General Mill Communication
Assignment 3: Leadership, Teambuilding, and Communication
General Mill’s Organizational Behavior and Leadership
Behind every thriving organization stands a strong leader. In an environment constantly changing, it is critical that those leading the organization are properly aligned in order to achieve the established mission, vision, and goals of the organization. General Mill’s mission is to “make lives healthier, easier and richer. General Mills is Nourishing Lives” (General Mills:Mission) . Each individual manager and leader within an organization has a different approach to achieving the organizations goals. Thus, this can be defined as their managerial leadership style.
Gibson et al (2009) defines leadership …show more content…
as a non-coercive influence to shape organizational goals, motivate behavior toward the achievement of those goals, and assist in defining the organizational structure (p.312). Each individual leader possesses a different leadership style. Although many times, management and leadership are used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between the two; a leader is a person who has an influence on other individuals as a direct result of their behavior, while a manager may not actually engage in leadership activities at all (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 312- 313). Most organizations select leaders who have similar backgrounds, experiences, and qualifications. Effective leadership is comprised of a variety of traits including effective communication, charisma, the ability to motivate employees, conflict resolution, correct use of power, and management of organizational change.
Leadership
Although an individual is qualified to manage on paper, a leader must also possess internal traits that will have a positive influence on the individuals they lead.
Max Weber suggested that some “leaders have a gift of exceptional qualities - a charisma that enables them to motivate followers to achieve outstanding performance” (Gibson et al., 2009, p.349). The ideal leader of General Mills should be described as a charismatic leader; constantly motivating employees, and leading by example. Similar to Weber’s definition, the ideal leader should be viewed as being charismatic not only to himself but to those whom he leads. There are three elements of a charismatic leader in an organization. First, a charismatic leader must possess foresight; constantly envisioning the future, setting high expectations and modeling behaviors that are consistent with the expectations that have been set. Secondly, a charismatic leader should also be influential, demonstrating personal excitement, confidence and patterns of success. Lastly, a charismatic leader should be supportive, empathetic and express confidence in others (Griffin, 2009, p. …show more content…
569).
The situational theory of leadership is an approach that advocates that leaders understand their own behavior, the behavior of their subordinates, and the situation before utilizing a particular leadership style (Gibson et al., 2009, p.321). The contingency leadership model developed by Fiedler states that the effectiveness of a leader depends on the individual’s leadership style and situational factors. As a fast growing company, an effective leader is needed in every part of the organization to direct employees in working towards organizational goals. A dual-capacity to communicate and delegate is also key – a leader must know how to find understandings with employees while also understanding business. Being an “employee centered” opposed to a “job centered” leader, the ideal leader adjusts supervisor-subordinate interaction depending on the needs of the individual or the performance of the individual. According to Gibson et al (2009), a job centered leader pays close attention to the job and work procedures involved with the position, while an employee centered leader focuses on behavior and the development of cohesive work groups, ensuring employee satisfaction.
Power & Politics
As a leader, the importance of power and politics within an organization must be understood. According to Gibson et al (2009), power is the ability to get others to do what one wants them to do, and authority is the formal power a person holds because of his or her position in the organizational hierarchy (p.290-291). In certain leadership positions, such as Assistant Vice President (AVP), legitimate power which can be used to influence employees is held. Within General Mills, power exists on all levels of the organization and it is a necessity to manage the organization as a whole. In addition to the legitimate power an AVP holds, he/she also holds reward and coercive power. In this position, he/she is able to reward employees for performance by recognition and pay increases, as well as punish employees for failure to perform.
Although the word “power” has a negative connotation, the usage of power ensures everything runs smoothly within an organization. The need for power is described as the desire to have an effect on others (Gibson et al., 2009, p.290). In a research study conducted by Reuver (2007), it revealed those managers’ dominant or submissive reactions to opponents’ dominant or submissive behavior depends on opponents’ power position. From the study, it can be concluded that managers will react more complimentary towards their superiors and would react more reciprocally towards their subordinates. Certain privileges occur when managers have power; those managers who have power have a broader access to necessary resources, information and support which can be used to optimize their power in decision making.
Organizational Stressors
Because the economy is in such a volatile state, many employees find themselves stressed due to the demands of their jobs. Companies have been forced to downsize and lay employees off in order to sustain in such an ever-changing environment. Because of this, employees are now forced to do more work, for the same amount of money; this is not good for employee morale.
