Leadership Report: Personal Reflection and Alibaba Case Study

This report delves into the multifaceted aspects of leadership, beginning with a critical reflection on personal leadership experiences. It explores the effectiveness of communication, teamwork, and various leadership styles such as democratic, transactional, and strategic approaches. The report identifies areas for leadership development, including transparency and communication skills. Furthermore, it analyzes the leadership of Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, examining the application of leadership theories like transformational, behavioral, and situational contingency. The analysis highlights Ma's qualities and the leadership styles employed within Alibaba, offering insights into how these strategies have contributed to the company's success. The report provides a comprehensive overview of leadership, blending personal insights with a practical case study to illustrate leadership principles in action.

Leadership in
Organizations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Critical reflection on the experiences of leadership as well as suggestions for the improvement
areas.............................................................................................................................................1
Use of leadership theory in context of Alibaba Group...............................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERNCES ..................................................................................................................................8
APPENDICES.................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Leadership refers to the method of directing and influencing large number of individuals
with the assistance of which they can attain confidence, respect, loyalty, corporation and many
more in order to accomplish organisational goals and objectives. Therefore, leadership refers to
the capability of an individual which help in guiding large number of followers within the
company. It is very essential for the leaders to adopt changes in an effective manner, so that they
can beat the level of competition available at the marketplace. The present report is categorised
into two main tasks in which 1st task is about the reflection of leaders based on its experience
along with the suggestions in order to improve various areas. On the other hand, second section
of this report is based on how leadership theory and concept is used to analyse & evaluate the
leadership of the founder of Alibaba Group.
MAIN BODY
Critical reflection on the experiences of leadership as well as suggestions for the improvement
areas.
It has been analysed that as a leader when I was working in an organisation, I
have observed that top authorities and management team provide task as per the capabilities and
skill of individual. While doing work as a leader I have organised and manage ample number of
meetings in order to upgrade potential and knowledge of each and every team member so that
they can achieve organisational goals and objectives within given time period. I have observed
that my communication skills were excellent and effective which help me in sharing information
with my team mates and colleagues at the time of meetings in an effective manner. It is very
important for a leader to have effective communication skills as it will help them in performing
all the business functions in an effective manner. It has also been experienced by me that
effective communication help me in sharing required information with the staff members so that
targets will be achieved within given time frame. Apart from this, while leading the whole team I
have observed that there are different issues and challenges which affects the performance of
each and every team member. Therefore, it is required by the me to examine the whole situation
and develop effective solutions to resolve all such issues. It has also been observed by me that
team work is one of the most crucial factor which need to be consider by a leaders in order to
perform all the functions in an effective manner. Success of an organisation is totally depends
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upon the performance of each & every team member working within the organization. Apart
from this, it has also been said that I have one effective feature which is my potentiality to see
positive things in every situation. Which as a result help me in order to motivate others to do all
the work in an appropriate manner and within given time frame. For this, I have adopted
democratic leadership style in which I have the final responsibilities to take action. This
leadership help me in order to communicate with each and every individual associated with the
task. Along with this, I have given all the rights, authorities and power to the people so that they
involve in all the functions which help me in taking final decision. There are high changes of
getting new and innovative ideas and thoughts in order to produce positive results within given
time frame and increase the level of commitment among team members.
When I was implementing all my leadership roles while working with team mates, there
are various issues and hurdles observed by me which are related with the changes within
workplace or work practices. For this, I have chose transactional leadership style which mainly
focuses on the outcome produced in an effective manner. The leadership style helped me in
focusing more towards setting visions for winning aspects of group members along with
providing them directions so that they can accept changes that are made for their development.
Within this, I explained them the positive impacts of the changes which influenced them in
accepting new systems, work schedule and structure and they started performing tasks by using
the new practices. Within transactional leadership, I found the effectiveness when I successfully
developed supportive relationships within the group members despite of using the concept to use
rewards or incentives for motivating people so that they accept changes. In addition, this
leadership style benefited me in improving engagement of individual with work and others on
the basis of trust. This leaded in enhancing extrinsic together with intrinsic motivation among
group members for accomplishing objectives by trusting each other addition to sharing their
valuable opinions and thoughts whenever needed. According to me, with implementation of such
leadership, I developed reinforcing environment at the organisation wherein objectives of teams
were in synch. While executing my role in this leadership, I experienced that I failed various
time to manage information transparency with team mates.
