Report on Leadership and Management Skills at Unilever Plc

This report provides an analysis of leadership and management skills within Unilever Plc, a multinational organization with a substantial global presence. It compares and contrasts leadership and management, exploring relevant theories such as the Great Man theory, Trait Theory, Scientific Management theory, and Administrative Management theory. Key performance metrics for the organizational sector, including return on investment, productivity, and profitability, are examined in relation to Unilever's performance. The report further assesses the impact of leadership and management on employee engagement, waste minimization, change implementation, cultural management, and conflict reduction within the company, highlighting how effective leadership and management contribute to Unilever's overall success and sustainability.

Leadership and
Management skills

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION 100....................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Analysis and comparison of leadership and management...........................................................1
Key performance metrics of organisational sector......................................................................4
Organisational leadership and management performance...........................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Leadership and management skill are essential in order to effectively manage an organisation.
There are different types of management leadership qualities which make a person more
efficiency and capable. On basis of these skills, a person can influence action of other people in
business and also can get acceptance of them (Alnajjar and Abou Hashish, 2022). This report
includes analysation of Unilever Plc which is UK based organisation that was introduced by
William Lever in the year 1929. It is a large organisation which has around 149000 employees
who work for success and growth of organisation. It is a multinational organisation that provide
its products and service in different country. There are different products provided by company
including food, ice cream, vitamins, Tea, coffee, cleaning agent, air purifier, Beauty products,
personal care products and other products. Unilever Plc is providing its products and service in
around 190 countries. It is among top producer of soap in all over world.
There are around 400 brands included in Unilever Plc that is important for purpose of
success of company. It can be categorised in around three division including food and
refreshments, beauty and personal care, home care products. It is a business that is adopting
sustainable practices in business and also aiming to create a better world with helps of their
business. Due to covid-19, where other firm sales growth is decline as pandemic affected all
industry. But Unilever Plc has got growth in market due to this pandemic as it provides them
opportunity. This project report includes introduction of report and explanation of chosen
organisation. It analyses and compare leadership as well as management. It also consists key
performance metrics for organisation sector and market industry. Moreover, it consists impact of
leadership and management on performance of business.
MAIN BODY
Analysis and comparison of leadership and management
Leadership: Leadership can be descried as process of influencing others for attainment of goals
of organisation. It helps to lead group of people that assist to run an organisation and is an
integral part for success of business (Buhagiar and Anand, 2021). Leadership also helps a
business for purpose of creating, looking, securing of different resources and also helps business
in order to improve errors. It helps to motivate other people to work together and also cooperate
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in order to attain goals of business. It is important in order to manage different things. It provides
success to an organisation and also assist to manage different components.
Management: Management can be described as process for planning, leading, division making,
motivating, organising as we as controlling of different resources including human resource,
financial resources, physical resources, information resources and other things for purpose of
attainment of goals in efficient manner (Grubaugh and Flynn, 2018). It helps them for purpose of
attainment of goals and objectives as management provide guidance to employees. It is essential
for purpose of improve efficiency of firm and also contribute to dynamic organisation.
Comparison
Basis Leadership Management
Meaning Leadership is a skill which helps to lead
others.
Management is considered as an art
that helps to organise and coordinate
things in organised manner.
Basis It is based of building trust among
leader and their subordinates.
It is based on controlling action of
others.
Emphasis It emphasis on inspiring other people
for attainment of common goals.
It also emphasis on management
various activities that assist for
attaining goals of company.
Power In this, leader has power of influence
others (Hess, 2021).
In this, managers have power of
rules and regulation impose of
employees.
Focus It is focusing on encouraging change in
organisation in order to up to date as per
current trend.
It is also focusing on brining
stability in organisation that allow
them to face threat in business
environment.
Strategy It is based on proactive strategy for
running of business. It also formulates
different principles and guidelines in
organisation.
It is based on reactive strategy that
allow business to focus on
developing policies as well as
procedure.
