Leadership is all about staying current on the dynamic changes that occur in our everyday lives. A good leader then determines whether to maintain the status quo or make changes to suit the current situation based on these dynamic changes (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The modifications are intended to boost the organization's productivity and profit levels. Leaders, on the other hand, should be wary of making changes without first conducting comprehensive consultation. This is because a hastily made decision to change might have major consequences for the organization's production. On the other hand, inflexibility is the ability to maintain the status quo no matter the changes that might occur around the business that affects the production of the enterprise.
Case Analysis of inflexibility in Team Leadership
Inflexible leaders are the kind of leaders that are ever insecure with daily changes that may occur in a business. As such, they do not like to learn new things and they would rather make losses than make the changes in the system (Certo, 2015). These type of leaders do not recruit or employ new employees, they reject talented workmates and teammates because they fear competition from other people. Also, they do not learn from their mistakes but punish their juniors basing on their authoritative nature. In most cases, such leaders give commands to their juniors and they do not expect questions from them. In this regard, the leader becomes a liability to a business enterprise. This is attributed to the inability of leaders to makes changes, in most cases there must be changes. The changes occur in a number of aspects which can be in technology, human resources, and personnel in order for a business to suit the dynamic and technological changes in the world.
Besides that, there is need to employ the best team players in your firm. This is based on skills in modern technology which has the ability and power to contribute massively in the production of quality products that compete in the market (Williams, 2013). However, with insecure nature of a leader who might not be able to even listen to his employees, let alone employing the best team players and technology, the firm is likely to have low production and poor quality. Therefore, there is reduction in production and consequently profit level and if no intervention is taken the firm may end up being closed.
In addition to that, leadership and teamwork are about listening to other people`s opinion and making a concise decision that satisfies all concerned parties (Bolman & Deal, 2017). However, a leader that is not ready to consult, discuss or even ask for opinions is likely to scare off most of the employees that might feel their opinions are not considered in matters that are essential in the running of the firm. As such, the best and talented workers may decide to resign and seek jobs elsewhere that their opinions and contribution in with a business production can be recognized and accepted. The loss of the best team players means a loss in the production sector, which does not sound well for enterprises that aim to make maximum profits at the end of production (Robbins & Judge, 2003).
Furthermore, blame games are bound to arise due to inflexibility in team works. For instance, a job that was to be conducted by a team of people may end up being done by few individuals when there seems to be too much arguing and misunderstanding over the way of handling the job. As a result, an individual that does may end up being blamed if work done is not recommendable. This is likely to take place since most of the people who are always inflexible and have no option but to force others to accept his/her way of doing things even if they seem to be wrong. Therefore, the misunderstanding in group work is most likely to lead to poor quality of work being done, which does not portray the real picture of the expected outcome from the group.
Team leadership is not about being an individual taking credit at the expense of others, however, it is about collective responsibility regardless of one’s position. Also, it is all about understanding the workforce diversity, getting to know all details of the team, and work with them to ensure the objective of the organization is achieved. Therefore, with inflexibility by one of the team workers, the whole group may be rendered inefficient unless there are measures taken to solve the problem (Bolman & Deal, 2017).
Reasons for the Problems
Inflexibility is the tool that weak, emotional, unskilled and dictator leaders use when administering their leadership (Fullan, 2014). These leaders are not secure with other talented brains around them, they tend to be mean with the information within their possession so that they maintain status quo even if the business runs at a loss. Therefore, the reasons associated with inflexibility in any organization are mostly caused by the team players. They fail to make the set targets due to one or few individuals being inflexible with the proposed changes by other members of the team. As a result, the rigid members may end up working on their own and end up making mistakes that could be solved easily by the participation of the whole team.
As such, problems may arise due to the inflexibility of a leader. A leader who is not ready to listen to his/her employees' opinions welcomes trouble in her organization. There must be mutual respect and understanding between the employer and the employees (Robbins & Judge, 2003). This is done by sharing ideas on ways of improving the operation of the organization and making more profits by having less expenditure with high production of quality products. However, when a leader remains rigid especially with the same working or production conditions, the employees may decide to not to participate in the running of the organization provided they get paid. This affects the functioning and efficiency of the organization as the employees get demoralized and end up not working as per the company’s objectives. The loss that is to be incurred is therefore self-induced by the leader of the organization who does not listen to his juniors or workmates while executing his duties (Bolman & Deal, 2017).
In addition that, an inflexible leader due to his insecure nature, is likely to fire the best-talented team workers or never hire the best team in order to reduce the competition that he faces daily (Williams, 2013).This may act for him as the best tool to ensure that he remains the boss and that the orders he passes are obeyed unquestionably. However, it's a negative tool when dealing with an organization that is profit driven and has competitors that offer the same products as yours. They waylaid talented personnel and those not quickly poached in the market may be hired by the competitors who will utilize their talents well and therefore outcompete these organizations. This happens as inflexible bosses insists on their old ways of doing things which in the long run are making losses in the organization's production and performance.
