Compare and Contrast of Leadership Styles in the Office of Economic Integration

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the Leadership Styles of two leaders in the same office – Office of Economic Integration (EOI). Analyses aimed to establish similarities and differences in leadership styles and motivational tools, and its intention is to discover how different leadership qualities and approaches promote specific aspects of management which can make a department more effective. The reading depicts the impact of motivation from the leader, and their ability to restructure the organization to achieve the desired goal not as a whole but as a team. The article presents two different leaders Jack Shelton, Director of OEI and Robert Irwin, Manager of OEI with different set of managerial and motivational leadership skills both aiming to achieve one goal. The reading also explains the kind of approaches practiced by the two leaders and separates the two based on either as task oriented or relation-oriented leadership. Also, reading clearly demonstrates the leadership styles of Jack Shelton Director of office of integration and Manager, Bob Irwin and types of motivational tools used by the two leaders. Both the leaders are remarkably skilled and capable to bring about the desired effect and motivate the employees to achieve the goal as a team. The idea that employees are motivated by pursuing their needs is well established by their leadership style.

Second need focuses on receiving recognition and acknowledgement is also covered in the reading by the two leaders. Both the leaders in the reading are able to group the team together and align people towards the goals of organization. The analysis creates an impression of discussion on popular debating statement “leaders are born or made”. Motivational toolsCommunication brings about effective coordination which in turn gives a clear understanding of responsibilities in terms of what is expected from them as an individual and as a team. For an employee to be motivated, he or she perceives that their want is being met. Motivation is influenced by forward looking perceptions concerning the relationship between performance and rewards, while satisfaction refers to people’s feelings about the rewards they have received. Motivation is viewed as a powerful tool that reinforces behaviors and triggers the tendency to achieve.

Director of Office of Economic Integration, 1975, Jack Shelton extremely bright, loyal and hardworking economist, who demonstrates strong articulated sense of public duty and responsibilities, is strongly inclined towards improving the quality of benevolences. He practiced, Edwin Locke Goal-setting theory of motivation (1960). Jack Shelton understands, setting the goal that is both specific and challenging leads to an increase in performance because it makes it clear to an individual what he supposed to do. Frederickson and Hart’s1985 suggested that motivation is likely to increase within public employees fostering public service values and its importance. Shelton motivates employees by providing them challenging and exciting environment which pushed people to think beyond their horizon. He made conscious efforts in bringing interesting assignments and individually tailored tasks, which served the motive of people sticking on their goals more efficiently and timely. He is best familiar with each individuals power and potential and gave them full opportunity to explore and experience. For instance, Mark Hoffman, recent economic graduate with undergraduate in Psychology, proven to be an excellent hire for his capabilities as a manager to mediate disputes between bureaucracies and analytical work, is given full leeway to directly interact with the other government officials and at the same time Shelton also supported and helped him, during difficult new situations. Shelton rewarded people’s effort with fostering public values, promotion and creating a sense of acknowledgement towards team work. He is able to equate individual’s effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment to sense of achievement, praise, and promotion (Vroom’s (1964) Expectancy theory). Shelton demonstrates positive reinforcement with fair and equal treatment of employees. Thus, the satisfaction of the employee represents an indispensable dimension of the motivational process.

On the other hand, Robert Irwin, economic analyst 1976 took over Shelton prove to be technically expertise in understanding the mechanics of analytical data. Irwin displays an influential management skill which kept the employees glued even under crisis. He partially blended several motivational levels in terms of monetary and praise rewards for employees. Influenced by Shelton’s leadership style, by attending everyone’s ideas and feeds, in daily meetings, he successfully built a sense of continuity. He kept the morale of office high by motivating employees towards the goal. Irwin, more focused on results rather than structure to bring those results. Irwin is more task-oriented leader. He has a strong understanding of how to get the job done by focusing on the necessary workplace procedures. Irwin recognizes that a major task involves numerous smaller tasks and can delegate work accordingly to ensure that everything gets done in a timely and productive manner. Psychological set that employees bring to work -this determines how central the organization is to individual lives.

Leadership style

“Leadership…the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organization” House et al 1999. Jack Shelton leadership style perfectly matched the requirement for a transformational leader. He is skilled and expertise in bringing and motivating people to work together as a team and as an individual. He is a leader who thrives for excellence and perfection, but same time attended people need and wants. On the other, Irwin is more of a relational oriented leader and depicted-Integrative model (ideal democratic model). He focuses to remain coordinated with RPF to achieve the goals. He believes in working collaboratively with other institution and organization to bring the change. Shelton manisfest traditional (trait) approach depicting behavioral model with an autocratic style. Which states that leadership is not possession of certain traits, but rather through a relationship between the leaders and members of a group in which the leader acquires the status through active participation and demonstration of his capacity for carrying tasks through to completion.

Shelton let employees independently perform their task with less involvement. Shelton allocates exciting and challenging assignments and projects to develop more rapidly, as employees have access to the corporate resources (time, money, materials) necessary to do their jobs efficiently. Irwin draws more of contemporary approaches which accounts more of traits and skills to strategies (trait theory). Irwin believes in more of social construction model of leadership. Irwin statement in the reading that “if you like the people you’re working with, you enjoy the work more” which emphasizes the importance of social aspects of work environment.

Team / shared based leadership

Mutual influence embedded in team member interactions related to providing direction, motivation and support is a key in Shelton’s leadership. Empowering greater utilization of knowledge and expertise, fostering mutual accountability and Commitment/engagement is transparent in Shelton’s term. Daily meetings to receive feedback from every staff in the office and paying attention to value of every feedback, sharing details and maintaining a transparency with the project goals built a trust and value within members and for each other. Shared leadership concept tailored the interest of staff managers in hierarchy. Irwin believes in team-based approach in achieving objectives and goals for the organization. Ethical leadership depicted by Irwin explains, its more about doing the right thing. Leaders don’t always have superior intelligence, but they should have certain level of intelligence to allow them to connect to other peoples and achieve the goals. Irwin is spectacular in keeping the team bonded and motivated even under crisis.

Opinion on Jack Shelton and Robert Bob Irwin supervisory skill set (Technical /Human and Conceptual expertise)

Jack Shelton, prudent and effective leader clearly defines the POSDCORB by Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick model of management. Setting up the Office of EI, required Planning, organizing, staffing, directing, Coordinating, reporting and budgeting (POSDCORB) which are key of Shelton’s leadership. Robert Irwin is a good manager but not an influential leader as Shelton. Shelton’s brilliant and outstanding communication and motivational skills help in articulating people and building team framework, proving his human expertise skills. Shelton demonstrates his technical expertise, clearly explaining and organizing the procedure and implementation process. Environment and people in the office are infected by Shelton’s positive energy and determination to succeed.

Irwin demonstrated strong conceptual and human expertise, fact he builds his connections with RPF and paid attention to relations among previous employees and the new migrant employees to the OEI. He took care that there is no physical and internal demarcation of old and new employees and all of them are involved equally on every project and assignments.

Both the leaders are great at inspiring and motivating people. Both leaders build relationships with their employees and members of office through their leadership styles and motivational skills which enabled them to execute their vision.