Theory of leadership and management
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Leadership theory:
There are different types of leadership theory that provide guidance to leader for
attainment of goals and objectives. Some of these theories in context of Unilever Plc are
mentioned below:
Great Man theory: It is one of leadership theory which emphasis that great leaders only born
and cannot be developed through practices. It is one of popular concept that was introduced in
19th century. This theory also states that leadership is a skill that was inherent in a person and
cannot be possessed (Karatepe, Aboramadan and Dahleez, 2020). It also reflects that leader
posses different attributes like courage, intuition charm, confidence, intelligence and other
things.
Trait Theory: It is one of theory which emphasis that leader posses some natural
qualities as it helps them to develop good leader. According to this theory, on basis of possession
of some qualities among leads does not make them a great leader (6 Leadership Theories, 2021).
They also needs to be an excellent listener and communicator in order to an effective leader.
Management theory:
There are different types of management theory that provide guidance to managers of
company for attainment of goals and objectives. Some of these theories in context of Unilever
Plc are mentioned below:
Scientific management theory: It is a theory of management that was introduced by Fredrick
Taylor who was study for performing a task scientifically. Principle of Taylor recommend that
there should be proper use of scientific method for purpose of performing specific task at
workplace. It is in oppose to leader who rely on judgement as well as personal discretion of
different team members (Kaushal and Mishra, 2020). Sometimes leaders forcing people in order
to work and also for increasing productivity. According to this theory, leader should recommend
how to simplify task to increase productivity and does no impose more job over them to increase
their burden of work.
Administrative management: It is one of management theory that was introduced by
Henri Fayol who was senior executive as well as mining engineer. This theory was introduced by
them while examining an organisation from perspective of situation and managers. According to
this theory there are six main function which is to be followed in business. These six functions
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include forecast, command, control, plan, coordination. All these functions help leaders for
organisation of team in effective manner and also to interact with them.
On basis of above discussion, it can be analysed that there are different leadership and
management theories which helps leaders as well managers for purpose of improving
productivity of organisation (King, 2018). It is important for business as it allow leaders to attain
goals and objectives of business
Key performance metrics of organisational sector
Key performance metrics can be described as measurable data that is used in order to track
processes in business along with using different activities, increase productivity and also for
managing employee behaviour. It is important in order to track as well as measure achievement
of goals of business. There are around four types of key performance metrics including business
performance, project management, employee performance and sales performance.
Business performance metrics is one that helps to track as well as assess process within
business like profitability, sales as well as marketability. It is required in order to attain goals and
objectives of business. It also helps to track performance metrics in order to make adjustment
and also to reach to goals of company. It can be measured on three basis includes return over
investment, Profitability as well productivity.
 Return over investment: It helps to determine whether the investment is profitability or
not. It allows business to understand which investment are profitability for firm and
which are not. Unilever is getting more profit in investment of soap and is also among top
producer of this products (Liu and Hallinger, 2018).
 Productivity: It helps to track the ratio of work in compare to resources. Unilever Plc has
more productive employees who can produce more units that provide profitability to
firm.
 Profitability: Profitability is essential in order to track performance of business. It helps
them to track performance and also to target goals. Unilever plc is getting earning before
interest and tax around of 8281 GBP million.
Organisational leadership and management performance
Adoption of good leadership and management performance helps business for purpose of
managing operation of company in effective manner. It allows them to get contribution of
employees and motivate them for purpose of attaining various long term and short-term goals of
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business. Impact of these leadership and management in context of Unilever Plc is mentioned
below:
Increase engagement of employees: Adoption of leadership helps business for purpose of
increasing engagement of employees. Effective leadership and management allow leaders to
influence action of employees that allow them to focus on work rather than non productive work.
Leadership and management make an employees satisfied with workplace that will motivate
them to concentrate on work (Siren and Gehrs, 2018). It will also help organisation to retain
employees for long term and helps them to attract skilled and talent employees in business.
