CLC – Southwest Transit

Group B4

Colangelo College of Business, Grand Canyon University

MGT-605: Leadership in Organizations

Dr. Marnie Davis

March 10, 2024

Leading Teams at Southwest Transit: Introduction

This proposal recommends a team for the Southwest Transit project. Six favored members were selected based on adaptability, skills, and intrinsic motivation. Conversely, those not chosen were overlooked due to concerns of disengagement and personality turmoil. To regulate a healthy group dynamic, team members will be led using various motivation, conflict regulating, and leadership theories. Overall, this proposal presents those six selected team members and explores how they contribute to Southwest Transit’s organizational behavior.

Team Selection

Crucial factors in the Southwest Transit team selection included individuals’ ability to balance skills, work ethic, and team relationships under pressure. Selected are Natalie, Elizabeth, Bob, Doug, Katelyn, and William. Generally, productive teams consist of people with a variety of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds (Gramchev, et al., 2023). Elizabeth offered adaptability and problem-solving skills. Natalie showed drive and leadership. Bob exuded enthusiasm and readiness. Doug presented dedication to excellence. Katelyn showed passion promising to push towards greatness. William displayed an upbeat attitude. Overall, adjusting to other individuals, cultures, and settings will aid in team adaptability (Guzman-Rodriguez, et al., 2023). Conclusively, this chosen team exemplifies problem-solving, positivity, and promise.

Alternatively, Michael, Susan, Ian, and Tiffany were not chosen. They threatened to complicate the project’s high-pressure environment. Michael loses interest due to depressive tendencies. Likewise, Susan struggles with focus and high demand. Ian is prone to solidarity and detail oversight. Lastly, Tiffany exerts minimal effort and grows disengaged. The choice to exclude these individuals is necessary to strengthen Southwest Transit’s position in the market, guaranteeing the introduction of their new Boeing-747.

Motivation and Behavior Management Strategies

To maximize productivity, the chosen team will leverage various incentive theories. Setting goals requires collaboratively defining challenging yet attainable objectives, with specific deadlines. Results-driven members such as Natalie, Katelyn, and Doug will leverage their intrinsic motivation when receiving regular feedback. Each team member can be further incentivized through equitable compensation, which parallels Expectancy Theory. Meaningfulness Theory will resonate with Susan and William because their marketing efforts will positively impact the organization. Additionally, Elizabeth’s confidence can grow by identifying areas for improvement and arranging tailored training opportunities (Bailey et al., 2017). These motivational theories will directly aid the chosen team members.

Numerous factors inspire and enable the selected team to produce high-caliber work. Because of the project’s urgent nature, working conditions must maintain the team’s motivation. According to Griffin et al. (2020), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Hypothesis found data that identifies both components of motivation and components of hygiene. With this in mind, Southwest Transit can develop tactics which enhance the work environment and exploit individual member strengths. Making significant members feel valued in the project’s contribution will help the team achieve excellence.

Conflict and Conflict Management

Proactively addressing potential conflict is essential for effective team dynamics. Resolving conflict through compromise, where opinions are respectfully discussed and integrated or traded, will resonate with Natalie, Susan, and Katelyn while also accommodating Doug. When necessary, resolving conflict through democracy such as voting can respectfully settle disputes. Mediation between perfectionists and pragmatists can prevent conflict and mitigate damage to team cohesion. Additionally, directing individuals to focus on separate components can promote collaboration within the team (Jiang et al., 2020). By establishing conflict resolution, the team will be more cohesive.

Because each person has unique personalities and motivation, conflict may arise from disparate outlooks and objectives. Teammates could display emotional shocks, so mediation can be applied to help members resolve conflict quickly. There are also stress-related factors related to the short time and need for the results to be successful without a margin of error since the company’s future depends on this project.

The chosen individuals possess characteristics that will aid in this conflict resolution technique. Arbitration conclusions are legally binding; however, mediation is consensual and voluntary (Griffin et al., 2020). This is significant since time is critical, where energy must be used to accomplish the desired results. Therefore, the team can apply this knowledge of conflict resolution to maintain peaceful productivity.

