HR9737 Leadership and Management
Introduction
The entire essay will develop an autonomous understanding of self-awareness and hence will first define self-awareness and then will critically understand self-awareness in the context of team development and emotional intelligence by taking on justifications from a range of research articles. Additionally, the essay will ensure that the importance of self-awareness in the operation of a manager is rightly evaluated, by taking extensive literature support and developing arguments based on a theoretical framework. Moreover, the essay will bring forth a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses, as well as cite academic and professional key source points. In the next part, the essay will identify three areas critically and outline all the areas of developmental attitude through a reflective self-evaluation.
Part A – Academic Essay
Define and explanation of self-awareness
Self-awareness may be defined as the ability to understand one’s external environment and perceive that understanding in one’s actions, thoughts, values, beliefs, emotions and so on. Self-awareness has scope for development; it develops in various stages of one’s life and becomes the reflection of one’s own experience from the stages of life. Self-awareness plays an important role in one’s understanding of the world and also having empathy for others in a collaborative workplace. As (Stewart & Niero, 2018) mentioned the emotional intelligence of a leader is related to their self-awareness, furthermore the leader’s self-awareness skills affect the team change as well as overcoming change in the team. Also, a self-aware leader is self-confident which is important for the leader with quick decision-making as well as with crisis management. As (Daniëls Hondeghem & Dochy, 2019) have mentioned that self-awareness is also important for the skill development of the leaders and the management of an organisation to function. Self-awareness of the leaders and the management is also important in influencing the outcomes of a strategy implemented while giving better clarity on consulting the outcomes with the other employees of the organisation. Self-awareness within the management and leaders helps with the decision-making process regarding the multiple outcomes of one challenge within an organisation. Self-awareness is also useful in creating emotional intelligence and improves the ability to analyse the management’s shortcomings in the maintenance of the organisational goals and achievements.
Team working to increase self-awareness
Team working is an essential component for any manager to develop as an attribute, because without team working, a manager may not be able to create a culture of effective workplace integrity. Team performance in the age of hybrid work culture is a great benefit, and it works as an instrument to support the firm where all the co-working people get into a synergetic working atmosphere. A research study has been cited here, where the team working atmosphere is generally inquired and it has been seen that team working is effective only if the work is operated from the office (Van der Lippe & Lippényi, 2020). There are several team building frameworks which draw attention here and among them is the Lencioni Model, which shows all the possible negative attributes that occur during team building with time. A dysfunctional team is appropriately described in the Lencioni model, and factors such as poor commitment, no proper accountability, and conflicts usually occurring need to be analysed by the manager for creating a team without such major dysfunctions. A proper instance may be derived from a research study which states the possible dysfunctions that occur in a workplace, such as exploring if casual romantic affairs disturb the workplace and hence corrupt team authenticity (Dechamplain, 2021).
A manager’s self-awareness will be immensely improved if the team working is developed by understanding the possible dysfunction, as well as by diagnosing all the faults that the team holds. Moreover, here it needs to be added that the manager may follow the Katzenbach and Smith model which has distinct dimensions such as accountability, a series of commitment, skill development and being responsible towards work. The identity of the team matters to a length for developing a mature and effective team, as research finds that is a key characteristic of the modern team (Serrat & Serrat, 2021). Team development had been unarguably determined to be a strong aspect of modern team development, as it had been determined that shared leadership promotes team effectiveness through long-lasting communication and team adhesiveness. This may be restated by a research study where the use of a shared leadership theory had been used for determining a concrete team development theory (Lorinkova & Bartol, 2021). The research study says that such leadership is not so effective in the later portions of the team effectiveness, and many times it has been noted that team traits do impact the leadership attitude to be exercised (Lorinkova & Bartol, 2021).
Team building is not so easy given there are multiple challenges, and hence for the self-awareness of the manager to increase, a few important points need to be explained more coherently. These points serve as a guideline for building an effective team, such as aligning the team activities towards the achievement of the mission, developing short-term objectives, motivating team members, and developing an intriguing set (Chaney, 2021). While in the same context, it also may be explored that responsibility, understanding various opportunities and having strategic decisions may improve on self-awareness of the manager in budding an effective team (Chaney, 2021).
