Leading Business Organizations: Servant Leadership and Challenges in VUCA Environment

This document discusses the concept of servant leadership and the challenges faced by leaders in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment. It evaluates the leadership style of Kevin Johnson and its impact on Starbucks. The document also provides recommendations for leading business organizations.

Leading Business Organizations Student Guidelines

Table of Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................3
REFLECTION ................................................................................................................................3
PART 2 ...........................................................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................6
Overview of servant leadership style and challenges associated with the VUCA in 21 century
.....................................................................................................................................................7
Critical evaluation of the Kevin Johnson leadership style .........................................................8
Why Johnson have a personal brand as the effective global leader..........................................10
Recommendations ....................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

Part 1
REFLECTION
Leadership for aspiring leadership
1) a) In my opinion leaders would ask questions like what are they doing here are they here to
serve themselves or to serve others ? These questions would motivate the leaders, and they
would work in the effective manner. Leaders must also themselves that are their values evident
for the leadership? These would motivate leader to expand their knowledge and train themselves.
b) In my opinion leaders must have these aspects like the excellent communication and honesty
while wring in the team projects. These would help the managers to communicate effectively
with the team members and keep honesty while working in the team members (Amanchukwu,
Stanley and Ololube 2015).
c) Leadership style are the styles in which the leader is working in the way of providing the
direction and implementing on the plans and these are helping each other to motivate the people
which are working in the organization.
d) In my opinion democratic leadership styles are the styles which would be used by the leader
for implementing the work in the effective way.
e) Leadership styles would help employees to work in the effective way and leaders would
identify their strength and weakness which would help them to work in the effective way.
2) a) Mission and vision statements of the company are the long term goals of company and
vision of the company is to work on the effective mission and how to implement on this mission
the vision of the company is the aim of the company (Nawaz and Khan PhD2016).
b) Individuals are working on the company mission and vision statements by working in the
effective way and by using their skills and abilities for the achieving the mission and vision
statements.
c) Leader are contributing by helping employees and guiding the employees which are working
on the team projects. Motivating the employee sin the by providing the rewards and using the
skills and abilities in the right way.
d) Stakeholders are the employees, and they are using the skills and abilities of themselves by
working in the effective way.
e) These aspiring leader need to work in the effective way so would help the company to
improve the performance in the market.

3) a) Leadership strategy are the strategies which would help employee to work in the effective
way and guide the leader to manage the team members and team projects as well.
b) Change leadership is the ability to influence and enthuse others by the way of the personal
advocacy and vision and it would help them to access the resources in the effective way.
Leadership change is generally the successful change for the organization and leaders.
c) Organization potential is the development of the organization which is working with the help
of the employees and the leaders which are guiding them to work in effective way.
d) Business context is including the factors which are having the impact on the employee
performance and it would help them to improve the poor business relations (Dartey-Baah 2015).
e) Aspiring leaders need to understand the leadership strategies because it would help them to
achieve the long term goals and their would gain knowledge, and they would develop their skills
and abilities.
4) a) Motivation theories are theories which are helping the employees to work in the effective
way. These theories are made for motivating employees and employees are motivated by the way
of satisfy the needs as per the theories.
b) Motivational theories are of two types which includes the content theory and the process
theory as well (Dartey-Baah 2015).. Content theories are the theories which are concentrating on
the what could motivate the individual while the process theory is focusing on how could the
employees would be motivated.
c) The contemporary term on the employee motivation is looking after the ways how would
employees would be motivated. In my opinion company would use the motivation theories for
motivating the employee in the effective way.
d) Appreciative inquiry technique is the change management approach which is focusing on the
identifying the work and analysing the work in the accurate way.
e) Aspiring leaders would use the strategies to evaluate the range of motivational theories and to
look after the leaders which are working in Starbucks. Leader also need motivations and so
company must use the motivational theories for motivating the leader too.
5) a) In my opinion company would use the democratic leadership styles. In these leaderships
styles it would be stated that the leader is listening to the suggestions of the members and then