Vision and Leadership Strategy

To ensure success, the team’s vision is to apply its knowledge of organizational behavior and implement helpful leadership strategies and theories (Dåderman, 2020). Trait Theory highlights inherent traits that distinguish successful leaders, while Behavioral Theory focuses on leadership actions. Contingency Theory underscores the need for leaders to adapt their style to various situations. Transactional Leadership involves exchanging rewards and punishment, while Transformational Leadership inspires towards a shared vision. Lastly, Servant Leadership prioritizes others before self. These are a few prominent helpful management theories.

In service-producing organizations, the relationship between leadership styles and internal communication performance is essential for effective management (Jacobsen, 2021). While transformational leaders foster shared vision and feedback, transactional leaders focus on operational goals through rewards and sanctions. They explore how these styles influence internal communication, with Transformational Leadership enhancing communication and Transactional Leadership showing mixed effects. Understanding these dynamics enlightens organizational management strategies. Clear communication of goals fosters alignment while empowering team members encourages autonomy (Dåderman, 2020). Building trust and transparency promotes collaboration, and investing in learning enhances skills. Recognizing contributions motivates individuals, and promoting diversity fosters innovation. Adapting these strategies with leadership theories cultivates an environment where individuals are motivated and empowered to achieve common goals.

Leadership involves influencing others to reach shared goals. Early research discovered traits and behaviors, and situational theories match leadership styles to situations. Fred Fiedler developed the LPC (least preferred worker) leadership theory in the 1960s (Griffin, 2020). He believed a leader’s effectiveness relies on their style matching the situation, focusing on relationships or tasks. The LPC score measures this preference. Meanwhile, situational favorableness, determined by leader-member relations, involves task structure and positional power. Similarly, the Path-Goal Theory suggests that leaders should assist their team in achieving goals by providing guidance and support, removing obstacles, and adjusting their style to fit the situation. Vroom’s Decision Tree Approach offers five decision-making styles based on decision significance and structure, allowing leaders to choose the most suitable approach for effective decision-making and team involvement.

Different situations require different leadership styles, depending on the worker’s skills and motivation. Other theories look at how leaders inspire and influence others, while some explore when leadership might not be needed. Leadership changes, now including factors such as coaching, gender, and culture. Ethical Leadership is crucial for change, as it boosts employee commitment while addressing resistance from employees to successful organizational change (Griffin, 2020). Ethical leaders prioritize integrity, transparency, and promoting ethical behavior among followers among stakeholders. Strategic Leadership involves setting clear direction and making decisions to achieve long-term goals. Virtual Leadership involves remote teams, effectively managing and motivating them through digital platforms. Leaders analyze the external environment, anticipate trends, and develop strategies to ensure success and sustainability. The team at Southwest Transit will apply this knowledge to pursue effectiveness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the six chosen individuals will create a dynamic group and effective team. Each person plays a valuable role in creating a well-rounded team dynamic and showcasing their value to the company in direct relation to their longevity with the company or their personal ideals. Though there may be challenges when adapting to various leadership styles and work environments, incorporating past knowledge of motivation of leadership theories can create a harmonious balance between all employees.

References

Dåderman, A. M., Kajonius, P. J., Hallberg, A., Skog, S., & Hellström, Å. (2023). Leading with a cool head and a warm heart: trait-based leadership resources linked to task performance, perceived stress, and work engagement. Current Psychology, 42(33), 29559–29580.

https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03767-8

Gramchev, B., Dimitrakieva, S., & Lesidrenska, S. (2023). Main Characteristics in Measuring Team Communication as a Means of Improving Team Performance.
2023 18th Conference on Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems (ELMA), Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems (ELMA), 2023 18th Conference On, 1–3.

https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1109/ELMA58392.2023.10202492

Griffin, R.W., Phillips, J.M., & Gully, S.M. (2020).
Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations (13th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.

Guzman-Rodriguez, L. E., Arizkuren-Eleta, A., Agarwala, T., & Bornay-Barrachina, M. (2023). Individual characteristics on multicultural team performance: does the role played by leaders and team members matter?
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https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1281422

Jacobsen, C. B., & Salomonsen, H. H. (2021). Leadership strategies and internal communication in public organizations. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 34(2), 137–154. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/IJPSM-03-2020-0086