Research Log 3

Research Worksheet: Lack of Leadership and Management Skills

Lack of Leadership and Management Skills

Overview of the Issue

Quality management, leadership Quality management and leadership are running an institution or business. When leaders lack these skills, they cannot discharge their duties of promoting organizational culture, motivating staff, coaching, and providing direction to the employees. This may result in morale deterioration, resulting in less productivity and high employee turnover.

Field of Study: Business Administration

Issue: Lack of Leadership and Management Skills

Source 1

Bibliographic Information

Gelles, D., & Goldberg, E. (2021, December 31). ‘We threw out any plans we had’: C.E.O.s are forced to embrace uncertainty. The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/31/business/ceos-pandemic-leadership.html

How the Source was Retrieved

The article is from the New York Times, accessed through the internet.

Key Terms Used in the Search

Adjusting Leadership and Management skills in Uncertain Situations

Exigence Addressed

Competent leaders need to be ready to deal with uncertain situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Key Terms

Leadership during a pandemic, certainty, strategic plans, quiet-quitting.

Important Quotes

The article notes that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the approach that leaders govern their institutions by using a new system that embraces uncertainty in the workplace. The article notes, "Business leaders are trained to 'shoot, move and communicate.' But the pandemic has called on them to rewrite the leadership playbook" (Gelles & Goldberg, 2021). The article also recognizes the importance of certainty in an institution as it makes the leader plan for the future. It notes, "Certainty instills leaders with the confidence they need to invest…" (Gelles & Goldberg, 2021). Generally, as the article acknowledges the importance of certainty in businesses, it encourages leaders to as well embrace and be ready for uncertain situations. Competent leaders should be able to adjust their skills to handle such situations.

Connection to other sources

The source gives background information on the importance of leaders and managers in being prepared for uncertainties. Just like Source 2, this source assesses the readiness of the managers and leaders in tackling world pandemics such as COVID-19.

Source 2

Bibliographic Information

McArdle, T., & Bolton, L. M. (2022, June 17). Four Top Workplaces chiefs offer lessons on crisis management. The Washington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/06/17/top-workplaces-leaders/

How the Source was Accessed

The source is an article from The Washington Post and was found through the Google search engine.

Key Search Terms Used

Role of leadership and management skills in times of crisis

Exigence the Source Seeks to Address

The article assesses how large and small firms were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and how their leaders dealt with it. It also assesses the impact of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine on the respective firms. It assesses the great resignation that came along with the pandemic and skills in managing a hybrid workplace. The article also assesses strategies that the company will use to handle such crises.

New Key Terms

The Great resignation, turnovers, hybrid workplace, telecommuting, inflation.

Important Quotes

One of the leaders in the article notes that the turnover rates were high during the COVID-19 pandemic as the workers reflected on what really matters to them; their health. He says, “…numbers [of turnovers] rise as staff reflected on what is important in their lives” (McArdle & Bolton, 2022). The article also highlights the qualities of a good leader as “…not only for managing their organizations through crises but keeping their staff happy and confident in their leadership at the same time” (McArdle & Bolton, 2022).

Connection to Other Sources

The article connects with Source 1 as it addresses how leadership skills and qualities are necessary in times of crisis. It addresses the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, assessing their effectiveness and how competent leaders and managers can handle it.

Source 3

Bibliographic Information

Zitron, E. (2021, September 17). Say goodbye to your manager. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/manager-work-life-changes/620096/

How the Source was Found

This is an article from The Atlantic magazine, accessed through the Google search engine.

Key Words Used to Find the Source

Lack of leadership and management skills - The Atlantic.

Exigence the Source Seeks to Address

The article educates on how business managers have become somewhat useless in running significant firms. It also calculates the cost of employing many managers in a firm versus productivity and realizes that fewer managers can meet the same work. It also gives guidelines on what managers need to do to ensure that they carry out their duties effectively and contribute positively to the company's productivity.

New Key Terms

Productivity, bureaucracy and corporates.