the leader is taking the final decision. In these leadership styles leader are involved in daily
activities, and they are supervising the work of team members in the effective way.
b) My biggest strength is the communication skills which always help for me to improve own
ability. I am able to work with the team member in the effective way. Good communication
skills would help me to communicate with members and it would not only me but it would also
other team members to gain knowledge and learn new skills from the other members.
c) The weakness is the pressure and it is also affecting my entire performance and efficiency. I
cannot handle the pressure and these are major challenge for me because in team projects
pressure would be there and it needs to be handled in the effective way. Staying motivated is the
major challenge because I cannot be stayed motivated, I would need the motivation from time to
time and look after the work in the effective way (Dartey-Baah 2015).. Leader always need to be
motivated because they need to motivate the team members in the effective way.
d) I can develop the leadership skills and work on the weakness in the effective way. Weakness
would be overcome by the way of trying to handle pressure and work try not to get panic at the
time of work pressure. I can develop the time management skills and would learn how to handle
the work pressures and manage the work in the given time. I am trying to motivate self and also
motivate others as well. I would implement the motivational theories and learn how to motivate
self.
PART 2
INTRODUCTION
Leadership is the playing the vital role in running the company and for achieving the
long-term goals. Leaders are one which are guiding the employees, and they are working in
effective way. Starbucks is the American coffee company which is delivering the coffee to
customers. It was founded by Jerry Baldwin and it was founded in 1971. Starbucks is delivering
the coffee with baked products and sandwiches. The food chain is located in various other
countries and is providing these services to customers in various countries. The report is
concentrating on leading business organization which are working efficiently (Dartey-Baah
2015). Starbucks is company which includes the servant leadership style and these would be
benefit the employee so not that is discussed in report. It also briefs overview about the
challenges that will be faced by leaders in the organization. the challenges are based on
environment or culture at workplace.

Brief overview of the servant leadership styles are included in report. Leadership styles of
the kelvin Johnson is also discussed in the report and it is evaluated on these point. These points
are the financial performance of company and reviews of employees. Kelvin Johnson has the
brand image in market as effective global leader because he has changed performance of
Starbucks in the large scale. These points and the recommendation for the Starbucks are
discussed in report (Talhelm Zhang and Oishi 2018).
Overview of servant leadership style and challenges associated with the VUCA in 21 century
Servant leadership styles are the leadership styles in which the goal of leader is to
serve. The leadership style is focusing on the working of company. In servant leadership leaders
are able to share the power and satisfy the need of employees which are working in the company.
Leaders are serving customer and working in the effective way to satisfy the need of customer.
Employees have focus of leaders because by the help of leaders employees are workings in
company and leader are caring and have the responsibility of guiding employees from time to
time. Leaders are guiding the team members and commits that employees would be development
expertise in the particular work and task given. Personal and professional skills of employees are
developed by working in the team projects. By working in team projects they would develop the
knowledge and learn new skills in the effective way.
Servant leadership has the certain advantages and disadvantages as well. Like the
servant leadership is improving the organization for the long time and caring treatment of
company towards employee is motivating them in the effective way. In these leadership style
employees would have built trust on employees and also they are encouraged for working better.
Working environment of company is changed and employees are enjoying the work and there is
the friendly working environment in company. Through these type of working environment
productivity is improved and also employee turn over rate is decreased as well (Wu 2017).
The changing business environment is affecting leaders on large scale because
leader are not able to explore themselves and work in the effective way. There are various
challenges which is faced by leader in the VUCA environment and it is affecting business
environment at large scale. VUCA includes the volatile, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity
as well.
These would affect the employees and leader which are working in company. Volatile is
referring to the speed of the hang in the working environment which is affecting the leaders and

