Exploring Insurgent Leadership and Change Management Strategies

This essay examines the concept of insurgent leadership and its application in various professional organizations, highlighting its role in driving change and achieving organizational success. It begins by defining insurgent leadership as a flexible approach that challenges the status quo and embraces change as an opportunity. The essay then discusses several companies, including Apple, Discovery Limited, Investec Bank, Shoprite, and Outsurance, to illustrate how insurgent leadership has been implemented and its impact on their respective industries. The analysis covers leaders like Steve Jobs, who revolutionized technology at Apple, and Adrian Gore, who transformed Discovery Limited. It also explores Investec Bank's strategic moves, Shoprite's customer-centric approach, and Outsurance's unique leadership style. The essay concludes by summarizing the key findings, making deductions about the effectiveness of insurgent leadership, and providing recommendations for organizations seeking to adopt this approach.

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Discussion, Data Collection and Information Integration......................................................................2
Apple.......................................................................................................................................................2
Discovery Limited....................................................................................................................................3
Investec Bank...........................................................................................................................................4
Shoprite...................................................................................................................................................5
Outsurance..............................................................................................................................................6
3.0 Summary, Deductions and Recommendations......................................................................................7
Summary.................................................................................................................................................7
Deductions...............................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations...................................................................................................................................8

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1.0 Introduction
Insurgent leadership can be explained as the leadership that is based on the
flexibility to change according to one’s own will. Insurgency states act of going against
either a system, which can by the government or any kind of bodies that represents civil
authority. Insurgency also opposes any kind of political authority and brings a uprising
however their conduct does not amount to any kind of belligerency. However, this does
not mean that the insurgent leaders are rebels. The look for change as to them it is
represented as opportunity. The entire role of leadership can be expounded as the
method of impacting and directing people to organize and act in a specific way to
achieve organizational success. As the corporate and the public world is the most vast
subjects of the leadership representation area. The more people study on the theories,
the more people discover new methods to practice. For the leaders this is beneficial
because it is through this means that they perform. The approach has also been related
to the type and the approach from others (Jary and Wileman 2016). The following
discussion will represent the role of insurgent leadership in professional organizations.
2.0 Discussion, Data Collection and Information Integration
Apple
According to Kane (2015), leaders should act like the political insurgent
candidates to become more successful. Leaders who tend to be more successful
always fight against bureaucracy and using the status quo minimizes the disruption
procedure. One of the most prominent leaders to utilize this method is Steve Jobs in his
brainchild organization Apple. The way Apple changed the way technology is viewed,
the concept that thousands of songs can be digitally saved in a small device was

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amazing at first as the world has not seen anything like it before. With the introduction of
iPod, the concept of listening to music changed. Apple started to use technology into
new heights when they introduced iPhone in the year of 2007 that became a brand
symbol for mobile phone users (Niebuhr, Voße and Brem 2016). These could not have
been done if Steve Jobs was a democratic leader. To oppose the current market
products and the consumer chain, Jobs thought outside the box. As a result not only
Jobs captured the market, but also the rival companies that were significantly
dominating their respective markets were also vulnerable to the insurgency of Apple.
Insurgent leaders like Steve Jobs or even his rivals Bill Gates were easily able to
overcome the strategic dilemmas because of their style of leadership. Being a
democratic decision making company as well, Apple was able to counter their high
amount of responsibility into their decision-making procedure (Apple.com 2018).
Leaders those who commit to the way of delegation and trust would collaborate when it
is time to decide. Even during the era of Jobs from 1997 to 2011, Apple had an
autocratic and insurgence strategy that would help in micro managing the range of
business operations. It can be stated that when Jobs was on top, each major decision
was passed through him, he even was the reason for many of the ideas. However it is
under the practice of Tim Cook, the leaders were acknowledged. Tim Cook took things
further with this effective insurgency method he took the company further with Apple
Watch, which was the first device to be developed from the start. However there has
been many scenario where Cook was compared to Jobs in terms of having less
ambition and vigour that Jobs had in comparison. However despite having leadership
challenged, Apple is in the right track in terms of financial performance however there
still exist issue related to diversity and management hierarchy issues Anti-War
Committee
Discovery Limited
According to Bunker (2014), Insurgency is the primal political competition used
for legitimacy however the violent aspect of the struggle refers to the often alerted

