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IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP IN ADMINISTRATION

Conference Paper · September 2013

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2588.1120

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IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP 1

IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP

IN ADMINISTRATION

In the paper you will cover the following topics.

 What is Leadership in Administration?
 Why do we need it? What if we lack it?
 How do we align the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s vision for
success?
 How might we develop an ethical culture, which is very important to your CEO?
 Discuss Administrative Leadership responsibilities:
o to the staff (consider diversity and equality);
o to the company (consider measurable outcomes);
o to society (consider corporate social responsibilities).
 Summarize with a compelling message of how important this proposed strategy
is to the success of the company.

Simon A. Elhajj

Duquesne University

Donald McAndrews/ MSPA 701-56

September 24, 2013

 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 2

Introduction

Managers are important in the companies. Their role is to “Direct others in

performing their task. They focus on objects by producing and selling goods and

services. They maintain stability and create culture of efficiency” (Daft, 2011, p. 16). On

the other hand, leaders create vision and strategy. They help others to grow; focus on

people; inspire and motivate. They create change and a culture of integrity. (Daft, 2011).

In this paper, I will define leadership in administration and why it is important.

Furthermore, I will focus on Strategic business plan and ethical environment in a

company. At the end, I will explore Administrative leadership responsibilities to the staff,

to the company, and to the society.

What is leadership in administration?

We need to look at the meaning of leadership and administration to get an

answer to what is leadership in administration.

“Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real

changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes” (Daft, 2011, p. 5). It “Consists

of guiding, encouraging, and facilitating others in the pursuit of ends by the use of

means, both of which they have either selected or approved” (Ackoff, 1999, p. 21).

Administration is “To seek to make the best possible use of the resources available in

achieving the goal of the enterprise” (Wren, Bedeian, and breeze, 2002, p. 911). It

“Consists of directing others in carrying out the will of a third party using means selected

by that party” (Ackoff, 1999, p. 21).

 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 3

Leadership in administration is the leading of the body of a company to achieve the

goals that were a result of the vision, mission, and purpose that are created by the

leaders of this company.

Why do we need it? What if we lack it?

We need the leadership in administration because there is a big role an

administrative leadership plays especially in Strategic business planning. The latter “is

the key to developing a business so that it runs effectively and efficiently” (Reading,

2002, p.1).

Fayol states that administration is “in charge of the staff making it in most cases the

predominant function, for we all know that, even if a firm has perfect machinery and

manufacturing processes, it is doomed to failure if it is run by an inefficient staff” (Wren,

Bedeian, and Breeze, 2002, p. 908). Without the leadership in administration “The

organization would fall apart” (Daft, 2011, p. 7).

How do we align the rapidly growing organization

around the CEO’s vision for success?

We do that by having clear strategic business planning. “It enables an

organization to operate by providing a forum and a structured process to resolve

internal confusion and to channel energy and effort in a commonly agreed direction”

(Reading, 2002, p. 4).

We need to have a focused company that shares a common purpose, communicates

clear strategy, and efficiency at work.

 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 4

Reading, (2002), talks about the common purpose that is shared by everybody in the

company: “The result is an organization where functions and departments are directing

their efforts to achieve a common purpose. In addition, the way people, systems and

technology are organized and resourced supports the functions in moving towards that

common purpose” (p. 5).

Another source that helps in aligning the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s

vision for success is by communications. “Communicating a clear strategy to employees

and ensuring they understand how their contribution is important for its success is the

first requirement for creating a focused business. At a detailed level what is required is

that everything in the company is aligned with the company purpose” (Reading, 2002, p.

5).

Another requirement we talked about in helping a focused company is efficiency.

Drucker (Reading 2002) says that: “efficiency is doing things right” (p. 5).

As a result of all these answers, we can explore the benefits of strategic business

planning. Reading (2002) talks about these benefits as follows: “The benefits of

strategic business planning are threefold:

 an understanding by all senior management of the business, its unique attributes,

why customers buy from it, and the opportunities and threats it faces;

 a clear concept of where the business is going and the actions everyone will take

to move it there;

 A commitment by the leadership team to make the strategic plan work and to

ensure that the company moves in the direction they have decided is the best for

its future” (p.8).

 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 5

How might we develop an ethical culture,

which is very important to your CEO?

A first way to do that is by creating ethical policies. First we have to know that

“Ethics has to do with the right and wrong of human conduct “ (Stimson, 2005, p. 69).

He continues: “Ethical policies affect the performance of employees; therefore,

ensuring ethical management at the process level enhances process performance and

benefits management in return” (Stimson, 2005, p. 73). In a company we can see a

code of ethics helps in developing an ethical culture. Management, employees,

customers, and society benefit from this code. It works for everyone. “All responsible

institutions use a code of conduct or ethics, naturally tailored to their business and quite

often confidential” (Stimson, 2005, p. 74).

