Analysis of Leadership Styles and Models for BioNtech's Success

This report provides an in-depth analysis of leadership styles and models, with a specific focus on their application within BioNtech, a biopharmaceutical company. It begins by defining leadership and its importance in achieving organizational goals, emphasizing the development of corporate culture and employee motivation. The report then delves into specific leadership models, including the managerial grid model, which categorizes leadership styles based on concern for people and results, and the situational leadership model, which adapts leadership style to employee maturity levels. The four-framework approach, encompassing structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frameworks, is also explored. The analysis suggests that BioNtech should adopt team management and situational leadership approaches to foster employee motivation, align efforts towards company goals, and effectively address challenges. The report aims to provide insights into how these leadership models can enhance BioNtech's strategic objectives and overall success.

Managing organisation and people 0
Management
Managing organizations and people
Student’s Name
7/20/2019

Managing organisation and people 1
Introduction
The concept of leadership focuses on setting and achieving goals; it tackles the competition
and solves the problems of the business quickly and decisively. It focuses on developing the
corporate culture where all the employees are integrating their goals with the goals of the
organization (Western, 2019). A leader in the one who initiates actions and motivates the
employees by clearly communicating the goals and the expectations from them. It plays a
guiding role and creates a positive working environment. Application of effective leadership
allows the company to coordinate its goals and sustain its competitive advantage It is
analysed that leadership is the most important process for aligning the task and influencing
the members to perform them willingly. It allows developing the organizational culture where
the common vision is shared (Antonakis and Day, 2017).
The further paragraphs of the report will cover the leadership styles and the models adopted
by BioNtech to strategically achieve its vision and mission. BioNtech is Europe’s biggest
privately-held biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of individualized
therapies for cancer and other diseases (BioNtech, 2019). The CEO of the company focuses
on effectively managing the team members and integrating their efforts towards the common
vision. It will also include the leadership models that help in achieving the strategic
objectives (BioNtech, 2019).

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Leadership models
Managerial grid model
(Source: (Komives, 2016)
This managerial grid model of leadership was developed in the year 1960 by Robert Blake
and Jane Mouton. This model is formed on the basis of two behavioural magnitudes .i.e.
concern for the persons and concern for the outcome. This reflects whether the leader is
concerned about the team members or about higher productivity or organizational efficiency
(Komives, 2016).
Blake and Mouton have described five styles of leadership which are as follows:
Impoverished Management:

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Under this style of leadership, the leader is ineffective because he is not able to motivate the
members to perform and often results in the inevitable organization. It creates dissatisfaction
and disharmony in the company.
Perish Management
Under this style of leadership, the leader believes that the team members are simply a means
to an end. Under this style, the leader is known as the authoritarian leader who has strict rules
and procedures and focuses on achieving the results. The concern for people is always put
secondary. Under this style of leadership, the employee has low morale and motivation and it
becomes difficult to retain the employees (Zhu et al, 2015).
Middle of the road management
Under this style of leadership, the status quo manager tries to make a balance between the
result and the people. At this style, the manager makes the continual compromises and fails to
encounter the wants of the employees and the high performance of the company (Taucean,
Tamasila and Negru-Strauti, 2016).
Country club management
This reflects the accommodating style of a leader under which it focuses on creating a
relaxing working environment. The leader highly focuses upon the people and the
productivity of the organization suffers because there is a lack of direction and control.
Team Management
Under this model team management is reflected as the finest style of leadership under which
the leader focuses on higher productivity and concern for people is the highest priority. Under
this style, the leader focuses on creating a motivating environment for the workers and aligns

