Assignment Sample on Personal Leadership Development Plan And Portfolio

Introduction

Leadership towards mastery of leading self and global cultures has included successful establishment of a deep realization of oneself. It establishes cultural intelligence with effective leading and collaboration with people, who are coming from diversified and different backgrounds.

Personal Leadership and Development Plan (PLDP) is a document, which has mainly outlined a person’s strategies and goals for personal and professional development growth in becoming a leader further (Dima, Meseșan Schmitz, & Șimon, 2021). This roadmap has also helped people to determine their key strengths, weaknesses, and major development areas. This framework has also helped to set achievable goals, develop strategies, and monitor progress over time.

In this study, through successful application of key and relevant leadership theories and models/frameworks, concepts of workplace problems of the chosen global company have been critically evaluated. The chosen global company is Apple. The role and impact of leadership on organizational culture within a VUCA global business environment have also been depicted. Based on Apple’s current CEO and leader, Tim Cook, as a role model, personal style and views on effective leadership have also been presented. Furthermore, at the end of the study, an in-depth PLDP has been produced along with a succinct brief of conclusion at the same time.

 Task 1: Leadership Theories and Models/Frameworks with Concepts in Workplace Problems

Strategic Issue/Problematic Situation

The major problematic situation or strategic issue that the chosen company, Apple faced while working is its declining market share of its flagship operating system (OS), iOS. In the face of such increasing rivalry from several mobile OS like Windows and Android, this situation can also be considered complex, wicked, and ambiguous (Verdict.co.uk, 2021). The pandemic has also staggered the whole business environment. It has also threatened the company’s key business field and also needed a strategic response.

Figure 1: Good Leadership

Source: (Samimi, Cortes, Anderson, & Herrmann, 2022)

For addressing this issue faced by Apple, the effective leadership approach has been justified. It should be needed for transforming the company’s core business model and infrastructure from dependence on iOS. It has also focused on cloud computing solutions and services (Samimi, Cortes, Anderson, & Herrmann, 2022). The company’s mobile-first, cloud-first strategy has been implemented and transformed the whole business development and emphasis on its cloud-based products and services.

A rich work culture of innovation and collaboration with the company has also helped to encourage teams to work together. It also helps to develop unique products and services. By fostering profitable business partnerships with other organizations, Apple’s products can become more compatible with other platforms and channels thereafter (Golensky & Hager, 2020). Effective leadership actions have helped to transform the company’s business model in regaining its competitive edge.

Effective Leadership Style, Skills, and Behavior with Models/Theories and Justification

If I was leading the organization as the CEO of Apple during that unusual period of strategic issues and challenges faced, I should follow the following leadership styles with required skills and behavior below:

• Transformational Leadership: It would be crucial for inspiring and motivating workers to enhance the change needed for the shift towards cloud computing solutions and services. There must also be a need for ensuring a transparent vision of work toward the future direction of the organization(Eva, Robin, Sendjaya, van Dierendonck, & Liden, 2019). Extensive communications with workers and inspiration for work have also been needed for achieving their goals aligning with company’s vision and mission.

This leadership style has taught me that inspiring and motivating employees towards a shared vision can lead to significant positive changes. Clear communication and transparency in the vision of the organization are essential for achieving goals aligned with the company’s mission. It has also taught me the importance of fostering a sense of purpose and passion in the workplace.

• Authentic Leadership: It might also become necessary for developing trust and credibility/authenticity with workers. It also helps to manage and satisfy involved key stakeholders of the organization. By becoming more clear and precise in the work and business communication field, it has also become able to establish a rich and nurtured work culture(Einola & Alvesson, 2021). Inclusivity of work and openness has also been needed, which will also foster strong connections with workers and other relevant business people or parties after.

This leadership style has taught me the importance of building trust and credibility with my team and stakeholders. It has also shown me the value of clear communication and creating an inclusive work environment. By prioritizing authenticity and openness, I have been able to establish a strong work culture that fosters strong connections with team members and other relevant parties.

