Analysis of Management Styles and Leadership Characteristics

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THE DEVELOPING MANAGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Compare different management styles..................................................................................2
1.2 Discuss leadership characteristics..........................................................................................3
1.3 Evaluate communication process in selected business..........................................................4
1.4 Analyze organisational culture and change in selected business...........................................6
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Assess own management skills performance........................................................................7
2.2 Analyze personal strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.......................................8
2.3 Set and prioritize objectives and targets to develop own potential.....................................10
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................11
3.1 Lead and motivate a team to achieve on an agreed goal or objective.................................11
3.2 Justify managerial decision made to support achievement of agreed goal of objective and
recommendations for improvement...........................................................................................13
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................14
4.1 Explain how own managerial and personal skill will support career development............14
4.2 Review career development needs, current performance and future needs to produce
development plan.......................................................................................................................15
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................18

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Process of communication...............................................................................................4

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: SWOT analysis..................................................................................................................8
Table 2: Career development plan.................................................................................................15

Introduction
Productivity of organisations majorly depends on level of employee satisfaction that requires
manager guidance and assistance for leading to specific direction through motivation for getting
expected quality services. The report will aim identifying manager role by in-depth comparison
of organisations from hospitality and tourism sector by including Virgin Holidays and Hilton
Hotels that will explain ability and skills of potential managers. The study will dispense styles of
leadership and management in reference to both organisations for defining manager role under
these industries. The report will emphasize personal skill development, career development plan
and SWOT for determining growth and development needs.
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Task 1
1.1 Compare different management styles
Tourism industry has been immensely growing that is numerously contributing to UK economy.
The growth of sector is dependent on variety of quality services that are dispensed to customers
in package form that is being generated by Virgin Holidays and for arranging accommodation
services Hilton Hotels have been constantly attracting tourist from its luxurious and comfort
services that aids in increasing consumer satisfaction. All requirements are guided and planned
by managers by practising several styles for nurturing not industries.
Virgin Holidays is known as largest tour operators of UK that offers holiday destinations across
world by satisfying consumers in large numbers (Schoar and Zuo, 2017). Similarly, Hilton
Hotels is determined as global brand that carries services regarding resorts and hotels under
multination organisation that has 570 properties that is operating in 85 countries for targeting
leisure and business tourist. There are different management styles in reference to Hilton Hotel
and Virgin holidays that aids in serving quality products and service to global customers which
are as follows;
Authoritative Management Style – The responsibility of taking major decisions is based on
leaders, managers and superiors without listening to their subordinate’s views. Development of
guidelines is done by boss that minimizes employee confidence that brings lack of creative ideas
by making system lethargic. This management style is practised in Virgin Holidays under which
manager declares and employees has to follow.
Affiliative Management Style – This style explains the listening attribute of managers rather that
just speaking and ordering (Caputo, et.al, 2018). This style is practised in Hilton Hotel under
which friendly interaction between subordinates and manager is conducted by focusing on ideas
and suggestion. The management style aids in understanding of business environment through
managers without passing time in cabins that brings more innovation and authorities to
employees while accomplishing specific goals.
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1.2 Discuss leadership characteristics
Organisation needs effective leaders that practise leadership for influencing employees towards
decided direction that is achievable from motivation and self confidence. Organisational leaders
play crucial role in explaining and interacting mission to employee for achieving job promises
through commitment development, facing challenges and finalizing direction. Goals are achieved
by practising leadership styles in organisation that prepares employees effectively. There are
different leadership styles in context to Hilton Hotels and Virgin Holidays which are as follows:
Autocratic Leadership Style – It aids in authorizing general dictations for explaining completion
of goal process and procedures by prohibiting employees to take decisions (Iqbal, et.al, 2015).
The main aim of leader is to controlling employees for achieving leader’s vision and mission.
The implementation of style will provide benefit to Hilton Hotels as one goal will be planned and
completed through employees.
Laissez–faire Leadership Style – It is named as delegative leadership in which team members
are provided with authority for taking important decisions without interference of leaders. It is
beneficial for bringing creativity in products and service as employee gets motivated directly. It
will be applicable to Virgin Holidays for bringing best destination ideas from employees.
The leaders under organisation must possess several skills and characteristics that are essential
for achieving growth. In Hilton Hotels and Virgin Hotels the leader must possess certain skills
that are as follows:
Team Orientation Skills – The task are achieved by forming teams for fulfilling objectives and
mission. The leader should possess skills of orienting team effectively. In Hilton Hotel, the skill
will dispense comfort and luxurious services to tourist by coordinating with housekeeping,
kitchen and hospitality team staff (Little, 2018).
Creative and Innovative Skills – For dealing with emergencies leader must have creative skills
by predicting future results from innovation. The leader of Hilton Hotel aids in promoting
creative ideas by giving practical suggestions and on contrary Virgin Holidays will search new
heritage sites and exotic destinations for attracting tourists.
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1.3 Evaluate communication process in selected business
Communication is determined as process through which effective direction, purpose and flow of
message is provided to employees by interacting necessary information for achieving demand of
recent competition and market trends to associated team members. It helps in conveying goal