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their efforts towards the goals of the organization. It priorities both the needs of the company
and the people. The manager creates an environment of trust and respect and strives for
excellent results.
This model of leadership helps the organization to assess the performance of its leader and
helps the leader is making the self-assessment of the leadership styles. It is recommended that
the leaders at BioNtech must focus on team management leadership style because adoption of
this style will allow the leader to create the environment where the employees feel motivated
and are highly focused upon achieving the goals of the organization. Adoption of this
leadership style will allow the organization to effectively achieve its vision and combine the
efforts of all the team members towards enhancing the productivity of the company.
Situational Leadership Model
Situational leadership model was introduced by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. It is an
adaptive style of leadership under which the leader precedes the stock of the team associates
and evaluates the variables at the workstation to choose the best leadership style. This model
is grounded upon two fields that are the required level of regulation and stimulation to the
coach workers to turn them into great performers (McCleskey, 2014).
Supervision-It is the amount of direction given to the employees. It is based upon the skills
and the knowledge of the employee. On the one end of the continuum is over- supervision
and on the other end is under-supervision. The main target of the leaders is to target the sweet
spot. Over supervision leads to resentment of employees and lowers their morale while
under-supervision creates a lack of coordination and leads to miscommunication. Under this
model, the leader is able to analyse the right spot (Peel, and Nolan, 2015).
Arousal- It defines the amount of support required to be provided to the employees. It also
depends upon the knowledge and the skills of the employees. The emotional support raises or

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lowers the inner-drive of the employees. It becomes imperative for the leader to ascertain the
right amount of support to fetch a positive transformation in the business.
It is analysed that the characteristics of employees are equally important for describing the
leadership style of the leader. The style of leadership will depend upon the maturity level of
employees. Consequently, four leadership styles are created within situational leadership.
In the situational leadership model, the horizontal axis determines the maturity and the
directive behaviour graded from low to high which means the amount of direct required by
the employee and the vertical axis describes the supportive behaviour which is graded from
low to high.
Based upon the employee attitude and maturity the situational leadership model is divided
into four maturity levels. It is analysed that as maturity increases the level of employee
independence increases (Mihalache, et al, 2014).
S1: Telling
Under this level, the employees are not competent enough to perform the task and are
unmotivated. This situation is referred to as task-oriented leadership that focuses on
providing direction to the employees so that they are able to perform the task efficiently. This
style of leadership will help the employees to have the clarity of goals and will make the final
objective clear. The main aim of this style is to compliment the progress to the employees
and do not overburden them. At this stage, the leader will provide a lot of direction to the
employees.
S2: Selling
This is the level where the employees are not able to work independently because they do not
have reached to the highest level of maturity. They desire to work enthusiastically but are not

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able to perform due to certain circumstances of change and the lack of desired skill and
competency. This stage is described as a consultative leadership style at which the leader
gives the undivided attention and effectively listens to decisions and perceptions of the
employees. At this stage, the leader convinces and sells the task to the employee and makes
them confident to successfully perform the task (Kerzner, 2017).
S3: Participating
This is the level where the employees have the skill and the competency but are reluctant to
perform because of high work pressures and an increasing number of tasks. It is required that
the leader must support the employees and must involve them in decision making to motivate
them and developing the inner- drive to perform. At this level, it becomes imperative for the
leader to make the employees realise their achievements and helping them in gaining
confidence.
S4: Delegating
This is the last stage of the situational leadership model under which the employees have the
full maturity and wants to enjoy the full independence in the performance of the tasks. The
employees at this stage get motivated when they are given independency to take the decisions
and review their own progress and the problems faced during the completion of the tasks. The
leader has to realise that delegation creates distance with the employees and the employees
are wholly responsible for their performance. The leader has to focus on an effective
delegation to boost the confidence of the employees (Zheng, and Muir, 2015).

Managing organisation and people 7
(Source: Meier, 2016)
This model states that leadership behaviour is adjusted in accordance with the behaviour of
the employees. The main factors that influence the behaviour of the employees are suitability
and independence. The application of this model will be successful if the leader has the
flexibility to perform the task.
Adoption of the situational leadership model will allow BioNtech to understand the maturity
level of employees and brings a flexible approach in the leadership. It will help in increasing
the social and emotional support for the subordinates and encourages the confidence of the
employees. This model allows supporting the employees and guiding them for increasing
their competency and skills. It will help the company in achieving possible outcomes

