Leadership and Employee Performance: A Study on M&Co. (MBA Module)

This report is a proposal that investigates the critical role of leadership in enhancing employee performance and productivity within M&Co., a Scottish retail chain. The study aims to identify the most effective leadership styles employed by M&Co.'s leaders to motivate employees towards achieving their targets. The report includes an overview of the research, its significance, aims, objectives, and research questions. A literature review explores leadership skills, issues within M&Co. where leadership is needed, and the impact of leadership on employee performance. The research methodology outlines the design, data collection methods, philosophy, and ethical considerations. The discussion section analyzes the findings, and the conclusion summarizes the key insights. The report emphasizes the importance of leadership in guiding employees, improving performance, and maintaining a positive work environment. It also discusses the practical application of leadership theories, such as transformational and transactional approaches, within the context of M&Co.'s operations.

Proposal

ABSTRACT
Leadership is something that an individual is responsible for leading a team or cluster of
people by using their skills, talent, knowledge and experience. Its main objective is to encourage
their team members towards set targets by directing a corrective path. Therefore, this assignment
is going to revolve around the significant role of leaders in enhancing employees performance
and its productivity. M&Co. (denoted as Mackays stores limited) which is a Scottish chain who
is engaged in offering clothes for men’s women’s and children’s as well as provide small
household products. Thus, project will outline the leadership of a selected firm and its role in
improving employee’s performance that are performing their job role at workplace. Main
objective of this report is to focus on an appropriate style which is used by leaders of M&Co. for
encouraging staff members towards set targets.

ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
1.1 Overview of research............................................................................................................4
1.2 Significance of research........................................................................................................4
1.3 Aims and objectives..............................................................................................................5
1.4 Research questions................................................................................................................5
1.5 Gantt chart and work breakdown structure...........................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................7
2.1 Enhance the leadership skills of managers within three months...........................................7
2.2 Determine the issues within M&Co where concept of leadership need to be applied..........8
2.3 Impact of leadership on employees performance and its productivity within a month........9
2.4 Relationship between leadership with its employee performance........................................9
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................10
3.1 Research design...................................................................................................................10
3.2 Methods of data collection..................................................................................................10
3.3 Research philosophy...........................................................................................................10
3.4 Ethical consideration...........................................................................................................11
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of research
Leadership is very much hard to define because this means that different things for
distinct people. However, it’s a practical skill or talent which shows an ability of an individual to
deal with several people by guiding them towards corrective path. The main objectives of
leadership are to direct subordinates for accomplishing assigned job role in much better way by
understanding things in better manner. Thus, entire research is focussing in understanding the
leadership and its role in development of staff members. This project will outline the
effectiveness of leadership in enhancing performance of employees which were performing at
workplace (Wong and Laschinger, 2013). As a result, it helps in understanding significant
responsibilities of leaders in an enterprise. M&Co. is Scottish chain who is engaged in offering
qualitative clothes for women’s, men’s and children’s as well as also offers some household
products for the desired consumers. This shows that company is having large number of
employees group which must be handled by skilled or experienced team leaders (Sritharan,
2016). Therefore, leadership skills of leaders who are dealing with various types of employees
are discussed in the whole project for understanding their way of handling staff members.
1.2 Significance of research
Leaders are liable for motivating employees towards set targets in order to accomplish
assigned job role in better manner in a defined time frame. In fact, employees needs correct
direction for showing their best talent while performing which is only possible if there is an
effective leadership. It means that, development of whole staff members is based on the style
through which leaders are assisting their subordinates. Therefore, M&Co. who is a very well
settled retail enterprise that engaged in designing innovative dresses for males, females and kids
also. Thus, large number of staff members is requisite at workplace for managing various
business operations because company is engaged in numerous of activities in order to fulfil
desired of final users (Talarico and Heller, 2016). Hence, it is essential for M&Co. to hire skilled
or experienced employees so that they can perform their job role in better manner by enhancing
its productivity. In fact, understanding of leadership theories and its relationship with enhancing
employees performance is really indispensable for the success of an association. Mainly, it helps
in maintaining a positive relationship with staff members and higher authority (Anitha, 2014).
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1.3 Aims and objectives
“Aims- To identify the influence of leadership on employee’s performance and its
productivity in 1 year: A study on M&Co.”
Objectives- To enhance the leadership skills of managers within three months. To determine the issues within M&Co where concept of leadership need to be applied. To ascertain the impact of leadership on employees performance and its productivity
within a month.
 To determine the relationship between leadership with its employee’s performance and
productivity.
1.4 Research questions Explain the concept of “leadership”? What is the requirement of effective leadership at M&Co.? What is the influence of leadership on employees’ performance and its productivity?
 Explain the relationship between leadership with its employee’s performance and
productivity?
1.5 Gantt chart and work breakdown structure
M&Co. is a very broad network by having distinct stores across various nations in order
to gain competitive advantage by satisfying consumer needs and desired. Therefore, for handling
distinct branches, an organization wanted to hire various employees for distributing works
between several staff members. This will help in minimizing the workload from one employee
by distributing job roles between various employees as well as it helps in controlling the
probabilities of mistakes by accomplishing all the business activities in better manner. Thus work
break down structure is all about dividing job role in between various employees for completing
the project in a minimum time period (Mulej and Hrast, 2014). On the other hand, Gantt Chart is
really indispensable for the company success because it shows the graphical representation of
classified work between staff members. Along with this, it helps in understanding the job role of
several employees in better manner.