A second way to develop an ethical culture, which is very important to the CEO is by

developing emotionally intelligent leaders. “Emotionally intelligent leaders, especially

those with well-developed interpersonal and empathy skills, are more likely to be able to

appreciate the impact of their behavior and are also more likely to care about the

consequences. They are also more likely to want to understand what is important to the

people who work in their organizations and society at large. EI leaders tend to be more

engaging because people can relate to them; they will feel more accessible, inspire trust

and have a greater understanding of what is considered fair. Therefore, developing

emotionally intelligent leaders is crucial to developing ethical organizations” (Gregory,

2010, p. 47).
 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 6

Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:

To the staff ( consider diversity and equality)

“Organizations establish workforce diversity programs to promote the hiring,

inclusion, and career advancement of diverse employees and to ensure that differences

are accepted and respected in the workplace. A workforce is made up of people with

different human qualities or who belong to various cultural groups” (Daft, 2011, p. 332).

Diversity includes everyone. It refers to “All the ways in which people differ, including

dimensions such as age, race, marital status, physical ability, income level, and

lifestyle” (Daft, 2011, p. 332).

Successful leaders in an increasingly diverse world have a responsibility to

acknowledge and value cultural differences and understand how diversity affects

organizational operations and outcomes. “Strong culturally-sensitive leadership can

move organizations toward diversity, whereby people are valued for the abilities they

bring to the workplace. Leaders should develop a culture that supports inclusion and full

participation of all individuals, regardless of race, gender, age, cultural or ethnic group,

physical ability, or other characteristics” (Daft, 2011, p. 349).

Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:

To the company (consider measurable outcomes)

A main responsibility for the administrative leader is that he “Must institutionalize

practices for observing past experiences and capturing what works and what doesn’t

work in an effort to improve. Key activities involve post-mortem analysis of work, and

training on areas where the organization is weak. Sometimes weaknesses are related to
 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 7

skills, and sometimes lack of process. In both cases, processes and procedures need to

be addressed and trained” (McAndrews, 2013, p. 9).

Their role is to “Define the task, concentrate work on it, define performance, make the

employee partner in productivity improvement and the first source of ideas for it, and

build continuous learning and continuing teaching into the job of every employee and

work team” (Drucker, 1991, p. 79).

We can measure the outcomes by the supply and demand. When we see more

customers, this will let us understand that the quality of the products or services is good.

Near that we need to make sure that we have well trained employees that have high

skills in maintaining this success.

Discuss Administrative leadership responsibilities:

To society (consider corporate social responsibilities).

“Raising the productivity of service work is administrative leader’s

(management’s) first social responsibility “(Drucker, 1991, p. 79).

His role is to make the “company stay in business” (McAndrews, 2013, p. 11).He can do

that through Sustainability. The latter “Meet the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (McAndrews,

2013, p. 11). He can do that through clear vision.

Summary

We cannot imagine a company without an administrative leader. He has the

biggest role in growing this company. Without his presence or even his good skills, the

company might lose money in big amounts and might fall apart. One of his duties is to
 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 8

develop an ethical culture by presenting himself as a model. A second role is to unite

the body of this company by sharing the vision, mission and purpose through a strategic

business plan. That will align the rapidly growing organization around the CEO’s vision

for success. He holds responsibility to the staff, to the company and to society.

Leadership in administration is not a one person role; it is everyone’s role in the

company. Any individual, manager and executive have to play this role for the success

of the company. Leadership in administration is a team work sharing one purpose.

 IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP- 9

References

Ackoff, R. L. (1999). Transformational leadership. Strategy & Leadership, 27(1), 20-25.

Retrieved December 28, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
38782927).

Daft, R. L. 2011. The Leadership Experience (5th. Ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.

Drucker, P. F. (1991). The New Productivity Challenge. (cover story). Harvard Business
Review, 69(6), 69-79.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Gregory, P. (2010, September). Ethical leadership. Training Journal, 44-47.

Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
2142960721).

McAndrews, D. (2013, September 14). MSPA 701 weeks 3-4 Slides.pdf, 1-14.
Retrieved September 15, 2013, from Duquesne university blackboard website:
https://duquesne.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-858136-dt-content-rid-
3663119_1/xid 3663119_.

Reading, C. (2002). The Purpose of Strategic Business Planning. In C. Reading

(Ed.)Strategic Business Planning, (2nd ed., pp. [7]-16) London: Kogan Page.
Retrieved December 30, 2010, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale:
http://go.galegroup.com.authenticate.library.duq.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=pl3834

Stimson, W. A. (2005). A Deming inspired management code of ethics. Quality

Progress, 38(2), 67-69+.
Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:
795172061).

Wren, D. A., Bedeian, A. G., & Breeze, J. D. (2002). The foundations of Henri Fayol's
administrative theory. Management Decision, 40(9), 906-918.

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