While taking leadership roles for guiding team mates, various situations arises that
needed aspects to fill gap for new possibilities requirements in context to practicality
requirements. To fulfil such requirements, I preferred implementing strategic leadership style
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in which first I expressed strategic vision to team mates and persuaded them to acquire those
visions. With this style, I provided the necessary valuables that were expected by the team mates
while implementing new practicality for leading addition to directions. The circumstances that
needs new changes together with suitable practical solution generally includes strategic thinking.
Through this style, I made logical together with confident decisions at the time directing people.
The style not only helped me in solving daily issues but also guided me for planning tomorrow
or for future. I made strategic decisions that ensured people that the ongoing issues will will nor
re occur in the coming time frame that made the implementation of the leadership more effective.
Through thinking more strategically, I gained insights about the current happenings and
happening that may occur in future duration which guided me for making adjustments with
workings and timetables as per the current or upcoming happenings. While implementing this
style, I analysed that various circumstances requires enhancement of work autonomy among
team mates and for this, more emphasis was made by me to provide work autonomy among them
in which minimum supervision was provided to the team mates for executing work by me.
Through this, I created a scenario of autonomy atmosphere and aided responsibilities that
showed empowerment within team and members. At same time, it resulted in less controlling.
Problem solving at organisation is not individual activity made for leader as it requires
involvement of many people to discuss the problem and share viewpoints or thoughts so to reach
on effective solution. For this, I reacted by using path goal theory in which direction to team
mates is provided by using varying mechanisms. It provided me the opportunity to perform
distinct roles for enhancing involvement of each member to solve ongoing problem through
laying down thoughts or opinions for particular path rather than dismissing others viewpoints.
This help me in using distinct path that needs trod so to get the team mates working for
completion of project through soliciting solutions together with rewards. In my teenage, I did
not went to attend any development sessions or programmes to enhance problem solving skills,
but I analysed that development programmes have necessary position in processing creative
techniques along with collaborative skills that are necessary for leadership strategies. At the time
of executing wide leadership roles, I had ability to improve problem solving among my group
members as it was my responsibility to develop it. Team mates came to me with their various
problems, at the time I listen their problems and asked them to provide me suggestions about
what they have done in place of me. This not only helped in solving their problems but also
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improved my personal problem solving techniques. Furthermore, in various circumstances, I
took back step to intervene in interpersonal conflicts among team mates. With path goal theory,
I changed my styles according to conditions and involved employee characteristics which
modified behaviour together with relationship among team mates and helped me in clarifying
their working path to analyse situations so that their journey for accomplishing projects was
easier as it reduced various roadblocks with pitfalls. Thus, implementing leadership styles
accordance to the circumstances as well as solving things effectively resulted in making my
leadership more effective.
Developmental areas
From my experience in working in the organisation as team leader, I analysed needs to
develop various areas so to boost my leadership. I analysed by weakness at the time I worked
with team mates that needs more development. For this, the some of the suggestions for
development areas are transparency attributes addition to communication skills. According to my
experience, I analysed that my communication skills were lacking at various points and it was
much needed to improve. At same time, mu attribute for transparency also have requirements for
development as the information shared by me was restricted to some people which creates
situations of confusion among team mates that wither they should emphasis on the information
or they should neglect it. For improving the areas, I prepared personal development plan which
benefited me to execute tasks for developmental aspects. In context to improving communication
skill, more focus will be made on attending sessions and following open door practices within
the company. At same time, to improve transparency attribute I will focus on sharing essential
information with all the team mates.
