieve innovative production process, expansions in
retail in order to stay within marketplace for long period of time (Christopher, Mena and van
Hoek, 2018). In order to select target market they segment first and then they give appropriate
position of their products. Starbucks also focus on entire habits of consumers by which they can
share speciality of coffee in order to get successful growth at marketplace. Therefore, overall
sales of Starbucks depends on company operate retailing stores as well as certified retail
operations. Along with this Starbucks sells its tea and coffee products by using so many
advertising channels such as TV, Newspapers, Online websites and so on. With the help of this
they can target lots of customers and able to know about their mind perception. During 2002
Starbucks target those type of people like upper class, educated who can pay high prices of
Starbucks coffee for this high quality that gives better satisfaction to customers. So the current
position of Starbucks is as leading coffee corporation depends majorly across the worldwide
expansion policy.
(b) Overview of “Servant” leaderhsip style and challenges associated with practising it in the
complex. Ambiguous and volatile (VUCA) environment.
Leadership refers to the process by which an executive can guide, direct and able to
influence work and behaviour of others towards fulfilling organisational goals as per the given
situation. Along with this, leadership is the ability or a manager and a leader which introduce
subordinates to work with huge confidence. Therefore, leaders and managers plays very effective
role within the working plays and responsible to manage each and everything which gives better
outcomes to the firm in a proper manner. In reference with Starbucks, leader play significant role
which help firm to achieve competitive advantages by using innovative tools and techniques.
Leader always needed to create clear vision of future along with motivate organisational
members to achieve that vision (Pruzan and et. al., 2017).
Servant leadership style: This style of leadership refers leadership philosophy in which
people can interact with each other and able to achieve its aims by following appropriate
organisational structure. Along with this, servant leadership style consist promoting strategies by
which firms can easily promote its goods and services and give authority to employees to do all
those things which are necessary for firm. This style of leadership involves individual
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characteristics of listening, empathy, position along with serious-mindedness to personal
development towards others.
On the other side this theory search to move personal and management interaction from
the controlling activities among strong relationship towards people. The term servant leadership
was given by Robert Greenleaf during the 20th century, he was a good researcher and able to
develop traditional leadership styles by which he can focused on different types autocratic
leadership between employers and employees as well (Küpers, 2016). According to his
observations, this style of leadership manages overall situation within firms from the appropriate
perspective. With the help of this approach firms can easily able to address wants and needs as
their priority along with able to answer of people different queries. There are different types of
situations/challanges within the Starbucks in which Servant leadership can be applied, those are
going to be discussed below:
Volatile: This term refers to the material quality which identifies that how a firm can
develop better things in order to get long sustainability at marketplace. In reference with
Starbucks, volatility can be measured by differentiating between products at marketplace. By
applying servant leadership style, they can reduce this factor by ignoring assorted things from the
firm and business functions in a proper way. Therefore, this leadership style is very important in
order to communicate with different people at marketplace (Harkiolakis, 2016). With the help of
this they can increase firms value and able to maximise firms productivity and sales at large
level.
Uncertain: If risk and profit probability is equal then it develops uncertainty any time. In
context with Starbucks, they always use highest quality of Arabic a coffee which is considered as
the espresso drinks. Along with this it is one of the leading coffee firm which targets quality
coffee drinkers and prepare hand made coffee which is mainly based on lighter roasts with fine
quality of beans. As per the current scenario this firm is using automated espresso machines for
giving huge safety tools to its workers. Therefore, Starbucks always received better feedback
from all over the customers worldwide (Abdurrahman and Langi, 2016). As it mainly targets
students and youngsters who can enjoy their different varieties of coffee and able to give
feedback to them. Therefore, overall growth is based on their coffee and cold drinks which is
provided by them at marketplace. When uncertainty creates then they use servant leadership style
in order to overcome this factor to achieve targeted goals.
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Complex: This situation can be raised any time within the Starbucks, therefore, they
should focus on those aspects by which they can increase its sales and revenue at large level. But
sometimes firm is not able to deal with some conditions at marketplace so that they face few
difficulties and not able to achieve its targeted goals. In order to overcome this type of issues
from the firm they should use servant leadership style by which they can remove complexity and
able to offer better coffee to its customers (Lesser and Ban, 2016).
Ambiguous: With the help of servant leadership style Starbucks recently announced a
new policy which allows anyone to sit in its cafes or use its restrooms even if people don't buy or
purchase anything. Therefore, they have said that previous policies were not worked properly in
its stores and decrease their value in front of customers and marketplace as well. Therefore, it
works properly and anyone can use their cafe without facing any problem.
By facing these sorts of challenges Starbucks is able to make new policies and strategies
by which they can make strong relationship with customers and able to achieve their trust
towards different types of product which is offered by them. Along with servant leadership
theory is very helpful for Starbucks towards achievement of appropriate goals and objectives.
(c) Critical evaluation of Kevin Johnson's leadership style.