The development of team effectiveness is thoroughly intertwined with the actual strategies that the manager is taking on, and hence self-awareness may be improved if the manager is improving on team development actions. Qualitative data suggests that identifying the characteristics is a way to improve self-awareness, while also improving employee training, which does improve to a fair degree through evaluation of the employees on a subjective note (Urbancová et al. 2021). Freedom to act and experiment is one of the biggest characterises of a successful team, which is a driving force in modern-day team development. Also, communicating with the management and taking on to achieve certain objectives make team effectiveness better, which needs to be known by the manager. Moreover, it may be further added that a manager’s self-awareness may be thoroughly improved through feedback, as teams that are dependent on feedback and hence improve the performance quotient through performance do accurately improve self-awareness (Handke et al. 2022).
Emotional intelligence discussed
Emotional intelligence is a specific criterion that most times is lacking in team development, and to improve self-awareness, a manager needs to focus better on emotional intelligence development. Emotional intelligence is a significant factor that mediates leadership in an organisation, as research papers become more influential in assessing the link between emotional intelligence and management (Chen & Guo, 2018). The research has also generated a wider view of the possible benefits that emotional intelligence integrates within a manager, and hence the particular topic of emotional intelligence had been explored. Here, the trait model may be discussed because it correlates with the main findings of emotional intelligence and hence is proposed here. The trait model is more aligned with different personality characteristics that are either born or acquired naturally and hence it is representative of the emotional characteristic. Emotional intelligence had been discreetly analysed in the current session of study, and it had been found that most of the time conflict is resolved through emotional intelligence (Winardi, Prentice & Weaven, 2022).
The trait model is reviewed here to have an eminent discussion, as the self-awareness of the managers is related more to the behavioural traits that the managers have. The trait model highlights the existence of natural traits that define emotional intelligence, and hence for managers, it is important to improve on behavioural characteristics by incorporating the trait model. A reference may be extended further to the literature where the trait model has been applied to understand the behavioural changes that an employee experiences (Robinson, Hull & Petrides, 2020). Emotional intelligence is effectively measured through trait models because the model stresses individualistic thoughts as well as self-based perceptions, and hence the trait model is effective in measuring the entire effectiveness of a manager. A manager is entrusted with the responsibility of turning the emotional intelligence wheel, and it has been found that the self-awareness of the manager may improve by assessing emotional intelligence. Research has found that emotional intelligence helps promote helpful behaviour and hence creativity is essentially improved through enhancing it in the managers (Shafait et al. 2021). The ability model is a perfect one to be explored here, as the ability model is more related to measuring the way of perception of emotions, and developing an effective understanding of emotional integration. The ability model is more transparent and useful if compared to the other models, because the ability model has the scope of allowing perceiving the employee and manager’s emotions, and hence self-awareness may be boosted if the ability model is evaluated. A manager may have a broader knowledge of his self-awareness through perceiving how employees are feeling and how much is there an emotional connection among employees, whereas the ability model acts essentially better.
Part B – Establishment of the Possession and the Positional: A Self-analysis
Overview of the context of FMCG and analysis of the requirement for development
Overview of FMCG
In the present section of the report, the sector of FMCG will be selected whereby the skills required for becoming a successful professional in this industry is to be analysed. The FMCG industry is associated with products that consist of traits being purchased frequently, with the products being available at huge volumes and lower prices (Stewart & Niero, 2018). Therefore, the sector is considered to be extremely important in today’s fast-paced world and that may be regarded as an important factor for selecting the present sector. Furthermore, the increasing size of the FMCG market may be regarded as another important factor for choosing this sector, whereby the industry logistics in the current year is USD 1184.85 billion and is also expected to undergo a CAGR of approximately 5.09% during the predicted period of 2028 (Mordorintelligence.com, 2023).
Figure 1: FMCG growth rate
(Source: Mordorintelligence.com, (2023)
Required development
I am therefore, to be able to become an efficient manager of the FMCG industry, required to undertake strategies that may help in boosting my self-confidence and facilitate spousal skills by understanding the ways of enhancing communication. Furthermore, I am also required to build an efficient team that will work towards the betterment of the entire organisation. In addition to this, I am also required to control my stress level which may be responsible for adversely affecting the workforce and the overall profitability of the firm that I may be working in. Employees that are considered to be stressed are expected to develop depression which is responsible for decreasing the performance level due to the lack of concentration among the staff members (Saleem, Malik & Qureshi, 2021).