Additionally, General Mills has embraced a culture that allows employees to work from home. Although this is an overall benefit to the company by saving money on office space, it can have somewhat of an adverse effect on employees. Those employees who have been forced (in some cases) to work from home are now at a disadvantage for promotions and having the ability to network with others within the organization.
To address these stressors, General Mills can come up with programs that seek to provide non-monetary rewards to employees such as additional paid time off (PTO), something to compensate employees indirectly for the additional work they are now being asked to complete due to a shortage in of employees. Also, for employees who work from home, General Mills can create a remote morale committee that is tasked to come up with ways to engage employees that all work from home. This will give employees a network of people to interact with that understand the challenges that come with working from home and having limited face-to-face interaction with colleagues.
Group and Team Performance
In order for a team to perform at its highest potential, it must be formed properly. Working in a team is a task that requires you to have strong interpersonal skills, and understand the cultural background and ethical differences that exist among the people involved. Meshing different personalities, backgrounds, skills and work ethics together and forming a team can be difficult. In a team setting, it is important that each member understands the other, and seeks to increase motivation in order to be successful. Intrinsic motivation is the most important in a team. Individuals must behave for their own sake, which will directly affect the team (Jones, George, 2009, p.464).
The first and most important thing to do once a team is formed is define a clear structure for the team. Following the foundation being laid, goals are then analyzed and established. With this, all team members must understand the importance of feedback. The systems theory notes that feedback reinforces the learning and development of personalities, group behavior and leadership (Gibson et al., 2009, p.21). Inputs are necessary for teams to complete identified tasks (George, 2009, p.466). The failure of members of a team to utilize their inputs can cause frustration within the team.
Conflict Management
The management of conflict is also essential for any organization to function effectively. It is unavoidable and can be either positive or negative for any given organization. For the purpose of this paper conflict will be defined in terms of the effect it has on the organization. (Gibson et al, 2009, p.264)
Intergroup conflict consists of functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict. Functional conflict is a confrontation between groups that enhances and benefits organizational performance. For example, it can be considered a constructive debate amongst various groups within an organization over the best way to implement a particular strategy. According to Gibson et al (2009) without such conflict in organizations, there would be little commitment to change; most groups would probably become stagnant (p. 264). The change brought forward by functional conflict can be considered beneficial and as a type of creative tension.
Dysfunctional conflict is generally seen as any confrontation that is unwanted and harms or hinders an organization (Gibson et al., 2009, p.
264). Management must seek to eliminate dysfunctional conflict because it can be detrimental to the health of the organization. It can have a negative influence on group performance and become a cancer or bad apple that spoils the bunch. It is also to be noted that functional conflict can turn into dysfunctional conflict if not managed correctly.
The effect that conflict has on organizational performance depends on the nature of the conflict and how it’s managed. It is important for conflict to be managed at the appropriate or optimal level. Conflict that is too low can hurt performance and conflict that is too high can threaten organizational survival (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 266). There are five different conflict management styles: Competing, Collaborating, Compromising, Avoiding, and
Accommodating.
The competing conflict management style uses formal authority or power to satisfy concerns without any regard to the concerns of the other person involved in the conflict. Collaborating is when both parties work together to understand and express their concern in an effort to find a mutually and completely satisfactory solution. Compromising is an attempt to resolve a conflict by identifying a solution that is partially satisfactory to all parties involved, but does not completely satisfy either. Avoiding conflict involves taking no notice of the conflict going on and taking no action to resolve it. Accommodating allows one party to satisfy their concerns while neglecting the other parties’ personal concerns (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 329). Managers often tend to be anti-conflict and prefer a lack of conflict. The avoidance of conflict can become a part of an organizations culture if conflict is only perceived negatively. In the debate example provided previously, the best conflict management style to diffuse the situation would be compromising. It is important to remember that functional conflict is, and should be, considered beneficial to an organization.
Communication
Within an organization, maintaining effective and fluent communication is important. For employees working on a team, it is vital that they are able to express themselves in a way that will maximize the end results of the team’s assignment. However, there will be barriers at times that may impact how effectively teams are able to communicate with each other. Some of those barriers include dealing with diverse backgrounds, low morale, and lack of knowledge.