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LITERATURE REVIEW
This section of proposal is going to throw lights on various facts or figures expressed by
various authors and scholars. In fact, it helps in understanding the relationship between
leadership and employees performance by showing necessary information and data.
2.1 Enhance the leadership skills of managers within three months
According to Piccolo and et. al., 2010 leadership is a term which shows the quality of an
individual of guiding various other employees towards certain objectives in order to improve
their performance. In fact, leaders are liable for directing their team members in order to
encourage them towards their professional assigned job and activities in proper manner.
However, this will help an organization to maintain an equal environment at workplace by
offering equal opportunity to distinct staffs that are responsible for managing various business
operational activities.
It is very important for M&Co to enhance leadership skills of manager for achievement
of goals and objectives. As manager are those people who are overall responsible for overall
business operation and activities. It is responsibility of M&Co to enhance manager skills and
knowledges. According to opinion of Team Tony, 2019, there are seven different ways through
which leadership skills of manager can be improved within three months. The manager should be
very passionate which means they should never give up for their work assigned. If they show
their passion then they can improve themselves and achieve goal and objectives. Another way is
playing role of great leadership for others to improve oneself (7 WAYS TO IMPROVE
LEADERSHIP SKILLS, 2019). If other can behave the way manager behaves then they can
improve. If manager can know their strength then they can improve their leadership skill in better
manner. As none is born with everything which is required to get success. It require time and
efforts for improving leadership skills. Manager can improve their leadership skills by