Additionally, a firm may experience problems due to management’s inflexibility to employ modern technology in the production system. Technology changes daily and most firms change with the changes in technology in order to provide high-quality products that meet customers' specification in the market. Therefore, being inflexible on these changes may affect the production of the required products in the market and end up being a failure on the side of management. The management should also be able to compare the level of technology used by their competitors and work out to ensure that they make changes in their firm that will ensure they meet customers' needs by producing the required products at a required time (Robbins & Judge, 2003).
Besides that, problems are likely to arise in a firm due to the poor working conditions that leaders of the firm have remained rigid not to change. For better production to take palace, the employees must be feeling secured at their working place. That's good environment that favors one to work without worries of health issues, being attacked, or being victimized by anybody. At such a place the employee is likely to work at her maximum potential which in this case is likely to make the organization profits. However, an organization that does not care about the working conditions of her employees is likely to make losses as the workers may not give out their maximum potential (Williams, 2013).
Effects of the Problems
Most organizations are profit driven. Therefore, any problems that may be experienced along its operation are likely to cause a problem in profit making of the organization (Certo, 2015). For instance, when the management does not change with the changes in technology in the production of its goods and services the goods produced may take long to be produced, may not meet customers' needs due to changes in technology, and may also be too costly due to long process that is involved in manufacturing them hence being considered by the customer. This is likely to cause a negative impact on the organization as losses are incurred, materials wasted and workers get demoralized using an outdated technology while their competitors use the modern technology (Robbins & Judge, 2003).
In addition, in a case where the boss is inflexible, does not listen to his employees. Does not hire talented team workers, the consequence are also manifested in the production of the firm. Talented workers may in a way help in solving problems that are not easily solved by any worker, therefore lacking such minds in your team then there are higher chances of running the organization in losses. Besides that, inflexible leaders are also likely to make these kinds of people find their way out of the firm because he fears that they may be a threat on his job. Therefore, not hiring and firing the best-talented team workers in a firm in fear of competition is likely to be the root cause of succumbing to the prevailing market conditions (Williams, 2013).
Furthermore, the morale of the employees is lowered when the leaders exercise inflexibility in decision making and involving them in the running of the organization. These cases are common especially when change to improve the working conditions are not embraced. As such, this also affects goal attainment in the organization since employees are not focused on performance. It also leads to low productivity in the organization since more time and effort is not focused on dynamics in production, performance and adoption of new techniques of running the organization. The effectiveness of the employees and the team is affected severely in the long run since the team members or leaders are not flexible to receiving ideas or methods of initiating change in the organization (Bolman & Deal, 2017).
Possible Solutions
Inflexibility in team leadership is a problem that is self-inflicted and solving it may require a major role being played by the team. The nature of being rigid and firm in a decision one makes is usually in most cases natured from childhood (Certo, 2015). Therefore, despite having that trait for the bigger portion of one's lives time, there is a need for such a person or leader to be talked to, highlighted on the vision and mission of the organization so that they do not see talented workmates as threats in his position (Robbins & Judge, 2003).
As such, the leader ought to ensure that they recruits the best-talented workers available in the market, reward them according to their qualifications, and improves their working conditions. They should also be made to feel free by helping in making decisions that may help in proper running of the organization. Also, the leader has to be ready to listen to his juniors, make changes that seem necessary when approached by his workmate. On the other hand, a leader has also to ensure that employees work as a team to achieve the main objective of the organization and that each opinion should be listened to and respected by every person in the organization. This is likely to create good rapport between the employees and the employer which will make it easier in identifying and solving problems. Consequently, the company or organization is bound to make profits (Bolman & Deal, 2017)
A good flexible leader will also make changes to the prevailing conditions in the market. For instance, there might be a gradual change in consumption of goods in the market, a good leader identifies such a niche before others are aware and employees the required technology in order to meet the specifications of the customers (Williams, 2013).
Recommendations
I recommend that in future when hiring, we should be able to look at one's ability in working as a team. Then observe at the ability of the recruit to listen to his workmate's opinion and put it in place if necessary. This is achievable by looking at ones previous activities that he/she undertook that required teamwork such as a basket baller in his maiden days, or a team player in the projects done leading to one's professionalism.
In addition, leaders should be team workers, should not feel threatened by the young, talented and educated recruits as they are only employed to ensure the business makes profits through their important decision-making skills.
Conclusion
Being flexible with the dynamic changes in the long run of an organization should be a key trait in leaders who want to make positive progress in their organizations. Therefore, one should be flexible with the changes; however, he should also be keen when making changes some changes may make the situation worse. As such, there is always need to have intensive and extensive consultation process before making a decision as an organization.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons.
Certo, S. (2015). Supervision: Concepts and skill-building. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Fullan, M. (2014). Leading in a culture of change personal action guide and workbook. John Wiley & Sons.
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2003). Organizational Behavior. By Pearson Education. Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Williams, C. (2013). Principles of management. South-Western Cengage Learning.