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observers that is towards the existence of insurgence. There are situations where one
of the insurgent leaders operates simultaneously so that they can compete against one
another or set the fact that they have different or compelling views regarding the post
conflict from the organizations. This is different from that of Discovery Limited which is
long and short term insurances. These involved asset management and deals involving
savings, investment, employee benefits and other brands. The business began under
the leadership of Adrian Gore in 1992 and it was the acquired a stake in business the
same year making its subsidiary through Momentum Group. The business was properly
listed in the JSE few years later though the approach by Adrian Gore and the
Momentum Group Limited was able to transfer the invested to the business. The
business leaders unbundled most of the shareholding to make the allotted share
towards its shareholders (Discovery.co.za 2018). It is because of the insurgent
approach, the RMBH were able to receive a 25% of direct stake which made them one
of the single largest shareholders of South Africa. Also Adrian Gore announced that to
fully set a retail subsidiary, they were able to make an initial investment of 150 million. In
terms of ownership, the Rand Merchant Investment Holding currently controls 25.01%
of the share where Adrian Gore himself owns 7.77%. While most insurgencies aim to
create an identity that would separate the group from the national identity or even from
that of the ruling system, this would establish a “we vs. them” concept into the conflict.
This identity centers in ethnicity, religion, culture, political ideologies, class and indicates
that the insurgents seek to exploit a group identity that separates it from the rest of the
nation.
Investec Bank
According to Carter (2014), leaders can start their business with minimum
resources and take over the market if the right moves are played. This can be said in
terms of Investec that was found as a small finance based company that dealt with
leasing within a small suburb, within Johannesburg. The business began under the
leadership of Erroll Grolman, Larry Nestadt and Ian Kantor that had expanded overtime.

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The business was a small leasing firm up until 1980, after which the business received it
banking license. Under their leadership, the business got listed in the JSE Securities
Exchange after being merged with a trust company named, Metboard. Investec Bank’s
leadership and methods of approach is vastly different from that of the other banking
sectors. Under the insurgent leadership approach, the company has acquired the
property management right of I. Kuper & Company Pvt. Ltd and with Richmans Limited.
Currently the business has a workforce of 8200 employees those who primary operate
in the region of South Africa (Investec.com 2018). Other than that the business has its
operations centers in United Kingdom, Australia and Northern Ireland. The business
follows the networking under six different business divisions; these would include Asset
Management, Property Management, Private Banking, Investment, Capital Market and
Investment Banking. The leadership allowed the business to become the first South
African business that was listen in the stock exchanges of London and Johannesburg at
the same time. This allowed the business to operate like a single unified body of
economic enterprise. The business has also made partnership with many sports team of
South Africa from the game of cricket to rugby to horse racing. This approach allows the
business to get many sponsors and making them well known. Another insurgent
approach is that the business implemented a dual listing structure which allowed
Investec PLC and Investec Limited to become separate legal entities that were bound
by contractual mechanism. However there is no cross guarantees between these two
companies as they are ring-fenced to each other. Also from the year of 2005, the
business has sponsored a flagship project that focuses on the three educational
subjects Mathematics, Science and Technology. This project also targets on making the
knowledge of the students diverged and this is mainly focused at the rural regions of
South Africa. With this in place, not only it is beneficial for the promotion, but also it
gives the business goodwill of its own.
Shoprite

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According to Jary and Wileman (2016), leaders should act like the political
insurgent candidates to become more successful. Leaders who tend to be more
successful always fight against bureaucracy and using the status quo minimizes the
disruption procedure. The way Shoprite changed the way technology is viewed, the
concept that thousands of products can be digitally saved in a small device was
amazing at first as the world has not seen anything like it before. It is considered to be
the largest retailer of USA and mainly in New Jersey. Back in the year 1946, Shoprite
was originated a Delmonte Foods sales executive was in discussion with the
independent grocers. From there, the organization never looked back. The super
market store also initiated price club and beyond card which was a break through loyalty
card among the customers back in the year 1971. The organization also entered
Maryland and acquired several stores. This can be considered as a positive leadership
approach which resulted in expansion in different areas (Shoprite.com 2018). To the
company, leadership is the sculpture that creates the environment and influence people
to follow a path of the vision set by the leader. The management organizes and controls
issues handled in groups. The methods are done accordingly to morality and that have
already been established. Also, the insurgent leadership that is used to thrive the
culture and focus of the business usually focus on the direct customers. For Shoprite,
the leader of the incumbent company can use these attributes as frequently as the first
casualty of increased bureaucracy. The speed of meetings and deliberation swallow up
the speed, this process would muffle the front line of the business that deals with the
customers that is the customer support to the company, leadership is the sculpture that
creates the environment and influence people to follow a path of the vision set by the
leader. The management organizes and controls issues handled in groups. The
methods are done accordingly to morality and that have already been established. Also,
the insurgent leadership that is used to thrive the culture and focus of the business
usually focus on the direct customers. For Shoprite, the leader of the incumbent
company can use these attributes as frequently as the first casualty of increased
bureaucracy (Yeh 2016.)The speed of meetings and deliberation swallow up the speed,
this process would muffle the front line of the business that deals with the customers
that is the customer support.

