Leadership: Case Study of Richard Branson's Leadership Style

This report examines leadership theories, focusing on authentic and transformational leadership models within the context of a case study on Richard Branson and the Virgin brand. The introduction establishes the importance of leadership in motivating employees and delivering quality products. Task 1 evaluates the authentic leadership model, highlighting self-awareness, vision setting, and the importance of listening skills, while also acknowledging potential difficulties. Task 2 analyzes Branson's leadership style through evidence, linking it to market trends, employee engagement, promotional strategies, and team management. The report emphasizes the need for leaders to inspire, motivate, and encourage new ideas, concluding with a summary of transformational leadership's core principles.

LEADERSHIP: THEORY
AND PRACTICE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Leadership refers to the art which is carried by the leader at work place in respect of
motivating and guiding the employees to take the right steps to retain the employees needs. It is
necessary at work place that employees are dedicated and motivated towards the work so that
they provide quality and useful products to the customer (Hawkins, 2017). There are various
leadership theory but in this case the authentic and transformational leadership theory is
described.
TASK 1
Authentic leadership model:
It refers to such model which is used by the leaders in respect of transforming their
existing style and learning the new style which is useful for the business and employees. As the
case study is based upon the Virgin company which carried the renowned brand image in the
market regarding dealing in wider range of products and also the logo which they used to
promote the products is also different and attractive from other company. Thus, in case of
authentic leadership model, the leaders had to play the vital role in respect of handling the
internal matters which results in enhancing the productivity in the business.
Self awarenesses:
As leader apply this model in respect of attaining the self awareness regarding dealing the
particular task in right manner. As before attaining any task it is necessary that they must gain
the adequate knowledge and experiences to deal with particular task and then trained the
employees to accomplish such task. As employees are not familiar with the task which is to be
accomplished at the work place, thus in this case the role of important and crucial. In context of
carrying the adequate planning and strategies, they had to handle the employees through judging
their capacity and learning style. Before giving them any type of training, it is necessary that
leaders must firstly gain the knowledge of the particular task.
Due to changes in time, the needs and demands of the customer are changing, and thus,
leader had to self-aware about the changes and examine the market trend. They can attain this
technique through taking help from the research and development department (Thibault,
Gulseren and Kelloway, 2019). This department mainly work under the set norms and instruction
which is given by the company in respect of searching the particular segment or area or also

coordinating with the customer regarding examining their preferences of choosing the particular
products. Through this aspects, they get adequate information about the market and also learn
new things which is required to bring changes in employees working style (Buil, I., Martínez and
Matute, 2019).
Setting the vision:
As every company had the set vision and mission which they had to achieve to beat the
competitor's strategy in the market and retain their position for the longer time period. In respect
of setting the right vision, it helps the employees to plan their day to day activities and also
leaders can guide the employees to complete their daily task to reduce risk in the business. In
case of adapting the transformation, it is done in respect of providing the quality products to the
customer within the set time limit. As customer are satisfied, if they get the quality products with
reasonable pricing and also such products are available at any time. Due to adapting the market
trends, customer are focusing more on eco friendly and hygienic products.
Thus, in aspects the transformation is to be done in respect of setting the vision of the
company regarding dealing in products which is eco friendly and also prepared from organic
ingredients. Through this manner, it results in changing their style of working and also
motivating the employees to bring innovative ideas to produce such products which satisfied the
customer needs in better way. Thus, by setting the unique visions and mission, it helps in
encouraging other to follow the leaders by working as per the set guidances which is designed to
them to work and achieve goal within the stipulated time period.
Building listening skills:
This is one of the major issues which is arises in business regarding not listening to the
employees and not appreciating their ideas at work place. Thus, leaders transform their style
through providing the open door facility to the employees in which the employees can freely
share their views and thoughts with the leaders and also share the matters or issues which they
are facing at work premises. As this is the leader personal strength which they had to focus in
respect of enhancing their listening power and then reacting on any matters or taking any harsh
decisions (Aga, Noorderhaven and Vallejo, 2016). It is necessary that their must be close and
strong bond between the leaders and employees, so that the task is to be accomplished in right
manner with productive work is to be given. Thus, it can be applied to others in respect of
enhancing the listening power before reacting on certain things. In case of Virgin, it influencers

the interest of the person to follow the leaders regarding listening to the employees ideas and
thoughts and then convey their own thoughts. Through this manner, the interest of the employees
are retained and also leaders can transform their strategy through adapting new ideas in their
exiting planning (Ng, 2017).
Difficult in taking the decisions:
It is stated that by adapting this model, it results in bringing difficulties in taking the right
decisions. As every employee are set with their working criteria and also the work is assigned on
day to day basses. In such manner, if the issues is raised regarding changing the working style of
the employees it requires lot of trainings and also motivation is given to the employees to adapt
such changes in right manner. As it is not easy to set the same goal for every employee or expect
that every employee work in same directions. Thus, by adapting this model resulting in facing
difficulties in managing the employees interest towards the work and also resolve the issues
which they are facing at work place. Training is the major aspects which can recover this issues
by providing the accurate guidances and instruction to the employees and also personally
interacting with them to attain such task within the set guidelines.
TASK 2
In this, the theory or the views which is presented by the Richard Branson's in this case
study is relevant to the market situation and the needs of the customer which they are preferring
from the Virgin brand.
Evidence 1:
The evidences which are discussed by the Richard Branson's leadership style, as this case
study is relating to the examining the views of the customer which they are facing regarding not
undertaking their feedback in right manner. It is also examined that the customer are not
disclosed the competed information about the products usage and it reliability after using such
product for particular time period. Thus, Transformational leadership model is applied in this
perspective through enhancing the brand value instead of facing on earning money. As the
growth of business retains, if the customer needs are satisfied instead of providing the products
in respect of earning money (Willis, Clarke and O'Connor, 2017).
In such aspects, the transformational leadership model is applied in respect of adapting
new ideas in the business through providing the products on the bases of cool concepts. This
result in enhancing the customer needs by disclosing every information which is relevant to the

