Leadership and Motivation Report: Sunflower Foods Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of leadership and motivation within Sunflower Foods, addressing issues of low morale, poor organizational culture, and their impact on productivity. The report explores the pros and cons of teamwork, offering recommendations for improvement, such as clear task segregation, social and extra-curricular activities, clear communication of goals, and team outings. It also delves into various motivation theories, including Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Skinner's Reinforcement theory, and Herzberg's two-factor theory, providing practical applications for enhancing staff motivation. Furthermore, the report identifies key factors associated with driving strategic change within the organization, offering a comprehensive overview of leadership strategies and their impact on organizational success. The report uses various sources to back up the arguments, and provides real world examples to improve the understanding of the topic.

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND MOTIVATION
Leadership and Motivation
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note:

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Executive Summary
This report focusses on leadership and motivation of Sunflower Foods. Good leadership enable
the managers to retain its workforce for a long time and it aids the company in meeting its
strategic goals. It has been found that poor organisational culture, low morale as well as
motivation of the employees is troubling the management of Sunflower Foods to achieve its
targeted objectives. In this particular study, various advantages as well as disadvantages of using
teams are discussed here. In this particular study, possible recommendations for developing
teamwork are given here. In addition to this, various theories like Marlow’s hierarchy of needs,
Skinner’s Reinforcement theory and Herzberg’s two-factor theory are explained in this particular
study. Different ways for improving teamwork is also covered in this particular theory. Apart
from this, identification of key elements associated with driving fruitful strategic changes are
explained in this specific study.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Pros and cons of using teams.......................................................................................................3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................4
Ways of increasing staff motivation as well as morale...............................................................7
Identification of key factors associated with driving strategic change........................................9
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
This report focusses on leadership and motivation of Sunflower Foods. Leadership plays
a vital role in meeting the goals of team as well as the goals and objectives of the respective
organization. Leadership plays a vital role in maximizing the efficacy of the workforce that aids
the company to obtain its targeted objectives. Motivation from the managers enables the
employees to deliver better performance in the organization. It also improves the quality of work.
Motivation increases the speed of work. This organization is facing issues like low morale and
motivation of the employees. Apart from this, poor organizational culture is also adversely
effecting on the productivity of Sunflower Foods. In this particular studies, the pros as well as
cons of using teams are explained in a precise manner. Possible recommendations for improving
teamwork are covered in this particular study. Various theories of motivation are explained in
this study. Besides, different ways for improving morale of employees are highlighted in this
particular study. Apart from this, this study sheds light on different factors that are responsible
for bringing strategic change in the organization are explained here.
Discussion
Pros and cons of using teams
It is seen that staffs working at Sunflower Foods are suffering from low morale and they
are feeling demotivated towards their work. Apart from this they are facing issues due to poor
organizational culture. As a result, they are not delivering their best within the team. As a result,
the overall productivity is getting hampered in the due procedure. They are not working together
as a team. It has been observed that there are many pros and cons, which are associated with
working in a group. From the perspective of Gharaveis, Hamilton and Pati (2018), it has been

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noticed that people working in a team works together towards a common goal. In this context, it
can be stated that productivity gets increased in the due process. In other words, if everyone
works collaboratively in the common direction, then quality output will be produced by the team.
This is applicable for employees of Sunflower Group. It has been observed that if individuals
shows their willingness to work in a collaborative manner, then the team will meet the
company’s goals thereby sustaining the competitive advantage of the company. It has been
noticed that addition of more individuals in the team enhances the resources of the group
(Saghafian and O’Neill, 2018). If more employees of Sunflower foods express their willingness
to work in the team, the team will become more productive because the experience along with
the skills of each individual will be added to team thereby enhancing the ability of group (Jansen,
Hänel and Klingler, 2018). This is applicable for workforce of Sunflower Foods.
In accordance with the opinion of Shluzas and Pickham (2018), people working in a
team, gets a scope to learn new things from rest team members. If employees working at
Sunflower Foods shows their willingness to work together as a unified team, they will get the
opportunity to learn new things from other members which is not possible if they work
individually. In the opinion of Lawlor et al., (2018), it has been observed that if individuals
work together in a team, they gets a scope to interact with each other thereby building a strong
relationship among the team members (Lambert et al., 2017). In addition to this, Zameer et al.,
(2014) commented that teamwork enables the individuals to sort out any issues regarding the
work. Moreover, Hur (2017) asserted teamwork enables the team members to come up with new
ideas or suggestions based on which effective decisions can be undertaken by the top authorities
of the respective business firm. In other words, flow of interaction is smooth in group work.

