Leadership and Management: Theories, Skills, and Strategic Ambitions

This report delves into the core concepts of professional management and leadership, providing a comprehensive analysis of various theories and their practical applications. The student explores leadership theories, including trait, situational, and path-goal theories, and connects them to real-world experiences in managing projects and teams. The report further examines management theories like teamwork, decision-making, and organizational design, illustrating their significance in achieving strategic ambitions. Through a reflective approach, the student highlights the importance of critical thinking, strategic decision-making, and adapting leadership styles to different situations, drawing upon personal experiences in community projects and organizational roles. The report also includes an analysis of a case study, emphasizing the application of strategic decisions in overcoming business challenges. The student reflects on their experiences in forming groups, assigning tasks, and making critical decisions in the face of financial issues and production challenges. This report provides valuable insights into the development and implementation of leadership skills, contributing to successful business development.

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

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Executive Summary:
The report is going to be discussed separately in task one and task two, and a different
set of introduction will be added to both the tasks. In task one, leadership theories as well as
management theories by incorporating the reflection on the case study. In task two is going to
be discussed on the assimilation game, which will be compared with the case study of
Kimmel’s story of the war. Both the tasks will be incorporated with a different set of
introduction, discussion and conclusion that will lead to their separate desired results.
Table of Content

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s
1. Task One:...........................................................................................................................3
A. Introduction:................................................................................................................3
B. Discussion:..................................................................................................................3
I. Leadership theories:.....................................................................................................3
a. Trait Theory:................................................................................................................4
b. Situational Theory:..................................................................................................5
c. Path-Goal theory:.........................................................................................................6
II. Management theories:.................................................................................................7
a. Team work:..................................................................................................................7
b. Decision-making:.....................................................................................................9
c. Organizational design:...............................................................................................10
III. Implementing leadership skills and planning:...........................................................11
C. Conclusion.................................................................................................................11
2. Task Two:.........................................................................................................................13
I. Application of Strategic decisions:...............................................................................14
References:...............................................................................................................................17

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1. Task One:
A. Introduction:
The report is going to be discussed on the reflection of leadership as well as
management skills, which will be based on strategic ambitions. It will provide immense help
to the readers, and they will be able to stimulate their ideas appropriately. I have been
successfully handling a different set of roles that have proven to be successful while
managing the business ventures by implementing theories of management along with
leadership skills in order to apply such methods and understanding the vision of the
organization. I was engaged with different charitable community projects in Sunderland,
which helped me to gain specific knowledge regarding management policies and provided me
enough positive influence. In this way, I could reflect and utilize the theories during the
course of my hard-work. It had taught me to manage risks through irrational decision-
making. I believe sociology has been enhancing in many ways, and it has contributed a major
in developing my thought process towards the society, especially in qualitative and
quantitative research approaches along with data analysis. It has been quite useful in
improving the broader aspect of my skills and has successfully implemented in many areas of
work along with the multi-culturalism area. Other elements will be discussed in the upcoming
section and it will be related to my own experiences that I have gained in the last ten years of
my work experience. The primary purpose of the report is to present the various theories
related to the development of management and leadership skills that I have obtained during
my course of work in order to help the readers so that they can combine such theories and can
enhance their strategies.

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B. Discussion:
I. Leadership theories:
I was a student of Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and the subject itself helped me to
overcome specific issues and led the foundation of the critical thinking aspect within me.
Later on, I was fully occupied with my organization and have tried to incorporate ideas,
thoughts, methods and skills that were required to handle the risks through irrational
decision-making (Schedlitzki and Edwards 2017). I have been managing a different set of
roles in order to achieve my strategic ambitions. There are some essential theories and skills
that benefitted me in my hard-work and understanding of the issues while working in an
organization.
I was committed to my leadership theories and followed the methods of the author,
Northouse, that led to the foundation of constructing myself as a leader in order to manage
the team and to coordinate with the work as well. I believed, the trait theory, situational
theory and path-goal theory. According to Northouse, many methods can enhance a leader’s
skills and will enable them to manage their work accordingly (Northouse 2019).
a. Trait Theory:
Trait theory is the theory that deals with the systematic attempts in order to attain
knowledge of leadership. The traits of leadership are quite essential because it is focused on
those individuals who possess the qualities of a leader. The theories are evolved from the
Great Man theory, which is focused on recognizing the important conditions as well as
specific features. It has been named so because of some influential leaders that have changed
the perception of the nation and led the country on their own terms such as Abraham Lincoln,
Joan of Arc, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and so on (Northouse
2019). The theories are attached to their names because they have emerged as a successful
leader who has all the great qualities and traits of a leader that usually a leader may possess

