Abstract
This paper is intended to describe what steps I would take, as an upper level executive, to select a leader for a team of professionals whose performance objective is to recommend a new computer information system for the organization.
Leader Selection
Choosing a leader in an organization would require careful candidate screening and considerations. “Teams are organizational groups composed of members that are interdependent, who share common goals, and who must coordinate their activities to accomplish their goals.” (Northouse, 2007) I would expect the candidate to be someone that gets involved with subordinates by giving encouragement and soliciting subordinate input (Northouse, 2007).
The One Minute Manager said, “I know that the most devastating situations in my career are those times when I have no say in important decisions that affect me at work.” For this reason alone, I would include the team in the decision process. I would make the final decision, but, I would seek input from every member of the technology team. All members of the team must feel that they have a fair chance to influence decisions (Russell, 1997).
“There is no evidence for a specific leadership trait, behavior, or a leader personality.” (Feidler, 1996) With this in mind, I would consider all potential candidates with an open mind. I would get information as to candidates behavioral and work traits. “People who are seen as good leaders are also seen as good followers.” (Fiedler, 1996) I would consider professionals that have always been great team players.
Hackman, 2002 states that “Those who create work teams can do a great deal before a team ever meets to get things set up right, to stack the cards so that competent teamwork will be easy rather than a struggle.” I would try to “make sure the team is set up right in the first place, that the team is well supported organizationally, and that members have ready access to the kind of coaching that can help them exploit the team's potential to the fullest extent possible.” (Hackman, 2002) The team would know that they had the necessary support and resources to reach goals and objectives.
The candidate would have to understand the organization's current state of technology and how it relates to and supports the organizations vision and mission. From that pool I would determine each individual candidate's everyday leadership style, behavioral tendencies, and overall leadership understandings. The candidate would need to “avoid personality conflict and increase the likelihood of building on each others strengths, teach the team to understand each others' roles and develop shared goals and objectives, even when their styles are different. (Hersey, et al., 2001)
The candidate must be able to “help the team come to terms with its immediate task and ensure that all understand how it is linked to the team's broader purposes; bind the group as a performing unit so all members understand and accept that we, collectively, are the people responsible for the project; and establish the basic norms of conduct that will guide member behavior in the initial phase of the group's life.” (Hackman, 2002) The candidate must be a person of integrity that the team trusts. I would look for someone that was “able to instill in his team players the understanding that everyone involved should work hard, because everyone has the same sizable stake in reaching the desired output.” (Hackman, 2002)
“A well-composed team strikes a balance between having members who are too similar to one another on one hand and too different on the other.” (Hackman, 2002) The candidate must be someone that understands and values the benefits of diversity. In order for the team function well the leader would need to be able “to attend simultaneously to the attributes of the individuals who will make up the team and to the properties of the team as a whole.” (Hackman, 2002)
The candidate must be a proven successful advisor and facilitator. The leader would have to have a technology perspective, an obligation to the achievement of team members, the capability to distribute leadership and responsibility, a dedication to understand and value diversity, and exceptional communication skills. (Russell, 1997)
“Leader effectiveness, the ability to get a group to accomplish its mission, depends not just on the leader's abilities and attributes but also on how well the leader's personality, abilities, and behaviors match the situation in which the leader operates.” (Feidler, 1996)
Hackman (2002) explains that “process gains develop when members interact in ways that enhance collective effort, generate uniquely appropriate strategies for working together, or actively develop members' knowledge and skills” A leader is able to instill in his team players the understanding that everyone involved should work hard, because everyone has the same sizable stake in reaching the desired output (Hackman, 2002). The candidate that impressed me would be someone that demonstrates great personal and professional growth qualities.
If I could not select an appropriate internal candidate, I would seek out someone outside the organization to fill the position but I would rather provide the necessary training to develop the best internal candidate. The internal candidate must be a model for professional growth by allowing time for learning all they can about the leadership role. (Russell, 1997) An outside candidate consideration would be a remote decision only made out of necessity.