A Report on Self-analysis
To become a successful manager in the FMCG sector, it is required for person to have the skill set of motivating others, in addition to having the confidence in one’s self for implementing strategies for the betterment of the organisation. Furthermore, the manager is also required to have essential team-building capabilities whereby the establishment of an effective communication system is extremely important. The ability to build a team effectively may facilitate the level of coordination and effectiveness in communication among the members of the team (Potnuru, Sahoo & Sharma, 2018).
| Toolkit | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| 1. MBTI Test | 1. Sensitive to others
2. Imaginative and passionate 3. High curiosity level I am able to understand others’ feelings and thereby passionately work towards the welfare of both the employees and the firm. Furthermore, a high level of curiosity may be beneficial for formulating new strategies for organisational growth |
1. Easily stressed
2. Instability in self-esteem 3. Extremely independent I may become easily stressed in situations that may not be according to my standards and thereby I may create a work environment that is not positive. In addition to this, my fluctuating levels of self-esteem may affect the confidence level of the workforce as well and their performance may get affected. As I show the trait of being excessively independent, I may also be responsible for hindering teamwork.
|
| 2. Honey Mumford | 1. Analyse a situation from different viewpoints
2. High observatory power 3. In-depth analysis before reaching a conclusion I am able to undertake strategies that will help to view the opinions of everyone involved in a situation and thereby I am able to conclude a decision based on all sides of the story. Moreover, my heightened ability of observation helps me in further evaluating a situation effectively and arriving at appropriate decisions. |
1. Forced leadership intaking
2. Not having adequate time for preparing 3. Deadlines cause a rush in the activities Being a reflector, in any group tasks I am forced to take the leadership whereby I am unable to take the appropriate decision for the time crunch. Furthermore, the lack of time also does not allow me to analyse the situation elaborately and thereby I may be taking more time than required for making a decision that may affect the performance level of the firm |
| 3. Big Five | 1. Facilitates teamwork
2. High sense of curiosity 3. Possessing the trait of trusting others I have the characteristics of being humble and thereby easily trusting others, which may be regarded as an important factor for initiating working in teams. Thereby the performance level of the team may be responsible for facilitating the overall performance of the company. |
1. Excessive worrying
2. Stubborn 3. Extremely cautious The negative emotions that I possess, such as the characteristic of showing excessive worry may negatively affect the motivational level of the personnel. In addition to this, being extremely stubborn may hinder my ability to undertake others’ perspectives and the staff members therefore may feel not valued enough in the firm.
|
| 4. 3 Minute motivation checklist | 1. Ability to develop on a personal front
2. Getting hit with challenges 3. Variation in the work being done I am able to feel motivated in the event of developing personally while working and additionally also feel motivated when there are a lot of challenges in the work being done. Furthermore, I also enjoy having the opportunity to undertake variations in the job that I am assigned. |
1. Performing in teams
2. Being helpful to others I am extremely independent and thereby I do not feel motivated when there arises the situation of me performing in teams. Additionally, my inability to help others may also be responsible for the declining performance level of the enterprise. |
| 5. Goleman EI Questionnaire | 1. Empathy
2. Regulation of the self I am extremely empathetic towards others and thereby I am able to understand their emotions and work on the welfare of the personnel. This helps in facilitating their performance level, in addition to having good regulatory power over myself. |
1. Motivation
2. Skills facilitating social interactions I am required to develop motivation skills that lack a bot, which is an important factor for facilitating the performance level of the workforce. In addition to this, I also lack in my social interaction skills which may negatively impact the information flow within the firm. |
| 6. Belbin team role | 1. Reliable and efficient
2. Practical I am extremely reliable while working in an organisation and also flexible which may positively affect the company and its workforce |
1. Inflexible
2. Slow to change adaptation Being inflexible, I have a hard time accepting changes and require a lot of time for being able to be comfortable with any new strategy that may slow down the firm’s productivity. |
| 7. CEME Questionnaire | 1. Being determined in work
2. Possession of knowledge The trait of being determined in whatever I undertake may be regarded as one of the major strengths that may help in the improvement and growth of the organisation. Furthermore, I also possess extended knowledge regarding the work that I am assigned to do which in turn helps me to upgrade my standards. |
1. Low level of confidence
