Leadership Styles and Crisis Management at Boeing

LEADING BUSINESS
ORGANIZATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
PART 2............................................................................................................................................3
Application and challenges of different leadership styles......................................................3
Muilenburg's Leadership style................................................................................................5
Recommendations regarding the steps that Muilenburg should take.....................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFLECTION-..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20
........................................................................................................................................................22
Appendix-......................................................................................................................................23

INTRODUCTION
Boeing Company is an American corporation dealing in satellites, aircraft and rotor craft which
are supplied worldwide (Serrat, 2017). At present the company is undergoing through a crisis
which involves crashing of two air crafts based on the 737 MAX model and the CEO, President
and Chairman of BOD of the company, Dennis Muilenburg, is facing a lot of criticism. In this
report, three modern aspects of leadership which are Ethical, Authentic and Distributive
leadership are discussed and the problems in their implication are identified. Further, this report
also
 highlights the leadership style adopted by Muilenburg and
 the manner in which he is dealing with the current crisis has been discussed upon
 highlighting the various steps that he can take in order to improve the situation.
PART 2
Application and challenges of different leadership styles.
Ethical Leadership can be defined as that type of leadership under which is based on the
concepts like fairness, trust, consideration and honesty. It exhibits the values and morals of the
person appointed at the leadership position and how effectively a leader is demonstrating such
virtues, character and morals. An ethical leader is very professional in his approach and yet is
extremely ethical in the work done by him while performing different duties. This helps in
setting good standards and examples at the workplace (Lewis, Cantore and Passmore, 2016).
Authentic leadership is another aspect of leadership based on the term authenticity of an
individual in his actions (Schutt Jr, 2018). There are four basic elements which are included in
this leadership type :- showing the true nature while performing the duties assigned rather than
adopting a facade; being truly motivated by the organizational objectives; taking those decisions
which the leader perceives to be correct rather than adopting those that norms dictate and
focusing on achievement of long term sustainable development. Distributed Leadership includes
a systematic approach under which rather giving hype to the term leader and authority, and all
the individuals i.e. employees are given equal importance, the various tasks and roles assigned to
them are considered important in achieving organizational goals and policies (Ford and Harding,
2018).
Collectively, ethical, authentic and distributed leadership model proves to be a very
modern and effective concept in managing and leading employees in the dynamic world so that
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individuals tend to become experts rather than experienced in their work field (Lewis, Cantore
and Passmore, 2016).
Google LLC is a multinational company having its headquarters in America. This
company can be referred as that contemporary organization which practices ethical, authentic
and distributed leadership style while operating.
It can be called as a company practising ethical leadership because despite all the
criticism that it attracts, the company never fails to fulfil their motto: 'Don't be evil.' The
company has always been in limelight due to its frequent conflicts with China regarding freedom
of speech. The company given huge amount of benefits to its employees in various forms like
discounted legal services, free healthcare and treatment etc. and has a stellar record with their
employees and in raising social awareness. (Karakuş, 2018)
The company can be referred to as an authentic leader because despite the cut throat
competition that it faces, they never fail to grow and innovate. Their efforts to develop a stronger
sense of humanity in people, the information that they make easily accessible for all, the vast
benefits to all the stakeholders of the company etc. are some aspects that makes the company
being termed as authentic. Their very basic activities like internet browser chrome etc. Are those
software which can be easily copied or malified yet the company never hesitated in giving such
free and useful services to their users. Also, when it came to expressing view points, Google has
provided everyone an open base and they themselves never hesitate like the instance when they
openly supported the rights of Gay people (Waters and White, 2015).
Google has always supported that leadership style which believes in empowering their
employees and this is the reason they been termed as the best company to work for employees.
They implement distributive leadership by giving their employees the freedom to work
according to their convenience and in a hassle free environment.
A situation of crisis is always a tough time where the tenancy of the leaders or manager
gets tested truly. Organizations practising ethical, authentic and distributed leadership style can
deal with such crisis in an effective manner but there are some challenges as well.