Use of leadership theory in context of Alibaba Group
Leadership is the process of motivating any individual and encourage them to perform
well in the organization in order to achieve desired goals & objectives. In the business
environment, there are various successful leaders who follow the various leadership styles or
theories in the organizations (A. Duignan2014)). This report based on the critical evaluate of
Jack Ma's leadership styles who is founder of Alibaba Group. Jack Ma is the best example of
effective leadership because they have various quality which make them effective as well as
successful leaders in the current market. Jack Ma has excellence communication skill, inter
personal skill, empowerment, honesty, enthusiasm regarding their work, passionate etc. This
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person follow the various leadership styles or theories such as behavioural, transformational,
situational contingency, distributed, ethical etc. It helps the Jack Ma to perform their task or
achieve the desired outcomes. Founder of Alibaba has great sense which influence as well as
inspire others to push their limits or achieve their goals. In order to become a good or influencing
leader, person need to follow as well as implement leadership styles in order to maximise
operational efficiency of business (Bolden, 2016). In order to grow in the market, leaders should
be honest and loyal regarding their work and have to build some leadership qualities. Jack Ma
give their efforts to enhance the living standards of their staff members or generate great
opportunity for the community through generating employment. In order to improve the
individual performance in their organization, leaders has to follow the punishment or reward
policy. It will encourage employees as well as create fair of doing any wrong activity in the
organizations.
By using various leadership styles, leaders can gains the various advantages through
supervising people and pay attention through monitoring their performance on regular basis
(Dartey-Baah, 2015). There are various leadership styles which implement by the Jack Ma in
their organization or make Alibaba such as competitive firm in the market. Transformational
leadership creates high performance workforce for its employees. It is found at all levels of the
organization such as teams,departments, divisions. Their are four types of transformational
leadership. Which are inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, idealized influence and
individualized consideration. The foundation of it is the promotion of consistent vision,mission
and set of values to its members. It is followed by the Alibaba Group in order to empower their
staff members or make them capable to make their own decisions or face the challenges if occur
at the time of performing their duty (Frost, 2014). It will enhance the individual performance as
well as productivity which further help the organization to maximise their products demand in
the market as well as revenue of the company. Jack Ma manage their staff members effectually
through implementing transformational leadership style which influence the individuals to
achieve desired results. There are various phases comes where Alibaba company face critical
situations which can further impact the production as well as profitability. Jack Ma use their key
resources in order to face the difficult situations as well as they follow situational leadership
style which refers to those leaders who adopt different types of leadership according to different
situation. It is a beneficial for the team as leader is having different through process as a team. It
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has two behaviour one is management other is support. Management behaviour is what, when
and how tasks are performed (Godfrey, 2016). Whereas supportive behaviour is for team
development. Here Jack Ma analyse the situations and make their strategies accordingly which
include the employees contribution and their suggestions that how better they can resolve this
issues. It is the best quality of Jack Ma is to involve their employees in their decision making
process and ask for their opinion that how they resolve this problems of they have ability to so
this (Higgs and Dulewicz 2016). Leaders has to analyse the situations and implement the
suitable solutions for them.
There are some effective leadership qualities which CEO of Alibaba have such as
flexibility in their work according to the situations, able to adopt changes, provide proper
guidance, have clear vision etc. Organization get the various benefits through measuring needs of
individuals, develop comfortable working environment for the staff members as well as provide
various training to enhance their skills and competencies. Situational leadership style is
beneficial for the leaders to implement and gain the advantage from it (Hristov and Zehrer,
2015). On the other hand, it has some disadvantage as well because they only consider to focus
on immediate needs or situations which impact the organization not for those challenges which
can affect the production as well as profitability in the long term.
Distributed leadership is more focused on the designated organisation roles for its
leaders. Here it is considered as a group quality ignoring the individual roles. It uses a group
approach to its strategy and goals. It does not equal delegation instead it relies upon dialogue
between levels of responsibility. In context of CEO of Alibaba that is Jack Ma who follow this
leadership style that is based on mobilising expertise which generate huge future opportunities
for the products and provide the improvement capability in order to maximise the productivity as
well as profitability of the organizations (Leitch and Volery 2017). Here Jack Ma focus on team
work and they ensure that each and every member of the team should follow the common goals
which helps in improving individual as well as entire operational performance. Leaders has to
motivate people in order to achieve their goals & objectives but along with they have to
encourage whole team as well as provide guidance to complete their group task.