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collaborating the efforts of the team members towards the achievement of the goals of the
company (Meier, 2016).
Four framework approach
The four framework approach was formed by Bolman and Deal which displays the leadership
behaviour in four frameworks. It suggests that the behaviour of the leader lies between four
frameworks i.e. political, structural, human resource and symbolic framework. The behaviour
of the leader depends upon the particular situation and reply on one framework is not
adequate however the leader should be conscious of all the four approaches.
(Source: Grint et al, 2016)
The four frameworks under this model are:
Structural Framework
The structural leaders focus on bringing change. They concentrate on the strategy and design
the measurable goals for the company. It creates a system and procedures and clarifies the
roles and responsibilities to the members. It agrees upon the deadlines and the metrics. It

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allows the organization to effectively align the activities towards the goals of the company
(Jansen, et al, 2010).
Human Resource framework
The leaders under the human resource framework focus on the needs of the people. They
majorly concentrate on employing the power to the employees and also providing them with
the opportunity to perform their job roles. These leaders provide support to the employees
and increase their participation in decision making. They effectively communicate and shares
information with the employees to motivate them and make them feel valued (Popper, and
Lipshitz, 2013).
Political Framework
The political leaders distribute power and interests and clearly specify what they want and
what they can get. It focuses on building linkages with the stakeholders and addresses the
problems of the individuals and the interest groups who have conflicting agendas. These
leaders use persuasion first and negotiate when the budget of the company is restricted and
the business has to make tough choices. The main work of these leaders is alliance building,
conflict resolve work and power base construction (Masciulli, Molchanov, and Knight,
2016).
Symbolic Framework
The leader under the symbolic framework addresses the needs of the people for a sense of
determination and importance in their work. These leaders focus on motivating the workforce
by making them realise the importance and the distinctiveness of goals of the organization. It
creates a motivating vision for the employees and recognizes the performance of the
company (O'Connell, 2014).

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This framework allows the leaders to solve the challenges faced by the organization through
the use of the four frameworks. It allows gaining the overall view of the company. It allows
the leader to use different approaches depending upon the present situation of the company.
It is analysed that the four framework approach allows the leader to act according to the
prevailing situations and helps the organization in maintain good relations with the
stakeholders. The political leaders negotiate and make critical decisions to address the
problems faced by the company in the operation of the business.
The structural leaders at the BioNtech focus on developing the strategies that help in attaining
maximum profits and developing innovative solutions for the company. It designs the
structure and clarifies the roles and responsibilities under the hierarchy of the company. The
human resource leaders play a major role in fulfilling the needs of the people and motivate
them to develop the working environment where all the employees focus on achieving the
common goals. It helps to increase job satisfaction and in turn increases the productivity of
the company.
Application of three leadership models mentioned above will allow the company to focus
more on the needs of the employees and linking their goals with the goals of the organization.
It helps the leader to make the self-assessment and change its behaviour according to the
maturity of the employees (Grint et al, 2016).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is concluded leadership is an essential art to influence the
employees and motivate them towards the particular direction. It helps in creating the vision
for the organization and efficiently achievement of the strategic objectives. It helps in

Managing organisation and people 11
developing the organizational culture where there is open communication and the concern for
the people is the highest priority of the company.
It converts the strategic vision into the performance outcomes and turns the potential into
reality by developing the common vision. It shows a main role in maximising the efficiency
of the organization by managing the human resource and motivating them towards the
common goals. It inspires the people to embrace the cooperative approach and collectively
work towards the group goals.
Adoption of the leadership approaches supports in guiding the behaviour of the leader in
accordance with the maturity of the employees. It helps the leader to make the self-
assessment and be flexible enough to develop harmonise relations with the stakeholders and
the customers. These models will allow the top management hierarchy to overcome the
challenged faced by the company and develops constructive solutions through analysis of the
internal and the external environment. However, it is concluded that the leadership models
will help BioNtech to strategically achieve the objectives of the company and allows
sustaining the competitive advantage over its competitors.

Managing organisation and people 12
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