information to teammates that clarifies their doubts and solves working complexities. Hence, it is
essential to follow communication process by Hilton Hotel and Virgin Holidays that is described
below (Barnlund, 2017).
Communication Process
Figure 1: Process of communication
(Source: Pascal, 2018)
 Developing objective by sender includes content matter that is required to be conveyed to
employees.
 Message or objective encoding is aimed for translating message that can be easily
communicated with understood perception.
 Message progressing after encoding to receiver that can be received in symbolic, written,
nonverbal or oral form. For example – when person speaks, speech is called message.
 Selection of channel for message transmission to receiver that can be presented in
written, signal, gesture, speech form.
 Message conveyance medium that is selected for conveying message.
 Receiving message through receiver by hearing, feeling, seeing etc.
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 Message decoding is identified as message interpretation from sender for receiver. In this
stage thought are captured from message.
 Feedback is taken after receiving message by sender.
From above process, communication between employees and leaders can be established in step
wise manner by understanding communication types that include:
 The communication that is enhanced through physical aspects that contain hand
movements, voice fluency, facial expressions and behaviour that depicts gestures, seating
position, postures voice pitch is identified as non verbal communication (Helles, 2016).
 The method that comprises written mode through printed memos, handwriting, report,
oral mode that includes speech within sender and receiver or electronic or video mode
that depicts computer networks, email, computer conferencing etc is determined as verbal
communication.
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1.4 Analyze organisational culture and change in selected business
Organisational culture is described as environment that is managed by employee behaviour for
achieving its specific goals. There are different types of cultures that are explained below in
context to Virgin Holidays and Hilton Hotels:
Role Culture – Beams and columns are taken for supporting structure. Senior management takes
charge for operating in specialised and functional manner by using high level of standardization
and formalisation. Managers in Hilton Hotels follow role culture by knowing their duties and
setting objectives by following prescribed standards (Anitha, 2016).
Power Culture – It is dependent on activities that are happening near that requires people ability
at centre. In this culture, people are attracted from power and political mindsets that forces for
taking risks. Resource controlling plays important role as it allows the method of assessing
resources. This culture in Virgin Holidays will bring new and attracting destinations for which
manager will prepare employees to bring creativity in promoting those destinations.
Task Culture – Main aim is to accomplish given duty or job and determined as project oriented
culture. Right level of assembling resources through correct people is bought together for task
completion. This will benefit Virgin Holidays for managing change within firm whereas Hilton
gets drawbacks due to role hierarchy.
Effective culture is essential for maintaining position in competitive market. There are several
factors that affect the organisational culture that includes:
 Fluctuation in demographic and economic rules affects the activity functioning in firm as
rules required to get modified according to change done by country’s government
(French, 2015).
 Employees morale gets boosted when customers gets satisfaction and pays them by
maintaining loyalty and trust on organisation’s activities
 Sudden change raises training needs from which employee interest get low for
completing task as change is not easily acceptable by employees.
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Task 2
2.1 Assess own management skills performance
Managerial skills refer to manager’s required competencies that help in achieving all functions of
management effectively. I have been hired as assistant manager in Clayton Crown Hotel that is
product of Dalata Hotel Group. According to my experience I have various managerial skills that
are assessed by me based on my performance as manager which are as follows:
Leadership Skills – I actually feel that I can lead people or team effectively but didn’t have
opportunity to prove my leadership skills. I am not sure about skill under which I can perform
better or not. earlier I have been given chance to manage team projects but still I am having
doubt of not able to managing other responsibilities (Cook, 2017).
Technical and Qualification Abilities – I am learning several courses from which I can enhance
my managerial skills that adds benefit to my abilities. I am still aiming to get more qualification
regarding my field through which I can refine my capabilities and knowledge regarding practical
and theoretical grounds.
Personal Skills – It comprises motivation, communication and interpersonal skills of managers. I
am properly interlinked to my near people that aids in expressing feelings and thoughts. It plays
important role in managerial skills to read someone’s mind. I am also having better skills of
communicating but do not know how to talk with expressions and signs that requires major
improvement.
As assistant manager I must carry major responsibilities based on my job role that includes the
following:
 Time management is major requirement by manager that prepares personality of
conducting activities according to market and client demands by achieving the deadlines
given (Grissom, et.al, 2015).
 SMART objectives by guiding employees for specific goal fulfilment in achievable
timeframe that helps in identifying skilled manager for given job role. These objectives
help in completing tasks on targeted timings.
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2.2 Analyze personal strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
According to my performance I have evaluated and calculated my managerial skills based on
manager designation. The skills that I have mentioned include various weak and strong points
that are associated with me. Foe determining my weaknesses and strengths SWOT analysis has
been planned by me. This will dispense me fair view under which I will be require improvements
by aiming to learn new features for future growth. Following SWOT describe my strong and
weak areas which are as follows:
Table 1: SWOT analysis
Strengths  I have strong skills of interaction that helps me to convey right
information to right employee (Hunt and Weintraub, 2016). It
also increased my skills in speaking within huge public.
 High learning skills and confidence is may major strong points
through which I can manage urgent projects by explaining to
my team members that also boost my confidence to tackle the
problems in most efficient manner.
Weaknesses  Having perfection in each task gives my personality a big
drawback as I expect more from team members through
aggressive nature that frustrates my entire team that will
directly affect employee minds and productivity.
 Lack of tolerance and patience brings me certain issues while
taking charge of large projects. This brings me huge problems
from employees as I may behave loud while completing tasks.
Opportunities  I still have time to upgrade my technical abilities and skills by
opting for better and desired courses to utilize my time for
getting better placements.
 Some feature of managers is not possessed in me that can be
build up by utilizing time in proper manner.
Threats  I have threat to my career from high competition in market that
eliminates low skilled employees and managers that requires
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