Important Quotes

The author analyzes data from previous studies and notes that employing fewer managers would be economical as they result in more productivity. He writes, “reducing the number of managers usually led to more productivity and profit” (Zitron, 2021). The author also highlights that managers need to put in more effort to assure firms that they actually work. Zitron (2021) points out “…that managers, in other words, will need to start proving that they do something.”

Connection to other Sources

The article connects with the others as it assesses the consequences of leadership and management that are not competent. It acknowledges the importance of having the necessary skills and qualities when managing or being a leader in a business firm.

Source 4

Bibliographic Information

University of Wolverhampton. (2021, September 6). The importance of leadership and people management skills. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://online.wlv.ac.uk/the-importance-of-leadership-and-people-management-skills/

How the Source Was Found

The article was found through the Google search engine on the website of the University of Wolverhampton.

Key Search Terms Used to Find the Article

Leadership and management qualities - university publication.

Exigence Addressed by the Source

The source examines the qualities and skills a good leader and a manager should possess. It also assesses the differences that exist between a leader and a manager in a business setting. A good leader should show qualities of compassion and empathy, trust, good communication skills, problem-solving skills, and sound decision-making, which are discussed in detail by the author. The articles also assess the implications of lacking these skills.

New Key Terms

Digital transformation and organizational strategy.

Important Quotes

The article points out that lacking the necessary qualities and skills affects not only the business team members but also the hiring process. The author says, "…lacking these qualities both affects the current team members and the ability to hire top talent" (University of Wolverhampton, 2021). The article also notes a significant difference between a leader and a manager, which it discusses in detail. This notion is introduced when the writer suggests, "Though they sound like the same thing and may be employed for the same role, there is a big difference between being a leader and being a manager" (University of Wolverhampton, 2021).

How the Source Relates to the Others

The source provides background information on the roles of managers and leaders in a firm. It also provides a check on what competent managers and leaders should have. It counters the prospects of lack of leadership and managerial skills tackled by the other sources.

Reflection

Additional Issues and Perspectives Realized

The sources have revealed that it is essential for managers and leaders to be ready to deal with issues that may come up in their line of work. Source 1 has referred to such issues as ‘uncertainty’ (Gelles & Goldberg, 2021), while Source 2 has used the term ‘crisis’ for such issues (McArdle & Bolton, 2022).

How the Sources Agree with Each Other

All the sources agree that for a business or firm to run well, there is a need for good leadership and management skills. They all suggest that lacking such qualities and skills negatively affects the company's progress.

How the Resources are Providing Current Background Information

The sources are recent, as they were published as from last year. They address current issues in society, such as ‘management issues flowing world crisis such as the war in Ukraine’ as per Source 2 by McArdle and Bolton in 2022 and the C0VID-19 pandemic in both Source 1 and 2.

How the Topic is Connected to Field of Study

Leadership and management are part of the disciplines covered in the field of business administration. Therefore, a fundamental construct of the discipline is assessing how the qualities and skills of leadership and management affect the running of firms. For instance, source 4 analyzes the characteristics and skills required for sound management and leadership. University of Wolverhampton (2021) lists the required qualities and skills as “…qualities of compassion and empathy, trust, good communication skills, problem-solving skills, and good decision-making….” This information is essential in business administration as it can determine whether an entity's leadership or management is up to the standards.

How the Sources will be Used in Establishing Exigence in the Literature Review

As the information in these sources is credible and current, the sources will be used as reference material. They will be used to emphasize the positive contribution of quality management and leadership skills.

References

McArdle, T., & Bolton, L. M. (2022, June 17). Four Top Workplaces chiefs offer lessons on crisis management. The Washington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/06/17/top-workplaces-leaders/

University of Wolverhampton. (2021, September 6). The importance of leadership and people management skills. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://online.wlv.ac.uk/the-importance-of-leadership-and-people-management-skills/

Zitron, E. (2021, September 17). Say goodbye to your manager. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/manager-work-life-changes/620096/