Unilever Plc is adopting positive leadership and management guidance that aloe them to
motivate employees to focus on work. It will help managers to increase engagement of
employees with work. On basis of it, managers and leaders provide them proper training and
development that allow them to minimise efforts of employees and increase their proactivity
without increasing burden of work over them.
Minimisation of wastage in business: Effective leadership and management also helps business
to reduce wastage of different resources in firm. These resources can be time, raw material,
efforts and other things which helps firm to reduce cost of company. It is also important for firm
as it helps them to complete a work in less time. Leaders and managers of Unilever Plc is also
focusing on minimisation of wastage in business as it will allow them for purpose of producing
more units in less time (Till, McKimm and Swanwick, 2018). This can be done by leaders by
providing proper training and guidance that assist employees to work in scientific manner.
Introduce changes: Leaders and management of company also helps to introduce changes in
organisation in effective manner. Employees often resist changes and in order to get acceptance
of them, leaders and managers needs to influence action of employees. Changes are important in
order to keep business up to data and also important for firm in order to increase profitability of
firm. Unilever Plc is one of international organisation that is adopting changes in business. It is
important in order to improve efficiency of firm and also to take cost advantage in market. In
order to introduce changes in organisation, leaders and managers play important role as they
influence action of employees. Leaders and managers also explain important of these changes in
business and also for attainment of goals.
Manage culture: Culture is one of important component that create impact over performance of
company. Unilever Plc is one of international organisation which hire employees of different
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country and culture. All these employees belong from different language, religion but still work
together for attainment of common goals. But sometimes due to these cultural differences,
employees find themselves isolated from other organisation (Tran and Nghia, 2020). It also
results in conflict in organisation and in order to avoid these situation, managers and leaders of
Unilever Plc is developing strategies which allow them to accept cultural differences among
organisation. For this, this organisation is also providing proper training and development
opportunities to employees that allow employees to avoid cultural differences and work together
in order to get their contribution for business. It provides opportunity to firm in order to increase
efficiency and also to retain employees.
Reduce workplace conflicts: Conflict is one of negative component that create threat for
business as it does not allow employees to focus over work. It diverts attention of employees
over non-productive work. It is a negative situation for business as it decreases productivity of
employees. Due to cultural differences, lack of leadership and management and other things,
conflict can be occur in business. Effective leadership provide guidance to employees that allow
them to focus on their work. It is essential for business of Unilever Plc to make contribution for
reducing conflict situation in business. On basis of leadership, manager of Unilever Plc can make
efforts which helps them to develop team spirit among employees that also helps them to reduce
workplace conflicts.
Improve productivity: Leadership and management approaches adopted by a person also helps
them to increase efficiency of employees. It is also important for them in order to increase
productivity of employees. It is also important for business as it helps them for purpose of
focusing on working efficiently that allow them to increase productivity of firm (Vandergoot,
Sarris and Kirby, 2019). Managers and leaders of Unilever Plc is motivating employees in order
to give their best that is also helps them for giving their best. For this, leaders provide proper
training and development opportunity to employees as it helps them to work in a way that helps
to complete more in less efforts.
CONCLUSION
From above mentioned project report, it can be concluded that leadership and management skills
are essential as it makes a person more efficient. There are different types of leadership and
management skills. Leadership skills are required by a person in order to influence action of
other people whereas management skills are required by a person for organisation of various
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resources, information and activities in efficient manner in an organisation. There are various
differences in leadership on different basis like focus, meaning, emphasises and other things.
Different types of leadership and management theories are also adopted by leaders and managers
in order to attain goals and objectives of company. These theories focusing on different aspects
and provide basis in order to provide guidance. Business is also using key performance metrics
in order to track data for attainment of goals. It provides guidance to firm whether business is
moving in right direction or not. These leadership and management approaches also create
impact over performance of business in various manner. It allows business to increase
profitability of firm, retain employees for long term, improve productivity and other things. All
these are essential for an organisation in order to get success. It is also important for business as
to manage culture, implementing changes, manage conflicts in business and for other things.
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REFERENCES
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