The major challenges and difficulties in practicing ethical leadership are that it can be
costly, time-consuming and present dilemmas in terms doing the right thing or making more
profit.
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The main challenges and difficulties in practicing authentic leadership is that leaders need
to be comfortable in being totally transparent, open and honest in their leadership style and to
showing their own vulnerability. Some individuals and/or cultures might view this as a
weakness and sometimes certain business contexts make it very difficult to be open when
confidentiality is needed (ie: Mergers & Acquisitions). Authentic leadership often leads to
unnecessary delay in the clarification statement that a company's authorities make.
The main challenges and difficulties in practicing distributed leadership is that it is time
consuming; can generate conflict with opposing ideas and/or power struggles and can undermine
the authority of leaders in some cultures and/or business contexts.
Muilenburg's Leadership style
Muilenburg's is president, Chairman of board and Chief executive officer of Boeing, it is an
American Multinational organization that manufactures, designs and sells, rotocraft, missiles,
airplanes and satellites worldwide. He used visionary leadership style, in order to deal with
consequence of crashes including organization's 737 max 8 aircraft. Company is very innovative
and creative, they bring new commercial aeroplanes to market like 77XX, 737 and 787 Max.
Appreciative inquiry technique is used within operational management, it is one of the approach
to organizational situation and change which centring on strength than on weaknesses.
Muilenburg's have willingness to do something new and different from the others, according to
him all the workers must contribute in business growth and help through sharing and creating
creative ideas which help to grow Boeing effectively rather than Airbus as biggest competitors.
He always think additionally and for further business progress along with high risk factors which
is not appropriate for company. He believe in innovation and bring new commercial aeroplaces
which present good image of company within marketplace (Faivre-Tavignot, 2016).
Crisis handle by Muilenburg-
After the crises of 737 Max aircraft Muilenburg's conduct interview in order to deal with
issues which they faced. Within its statement they apologise for all the lost of lives in recent 737
max accidents, he show its sympathies to loved ones of crew members and passengers on
Ethiopian airlines flight 302 and board lion air flight 610 (Antonaras, 2018). he take
responsibilities to deliver and build air planes to its airlines consumers and to flying public that is
safe and protect to fly and be safely flown by each and every single one of dedicated and
professional pilots all around the world. It impact on his personal brand and assure public about
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their safety and great security by company which is beneficial for business growth and success as
global leader.
Positive elements of Muilenburg's Visionary leadership-
Visionary leadership is one of the best six leadership styles, it helps to inspire vision, and
support other to see how they contribute to specific vision.
He use Visionary leadership style shows in above case study, which is beneficial for
further business growth. It make him able to think and bring innovative ideas, strength of this
style is to allow person to have ability to create strong vision and motivate workers in order to
achieve business goals and objectives. A person like Muilenburg's along with visionary
leadership style able to take risks required to carry out their vision (Cooperrider and Whitney,
2016). He is able to motivate and inspire entire team towards almost full dedicated and efforts at
work, just as he is. This style give sense of aim and guides hum as they work in present. With the
help of visionary leadership style within their work, he is able to vividly and clearly
communicate their team members what future holds, this elements of leadership style well
working for him . Muilenburg's is visionar person, he is ready to try something new and create
vision for company progress and success. He lead a team towards achieving goals and company
objectives, he is hard working.
For example, Muilenburg is visionary man, he thinks differently only focus on further
growth less than the existing ones.
Negative elements of Muilenburg's Visionary leadership-
But on the other side every leadership style could be advantages or beneficial for person. As like
Muilenburg's visionary leadership style have some negative elements that effect on its
performane as well as business. According to this style, it allow person to only think about future
and be visionary less than thinking about current requirement (Burton, Welty Peachey and Wells,
2017). Muilenburg's by its visionary character, centring on design of new devices and aircraft
leaving the little apart fact of making profitable investments that is already in market. It is one of
the weakness of this leadership style, he only focus on its vision not current requirement and
risks associated with visionary characteristic. Without focusing on potential risk, they cannot be
able to manage business and entire functions effectively which effect upon profitability and
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