Analysis of Delegative Leadership in Virgin Group: A Report

This report analyzes the application of delegative leadership within the Virgin Group, focusing on its impact on organizational growth and employee accountability. It begins with an introduction to leadership and the delegative style, highlighting its use by Richard Branson. The report then conducts a gap analysis, identifying the competencies needed for future leadership success and comparing them to the current capabilities within the Virgin Group. This analysis includes an examination of critical leadership skills, future requirements, and present variances, using illustrations and data from research to support the findings. The report concludes by summarizing the findings and emphasizing the role of delegative leadership in preparing the Virgin Group for future challenges. References to academic journals and online resources are provided to support the research.

Leadership

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
GAP Analysis on Applying Delegative Leadership in Virgin Group....................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERNCES...................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Leadership refers to a quality of an individual to influence and motivate people to
accomplish something that they wont do it otherwise. In the present report, delegation leadership
is stated which is used in Virgin group to promote higher growth rate of while improving quality.
According to Richard Branson, “The delegative leadership style allows him in finding out the
best talent that exists within company”. He states that every entrepreneur must master all the
delegation skills so that he can make people accountable and more responsible (Faraci, Lock and
Wheeler, 2013).
TASK
GAP Analysis on Applying Delegative Leadership in Virgin Group
Delegative leadership is known to be a style where leaders let their team mates take all
decisions and focus on efforts ensuring that they complete the tasks properly (MALOŞ, 2012).
This is commonly known to be Laissez faire form of leadership. Gap analysis will allow in
enriching this research and finding out variances that exist in the activities due to delegative
leadership style adopted by its founders.
IDENTIFYING THE NEED
According to Jean Brittain Leslie, who is a principal at Centre for Creative leadership,
there are 20 competencies that have to be there in a leader to be effective (Jean Brittain Leslie,
2015). This research was supported by Sir Richard Branson and other entrepreneurs as they
wanted to know about the future trends. Following graph states about the existing capabilities
against future requirements.
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(Source: Jean Brittain Leslie, 2015)
As stated in the graph, out of these 20 competencies, there are 10 skills which are most
critical and will prove to be highly effective in the future (Asgari, 2014). This allows
entrepreneurs in preparing their workforce according to the future requirements. They are stated
as below in the table:
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Illustration 1: Identifying needs

(Source: Jean Brittain Leslie, 2015)
These are the qualities that have to be present in managers in next five years. With
delegative leadership, company will be able to make managers and other employees more
accountable for their own performance while the top management will keep on analysing impact
that each one of them are able to make.
THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP DEFICIT
In Virgin group, there is certain amount of deficit present against the requirement of
future and this has to be fulfilled so that better efficiency and effectiveness can be achieved
(Belias and Koustelios, 2014). There is the need of 20 competencies to be in an effective leader.
there is a analysis of future requirements against current skills are measured which are stated in
the graph below:
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Illustration 2: Future Requirements VS Current Capabilities

(Source: Jean Brittain Leslie, 2015)
As shown in the image, it can be seen where competencies of individuals stand against
the requirement of future. This has to be corrected by company and management. Delegative
leadership will allow them in ensuring that each task is completed in a certain manner and people
are made responsible for their own performance (Furtner, Baldegger and Rauthmann, 2013).
Basically, the management will be easily able to identify leaders from within company. The
image shown below will help in understanding the needs vs current skills level in more
convenient way.
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Illustration 3: Present variances in leadership

(Source: Jean Brittain Leslie, 2015)
There are different ways in which managers can focus on developing the required
qualities in people. They can be given with training, change management classes, guidance, real
time experience and constant feedback from experts to improve (Faraci, Lock and Wheeler,
2013). Delegative leadership style will assist in improving the identified gaps in a more
convenient manner.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the report that leadership is a quality that allows an individual in
influencing his surroundings in a way that they all are able to achieve their goals effectively. It
includes guidance, motivation and determination. Also, gap analysis has been used to assess the
requirement of future and variance that exist in present. This will assist Virgin group in preparing
a future ready workforce.
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Illustration 4: Most critical skills required in future

REFERNCES
Books and Journals
Faraci, P., Lock, M. and Wheeler, R., 2013. Assessing leadership decision-making styles:
psychometric properties of the leadership Judgement indicator. Psychology research and
behavior management. 6. p.117.
MALOŞ, R., 2012. LEADERSHIP STYLES. Annals of Eftimie Murgu University Resita,
Fascicle II, Economic Studies.
Asgari, M. R., 2014. The effect of leadership styles on employees commitment to services
quality in bank melli branches of isfahan. Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business
and Management Review. 3(12). pp.113-129.
Belias, D. and Koustelios, A., 2014. Leadership and job satisfaction–A review. European
Scientific Journal. ESJ. 10(8).
Furtner, M. R., Baldegger, U. and Rauthmann, J. F., 2013. Leading yourself and leading others:
Linking self-leadership to transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire
leadership. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 22(4). pp.436-
449.
Online
Jean Brittain Leslie., 2015. The leadership Gap. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Leadership-Gap-What-You-
Need.pdf>. [Accessed on 5th October 2017].
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