• Servant Leadership: It would be crucial for addressing the issue of Apple. Actual needs should be embraced with employee well-being and stakeholder safety. Active listening should be embedded against concerns and feedback, which also helps to determine positive business perspectives in making the best decisions in business with interests involved(Simha, 2022). Employee empowerment should be needed for ensuring success, whereas a rich work culture equipped with enhanced collaboration and empathy has also been justified. It should lead to better performance of work and outcomes for the organization.

This leadership style has taught me the importance of prioritizing employee well-being and stakeholder safety while actively listening to concerns and feedback. By empowering employees and creating a collaborative and empathetic work culture, the organization can achieve better outcomes. It has also shown me the value of making decisions based on positive business perspectives and interests involved.

• Ethical and Responsible Leadership: Finally, it would also become essential for ensuring that Apple’s actions and decisions have aligned with core values and principles. By holding self and others responsible for maintaining such ethical standards, informed decisions can be made for managing and satisfying key stakeholders with benefits.

This leadership style has taught me the importance of aligning actions and decisions with core values and principles. It has also shown me the value of holding myself and others accountable for maintaining ethical standards and making informed decisions that benefit key stakeholders.

Now, if I was the CEO of the company at that time, Fiedler’s Contingency Theory of leadership should be justified. Successful determination of situational favorableness should also be considered. It has mainly stated the core effectiveness of becoming a prominent leader (Simha, 2022). Key steps have been demonstrated as follows:

1. Leader-Member Relationship: Trust should be built with workers and understanding. Positive thoughts should be conveyed for overcoming the issue. Critical discussions and meetings would be beneficial for making a happy and good workplace(Worley & Jules, 2020). A work culture with open communication, active listening, and mutual respect should also be needed to embed.
2. Task Structure: Beneficial tasks should be allocated to employees with expected productivity and profitability. By delivering such flexibility to workers, their work-life balance and stress can be managed easily(Dima, Meseșan Schmitz, & Șimon, 2021). Clear instructions for cloud computing should outline key work goals, and scope of work, and deliver feedback on their whole performance thereafter.
3. Position Power: Finally, power should be used for ensuring the betterment of all employees within Apple. Feasible rules and regulations should be enacted, through which a fostered and rich culture-oriented workplace can be built. Due to the pandemic, all kinds of precautionary measures such as social distancing, testing, vaccination, and others have also needed to conduct properly. As a CEO, with such significant position power in the workplace, has also become to enable seamless delivery of resources, allocated budgets, and making critical decisions(Dima, Meseșan Schmitz, & Șimon, 2021). Thus, it has also been needed to facilitate successful and productive transformation procedures with major benefits.

Furthermore, the Authentic Leadership Style has also been justified against this issue faced by Apple and the pandemic hit. Adequate levels of employee health and safety have also been ensured.

Task 2: Organizational Culture – Role and Impact of Leadership in VUCA Global Environment

Role and Impact of Leadership in Organizational Culture with Models/Theories and Justification

Apple is a global organization, which has been operating in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Leadership has played key role in shaping and influencing its business culture for determining success. In Steve Job’s leadership, Apple fostered a work culture of innovation and creativity. His passion and design for work were beautiful and fully functional. These have been reflected in Apple’s products like iPod, iPhone, and iPad, which have also revolutionized the IT industry. In recent times, at Apple, a strong emphasis has fallen upon corporate social responsibility (CSR), inclusivity, and environmental sustainability (Schulze, et al., 2021). These values have also reflected Apple’s product development and design fulfilling its mission. In such a VUCA environment, the company has tended to stay ahead of its competitors with innovation.

Strategic Leadership: This aspect has helped Apple to realize the VUCA environment of business. In vision and purpose, the company is quite instrumental in setting a clear vision and purpose. It helps to remain focused in the market and agile in the face of VUCA challenges. Innovation and Creativity have also pushed the company to invest a hefty amount in research and development (R&D) to gain a competitive edge in the market. As the culture of innovation is within Apple’s business DNA from the first, it should help to thrive in such a VUCA environment (Mamatha & Geetanjali, 2020). Agile Decision-Making approach has been implemented in Apple, which also enables it to respond quickly in this ever-changing market environment with fostered work culture. Strategic leadership in Apple has focused on increasing employee engagement with empowerment.