2. Not being clear with ambition I lack confidence which may be detrimental to the enterprise, because of my ability to decide and follow strategies with conviction. Furthermore, the confusion that I have regarding my true ambition may also confuse the employees and adversely affect the profitability of the firm. |
Table 1: Development of Leadership and Management
(Source: Self-created)
The strengths and weaknesses that have been analysed in the above table may be further illustrated by the utilisation of the Johari Window Model, wherein, the model may be utilised for understanding one’s self as well as the others (Koca & Erigüç, 2020). The other
From the MBTI Test, it has been analysed that I am able to be sensitive to others, which may be regarded as the blind spot dimension, and additionally, the weakness in fluctuating self-esteem may be regarded as the hidden area dimension of the theoretical framework of Johari’s window. In addition to this, according to the Honey Mumford Questionnaire and the Big Five Personality Test, I have gained the knowledge of high observatory power and also am able to easily trust others that facilitate teamwork and may be regarded as an open area of the model. Additionally, the two tests have also identified certain weaknesses that may involve excessive worrying, especially in times of rush during deadlines. According to the 3 Minute motivation checklist, I get motivated when I encounter challenges in the workplace and that may be considered as a hidden area according to Johari’s window framework. On the other hand, working in teams may be responsible for the decline of my motivational level and may be regarded as another hidden area. Furthermore, inflexibility, decreased social interaction and lack of confidence level are identified as my major weaknesses according to Goleman EI Questionnaire, Belbin team role and CEME Questionnaire, which are regarded as to belong to the open area according to the theoretical framework of Johari’s Window.
Part C – What Next: Establishment of the Areas for Development
Areas that require development
As a manager of a FMCG sector while taking the CEME questionnaire I have identified the lacking in my skill sets which hinders my growth in the FMCG sector. I have also noticed that it also causes problems with effective communication among my employees. To work on my inabilities I have identified three key areas where I need development to improve my managerial skills for a better sense of achievement. From Part-A and Part B, I have identified that I have low self-confidence, from the Goleman EI Questionnaire I have identified that I lack motivation and lastly from the MBTI test I have identified that I am easily stressed. Talking about my first addressed issue, lack of self-confidence has hampered my quick decision making which has cost me an adverse effect on the organisation reading crisis management of my firm. The next issue I have identified is that I lack motivation which has caused me a lower level of engagement with my employees as well as poor communication and has also hampered my organisational productivity. As (Babič et al., 2019) have mentioned lack of pro-social motivation has prevented me from imparting my knowledge to others and has hindered me from setting a clear target for my organisation. Lastly, as I have mentioned that I am easily stressed out, my stress management has caused my employees to lack self-motivation and stress has also hampered my personal growth within the FMCG sector. Stress has also hampered my motivation within my job role and had adverse effects on my mental health which ruined organisational productivity. If I am able to bridge the gap between my inabilities then I will be able to ensure a successful career in the FMCG sector as a managerial post ensuring the upliftment of the sector as well as putting my effectiveness in organisational growth.
Analysing the importance of the CEME questionnaire in enabling strategic and long-term thinking for career development
To build my career and gain organisational achievement I have thought of implementing a SMART strategy to analyse the importance of the skills that are hindering my personal growth in the FMCG sector. Smart strategy implementation includes setting goals for myself to bridge the gap between my lacking and organisational success. In the first stage I have to be specific with my goals, that is, I have to identify my potential achievement and the way I want to achieve it. As (Bailey, 2019) has mentioned I have to analyse my key goal characteristics to work on my goals better and for clear clarity. In the next step, I have to set a measurable device and a time frame to analyse if my set goals are successful and in the next step I also have to understand if the goal is achievable or if I have the right resources. As (Locke & Latham, 2019) have mentioned my goals are aligned with the enhancement of the team performance and also relevant with my organisational structure along with a suitable time to achieve my goals.
Conclusion
Encapsulating the present report it may be asserted that the first part is associated with defining self-awareness in addition to discussing the importance of the leadership qualities. Furthermore, the second part is concerned with identifying and illustrating the various strengths and weaknesses based on seven toolkits. Finally, the third part of the report deals with suggesting different ways to improve the skill set thereby facilitating professional development.
References
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