Organizational Behavior Unit 8

Student Name

MT302 Organizational Behavior

Unit Eight: Leadership and Employee Morale

4/24/12

Leadership Today, an international consulting firm based in Singapore, has been losing market shares to competitors due to what many believe to be ineffectual leadership. The mid-level managers have been heard complaining that they are not provided the freedom to make timely decisions to help their clients. Employees have also been complaining that they are never recognized for their accomplishments and that the organization never takes the time to celebrate major accomplishments. This has not only resulted in decreasing market shares but it has also resulted in low morale.

“Leadership is the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, pg. 376). Based on the information given about Leadership Today they are not able to provide this influence. In order for the company to be more successful and the leadership within the company to be more effective Leadership Today must alter its current way of leading. Kouzes and Posner believe there are ten enduring truths about leadership that will help someone in a leadership role think, decide, and act more effectively (2010).

The first three truths encompass the relationship between the leader and the employees they are leading. The first truth, you make a difference, in order to be effective a leader must believe that they can have a positive impact on others by believing in themselves and in their ability to make a difference. The second truth, credibility is the foundation of leadership, those you are leading must believe in you especially when morale is low and employees are cynical about their leaders. If employees don’t believe in you as a leader they won’t willingly follow you. The third truth, values drive commitment, employees want to know what their leaders stand for, believe in, and value and leaders need to know what their employees value in order to...