employees. It is also including the fluctuations in the market and short time effect on the
business environment. Volatile is affecting the leader and it is the sign of the growth in market
and developing themselves in the effective way. Uncertainty is including the extent to which the
future is redirected and uncertainty is associated with the people in ability to work. Uncertain
environment are affecting the people and the leaders as well. Complexity is including the factors
which are affecting the variety of the relations and the complex environment. Ambiguity is
including the lack of the clarity among the employee sand leaders. These are affecting the
employees at the large scale(Taecharungroj 2017).
Critical evaluation of the Kevin Johnson leadership style
Kelvin Johnson leadership style is the servant leadership style which is focusing on the
employees and on how to improve the employee performance. These would not have effect on
the employee image and these are affecting the employees which are working in the company. In
the servant leadership it is including the leadership philosophy and its is mainly focusing on the
employee and company image. Leader is sharing the power and it is developing the employees,
and they are giving the right to take the decision in the effective way. Servant leadership have
certain norms and rules which need to be followed.
Customer service is the main priority for customers which are serving to the leaders.
Leader is focusing on the team members which are working in team. Leader are concentrating on
controlling the mind of employee which are working in company. Organization is growing in the
proper way but the company would also acquire the growth in market. Various other companies
are following the servant leadership style and it is working in the positive way. Leaders are
motivating the employees in effective way and employees are motivated by the way of
appreciation. Due to these appreciation employees are gaining confidence and employees are
motivated to work (Spears and Lawrence 2016).
There are certain drawback of these leaderships style too. In some case company is
looking after the employee and giving them right to take the decision and it is affecting the
company because employees decision are not always right and these would lend company in
huge trouble like the case of the Starbucks cafe. In cafe two Friends were waiting, and they were
discriminated by the employees which are working their and employees called the police and
make them arrested. Those people are released after some time but it has affected company

image. These employees have not consulted form any senior at that and it has lent the company
in huge trouble.
Employees must be given importance but to the certain extent otherwise it would lend
company in huge trouble. After realizing the mistake those employees and Johnson had affected
company and investigated the case in the effective way. Apology was written by Johnson and it
was tweeted on the social media. Immediately after that company had arranged the training
programs for employees and all the employees were accumulated and given training how to
behave with the customer in the cafe. These business ethics had been followed by company and
it had the impact on the company image (Shirdastian Laroche. and Richard 2017).
Starbucks had improved the financial status of company in market. Servant leadership
styles has improved the financial status of company. People have started investing the Starbucks
and trying the to do the partnership with the Starbucks. People are investing in company by the
way of the shares and people are expecting the high return on their shares. Due to the Johnson
company has gained the popularity and company had improved image in market. Company was
suffering losses when the Johnson joined, and then he stated using the servant leadership style
and company has started gaining profits and also changed the image of the company in market.
Due these people have started trusting on the company and also employee have trusting
on the company. Employees are working in company, and they would need the per facilities and
proper rest interval because majority of the employees which are working in company are the
students. Company is also providing the tuitions to the employees regarding their studies.
Majority of the employees have the approval from the CEO of Starbucks. Company is looking
after the employee in the effective by providing them drinking combos (Hutt 2016). Company is
also offering the for bag of coffee to employees which they can take home and also choose them
one drink item per shift. These facilities are provided by the company to the employee which are
working in the accurate way.
But in certain condition employees are not satisfied because the employees are running
in the while working in the company. Employees are dealing with the stress while working in the
company and it is affecting the company at the large scale. If the employees are not satisfied that
would affect the company performance in market. Employees not left free to communicate with
each other in the effective way. Employees have given the reviews and feedbacks and in that
employees have stated that they do not have time to look even at the guest which have visited