motivating others and they can decide what is right and wrong. These all above ways can helps
manager in enhancing and improving leadership skills within three months in better manner.
2.2 Determine the issues within M&Co where concept of leadership need to be applied
M&Co. have numerous stores in various regions for offering qualitative and creative
clothes to distinct consumers in order to establish their goodwill at marketplace by satisfying
consumer needs and demands. Thus, leadership is really necessary for management of various
business operations of distinct stores. An effective leadership help an enterprise in several ways
such as; improve employee’s performance, enhance company productivity, generate maximum
revenue by satisfying clients’ needs and demands and so on (Nixon, Harrington and Parker,
2012). Therefore, some of the necessary elements which shows that effective leadership is really
need at workplace is described as follows-
 Helps in improving the employee’s performance by managing large number of candidates
at single floor.
 Minimize the probabilities conflicting situations that might influence the development of
an organization/
 Maintain an appropriate communication between higher authority and staff members
which helps in promoting employees retention.
 Gives a corrective direction to the employees so that they can attain their set targets.
As per view of Mark Moses, there are various issues which can be faced by M&Co for
leadership. The biggest problems or issues are failure to communicate as manager of
organisation fails to communicate data and information to staff for performance. As
communication is the most important source for sharing opinions, data and information. The
other issue is related with accountability where employees and staff does not provide information
to manager. Because of fear of manager, CEO they does not provide information to them which
leads to lack of accountability in organisation. Fear of firing is also an issues in leadership as
employees think if they share their problems with manager then they can be fired. Sometime
CEO, manager does not provide clear vision to their employees so they fail to work as per need
and requirement of organisation. The most important issues is poor execution where employees
does not follow plan with discipline, fail to score about what matters and does not have right type
of person for right jobs (The Seven Biggest Problems with Leadership Today, 2019). These are
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issues which are faced by M&Co for achieving goals and objectives. Thus, in these case,
leadership is required which helps in achieving set objectives.
2.3 Impact of leadership on employees performance and its productivity within a month
As per the viewpoint of Iqbal N, Anwar S, Haider N (2015) Leadership are having a
major role in success of an organization as well as growth of staff members by directing
employees towards set targets. In fact, this will help in assisting employees towards set targets by
managing business operations. However, number of leadership styles are identified which are
used by creative leaders such as; transformational approach, transactional theory and many more.
Transformational theory is a term which shows that leaders get involved with their
subordinates for understanding their views and opinions in order to make changes as per their
choice and preferences (Winters, 2014). This leadership approach helps an organization in
maintaining a positive environment at workplace by creating effective relations with staff
members and higher authority (Zhang and Bartol, 2010).
On the other hand. Transactional framework states that leaders are becoming very much
strict while handling their subordinates in order to apply rules and regulations on staff members.
Basically, as per these approach leaders can rewards their employees for their best performance
and punish also because of breaching any provision of an enterprise (Menges and et. al., 2011).
By analysing these two approaches, it has been understood that leaders are playing
crucial in enhancing its employee performance by directing them towards corrective path. With
these approaches M&Co can easily improve their employee performance and productivity within
a month.
2.4 Relationship between leadership with its employee performance
According to Kapp, (2012) there is a major connection between leadership with
employee performance by clearing vision of staff members and direct them while performing
business operations. Along with this, leaders are responsible for clearing all the doubts of their
subordinates for attaining set targets without facing any problems and issues. In fact, number of
elements are identified which shows the relationship between leaders of an organization and
employee performance as well as productivity.
 Enhancement of employee personality due to the direction of experienced leaders which
motivate staff members about the way of living (Xu, Meng and Shen, 2015).
 Offering equal opportunity to their staff members so that they can attain their set targets.

 Employees act as per the guidelines of their leaders.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research design
It’s an arrangement of various situations or accumulation of descriptive such as; case
study, naturalistic observations, survey, correlational and many more. Basically, there are four
major types of research design are identified such as; descriptive, correlational, quasi-
experimental and experimental. However, descriptive approach is used in this project for
accumulating data related with appropriate title as it helps in providing accurate data and
information which is required for research.
3.2 Methods of data collection
There are numerous types of methods are identified which are used by researcher while
accumulating corrective data and information (Traweek and Wardlaw, 2017). Primary,
Secondary methods, qualitative and quantitative. These tools are distinct from each other in
various manners such as; information which are totally pure and going to use for a first time are
known as primary methods. On the other hand, if the data are already used by some other
organization or association then it is known as secondary. Whereas, numerical data are
considered as quantitative approach whereas theoretical objects shows qualitative method of
accumulating information (Neuman, 2013). The methods of data collection which is used by
researcher in this research is qualitative, where they use to collect information from resources
like, articles, books, online web sites and other. This can provide all required information for
doing research.
3.3 Research philosophy
It is a belief which is followed by researcher while collecting their data. Basically,
research philosophy is known as summary of whole project by showing the interests of report
which consist of past, present and future endeavours (Hridoy and et. al, 2019). Research
philosophy might be pragmatism, positivism, realism and interpretivism. The research
methodology used by researcher in this research is interpretivism because it provide qualitative
data and information to researcher.
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3.4 Ethical consideration
Ethics are defined as norms, values, principles which distinguish among right and wrong.
These ethical consideration are very important in achieving goals and objectives. Moral
principles is really indispensable for the success of whole research because it helps in directing
investigator towards certain directions. In fact, ethical terms are useful for attaining set targets in
ethical way without harming others. However, an organization have to follow ethical behaviour
while accumulating necessary data for maintaining its positive image at marketplace (Silverman,
2016). The ethical consideration is required in research because with following of ethics, it avoid
harming or hurting any person, respect towards dignity of research participants. There is
protection of various rights such as human rights, health and safety. The researcher following
ethics consider some codes such as honesty, social responsibility, objectivity, confidentiality and
others.
DISCUSSION
Throughout the analysis, it has been understood that employees are also want an
experienced leaders for them so that they can perform their assigned job role in better manner. In
fact, this will help in improving their performance as well as control the probabilities of mistakes
at early stage. However, leaders are playing crucial role in managing staff members by designing
an appropriate strategies for their success and development. Moreover, assist them towards their
personal and professional goals by showing several examples. Along with this, inspired them
with their struggled life in order to encourage their subordinates. Additionally, leaders are
responsible for marinating an effective relationship between higher authorities with all the staff
members by passing accurate information through formal manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been summarized that leaders are responsible for promoting
employees towards success and growth because job are assigned by head department of staff
members. In fact, main objective of this is to create a positive environment at workplace by
satisfying the needs of staff members. Basically, main objective of this project is to maximize
employee retention by offering equal growth opportunity to each and every individual by
satisfying their needs. For example; M&Co. is offering health and medical facilities to their
employees, job security, bonuses on their best performance, compensation opportunity and many