Because companies are now made up of individuals from different backgrounds, sometimes there is a language barrier that poses a problem when working on a team. Additionally, employees that have low morale and very little job satisfaction may not engage with others on the team as much because they truly don’t care about the outcome of the project. Lastly, some employees are in positions where they just “do the work” but have no further knowledge on the impact their contribution to the organization has.
In order to help deal with some of the aforementioned barriers, managers can be sure that employees complete diversity trainings, as well as take classes on cultural sensitivity so that they are aware of ways to interact with individuals from different backgrounds. Secondly, managers can take the appropriate measure to ensure employees are satisfied with their jobs by providing rewards both monetary and non-monetary. This will make employees feel motivated and appreciated which may improve the ownership they take when operating in a team structure. Finally, managers should embrace and encourage continued learning. Helping employees understand how their job function relates to the overall sustainability of the organization will encourage communication in a group setting. Employees would then be more prepared to generate ideas and provide valuable feedback.
Conclusion
Although leadership varies among individuals, it is most important that the leadership style exhibited by managers is coherent with the organizational structure, and the vision and mission of the organization. When there is not an alignment, the organization is not in a position to succeed. The ideal leader should look to influence his/her subordinates utilizing open communication, and leading by example. Being an effective leader is a task that requires characteristics far beyond an academic degree; Interpersonal skills are required to manage change, negotiate and deal with conflict, and utilize power in a positive manner to influence the organization. General Mill’s position in an environment that is constantly changing will be impacted by those leading the organization. In order for them to continue to survive, those individuals within the organization must be concerned with improving the health, well-being and sense of security of the individuals General Mill’s serves.
References
General Mills:Mission. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2014, from General Mills: http://www.generalmills.com/Company/Mission.aspx Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske. (2009). Organizations Behavior, Structure, Processes. New York: Mc-Graw Hill International Edition.
Griffin, Ricky (2005). Management 8th edition: Leadership (15, 551-563)
Reuver, R., (2006). The Influence of Organizational Power on Conflict Dynamics. Personnel Review, 35(5), 589-603. Retrieved May 25, 2013, from ABI/INFORM Global.
George, Jennifer M., Jones, Gareth R. (2009) Contemporary Management 6th edition New York: Mc-Graw Hill
General Mill’s Organizational Behavior and Leadership
Behind every thriving organization stands a strong leader. In an environment constantly changing, it is critical that those leading the organization are properly aligned in order to achieve the established mission, vision, and goals of the organization. General Mill’s mission is to “make lives healthier, easier and richer. General Mills is Nourishing Lives” (General Mills:Mission) . Each individual manager and leader within an organization has a different approach to achieving the organizations goals. Thus, this can be defined as their managerial leadership style.
Gibson et al (2009) defines leadership …show more content…
as a non-coercive influence to shape organizational goals, motivate behavior toward the achievement of those goals, and assist in defining the organizational structure (p.312). Each individual leader possesses a different leadership style. Although many times, management and leadership are used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between the two; a leader is a person who has an influence on other individuals as a direct result of their behavior, while a manager may not actually engage in leadership activities at all (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 312- 313). Most organizations select leaders who have similar backgrounds, experiences, and qualifications. Effective leadership is comprised of a variety of traits including effective communication, charisma, the ability to motivate employees, conflict resolution, correct use of power, and management of organizational change.
Leadership
Although an individual is qualified to manage on paper, a leader must also possess internal traits that will have a positive influence on the individuals they lead.
Max Weber suggested that some “leaders have a gift of exceptional qualities - a charisma that enables them to motivate followers to achieve outstanding performance” (Gibson et al., 2009, p.349). The ideal leader of General Mills should be described as a charismatic leader; constantly motivating employees, and leading by example. Similar to Weber’s definition, the ideal leader should be viewed as being charismatic not only to himself but to those whom he leads. There are three elements of a charismatic leader in an organization. First, a charismatic leader must possess foresight; constantly envisioning the future, setting high expectations and modeling behaviors that are consistent with the expectations that have been set. Secondly, a charismatic leader should also be influential, demonstrating personal excitement, confidence and patterns of success. Lastly, a charismatic leader should be supportive, empathetic and express confidence in others (Griffin, 2009, p. …show more content…
569).
