Behavior in an organization

The phrase "character" refers to a person's unique combination of traits that set them apart from others. Character is crucial because it makes a person distinctive and trustworthy. People are constantly willing to seek out the assistance, direction, and counsel of someone with good character (Robbins & Stephen, 14). This results from the fact that people are assessed based on the quality of their character rather than their outward looks.
Character is important in leadership since it determines whether the followers are motivated to succeed or given up on. Real leaders are those who have a serious, moral value which have a weighty outcome on any given organization since it attracts top performers. Character bring about matters of trust, commands respect, genuine care, and brings excellence among others. Firstly, strong character helps a leader to be trusted since this will help him/her to lead and increase the morale among the followers. Secondly, character demands respect since a leader with good character is well-mannered and never humiliating. He accepts and appreciates the viewpoints of others thus increasing his respect (Robbins & Stephen, 9).



Thirdly, character in a leader brings excellence for a character attribute encourages team members to be willing to learn and work hard. Excellence also brings about responsibility and a great sense of accountability encouraging team members to do the same. Moreover, character in leadership brings about genuine care since people with good character do care about others that they work with. Therefore, good character in a leader helps them to manifest caring concern, helpfulness and compassion towards the other. This facilitates a good working relationship and success (Robbins & Stephen, 17).



PART B:

Different principles of leadership could be very instrumental in developing character in a leader. In my opinion, there are five most instrumental principles that are very vital in a leader and they comprise of the following; (1) Know yourself and seek self-improvement, (2)be technically proficient, (3)seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions, (4)set the example, and (5)make sound and timely decisions. I chose these principles due to specific reasons; (Robbins & Stephen, 15).

First principle is essential since a leader who knows himself and who seeks to self-improve himself strengthens his attributes. Second principle is good since it helps the leader to know his job and know his employees duties. Third principle helps the leader to learn new ways of guiding the organization to brighter future and helps them not to blame others. Forth principle encourages the leader to be a good role model to the employees. Fifth principle will encourage the leader to make firm decision at without delay (Robbins & Stephen, 38).



These principles will develop the character of the leader since they are not only aimed at bringing the best in the organization but also in bringing out the best from the leader. All the five principles coerces the leader to first look within himself and try to be at his best before thinking of how to make the organization and the employees better. Therefore, the leader is given a challenge to improve his character, self-awareness, attributes and remain at the top of his game. However, these principles could be used as guidelines and directions by the leaders to help them become authentic leaders who are willing to be shepherded. Leaders who will be leading from strong, personal, moral value (Robbins & Stephen, 41).



PART C:

Organizational behavior-OB is the study and application of knowledge about how people act within an organization. Organization is a social system since it is a combination of humanity and technology (Robbins & Stephen, 56). There are multifaceted set of forces affecting the nature of the organization today namely; people, environment, technology and structure. These complex set of forces are the ones that could be strengthened by the character of the leader. Strong leader will help people such a she employees own their responsibilities and work towards the desired outcome. Authentic leader will create a conducive environment. Real leader will embrace technology an also improve the organizational structure in a very tremendous way (Robbins & Stephen, 43).

OB has its importance for it is the one that helps individuals to understand himself in a better way, helps managers to manage human resources effectively, helps organization for maintaining industrial relations and is useful in the field marketing. Therefore, a leader with the good character will be able to strengthen all these aspects by trying to apply them in all areas (Bell, 1). For instance, the leader will ensure the managers do manage the human resource effectively by ensuring that they conduct themselves in a way that is acceptable and supportive of their followers.

Moreover, the modern models of OB are autocratic, custodial, supportive, collegial and SOBC. The character of the leader will be able to strengthen all these models since and authentic leader will tend to follow the SOBC model. In this model the managerial orientation is empathy, employee orientation is belongingness, employee psychology and results is ownership, employees needs met is higher order needs and performance result is passion and commitment (Robbins & Stephen, 29).



SOBC MODEL

Basis of Model

facilitator

Managerial orientation

empathy

Employee orientation

Belongingness

Employee psychological results

ownership

Employees needs met

Higher order needs

Performance result

Passion and commitment



PART D:

Ursula Burns had great leader who have accomplished many things in her managerial and leadership duty. Her dominant style of leadership was the democratic leadership (Bell, 1). Democratic leadership style is an open and collegial style of running a team where the ideas move freely amongst the group and are also discussed in an open way. In this style every person is given a chance to speak and share his/her viewpoints. This style is useful in dynamic and rapidly changing environment and is also needed in the first moving organization that needs improvement in order to keep the team from ragging behind the deadline. Ursula Burns was very aware of this when she joined Xerox Corporation and after becoming the CEO she had to work hard to ensure that the company remains competitive (Gaille, 1).

Therefore, by applying this leadership style she reinforced the Xerox core values and supported the practice and enforcement of these values that she believed in. these core values were succeed through satisfied customers, aspire to deliver quality and excellence in everything, require a premium on assets, use technology to develop market leadership, value employees and behave responsibly as a corporate citizen (Gaille, 1). It is these values that she instills in all her employees.

The behavioral theory of leadership suggests that leadership requires a strong personality with a well-developed positive ego. This has been very perceptible in Ursula who truly beliefs that certain standards have to be met to ensure high performance and integrity. Consequently, by having self-confident she is able to communicate the possibilities set the agenda and the tone of organization in order to ensure that the employees hold the values of the company and also behave in and ethical manner.

Full range theory is also applicable in Ursula democratic leadership style for she is able to manifest all the essential qualities of a leader namely, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, idealized influence and individualized consideration. These are the ones that have enabled her to speak her mind, draw her line in the sand, work hard and take advantage of the opportunities, be smart and fearless and to persevere despite all the odds (Bell, 1). The concept of OB could also be applied to Ursula since as a person she has been able to understand herself better and thus understand her employee’s better. Secondly, as a manager she has been able to manage human resources effectively. Thirdly, she has been able to help the organization maintain industrial relations. Finally, she has been very successful in field marketing.

The forces affecting the nature of organization are the people, environment, and technology. Ursula understands them too well this why she tries to ensure that the core values of the company are followed and are at the heart of each employee. For instance, she uses technology to develop market leadership.

Ursula burns traits and leadership has so much implication on Xerox. Her power of communication that is built on honesty and straight forwardness has helped employees to undertake their duties in competency. To her any employee who does not deliver needs to be fired. She also knows about the power of culture and this is what she instills in all employees making the business to succeed (Gaille, 1). She knows that this culture helps business to succeed. She also beliefs in the power of vision by letting employees know what they are in for. This way, the employees aim to reach back to the company highest success and exceed forward (Gaille, 1). She also knows the power of people and hence she aligns the employees around a common goal and objective. She also understands the power of customer and so she ensures that the customers are made the center of everything. Finally she knows the value of leadership which is indispensable. Therefore, her honesty, consistency and forcefulness move the company forward. This is the more reason as to why Xerox is among the Fortune 500 Company.









Work cited

Bell, Ella. Ursula Burns: Managing With Heart and Some Soul. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ella-l-j-edmondson-bell-phd/ursula-burns-managing-wit_b_498944.html (Accessed 29th July 2017)

Gaille, Brandon. Xerox CEO Ursula Burns’ Leadership Style and Traits. 2013. Retrieved from http://brandongaille.com/xerox-ceo-ursula-burns-leadership-style-and-traits/ (Accessed 29th July 2017)

Robbins, Stephen P, (2016). Organizational Behavior. London: Pearson Education Limited, 2016.