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and can justify their position appropriately. This theory is focused on measuring the traits as
well as qualities that a leader will utilize in order to lead his followers and will help them in
every possible way by incorporating their individual ideas and thoughts adequately. It is
signified as an inborn talent that will benefit any individual while dealing with any issue.
I was critically indulging in such critical situations that taught me to rise like a leader
in my organization as well as coordinating with my group was quite a challenging aspect. My
team members were quite cooperative and earned me the privilege to lead as a leader. Some
major decisions have to be taken at some crucial times; otherwise, some severe consequences
may occur at any time (Northouse 2019). The trait theory helped in many ways especially
when I was in charge of the director of two big projects in Sunderland firstly, Voluntary
Community Action Sunderland and secondly, Sunderland Black Minority Ethnic Network. I
along with my team members, we were supposed to take some crucial strategic decisions
regarding these projects. There were some funding issues, which most of the directors never
readily accepted it and thus, we need to dismiss some of the members of the organization for
the betterment of the projects. The chief executive, as well as two other employees, were
rejected because there was a need to sell the additional infrastructure for acquiring money to
dissolve the issues. It was a necessary step to follow so that the cash flow may increase and
other strategies were essential to gain success in the organization.
b. Situational Theory:
The situational theory of leadership is defined as the method that highlights the
qualities processed during the given situations. Therefore, business is an unpredictable field
of work, where problems may occur at any time and can damage the organization by
producing risks. At that particular period, a leader needs to handle all the situations with the
utmost confidence and in a calm way. There are only a few leaders who can actually adapt all
the situations in order to meet the desired requirements and can be ready to face any

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consequences appropriately (Northouse 2019). They need to figure out cues like the type of
project, the nature of the team, undissolved issues, and so on, that may generate a connection
to fulfill the job to be done. In this way, the leader will approach the followers and will
instruct them on what to do and how to execute the tasks appropriately. The leaders need to
contact their followers with innovative ideas and new thoughts over different tasks so that the
process will be delivered appropriately. Thus, a sense of cooperation is required and it may
help them to process the task according to a single order.
While being in charge of a CEO, it was quite hectic for me to indulge my followers
and to make them believe in my plans and to make them work accordingly. It is not an easy
job to acquire success as a leader in the field of hard work. In one project, I needed to make
some critical decisions in order to execute the task efficiently and my employees were not
enough reluctant to give their consent on my words. For example, I needed to form a group to
assimilate a group exercise and being the CEO; I took the responsibility to lead the members
and support them in every possible way. I was quite cooperative as well as calm while
dealing with different views along with recommendations. It took a set of time to convince
my group to have faith in my decisions in order to overcome the storms that were wondering
in business ventures. Therefore, my professional experience proved it right that I took the
right decision so that success and profits may flourish in my organization. Thus, believing the
theory, I was enough confident and cooperative with my group and my experiences worked
effectively in order to meet the desired outcomes.
c. Path-Goal theory:
The path-goal theory is defined as the theory, which is based on the desired styles as
well as the behavior of a leader that will fit the leader in the most convenient way. The
method along with the desired behavior of a leader needs to provide with the employees
along with the work environment so that it will help to attain the desired goals (Northouse

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2019). The desired goal is to raise the motivation of the employees, empowerment, along
with satisfaction so that they turn into productive employees of the company. The primary
purpose of the path-goal theory is that the leaders need to be flexible so that they can
transform their nature according to different styles. The theory instigates two efficient
variables including the characteristics of the other members and the healthy environment so
that they can manage the leader’s behavior-outcome relationship. The followers also have a
different set of roles to play and maintain in order to achieve the desired outcomes. Thus, a
leader’s responsibility is to diminish the obstacles and help the followers to meet the
expectations so that they can complete the tasks and can increase their satisfaction with their
job.
Decision-making is an essential process to deal with risky tasks, and therefore, it may
remain a positive impact or negative impact on that project (Pugh and Hickson 2018). I was
quite good at making various decisions but it was a difficult job to execute along with my
group members. I believed in team-work; if one does not have a cooperative team, then the
project may not be completed on time. I took numerous decisions such as in order to raise the
fund; I need to dismiss the contract of the Chief executive and two other employees so that
we can raise money by selling off the additional infrastructure. At a certain point, leaders
need to think about the desired necessities or requirements of that particular situation and the
followers need to understand the need for such decisions. It took a lot of effort to manage my
team members and getting their consent during a decision-making process. The actual
outcome of the decision was considered right and bagged success very well and it happened
because of my professional experiences.
II. Management theories:
Some management theories developed my skills effectively and helped me to
represent as a leader effectively:

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a. Teamwork:
It is a leader’s responsibility to manage their employees and to make them work
together. The best leaders can engage the employees in order to mold the team effectively,
and it will affect their course of hard work (Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis 2015). The primary
elements of a team are defined as the collaborative nature of action as well as having a
common objective, which will lead them to a successful path. In a team, every individual is
responsible for their respective area and are responsible for all the issues and problems.
Therefore, healthy communication is required in order to build strong and positive
relationships and will help them to acknowledge excellent work (Landers 2018). They should
have the ability to manage all the problems as well as severe conflicts so that they can
achieve the desired goal.
Tuckman’s stage of team development is one of the best theories that has helped me
to evolve as a leader and has served as one of the positive aspects of my professional life. It
has been defined as the study of group behavior, which helps to develop and recognize the
desired qualities in order to establish certain features among the team members. There are
four phases in this theory including forming, storming and norming and performing.
Tuckman clearly states that it is quite challenging to reach the performing stage. In the
forming stage, it is the initial stage, where every individual is busy searching for their places
and they are seizing their places in the team. In the storming stage, individuals are supposed
to recognize themselves in a team and the team leader will be instructed about the things they
need to do. Certain conflicts, as well as confrontations, may arise and that the performance
may get affected in their respective tasks. Norming is the phase, which is identified as that
team members are to come together, should develop the processes and should establish strict
rules and regulations. The performing phase is the final phase, which helps to modify the