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This is applicable for skilled professionals of Sunflower foods. Besides, there are certain
disadvantages that are associated with teamwork.
In accordance with the opinion of Deichmann and Jensen (2018), there are some
individuals does not believe in hard work but such individuals takes the credit of hard work,
which might cause disappointment to other team members. Sometimes, these individuals gets
rewards from higher authorities despite of giving minimal effort in the team thereby causing
resentment as well as disappointment to other individuals of the team. This might happen among
employees of Sunflower food (Ward, Holmes and Stringer, 2018). According to Shafiq, Ayoub
and Khurram (2018), it has been observed that group work delays the decision-making process.
If employees of Sunflower Foods works in a collaborative manner, it will take time to
undertake important business decisions. It take time to undertake decisions because ideas as well
as suggestions will be collected from the respective group. It has been notice that in a
groupwork, there are individuals who does not complete their own task and they leave the task to
other team members to execute the task. In accordance with the opinion of Jones(2018),
difference of opinions may arise among team members that might give rise to internal conflicts.
This is one of the most common issue that is faced by individuals working in a group. It might
happen that employees of Sunflower faces the similar issue that paves the way for intrinsic
conflicts.
Recommendations
It is recommended for management Sunflower to segregate the tasks among the team
members so that they can perform the tasks in a systematic as well as organized manner. it will
be beneficial for the organization if they involves their skilled employees in social activities. In
the context of Sunflower Foods, it is a suggestion for the management to engage every employee

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of their company in social activities so that they can get a scope to know each other well and
share a good bonding with each other. it is required for the company to engage the skill
professionals in extra-co-curricular activities which improves their relationship with each other.
However, it is suggested for the top executives and senior managers of Sunflower Foods to
include co-curricular activities in their working procedures and they should motivate their
employees to actively take part in such activities. It is a suggestion for the management to
outline the goals and objectives of the company in a clear way so that there will be confusion
among the team members regarding the specified objectives of the respective business firm.
However, it is a suggestion for Sunflower foods to clearly state the goals of this company. This
approach of the management will decrease the chances of miscommunication among the team
members. Besides, it is suggested for the management working at Sunflower group to organize
team outings for their employees. this approach of the management will inspire the employees of
the respective organization to work in a collaborative manner.
It is recommended for the senior managers to include open forums in their working
procedures so that their employees can share their perspectives with each other without any sort
of hesitation. by fostering creativity within the team, it is possible for a business firm to
incorporate a team based structure throughout the working procedures of the respective
company. However, it is required for senior managers of Sunflower foods to foster creativity
within tits team in order to incorporate team based structure within its work culture. These are
some of the ways by which teamwork can be improved within the work culture of Sunflower
Foods.

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Ways of increasing staff motivation as well as morale
From the perspective of Romagnoli, M. (2016), there are several ways by which staffs
can be motivated to perform better.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a five-tier model. The lowest levels represent basic
needs. On the other hand, the top levels of the pyramid represents the most complex needs. The
initial four levels are termed as deficiency needs whereas topmost level is termed as growth
needs. Physical requirements such as food, water, sleep, warmth etc are the physical
requirements of an individual, which should be fulfilled. After the fulfillment of these basic
physical needs, individuals start searching for safety as well as security. Job security, economic
security, family security etc are considered as safety needs of an individual, which should be
fulfilled. After these needs are fulfilled, individuals now want to mitigate their psychological
needs such as love, friendship etc. the next level represents the needs for self-actualization.
Growth as well as the development are the requirements of the person in this level (Lambert et
al., 2017).
BF Skinner was the propounder of Reinforcement theory. As per the concept of this
particular theory, behavioral attitude of the person is the function of consequences. In other
words, individual’s repeats those actions which possess positive consequences. On the other
hand, individuals tend to avoid those behavioral actions which results in the negative
consequences. It has been observed that this particular theory ignores the inner state as well as
feelings of the person. In this context, it can be stated that employees working at the business
organizations needs to be motivated by providing them flexible working environment (Jones,
2018). This particular theory gives importance on the environmental factors because it gives a
shape to the behavioral attitude of the respective individual. According to the concept of this

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theory, external environment should be designed in such a way that it is possible for the
management to inspire the workforce so that they give their best input within the working
environment of the respective business organization. It has been observed that managers take
help of these techniques in order to control behavioral attitude of its skilled professionals.
Positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement gives the positive response to the employee when he or she
exhibits positive as well as required behavior. For instance, if a manager appreciates any
employee, for coming at office before the reporting time, this behavior of the manager acts as a
positive reinforcement. In this regard, it can be stated that if it seen that employee’s behavior is
getting improved on a regular basis, rewards can be given to the respective employees. This
approach of the management is an instance of positive reinforcement. More spontaneously the
reward is given to the employees, greater the value positive reinforcement has.
Negative reinforcement
It substantiates the fact that rewarding a skilled professional by eliminating negative
consequences and undesireable consequences. In this regard it can be stated that positive as well
as negative reinforcement has been used for enhancing desirable behavior or required behavior.
Punishment
It is used for preventing the undesirable behavior of the individual. For example, the
management of the respective organization suspends a skilled professional if he or she breaches
the rules and regulations of the respective organization.
Extinction