more. Hence, it has been understood that M&Co. is focussing in hiring experience leaders for
managing large number of staff members which are appointed by company for handling several
organizational operations of their distinct stores.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Wong, C.A. and Laschinger, H.K., 2013. Authentic leadership, performance, and job
satisfaction: the mediating role of empowerment. Journal of advanced nursing. 69(4).
pp.947-959.
Anitha, J., 2014. Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee
performance. International journal of productivity and performance management. 63(3).
p.308.
Piccolo, R.F and et. al., 2010. The relationship between ethical leadership and core job
characteristics. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 31(2‐3). pp.259-278.
Nixon, P., Harrington, M. and Parker, D., 2012. Leadership performance is significant to project
success or failure: a critical analysis. International Journal of productivity and
performance management. 61(2). pp.204-216.
Kapp, E.A., 2012. The influence of supervisor leadership practices and perceived group safety
climate on employee safety performance. Safety science. 50(4). pp.1119-1124.
Zhang, X. and Bartol, K.M., 2010. The influence of creative process engagement on employee
creative performance and overall job performance: A curvilinear assessment. Journal of
Applied psychology. 95(5). p.862.
Menges, J.I and et. al., 2011. Transformational leadership climate: Performance linkages,
mechanisms, and boundary conditions at the organizational level. The Leadership
Quarterly. 22(5). pp.893-909.
Neuman, W.L., 2013. Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Pearson education.
Silverman, D. ed., 2016. Qualitative research. Sage.
Sritharan, P., 2016. Individual contributions to tibiofemoral compartment loads in healthy and
osteoarthritic gait (Doctoral dissertation).
Talarico, L. and Heller, S., 2016. Becoming a Design Entrepreneur: How to Launch Your
Design-Driven Ventures from Apps to Zines. Simon and Schuster.
Mulej, M. and Hrast, A., 2014. Human and organizational social responsibility. Social
Responsibility Beyond Neoliberalism and Charity, 1, pp.15-89.
Winters, D., 2014. Road to Seeing. New Riders.
Xu, X., Meng, Z. and Shen, R., 2015. A cooperation model based on CVaR measure for a two-
stage supply chain. International Journal of Systems Science, 46(10), pp.1865-1873.
Traweek, V. and Wardlaw, M., 2017. Bank Utilization, Institutions, and Run Behavior in Newly
Enfranchised Populations: Evidence from the Freedman's Bank and Trust.
Hridoy, T. A. and et. al., 2019. An Overview on Local and Global Branded Products for Knit
Apparels in Bangladesh and their effect on consumer behavior. International Journal of
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Online
Iqbal N, Anwar S, Haider N (2015). [Online]. Available through<
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/effect-of-leadership-style-on-employee-performance-
2223-5833-1000146.php?aid=58917>.
7 WAYS TO IMPROVE LEADERSHIP SKILLS. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.tonyrobbins.com/leadership-impact/7-ways-to-improve-leadership-skills/>.

The Seven Biggest Problems with Leadership Today. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://ceocoachinginternational.com/problems-with-leadership>.
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