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team members as well as manages the focus so that they can sustain the task and execute it
effectively.
Therefore, I have gained my qualities and strategies from Tuckman’s theory and
being a student of sociology, I can adapt many situations and know to handle the members of
a team and it may provide success several times. I have successfully gained the confidence of
my team members and they have supported my plan. Somehow, it was tough actually to
gather them in my plan and being a leader, I am capable of incorporating many theories and
ideas so that the work can be completed on time. Therefore, to work in a team, everyone
needs to cooperate with innovative ideas and have to manage the work in every situation.
b. Decision-making:
The whole business is based on the aspects of the decision that is going to affect the
company in a positive way as well as in a negative way. It is every single member’s
responsibility to engage in the session of decision-making and should contribute their ideas,
thoughts and plans that can help to secure a better place for the organization (Clegg,
Kornberger and Pitsis 2015). It is one of the most integral parts of a business especially in the
field of management and it will help to develop the organization both in scoring profits as
well as forming new establishments (Johnson 2016). In this process of decision-making,
many things are incorporated such as a different set of plans, alternatives, attempting some
risky ventures and most importantly, executing the decisions appropriately in the course of
work (Brockman 2013).
I definitely consider Herbert Simon’s theory of decision-making, which is critically
related to the bounded rationality (Mintzberg 1989). It is defined as that the individuals can
never make rational decisions because acquiring the information is quite difficult, and

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therefore, they need to do a lot of researches as well as studies. They need to acquire accurate
decisions so that they can execute the following tasks appropriately.
Some risky decisions gained me a meaningful experience and helped me to overcome
some onerous burdens. When I was assisting the project named New Horizon, I was fully
equipped with useful skills like planning as well as developing the charitable projects
successfully. It actually benefitted me to enhance my skills in a broader aspect thorough
qualitative as well as quantitative methods of research along with a proper data analysis. It
gave me a chance to understand the other members of a group and showed me the way to
manage the employees in order to achieve the desired outcome. I have also acquired a better
sense in the field of organizational skills as well as motivational skills.
c. Organizational design:
The organizational design in any company is defined as the step-by-step method that
recognizes the dysfunctional factors of the flow of work, policies, strategies, structures, along
with the system. It is highly required to recognize certain parts so that the business activities
can fit the estimated goal and it may enhance the plans to apply by incorporating innovative
changes (Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis 2015). A precise strategy is required to manage as
well as to develop the business. The primary significance of organization design along with
structure benefits to improve communication, raising productivity, and inspiring innovation
in the field of business. Organizational design is based on the reflection of a structure that
will be aligned to the business venture at any desired time and situation (Easterby-Smith,
Thorpe and Jackson 2015). It will help to produce an environment where individuals can
cooperate and work appropriately. The majority of the productivity, as well as the issues of
the performance, can generate a poor organizational design. It will affect the organization in
the long run inappropriately and it may cause a set of losses if it cannot be dealt effectively.

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The theory of organizational theory emerges as a strong point that can help to
establish an organization by acknowledging the issues and challenges and maintaining the
situations effectively and adequately. This approach will help the readers to stimulate their
ideas and to incorporate the approach in their individual businesses. Therefore, this theory
emerged as the best way to deal with the risks and will help to enable all the required
qualities in order to meet the desired outcome. I have gained enough knowledge about this
theory, and it helped me during my college days in the U.K. Thus, I managed to incorporate
the ideas as well as thoughts during the process of decision-making especially managing risks
in my projects.
III. Implementing leadership skills and planning:
There are various skills that all together provided the inner strength within me, and it
may help the readers to understand why is it important to attain such skills:
Firstly, healthy communication is required in order to achieve any task especially
while dealing with different types of employees, who have a totally different set of mind. A
concise, as well as clear connection, is required so that the leader can coordinate with every
subordinate. Secondly, engaging the employees in teamwork and supporting them in every
possible way so that they can also contribute their ideas, thoughts, strategies, and plans
appropriately. It is essential to engage every employee in a group because working together
will increase productivity and work will be completed on time. Thirdly, inspiring the
employees so that they can feel motivated in order to achieve the desired goal, and it is
required to motivate them in the right way (Landers 2018). Fourth, a leader needs to take
some critical decisions along with the employees in order to achieve a difficult task that may
fetch profits. Fifth, cooperation is required among the team members so that the leader can
pass a plan and can deliver the job appropriately (Ferriss 2017). They should have the
knowledge and collaboration to handle the difficult task and should possess the capability to