them. There are some factors which have affected the employee of the company (Hossain and
Islam 2015).
So kelvin Johnson must not look after the need of employee but also to look after the
employees conditions and look after the mental health of employees because once the individual
is working continuously he would not give their best while working and these are having the
impact on the company.
Why Johnson have a personal brand as the effective global leader
Johnson has build the effective brand image In front of the people because Johnson has
improved the working conditions of employees which were working in Starbucks and so Johnson
has used the effective strategies and improved the performance of company in market. Johnson
has build the career and also has developed his knowledge and working environment of
companies in which he was working. Starbucks was going through the pressure in difficult time
and at that time Johnson came and joined the company, and he has improved the customers
services, employees performance and working environment of company as well. In the company
many employees are working and majority of employees are students which are working in
company and also studying side by side. So company has arranged the studies time for students
and also company is providing the tuition to the employees which are working in company
(Harrington Ottenbacher and Fauser 2017).
Company is working in correct way and employees would work and Johnson is reacting
on the situation in the effective way. Like the company has gone through the problems like the
discrimination with the customers which are visiting the cafes of Starbucks. So once the
customers were discriminated because they had different color. So they had complaint and these
had gone viral and these have affected the company image in market and later only Johnson had
tweeted to say sorry to the customers which had visited the cafe. After that only company had
arranged the training programs for employees, and they are trained how must they behave with
the customers which were visiting the cafe.
Johnson has communicated in the effective way and these had the impact on the image of
Johnson. Due to the effective communication he has build the great image, and he is
communicating with the customers and country by the way of social media. Effective
communication of Johnson is with the employees also he is motivating the employees from time

to time, and he is looking after the need of employees which were working in the company cafe.
Strong communication with the employee is maintaining the employee relations and these would
result in improving the employee performance as well (Dorn, Messner and Wänke 2016).
These skills of Johnson have build the image of global leader in front of people and in
front of employees as well. Employees were the priority for Johnson, and he was managing the
employee in the effective way. He was communicating with the employees, and he was able to
work in the effective way.
Recommendations
Starbucks is working effectively and growing in market but the company would gain
success by the product innovation. Customers are changing their preference in the effective way
but the customers need improvisation in the product. Customers need the latest trends need to be
followed like the coffee must be attractive and must be made in the unique way these are
affecting the company image. So company need to use the latest strategies for attracting the
customers. Starbucks would use the latest technologies and do the innovation in the product for
attracting the customer in effective way. Through using the innovated products it would manage
employees and company would fight the competition in the market (Cho, and et.al., 2017).
Starbucks is maintaining the popularity and it is flexible enough to work in the effective
way. Customers are changing their preferences and hence company is not concentrating on the
products and the company is concentrating on the products' innovation techniques. Company is
trying to capitalize the products and make the dairy products with the innovative techniques.
Like the company would use the almond in the dairy products and also make the baked products
attractive which would only attract the customers. Many people are not consuming dairy
products so the company could launch the products in market than the dairy products and do then
marketing of products in effective way. Kelvin Johnson has the brand image in market as
effective global leader because he has changed performance of Starbucks in the large scale. In
this way, organization support for maintaining and controlling the overall market share in global
marketplace because customer health conscious and nowadays they would not use the sugar in
products and so company could make the products sugar free. Sugar free products would attract
the customers and those customers which are having the diabetes, and they cannot consume
sugar. Company can focus on food products and improve the quality of products. Effective food
menu would attract the customers and these would not only affect the customers but it would

affect the company sales as well. Company can enter new markets and expand their business at
the large scale which would increase the popularity of the company in the global market
(Campbell and Helleloid 2016).
CONCLUSION
From the above report it would be stated that the Starbucks has achieved the growth in
market. Company ah achieved growth in market by the help of effective working of the kelvin
Johnson, and he has managed the company in the effective way. These all is affecting the
company image and also these are affecting the employees as well. Johnson is using the servant
leadership style which is giving the focus on the employee performance. So company is using the
VUCA in the company is having the impact from the VUCA which is standing for the volatility,
uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity as well. It has summarised about the organization that
how organization can use Johnson leadership style and also creating an effective environment in
global marketplace. company is concentrating on the employee, and they are trying to improve
the company environment by changing the environment. Employee need to communicate
effectively and these would affect the company image and have positive effect on employee
performance.
The technologies in preparing the food and using the latest technology as well. Company
is planning to enter the market by the way of the improvising products. These products are
having the special features which is attracting the customers toward the company. Starbucks is
leading organization and it is because of kelvin Johnson leadership. These leadership strategies
have increased the image of the company in market.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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