MANAGING PEOPLE

Managing people

Assignment 1: Managing people

Thesis statement

“Challenges experienced by organizations can be handled by the use of effective motivation and leadership practices”

Introduction

In this era when globalization prevails, all the processes prevailing in the world have sped up. People are moving at a faster pace than before. This is because the world has become a global village. The distances among the people dispersed across geographic boundaries have reduced they can now interact with each other at a click of a mouse. In this era, when the world is moving at such a faster pace, people are more aware and make more informed choices. Hence, in order to maintain and keep earning revenues, it is that the managers make the most economic use of an organizations resource. Among the many resources which organizations possess, human resource is the most important resource which can help an organization to gain competitive advantage. All the systems designed in an organization are done by its employees. Hence in order to maintain a profitable business, it is immensely important that an organization keeps its workforce motivated and engaged which is only possible if the leadership is effective.

Discussion

Motivation and leadership are associated yet different concepts, which work together to bring about organizational effectiveness. Motivation can be defined by Rob Long (2011) as, “a state of readiness or eagerness to change, which may fluctuate from one time or situation to another, and can be influence'. From this definition, it can be understood that motivation is an ability which is possessed by individuals. This ability helps an individual to convey his ideas to others and induce them to behave in ways which are compatible with his beliefs. It is the energy which drives people to perform their work. It helps people to seek guidance in pursuit of certain things, which they want to accomplish.

The idea of leadership extends beyond the idea of management. This is because Management merely involves getting things accomplished by making use of the resources held by an organization, and according to the formal patterns followed, and the rules established within an organization. On the converse, leadership is broader in range and encompasses of moving ahead regardless of the challenges experienced in the context of an organization. It also involves making new initiatives, which may not be asserted by all. However, a leader has the potential to move forward to accomplish what he has envisioned regardless of the criticism made by others, and the obstacles which may be there. A leader has the capability to identify a range of opportunities in an organization. Leader has the courage to change the direction in which the organization is moving. He may make his followers move in a new direction for the accomplishment of organizational goals. He may also delegate his authority to subordinates, and give them some degree of freedom to make choices which are in favor of an organization. Hence, the idea of management is limited whereas the idea of leadership is ...