Overview of leader styles according to Kevin Johnson’s
Leadership styles plays essential role in order to influence all over the employees within
the firm and encourage its followers towards accomplishment of targeted business goals and
scenario in a better manner (Doppelt, 2017). According to the CEO Johnson of Starbucks there
are different types of leadership style within the organisation. In addition to this, strong leader
always have effective and attractive aspects to gain unique business identity at marketplace. With
the help of so many leadership styles they can make better ways in order to handle any difficult
situation of business to improve quality of leadership which directly reflect on developing
positive working environment at marketplace. Additionally, there are few potentiality leadership
style which are segmented into 3 parts, those are going to be discussed below:
Ethical
On the basis of this leadership style, Johnson is able to make appropriate decision in
order to identify different values like equality and respect, accountability and honesty. So these
sorts of valuable forms help him to gain ethical leadership.
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Advantages: Each employee and manager of a firm can easily use this style and able to
bring higher level of satisfaction towards employees. Herein, being a ethical leader Johnson is
able to make unique vision towards Starbucks (Smith and Cockburn, 2016).
Disadvantage: Sometimes leader is not able to adopt all hose things so that it can develop
firm's negativity and reduce profits.
Authentic
It is based on realistic and original approaches by which Johnson is able to analyse
various tools and techniques to increase employees performance towards work.
Pros: With the help of this theory John is able to maximise profit towards firm and able
to reach its desired goals in an appropriate manner. Along with this it help to superiors to take
initiatives for developing workforce growth positively.
Cons: The drawback of this theory crate confusion in employees mind and decrease their
confidence towards working place. Therefore, John take such strategies which help them to
overcome these difficulties.
Democratic
This leadership style is known as participative style which shows the ability of a
particular person who distributes task to its employees and managers for involvement towards
taking effective decisions to achieve targeted profits (Miranda and Allen, 2017).
Benefits: It is generally used for resolving so many difficult issues as leaders have an
ability to work within the group form by using so many things in order to get positive outcomes
appropriately. In addition to this, John is able to give satisfaction to their employees by providing
them so many aspects related to work.
Drawbacks: The negative point of this leadership style is, if firm is not able to make
projects so that they are not able to face various issues and leaders can not work properly.
Therefore Johns needs to have various working opinions in order to overcome these sorts of
factors appropriately.
However, if Kevin Johnson will adopt these strategies so that he is able to understand
different types of concepts and so many technologies in order to achieve its desired goals in a
perfect manner (Becker, and et. al., 2016). Herein, current issues which are faced by Starbucks is
that there are so many people who are working together but at the same time they are not able to
generate those strategies by customers can get huge satisfaction, therefore, with the help of these
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strategies they can create so many ways to adopt current situation of market towards increasing
sales and revenue at proper manner.
(d) Why Johnson have personal strong brand as an effective leader.
Kevin Johnson is American businessman along with CEO of Starbucks coffee company.
At the initial stage of his career he was an software engineer and then he joined IBM as a
systems engineer. Johnson graduated from Los Alamos high school in 1978 and later he was
graduated from New Mexico State University in Business Administration. Johnson said that,
every people should focus on every aspects of organisation fundamentally in order to know
overall situation of their brand in marketplace. Along with this people should always make better
decisions towards new strategies so that they can easily apply and able to gain targeted
customers effectively. If people have different types of mind set and thinking criteria in a good
sense then they can meet customers needs at market and encourage them to buy product of
Starbucks. Herein, Johnson have personal strong brand as an effective leader because during the
last year they buy huge stock in order to change customer's tastes and preference. Beyond
purchasing so many stock and services last year the main aim of Johnson is to provide healthy
coffee and drinks to customers to develop better economy through satisfying all over demand of
consumers in a proper way (Ward, 2016). Therefore, he has strong brand image and unique
identity as a leader who always motivates its juniors in a perfect way.
(e) Recommendations in order to build success and maintain sustainability as well as competitive
advantages towards Starbucks.
In order to get effective success and growth at marketplace of Starbucks, it has been
recommended to Johnson that he should adopt more effective and energetic ways by which they
can meet customer's needs and desires at marketplace. At present, Starbucks has been launched
online apps for customers so that they can easily find out their coffee flavour and able to attract
large number of customers at marketplace (Schiller, 2018).
(f) Views on the basis of Johnson is an effective role model for aspiring leaders.
From the above discussion about Johnson who is also considered as aspiring leader
within the Starbucks. So that it has been concluded that, during the starting journey of Kevin
Johnson's, he has faced lots of difficulties and tough situation during his work but after finishing
this difficult time, he became a CEO of Starbucks and able to make different types of policies
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and strategies by which they can achieve its desired goals through promoting its overall
strategies with the help of TV, newspapers and so on. Therefore, Johnson played very effective
role as aspiring leader (Galbraith, 2017).
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CONCLUSION
According to the above representative report it has been concluded that, there are
different types of leadership theory along with strength and key elements by which individuals
can learn so many things towards achieving targeted goals and objectives in an appropriate
manner. Apart from this there is it has been specified that Kevin Johnson is one of the best
leader and CEO of Starbucks as well who help respective firm to attain various needs and goals
towards giving satisfaction to customers in a perfect way. By applying so many strategies and
theories leaders can encourage its employees towards targeted goals and make firms attractive.
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