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Outsurance
According to Valaskivi and Sumiala (2014), the method for insurgent leadership
is also applied in investment holding businesses such as Outsurance. Starting in the
year of 1998, the business is headquartered in Centurion, South Africa. Being an
investment holding financial business, the organization expands its territories from
Namibia to Australia and New Zealand. The business began under the leadership of the
CEO Willem Ross and his unique method of leadership that transcended the business.
The business received its First National Insurance Group license along with the share
deals associated with it in the year of 2000 (Outsurance.com.na 2018). This was also
added with an interest rate of 47.5% merged entity and the rest under the belt of the
staff. Willem Ross began to expand when RMB Holdings allowed Remgro and
FirstHand made changes according to RMI Holdings that allowed it to be listed JSE
which is also the largest stock exchange in South Africa. The approach of insurgent
leadership can also be viewed with the stake that was held in the business. That
allowed both RMB and FirstRand to be listened in the JSE. The business was able to
make these changes due to the different way of approach by the decisions makers,
where in this case is the CEO. Once the business was fully there in the JSE, this
allowed the Holding part of the business to become a subsidiary of the RMI. The
business further expanded to subdivisions in New Zealand and Australia. The current
ownership of Outsurance is owned by different group stock shareholders. These include
Firness International who current controls 80.30% whereas other parts include different
divisions of Outsurance such as Investment Trust, Management, Equity Share, Share
Trust and many more. Other than Willem Ross, Outsurance’s leadership chain is
divided into other decisions makers. These include a team of board of directors
involving 12 heads and the Chairman of the business. The insurgent approach is done
more systematically in the business as it involves a series of decisions makers which is
followed by a systematic order.

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3.0 Summary, Deductions and Recommendations
Summary
From the above listed companies, the method of insurgent leadership can be an
innovative approach towards leadership and management as a way of growth. A
considerable amount of Startup Company or organization starts when they are formed
when the companies that used to control the market have moved on. As the business
world is changing at a highly fast rate, the companies cannot have room for mistakes;
this is more applicable for the leaders as they are entrusted with that responsibility. It is
because of that the leaders come up with new strategies all the time so that they can
overcome obstacles and stay in the business. The insurgent leadership models acts as
viable information for the executives to become flexible. In all the 5 organization
mentioned above, although they deal with different service and products, their way of
approach is very similar.
Deductions
It can be said that the five businesses follow a very similar method of approach
despite the fact their nature is different. None of the business uses a plain method of
approach as insurgent leaders are always creative and tends to think outside the box. It
can be noted from the above discussions that the businesses hold partnership with
major companies as they keep backup in terms of finance and capital. The insurgent
leaders are not hesitant in taking risks which is why they are aware of the market and
the competitors very well. As per business terms, Apple, Discovery, Investec, Shoprite
and Outsurance all of these business leaders are familiar with the market enough to
draw out systematic approach in dealing with the issues in hand. For symmetrical
approach, the businesses require action form both the leaders and the market with four
elements involving insurgent force, population, counter insurgency force and the
international community. These would gain the support of the people and disrupt the

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control of the competitors over the population. It can also be said that method disrupts
the relation of the opponent with international community. It can be said that method
requires change with every step as it is methodical.
Recommendations
For all the organizations, creativity is the key no matter is it politics based as the
outcome is the most important factor. No matter is based on politics or a customer
service or even service products to a specific age group, for each and everything
planning are the main factors. Also to a company the best recourse to grow are its
employees. Being a leader, it is foremost to know the employees completely. To
succeed, an insurgent leader it requires a lot of out of the box thinking and even
abnormality up to an extent. The ideology is not to create a new concept but to polish
the current ideas to make it better. Once the market is known, it is easier for the leader
to undertake decisions regarding the company as well as the employees. Even dealing
with resistance is a key aspect as the leaders often deals with risk that would range
from commercial to reputational however it is one model that should not be used unless
the company executives are experience enough. Some old methods of leadership
approaches are made obsolete and make facets in business environment as well.

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