products and also share all the information, before dealing in purchasing the products. Through
this manner, the leadership can be transformed regarding adapting new ideas in the business.
Evidence 2:
The issues are raised in the business regarding employee turnover. As employees not fix
their interest in the period of more than 2 year, and they prefer to shift from the jobs on
continuous bases. The reason behind such issues is raised relating to the lack of interest of
employees or not appreciating the work in better way. But in case of Virgin, the employees
interest are trained as they are happy with the working environment which is provided to them in
business. Thus, in respect of maintaining the interest of the employees for longer time period, the
transformation is to be done on the bases of the providing flexibility to the employees to work as
per their set flexibility.
As no boundation is imposed upon the person regarding accomplishing the task or
competing the working hours. The particular target is set which is to be completed within the
stipulated day and also quality work is to be provided to the customer (Carleton, Barling and
Trivisonno, 2018). Thus, the procedure to transform the business policies is relating to making
the business fun. This can be adapted by organizing the events in which the sports or other
cultural events is organized which helps the employees to interact with each other and also
develop strong working culture in the Virgin.
Evidence 3:
Online is the biggest platform which enhances the sales in business through attracting
large number of person towards the company. In the theory of the Richard Branson, they choose
the best promotional technique to promote the brand of the Virgin. As advertisement is the
common concept which is mainly adapted by the companies in respect of promoting the
company products. So, in such cases they use the platform in the form of media in which they
personally interact with the new channel through wearing the unique dress which attract the press
interest. The transformation which they adapted in the business is relating to the beginning with
the series of the daredevil escapades. In this case, they mainly bring the innovative and creative
ideas which attract the people through promoting the business by using the wired things. The
transformation in this case study is relating to not felling shy in respect of sharing any view or
thoughts which bring happiness to the customer or which retain their interest.

In such aspect, the transformation is to be done regarding freely sharing their views and
thoughts in respect of motivating the other person to share their views which they feel during
attaining the task. The leaders can use this style in respect of motivating their team and
individual to discuss the thoughts and ideas freely at work place. Through this manner, their
ideas can enhances the growth of the business and also stable the reputation of the Virgin media
for longer time period.
Evidence 4:
In this, the matters related to working as a team is determined, as the assistant manager is
given the chance to take all the decision and also given rights to manage the new company. By
attaining the work in right manner, they implemented to bring changes in their polices by
recruiting the talented person and manage their work in better manner. In respect of undertaking
the matters as the transformation model, it is stated that the manager not take the credit if the
things are going in right direction and even they appreciated the team to work in effective way
and also provide various rewards and appreciations (Breevaart and Bakker, 2018). But if the
thing go wrong, they took all the risk and also stands for the losses which is incurred in the
business. As usually in other cases, the leaders punish the employees if they committed or deal in
any wrong activity. But in case transformational leadership style, it results in gaining advantages
through giving chances to the employees to take their own decision and if they not understand
the way of doing the things, they can interpret their own ideas to attempt the task in right
manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, the report conclude the matters relating to the transformational
leadership model in which the role of leaders is to inspire, motivate and encourage the employees
to bring new ideas at work place. Their main role is to shape the business through sustaining
their positions in market which results in gaining more success to the business. It is also
discussed in the above case study which results in transforming the leadership model through
adapting new ideas to attempt the task to gain major advantages in Virgin brand.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aga, D.A., Noorderhaven, N. and Vallejo, B., 2016. Transformational leadership and project
success: The mediating role of team-building. International Journal of Project
Management. 34(5). pp.806-818.
Breevaart, K. and Bakker, A.B., 2018. Daily job demands and employee work engagement: The
role of daily transformational leadership behavior. Journal of occupational health
psychology. 23(3). p.338.
Buil, I., Martínez, E. and Matute, J., 2019. Transformational leadership and employee
performance: The role of identification, engagement and proactive
personality. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 77. pp.64-75.
Carleton, E.L., Barling, J. and Trivisonno, M., 2018. Leaders’ trait mindfulness and
transformational leadership: The mediating roles of leaders’ positive affect and
leadership self-efficacy. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne
des sciences du comportement. 50(3). p.185.
Hawkins, P., 2017. Leadership team coaching: Developing collective transformational
leadership. Kogan Page Publishers.
Ng, T.W., 2017. Transformational leadership and performance outcomes: Analyses of multiple
mediation pathways. The Leadership Quarterly. 28(3). pp.385-417.
Thibault, T., Gulseren, D.B. and Kelloway, E.K., 2019. The benefits of transformational
leadership and transformational leadership training on health and safety outcomes.
In Increasing Occupational Health and Safety in Workplaces. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Willis, S., Clarke, S. and O'Connor, E., 2017. Contextualizing leadership: Transformational
leadership and Management‐By‐Exception‐Active in safety‐critical contexts. Journal of
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