The situational theory of leadership is an approach that advocates that leaders understand their own behavior, the behavior of their subordinates, and the situation before utilizing a particular leadership style (Gibson et al., 2009, p.321). The contingency leadership model developed by Fiedler states that the effectiveness of a leader depends on the individual’s leadership style and situational factors. As a fast growing company, an effective leader is needed in every part of the organization to direct employees in working towards organizational goals. A dual-capacity to communicate and delegate is also key – a leader must know how to find understandings with employees while also understanding business. Being an “employee centered” opposed to a “job centered” leader, the ideal leader adjusts supervisor-subordinate interaction depending on the needs of the individual or the performance of the individual. According to Gibson et al (2009), a job centered leader pays close attention to the job and work procedures involved with the position, while an employee centered leader focuses on behavior and the development of cohesive work groups, ensuring employee satisfaction.
Power & Politics
As a leader, the importance of power and politics within an organization must be understood. According to Gibson et al (2009), power is the ability to get others to do what one wants them to do, and authority is the formal power a person holds because of his or her position in the organizational hierarchy (p.290-291). In certain leadership positions, such as Assistant Vice President (AVP), legitimate power which can be used to influence employees is held. Within General Mills, power exists on all levels of the organization and it is a necessity to manage the organization as a whole. In addition to the legitimate power an AVP holds, he/she also holds reward and coercive power. In this position, he/she is able to reward employees for performance by recognition and pay increases, as well as punish employees for failure to perform.
Although the word “power” has a negative connotation, the usage of power ensures everything runs smoothly within an organization. The need for power is described as the desire to have an effect on others (Gibson et al., 2009, p.290). In a research study conducted by Reuver (2007), it revealed those managers’ dominant or submissive reactions to opponents’ dominant or submissive behavior depends on opponents’ power position. From the study, it can be concluded that managers will react more complimentary towards their superiors and would react more reciprocally towards their subordinates. Certain privileges occur when managers have power; those managers who have power have a broader access to necessary resources, information and support which can be used to optimize their power in decision making.
Organizational Stressors
Because the economy is in such a volatile state, many employees find themselves stressed due to the demands of their jobs. Companies have been forced to downsize and lay employees off in order to sustain in such an ever-changing environment. Because of this, employees are now forced to do more work, for the same amount of money; this is not good for employee morale.
Additionally, General Mills has embraced a culture that allows employees to work from home. Although this is an overall benefit to the company by saving money on office space, it can have somewhat of an adverse effect on employees. Those employees who have been forced (in some cases) to work from home are now at a disadvantage for promotions and having the ability to network with others within the organization.
To address these stressors, General Mills can come up with programs that seek to provide non-monetary rewards to employees such as additional paid time off (PTO), something to compensate employees indirectly for the additional work they are now being asked to complete due to a shortage in of employees. Also, for employees who work from home, General Mills can create a remote morale committee that is tasked to come up with ways to engage employees that all work from home. This will give employees a network of people to interact with that understand the challenges that come with working from home and having limited face-to-face interaction with colleagues.
Group and Team Performance
In order for a team to perform at its highest potential, it must be formed properly. Working in a team is a task that requires you to have strong interpersonal skills, and understand the cultural background and ethical differences that exist among the people involved. Meshing different personalities, backgrounds, skills and work ethics together and forming a team can be difficult. In a team setting, it is important that each member understands the other, and seeks to increase motivation in order to be successful. Intrinsic motivation is the most important in a team. Individuals must behave for their own sake, which will directly affect the team (Jones, George, 2009, p.464).
The first and most important thing to do once a team is formed is define a clear structure for the team. Following the foundation being laid, goals are then analyzed and established. With this, all team members must understand the importance of feedback. The systems theory notes that feedback reinforces the learning and development of personalities, group behavior and leadership (Gibson et al., 2009, p.21). Inputs are necessary for teams to complete identified tasks (George, 2009, p.466). The failure of members of a team to utilize their inputs can cause frustration within the team.
Conflict Management
The management of conflict is also essential for any organization to function effectively. It is unavoidable and can be either positive or negative for any given organization. For the purpose of this paper conflict will be defined in terms of the effect it has on the organization. (Gibson et al, 2009, p.264)
Intergroup conflict consists of functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict. Functional conflict is a confrontation between groups that enhances and benefits organizational performance. For example, it can be considered a constructive debate amongst various groups within an organization over the best way to implement a particular strategy. According to Gibson et al (2009) without such conflict in organizations, there would be little commitment to change; most groups would probably become stagnant (p. 264). The change brought forward by functional conflict can be considered beneficial and as a type of creative tension.