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It is a way used for stopping a person to perform the learned behavior. It
unintentionally reduces the occurrences of undesirable behavior within the workflow of the
respective organizations.
It is the responsibility of the managers of Sunflower Foods to motivate the employees if
they perform better in the working environment. The management should give rewards to the
workforce simultaneously. It is the prime responsibility of the organization to communicate to
their employess about what the employees are doing wrong within the work culture of
companies. In addition to this, the managers need to communicate to their employees about how
they can obtain positive reinforcement.
Marlow and Tjandraatmadja (2014) asserted that it is required for the management
working at Sunflower Foods to fulfill the safety needs of the individual because they are feeling
demotivated and they are unable to deliver their best performance in their company. For this
purpose, it is essential for the management to assure them that their job is secured. In the opinion
of Tripathy (2018), this approach of the management is capable of boosting the confidence of the
employees that they are capable enough to deliver best input to the respective business firm. In
this context, it can be stated that moral support from the senior managers is capable of increasing
the morale thereby increasing the overall productivity of the respective business firm (Andersen
et al., 2016). In the opinion of Haider (2016), the proper implication of this particular theory will
increase the morale of the skilled professions who are working in this medium-scale business
firm.
In 1959, Frederick Herzberg had developed Herzberg’s two factor theory. It has been
noticed that job factors can be categorized into hygiene factors and motivational factors. It has
been noticed that hygiene factors are responsible for motivating the employees within the

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environment of the respective workplace. Pay, organizational policies, administrative policies,
fringe benefits, working conditions, status as well as interpersonal relations are included in
hygiene factors (Lambert et al., 2017). It has been observed that every top performer should be
appreciated for their good performance by the seniors. The employees should get a promotional
opportunity from the company. It has been observed that the organization has certain limitations.
Herzberg wanted to establish a connection between job satisfaction as well as productivity.
However, it is seen that job satisfaction has been emphasized in this theory and productivity was
not emphasized in this theory. In other word, Herzberg had failed to connect productivity and
work satisfaction.
The managers working at Sunflower foods needs to consider the hygiene as well as
motivation factors in order to boost up the morale of the skilled professionals. In accordance with
the opinion of Chu and Kuok (2015), there are several ways by which it is possible for
management working at Sunflower foods to motivate its employees to perform better. According
to Lawlor et al., (2018), by offering fringe benefits to the workforce, it is possible to motivate the
employees to give their best performance to the organization. In accordance with the opinion of
Bolloju, Chawla and Ranjan (2018), healthcare plans should be offered to them if they are
performing good in the organization on a regular basis. It is needed for the management to offer
flexi-work timing and work from home facilities to their workforce. It is essential for the
managers of Sunflower Foods to offer job security to its workforce. In addition to this, it is
needed for the managers to provide safe as well as clean working environment to its employees
(Jansen, Hänel and Klingler, 2018) . Besides, managers need to offer incentives to its employees
so that they become motivated to deliver good performance in the organization. Managers need
to offer reward appraisals to its top performers. Bolloju, Chawla and Ranjan (2018) asserted that

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this approach of the management is capable of inspiring and increasing the employees of
Sunflower Foods.
It has been observed that managers should give health insurance coverage to their
employees in order to boost their confidence and morale. From the perspective of ` Jansen, Hänel
and Klingler (2018), leave benefits must be offered to the employee si order to improve their
working spirit within the organization. In accordance with the opinion of Bolloju, Chawla and
Ranjan (2018), work from home should be provided to the skilled professionals in order to
improve their working spirit as well as confidence of the employees. In accordance with the
opinion of Chu and Kuok (2015), it is needed for the management working at Sunflower foods to
offer maternity leaves and paternity leaves so that it is possible for them to increase the level of
motivation among the employees. Moreover, Chu and Kuok (2015) commeted that it is essential
for the managers to organize awards function every year. From the perspective of Jansen, Hänel
and Klingler (2018), this approach of the management is capable of retaining the employees in
the firm for a prolonged span of time. In addition to this, it is possible for the management
working at Sunflower Foods to increase the extent of loyalty of their skilled workforce towards
their organization. Moreover, it is essential for the management to improve the pay-scale of their
workforce. This approach of the management of Sunflower Foods will encourage the employees
to perform better in organization.
Identification of key factors associated with driving strategic change
In accordance with the opinion of Shafiq, Ayoub and Khurram (2018), leadership and
management style are the key factors that are associated with driving effective strategic change
within the workflow of Sunflower Foods. Good leadership is capable of guiding the people in
the right direction. In this context, it can be stated the good leadership of the managers will help

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the employees to achieve their individual as well as company’s targets by working as a unified
team. Change in the management style has led to strategic change in the working practices of
Sunflower Foods (Holmberg, Caro and Sobis, 2018).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be stated that good leadership is capable of bringing strategic
changes in the work culture of organizations like Sunflower Foods. It is seen that organization
was suffering from low morale and motivation of employees. It was also suffering from poor
organizational culture. The proper implication of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Skinner’s
Reinforcement theory and Herzberg’s Two Factor theory will boost the morale of the employees
as well as encourage the employees to perform better. By offering incentives, healthcare plans,
reward appraisals, vacations, flexi work timings, the managers can enhance the morale of its
workforce and they can increase their motivation to perform better in the organization.

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