This leadership style has taught me the importance of setting a clear vision and purpose while remaining agile in a VUCA business environment. It has also shown me the value of investing in innovation and creativity to gain a competitive edge. By implementing an agile decision-making approach and fostering employee engagement and empowerment, an organization can respond quickly to market changes and thrive in a VUCA environment.

Cultural Web: This framework has helped to analyze and realize the business culture of Apple. Amongst its key elements, Stories of Apple is known for its brand narrative and iconic attitude. A sense of identity has been developed with purposes. Symbols such as Apple’s logo have also reinforced the brand’s identity, whereas Apple’s sleek design-oriented products have also increased commitment to excellence and innovation in business. Power Structures of Apple in a centralized manner have embraced informed decision-making in business with innovation and creativity. Control Systems of Apple should ensure its standards in the market, which have also included rigorous quality control processes and strict guidelines for developers in the same platform (Mamatha & Geetanjali, 2020). The Organizational Structure of Apple is fully operational, whereas its key competencies have maintained a high degree of market integration. Rituals and Routines of Apple have also emphasized its rich and proactive work culture and values with success and applications.

Shein’s Model of Culture: Artifacts and Behaviors at Apple is highly transparent and known. Most Apple products’ minimalist aesthetic has exhibited certain attitudes like innovation focus and attention to detail. Espoused Values of Apple have involved a dedication to creativity, innovation, product design, and user experience (UX). These have also helped to fulfill the company’s mission and values in the market (Cook, Fussell, & Simonds, 2022). Basic Underlying Assumptions at Apple have involved a belief in powered design and strong focus on enhanced control and security. It also helps to reinforce the whole brand image and symbols in the core technology industry at the same time.

Task 3: Leadership Role Model – Shaping Personal Style and Views on Effective Leadership

Admiring Leader with Reasons/Justification

The chosen global business leader of the study has been identified as the current CEO of Apple, Tim Cook. He has been credited with successfully leading Apple through a time of tremendous innovation and growth since 2011. He is also recognized for his strategic vision and capability of handling complex business operations and supply chain networks. During his tenure, Cook has ensured a strong commitment and dedication in terms of maximizing sustainability along with corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Apple. During this time, the company has also made major investments in renewable energy solutions. He has also taken key steps for improving the workplace environment and supply chain system of the same. Tim Cook has also been considered a vocal advocate of community development and has publicly spoken out against discrimination in the workplace. Cook is also recognized for his contribution as well as his focus on users’ privacy and security, which has also been considered the key specification of numerous Apple products. He had also been a powerful proponent of encryption and also taken numerous steps and actions for protecting the same at the same time (Bromley & Meyer, 2021). Tim Cook’s leadership style has also been characterized by innovation, social responsibility, and ethics thereafter.

Linking to Leadership Style and Influence

Within such a diversified and multicultural work/business environment, it is essential for leaders in adopting the Transformational Leadership theory to follow. Its values have leveraged workforce diversity. As a leader, it has become able to inspire and motivate workers with full potential and richness to be developed. A shared vision and values across the company are also effective in this VUCA world, whereas the capability of adapting and innovating culture is justified. Moreover, a culturally sensitive leadership style has also been recognized and valued for realizing different cultural norms and values of people according to a prominent leadership style (Chiu, 2019). In some cases, direct communication and confirmation should also be made for ensuring honesty and clarity in the workplace. That is why the transformational leadership approach should embed a value of diversity against major cultural differences at work in such a VUCA business world. Enhanced levels of employee engagement and motivation have also been needed.

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Model is applied in companies like Apple. It helps to understand the major cultural differences in the workplace. In this way, prominent leadership strategies and a cohesive organizational culture can be developed (Chiu, 2019). In a culture with high power distance, leaders might expect to acquire more authoritarian leadership style, while in a culture with low rate, a more participative leadership would be incorporated.