In addition, Jack Ma also follow the ethical leadership style in their organization and
make sure that it will be implemented by the each members of the company. Ethical leadership
is concerned about the values and morals a individual have for its organisation. It has two main
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things, first is actions and behaviour of leaders and secondly the personality and character of
leaders (Macdonald, Burke and Stewart, 2018). Ethics are an essential to leadership to perform
its duties in the organisation in order to perform their task ethically which provide them huge
success as well as suitability in the market for longer period. In context of Alibaba Group, Jack
Ma follow the ethical leadership style as well which positively impact the organizations. It is one
of the best quality to perform their task in ethical manner which make them capable to survive or
become good example for their followers (Mahembe and Engelbrecht, 2014). Jack Ma focus on
positive workplace environment and it will possible when they follow all the rules & regulations
of the business in well manner.
Basically above mention all the leadership styles or quality are important for a leaders in
order to improve their working condition (Swanwick and McKimm 2017). As well as make
business able to get high performance as well as productivity in terms of high revenue. Effective
use of leadership styles will encourage individual to perform task in well manner.
CONCLUSION
The above discussion concludes that in an organisation, leadership plays essential role to
influence manpower for huge efficiency addition to performance through effective human
relations. With this function, manpower's efficiency is maximised to attain goals on
predetermined time frame. Leaders analyses that employees are facing many problems while
working at organisation and provides them suitable solutions. Organisational leaders have wide
roles such as creating confidence, providing guidances, building suitable culture and stimulating
people at workplace. Leaders gains diverse experiences at the time they perform their roles
addition to implement leadership styles. Key leadership theories that successful leaders apply are
situational theory, ethical leadership and transformational theory.
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REFERNCES
Books & Journals
A. Duignan, P., 2014. Authenticity in educational leadership: history, ideal, reality. Journal of
Educational Administration. 52(2). pp.152-172.
Bolden, R., 2016. Leadership, management and organisational development. In Gower handbook
of leadership and management development (pp. 143-158). Routledge.
Dartey-Baah, K., 2015. Resilient leadership: A transformational-transactional leadership mix.
Journal of Global Responsibility. 6(1). pp.99-112.
Frost, J., 2014. Values based leadership. Industrial and commercial training. 46(3). pp.124-129.
Godfrey, D., 2016. Leadership of schools as research-led organisations in the English educational
environment: Cultivating a research-engaged school culture. Educational Management
Administration & Leadership. 44(2). pp.301-321.
Higgs, M. and Dulewicz, V., 2016. Developments in leadership thinking. In Leading with
emotional intelligence (pp. 75-103). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Hristov, D. and Zehrer, A., 2015. The destination paradigm continuum revisited: DMOs serving
as leadership networks. Tourism Review. 70(2). pp.116-131.
Leitch, C. M. and Volery, T., 2017. Entrepreneurial leadership: Insights and directions.
International Small Business Journal. 35(2). pp.147-156.
Macdonald, I., Burke, C. and Stewart, K., 2018. Systems leadership: Creating positive
organisations. Routledge.
Mahembe, B. and Engelbrecht, A. S., 2014. The relationship between servant leadership,
organisational citizenship behaviour and team effectiveness. SA Journal of Industrial
Psychology. 40(1). pp.01-10.
Swanwick, T. and McKimm, J., 2017. ABC of clinical leadership. John Wiley & Sons.
Verma, N. and et.al., 2015. Association between leadership style and decision making style in
Indian organisations. Journal of Management Development. 34(3). pp.246-269.
West, M. A. and et.al., 2014. Developing collective leadership for health care. London: King's
Fund.
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APPENDICES
Personal development plan
Development
al area
Date to
develop the
areas:
Achievements will be
made through:
Current situation Progress
Communicati
on skills
01/01/20 Communication skills
will be developed through
attending seminars,
keeping communication
on more priority and
building interactions with
all team mates.
Inconsistent
communication
and assumptions
made about
understanding of
jargon by team
mates.
The progress with
be achieved through
analysing
performance criteria
of efficaciously
communication
addition to
understanding
perspective of other
people in efficient
manner.
Transparenc
y
05/01/20 To develop transparency
with team mates so that
all gets information and
they uses it to accomplish
workings without any
hurdles.
To develop
transparency
attribute, healthy
relations will be
made with all team
mates and personal
connections while
be made while
sharing
information.
Judgements for this
attributes will be
made by
constructive
criticism through
team mates.
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10