Leadership & Management Skills Development: Unilever Case Analysis

This report provides an analysis and comparison of leadership and management skills, focusing on their impact on organizational performance, particularly within the context of Unilever. It explores various leadership and management theories, such as transactional and transformational leadership, and scientific and systems management. The report also examines key performance metrics used to assess organizational success and discusses the importance of leadership in driving business performance, including motivating employees, aiding authority, fulfilling employee needs, and introducing necessary changes. Ultimately, the report highlights how effective leadership and management practices can lead to improved employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and overall efficiency within an organization like Unilever. Desklib provides access to this and many other solved assignments.

Developing Leadership and
Management Skills

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Management skills is defined as the process by which organisation manage and handle
individuals at workplace in order to offer their product or services to new as well as existing
customers. On the other hand, leadership is a skill as they encourage employees to work effectively
and efficiently in order to achieve business goals. The effective skills help them to develop the
performance and efficiency in company and this also can impact positively as well as negatively to
overall business performance.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................4
Analysis and comparison of leadership and management..................................................................4
Key performance metrics of organizational sector.............................................................................6
Organizational leadership and management performance..................................................................6
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Leadership skills refer to skills which organize the other people in order to reach business
goals and objectives. This skill helps company to inspire individuals in workplace to complete their
actives in an appropriate manner (Ajayi and Olaniyan, 2019). This includes active listening, empathy,
creativity and share proper messages to employees as well as customers to understand their plans and
strategy, strategic thinking and flexibility in the workforce. On the other hand, management skill is
defined as to develop the knowledge and ability of people in company so that they can reduce the gap
between them. In addition to this, it comprise of several skills such as decision making process,
communication, handle the problems and give proper solutions, planning and strategy to run their
business smoothly and effectively in market place. Leadership and management skills are essential
part of every enterprise to manage and operate business in increase sales and revenue which help them
to develop their performance. Skill is necessary for manager to motivate and communicate with the
workers and outsiders. It is important to motivate their employees in order to enhance productivity
and performance in business venture. Unilever is considered in this report because it is listed in FTSE
100 Company. This enterprise is founded by Lever Brothers in year 1929 and the headquarters of this
organisation is in London, England. It is British multinational consumer goods which manufacture
and produce various types of products in market such as food, ice cream, drinks, tea, beauty products,
personal care and many more items. Number of employees working in entity is 155000 across the
world. Unilever plc is listed on London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
This report covers analysis along with comparison of leadership and management, key performance
metrics of company and impact of leadership as well as management performance of business.
Analysis and comparison of leadership and management
Effective leadership skills is to build strong relationship with the employees in order to meet
the needs and demand of them and motivate to perform tasks effectively in defined manner. There are
different theories of management and skills which are mentioned below:
Theories of leadership
Transactional: This is the leadership theory which states that it is a system of punishments
and rewards at workplace. They give workers something in exchange of their work as they have to
follow their instructions to compete tasks on time. Unilever can adapt this theory as leader reward on
the success to develop performance and punish on the failure when they did not perform their
activities properly.
Transformational: It signifies the strong relationship between leaders and team members in
the business environment to inspire them through passion and enthusiasm. Leaders develop
performance in workforce which helps them to complete their task in an efficient manner (Allen,
Gower and Allen, 2020). Unilever can follow this theory as they motivate employees to make
products in order to work towards vision to achieve them.
From the above analysis, it is evaluate that Unilever plc has adapted the transformational theories of
leadership which signifies where leader work in a team to meet the needs and create a vision to
accomplish future goals.
Theories of management
A theory of management is the idea behind prescribed management practices, techniques
which include structures and guidance that could be applied in modern organisation. There are
different theories which are explained below:

Scientific management: It is the management theory which analyse business processes
particularly labour turnover to optimize economic performance. Taylor has underlined that it is not the
only way to maximize performance to force employees to work hard. In context to Unilever plc that
the management can follow this model as it is important for practices which includes strategy,
planning, quality control and accounting.
System management theory: The management of systems provides an additional method to
organisational strategy and development. The philosophy of system management suggests that
companies like the individual organisms which have several elements that operate cooperatively in
order to create greater organisation to perform appropriately (Bush, Bell and Middlewood, 2019). In
principle, Unilever effectiveness relies on a number of main factors such as teamwork,
interconnectivity and interrelationship between various components.
From the above analysis of theory Unilever plc use scientific management theory because
Unilever production lines manufacture goods and products will be used in homecare by their
customers, their production should be in the finest consistency with the strict protection and control of
quality at all the stages of the business process. Hence, Unilever has developed and introduced a
rigorous series of inspections which allow management to manage, track and optimize all
manufacturing process.
The comparison between leadership and management is explained in the below table
Basis Leadership Management
Meaning It is an ability to motivate
individual to work towards a
shared objectives. In corporate
environment, this will lead to
employees and colleagues to a
solution which satisfy the
demands of the customer.
This means that a team of
individuals or an organisation is
guided and controlled to
achieve its objectives (Harrison,
Burnard and Paul, 2018).
Function The leader’s of Unilever has
main function is to encourage
and actively collaborate with
others to communicate their
mission to the enterprise.
Manager is all tasked with
control of the processes, the
efficient functioning of
procedures and any adverse
circumstances that might
hamper their business activities.
Methods of work The leader of company
maintains the organisation
mission and determines the
firm’s commitment to the
competitors and its clients in
market.
Managers of Unilever plc use
organisational laws and
guidelines to direct his
employees and concentrates on
enhancing efficiency.
Relationship with employees Leader of Unilever has positive
relationship is much more
trustworthy and constructive for
their staff and they should not
use their structured power to
manipulate. Instead, they
choose a collective method to
express their views on the
company and inspire their
colleagues to achieve their
goals.
A manager takes a far more
systematic method to his staff
and utilizes his authoritative
performance in the organisation.
Skills There are various skills such as Skills such as interpersonal

active listening, creativity,
strategic thinking, empathy,
positivity, delegation as well as
time management and many
more skills is required for
leaders. These sills is needed to
manage and operate their team
members and acquire and
talented workers in workplace
in order to perform their
activities effectively and
efficiently.
skills, communication,
motivation, decision making,
problem solving, mentoring and
many more which helps them to
encourage employees to
complete their tasks on time and
in an appropriate manner.
Key performance metrics of organizational sector
Key performance metrics is to check the progress of business against a series of priorities,
goals or market rivals. It is a monetary, net income minus costs or an existing average. Effective KPI
are essential indicators which help management of Unilever to ensure company goal can be achieved.
It is the greater than the amount you monitor on a regular basis that they help them to consider your
business efficiency and safety which enables changes to meet your competitive objectives. The
objective of Unilever plc success measurement is provided by indicators that allow them to manage
by reality (Holt, Hall and Gilley, 2018). Assessing the efficiency of employees does not mean whether
your employees spend long shifts on the working. Measures in performance are indicators for
measuring organisation. In the interest of better understanding how well their companies are
performing in the industry and expected potential performance, most management, investors and
creditors as well as review metrics such as earnings, share value and revenues. The benefits of this
metrics of Unilever states as the statistics which provide them with a key consideration on a particular
operation. This helps them to calculate accurately how the mechanism works and give you a basis for
suggestions for change. It strengthens the moral of employees, promotes corporate goals and
manipulates them, boost self-development which helps them to enhance the result of management.
However, Unilever use this key performance metrics in order to provide defined proof of success
towards the desired goal, assess what needs to be calculated in order to best guide decision making
process as well as they provide a contrast which measures the amount of improvement in performance
during period.
Organizational leadership and management performance.
Organisational leadership must also participate in the value improvement framework as it
essentially dictates the organisation’s team spirit. Progress reports provide executives with the
insights they ought to interpret results which lead to enhance performance of employees. It is a
strategic method wherein managers of Unilever assist the organisational set overall targets and
motivate people within the community to perform tasks that are effective in achieving the goals and
objectives. Performing monitoring ensures that a number of tasks and outcomes are successful and
productive in fulfilling the objectives of an enterprise. However, organisational performance of
Unilever concentrates on the results, procedures in operation for specific activities in company,
agency and project planning (Mansouri, Singh and Khan, 2018). There are various significance and
impact of leadership performance which are as mentioned below:

Importance of leadership in relation to business performance
Motive power to group efforts: Role of leaders is the way to bring the job accomplished by
others. As community activities and coordination are important to the achievement of organisational
objectives and management is needed for the implementation of tasks in Unilever. In context to
Unilever, they motivate their employees for the collaboration and cooperation between them so that
they can perform their activities effectively.
Aid to authority: Managers demonstrates expertise in the development of individuals and job
is simple anywhere where leadership is supported. Leader of Unilever use their power and
responsibility is obtained through better success is restricted. The effort and resources needed in many
positions will not generate by leadership themselves.
Helps employees in fulfilling their needs: The leadership in workplace help them to meet
the requirement of employee and satisfy their needs and demands. The leader of Unilever as they
develops and aims to fulfil his workers needs in a direct manner. Users are following a leader as they
offer their stability and money which gives the opportunity to operate as well as consider their
emotions and thoughts.
Introducing required changes: In order to overcome the changed world, several changes
must be made within the organisation in attempt to rapidly change the corporate environment. The
person of Unilever is under the control of leader and they quickly accept certain improvements. Thus,
with the power of management, possible opposition to reform is reduced (Mayor and et.al., 2018).
Impact of leadership and management on organisational performance
The effective leadership implemented by a manager directly impacts the individual employee
at workplace. The research shows that organisational culture and task distribution collaborative
improves executive engagement and achieves immaterial goals and objectives. Leaders affect a range
of results such as revenues, consumer loyalty, employment, income, efficiency and many more.
Strong leadership promotes commitment and enthusiasm for employees which result in greater
consumer satisfaction, creativity as well as overall efficiency (Moreno and Girard, 2019). A leader
permits the freedom of his members to voice their opinions. That is why, through considering the
dynamics of the situation, they want to find a quick answer and minimize the likelihood of harmful
consequences and they can easily recognize the truth of the dispute. However, solving problem in the
workplace impacts positively and develops the performance of business. A leader supports workforce
training and growth. Unilever brings them to know the new working strategies and they allow them to
be strong members in future. Organisation has a key goal to maintain competitive strength and
regarded as successful between the requirement of various investors and needs of workers. However,
lack of communication impacts negatively in company because when manager does not convey
message to their employees to promote their brands in market place to accomplish future goals and
target the customers. In terms of effect on organisational efficiency the role of a system in the
organization is perhaps most important. They are responsible for coordinating their departments and
employees' success with overall corporate objectives. In influencing corporate culture, they play an
important role (Rosenbach, 2018).

CONCLUSION
Effective leaders put various groups together and encourage them to accomplish shared
purposes and aims. Good leaders encourage individuals to understand and identify their
developmental benefits to achieve shared objectives. Unilever connect, inspire their team members,
address as well as assign tasks, respond to suggestions and be flexible in solving challenges in ever
growing area of operation. Selected organisation expects these qualities for leadership positions in the
individual when they hire talented and experienced employees. Leadership is to help individuals to
understand and trust in the mission that they have to develop for the organisation to collaborate with
them to meet targets. On the other hand, management is far more concerned with managing the daily
tasks and ensuring that they take place as necessary. Management involves overseeing a company and
number of individuals to achieve an objective. Leaders have the responsibility of a person to control,
encourage and allow everyone to relate the growth of business. Leaders are not force and have
authority but they have strength and motivation. Unilever has adapted transformational theory of
leadership and scientific theory of management. Indicators of performance can collect information for
measuring other initiatives or programmes. They also offer a means to enhance projects through
progress, the identification of successful executors and expertise to increase the productivity of others.
With a successful success improvement plan, the firm's productiveness is increased, it helps to
recognise and inspire high talent to work a lot harder. In a full policy and procedure, the priorities and
goals will also be coordinated with the recruitment and staff growth strategy. Poor administration will
influence the expenditure, employee retention and financial income of the firm. Finally, a reduction in
efficiency and ethical code are indications that workers will struggle with management. However,
Unilever sells their products in all over world to expand their business process and activities. This
includes identifying and satisfying workers' desires. The position of workers in the system and the
necessary instruments are essential to identify.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Ajayi, O. A. and Olaniyan, T. A., 2019. Contextual understanding and utilisation of entrepreneurial
leadership in business development. American Journal of Management. 19(3). pp.11-18.
Allen, S., Gower, K. and Allen, D. K. eds., 2020. Handbook of Teaching with Technology in
Management, Leadership, and Business. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Bush, T., Bell, L. and Middlewood, D. eds., 2019. Principles of educational leadership &
management. Sage.
Harrison, C., Burnard, K. and Paul, S., 2018. Entrepreneurial leadership in a developing economy: a
skill-based analysis. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development.
Holt, S., Hall, A. and Gilley, A., 2018. Essential components of leadership development
programs. Journal of Managerial Issues. 30(2). pp.214-153.
Mansouri, A. A. A., Singh, S. K. and Khan, M., 2018. Role of organisational culture, leadership and
organisational citizenship behaviour on knowledge management. International Journal of
Knowledge Management Studies. 9(2). pp.129-143.
Mayor, P. and et.al., 2018, June. Teaching and learning leadership skills online: Experiences of
developing leadership skills in a blended learning educational leadership programme.
In EdMedia+ Innovate Learning (pp. 1903-1908). Association for the Advancement of
Computing in Education (AACE).
Moreno, J. V. and Girard, A. S., 2019. Capitalizing on an existing shared governance structure in
developing leadership succession planning. JONA: The Journal of Nursing
Administration. 49(4). pp.193-200.
Rosenbach, W. E., 2018. Contemporary issues in leadership. Routledge.
Strielkowski, W. and Chigisheva, O., 2018. Social, economic, and academic leadership for sustainable
development of business and education in the future: an introduction. In Leadership for the
Future Sustainable Development of Business and Education (pp. 3-8). Springer, Cham.