Apart from that; it has also been needed to realize the major differences between individualism versus collectivism, which might impact how key business terms can be organized with informed decisions to be made. In a more collectivist work culture, group consensus might be valued over individual decision-making. In a more individualistic culture of work, personal contributions can be more highly valued (Watson, Pelkey, Noyes, & Rodgers, 2019). Hence, Apple can navigate the complexities of the VUCA world by establishing a strong and productive work culture, whereas diversity values have been justified with inclusivity.

Task 4: Development of Personal Leadership Development Plan (PLDP)

Current Role and Development Stage

• Current Role: MBA Student
• Stage of Development: Early-Career Professional

As an MBA student, I want to become an effective leader in my future professional career. Hence, my PLDP will include successful identification of core values, a growth mindset, extensive communication, sound teamwork skills, professional network development, and gained practical experience.

Career/Leadership Development Goals – SMART

Table 1: SMART Goals

(Source: Self-created)

Current Leadership Strengths and Skills

Table 2: Key Leadership Strengths and Skills

(Source: Self-created)

These key leadership strengths and skills of myself have helped me to become a prominent leader in the professional field or career.

Key Developmental Areas

Here are three key developmental areas, which have been needed to achieve my main career/leadership development aims below:

1. Public Speaking and Communication Skills
2. Project Management and Planning Skills, and
3. Strategic Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills.

All of these key developmental areas have helped me a lot in terms of ensuring a permanent place in the field of profession and career.

Action Plan

Overall Goals in 5 Years:

• To complete the MBA course with honed skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership to get a permanent position of work in my career with professional development.
• To gain practical work experience through internships with better understanding of the corporate world of business embodied with rich academic learning, knowledge, and networking.
• To pursue further education and courses based on my need for nurturing knowledge in a specific field.
• To develop a professional network with strong connections with people in gaining viable insights and guidance for future growth, success, and development.
• To explore and engage across numerous volunteering opportunities to enrich interpersonal and communication skills.

Table 1: Action Plan of PLDP

(Source: Self-developed)

Reflection – Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle Model

• Concrete Experiences: In this stage, as an MBA student, I have set three key career/leadership development goals using the SMART approach. Those have consisted of PR/networking skills, communication skills, and practical leadership experience skills thereafter(Tyler, Collares, Byrne, & Byrne-Davis, 2019).
• Reflective Observation: In this phase, I have analyzed that my existing key leadership strengths and skills have helped a lot in shaping the key areas for development in the future(Roche, Bell, Martin, Mc Loone, Mathieson, & Sommer, 2021).
• Abstract Conceptualization: In this step, I have also developed an action plan or PLDP. Additionally, it has played major role to bolster and nurture my communication, networking, and leadership skills(Ansyari, Groot, & De Witte, 2022).
• Active Experimentation: Finally, in this stage, I am also looking for implementing and using the same action plan as well as evaluating the whole success of growth and development further(Huang & Yip, 2021).

This reflective cycle model has also embraced the actual need and importance of ongoing reflection and learning for future professional and personal growth with development at the same time.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that in the modern business era of globalization, leadership, and organizational culture have been considered major aspects. Against the strategic problem faced by Apple, it has been understood that effective leadership styles, skills, and behaviors have been needed for addressing such a complex business condition. In this regard, the transformational leadership theory, servant leadership style, and Fiedler’s Contingency Theory have been justified. The impacts of leadership and culture in Apple have also played pivotal roles to handle a diverse range of business complexities and difficulties in such a VUCA global environment. In this regard, the cultural web model and Schein’s three dimensions of culture model have also helped to interpret the actual need and importance of having a rich business culture.

A PLDP has also been curated with the help of the SMART technique. From this action plan, I can understand that there must also be a need for nurturing communication, networking, and leadership skills to be nurtured further. In this regard, Kolb’s Reflective Cycle has also been used to determine key stages of my learning as an MBA student with major reflections and thoughts. To shape professional development and success, employee engagement skills and abilities have also been needed to grow and develop further with viable insights and advantages at the same point.

References

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Golensky, M., & Hager, M. (2020). Strategic leadership and management in nonprofit organizations: Theory and practice. London: Oxford University Press, UK.

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