Dysfunctional conflict is generally seen as any confrontation that is unwanted and harms or hinders an organization (Gibson et al., 2009, p.
264). Management must seek to eliminate dysfunctional conflict because it can be detrimental to the health of the organization. It can have a negative influence on group performance and become a cancer or bad apple that spoils the bunch. It is also to be noted that functional conflict can turn into dysfunctional conflict if not managed correctly.
The effect that conflict has on organizational performance depends on the nature of the conflict and how it’s managed. It is important for conflict to be managed at the appropriate or optimal level. Conflict that is too low can hurt performance and conflict that is too high can threaten organizational survival (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 266). There are five different conflict management styles: Competing, Collaborating, Compromising, Avoiding, and
Accommodating.
The competing conflict management style uses formal authority or power to satisfy concerns without any regard to the concerns of the other person involved in the conflict. Collaborating is when both parties work together to understand and express their concern in an effort to find a mutually and completely satisfactory solution. Compromising is an attempt to resolve a conflict by identifying a solution that is partially satisfactory to all parties involved, but does not completely satisfy either. Avoiding conflict involves taking no notice of the conflict going on and taking no action to resolve it. Accommodating allows one party to satisfy their concerns while neglecting the other parties’ personal concerns (Gibson et al., 2009, p. 329). Managers often tend to be anti-conflict and prefer a lack of conflict. The avoidance of conflict can become a part of an organizations culture if conflict is only perceived negatively. In the debate example provided previously, the best conflict management style to diffuse the situation would be compromising. It is important to remember that functional conflict is, and should be, considered beneficial to an organization.
Communication
Within an organization, maintaining effective and fluent communication is important. For employees working on a team, it is vital that they are able to express themselves in a way that will maximize the end results of the team’s assignment. However, there will be barriers at times that may impact how effectively teams are able to communicate with each other. Some of those barriers include dealing with diverse backgrounds, low morale, and lack of knowledge.
Because companies are now made up of individuals from different backgrounds, sometimes there is a language barrier that poses a problem when working on a team. Additionally, employees that have low morale and very little job satisfaction may not engage with others on the team as much because they truly don’t care about the outcome of the project. Lastly, some employees are in positions where they just “do the work” but have no further knowledge on the impact their contribution to the organization has.
In order to help deal with some of the aforementioned barriers, managers can be sure that employees complete diversity trainings, as well as take classes on cultural sensitivity so that they are aware of ways to interact with individuals from different backgrounds. Secondly, managers can take the appropriate measure to ensure employees are satisfied with their jobs by providing rewards both monetary and non-monetary. This will make employees feel motivated and appreciated which may improve the ownership they take when operating in a team structure. Finally, managers should embrace and encourage continued learning. Helping employees understand how their job function relates to the overall sustainability of the organization will encourage communication in a group setting. Employees would then be more prepared to generate ideas and provide valuable feedback.
Conclusion
Although leadership varies among individuals, it is most important that the leadership style exhibited by managers is coherent with the organizational structure, and the vision and mission of the organization. When there is not an alignment, the organization is not in a position to succeed. The ideal leader should look to influence his/her subordinates utilizing open communication, and leading by example. Being an effective leader is a task that requires characteristics far beyond an academic degree; Interpersonal skills are required to manage change, negotiate and deal with conflict, and utilize power in a positive manner to influence the organization. General Mill’s position in an environment that is constantly changing will be impacted by those leading the organization. In order for them to continue to survive, those individuals within the organization must be concerned with improving the health, well-being and sense of security of the individuals General Mill’s serves.
References
General Mills:Mission. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2014, from General Mills: http://www.generalmills.com/Company/Mission.aspx Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske. (2009). Organizations Behavior, Structure, Processes. New York: Mc-Graw Hill International Edition.
Griffin, Ricky (2005). Management 8th edition: Leadership (15, 551-563)
Reuver, R., (2006). The Influence of Organizational Power on Conflict Dynamics. Personnel Review, 35(5), 589-603. Retrieved May 25, 2013, from ABI/INFORM Global.
George, Jennifer M., Jones, Gareth R. (2009) Contemporary Management 6th edition New York: Mc-Graw Hill