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Discussion: First of Several Connections Made

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Discussion: First of Several Connections

The first connection that I draw from the MSOLM program content, the Abrashoff texts and my professional experiences is the importance of leadership in team building. The MSOLM program sheds light on the idea that the leader should have a sense of personal purpose towards the attainment of the organization or team’s overall mission. To realize this objective, the leader plays an integral role in building and maintaining team cohesion by unleashing the energies of team members (Speak Inc, 2012). This can be attained through appealing to their natural impulses to learn. Thus, my understanding of leadership has been to engage employees into activities that they view as worthy of their utmost commitment. There is no better way to do this than to encourage the spirit of team work that makes use of each and every member’s maximum potentials towards the realization of the common objective and purpose.

Like the MSOLM program, Abrashoff’s texts confirm the premise that effective leadership promotes team cohesion and strength. When Abrashoff takes command of the USS Benfold, he realizes that he is not only a leader, but also a team builder. During that turning point of his life, the morale of members was low, while the turnover was high and unprecedented. However, by employing leadership skills that bring team members together and focusing on each others’ strengths, his ship served as the benchmark for performance (Abrashoff, 2012). This inspiring text is founded on the vital leadership insights that Abrashoff gains as he leads the remarkable turnaround of the ship (SPEAK Inc, 2012). Unlike the traditional command and control model of leadership practiced in the military and other business organizations, Abrashoff employs a leadership style that empowers team members by making them feel that they form a special part of the entire organization. In so doing, he encourages members to actively participate in the decision-making process by providing their views and sentiments. As a result, Abrashoff manages to make sound decisions that are guided by insights from his followers.

Based on the above insights and personal experiences, I have learned that most leaders erroneously think that the primary cause of poor performance and productivity is low wages. However, a rich collection of course contents and Abrashoff’s texts have enlightened me that lack of team spirit that encourages equality tops the list of possible causes of lack of team productivity. As Abrashoff (2012) states, not being treated with respect or dignity, and being deterred from making impact on the organization, reduce team morale. Therefore, encouraging a listening spirit and rewarding positive performance are manifestation of good leadership.

References

Abrashoff, D. M. (2012). It's your ship: Management techniques from the best damn ship in the

Navy. London: Hachette UK.