12. Понятие руководства, основные типы руководителей

Leadership is needed at all levels in an organization.

A typical definition is that the leader ‘provides direction and influences others to achieve common goals. A chief executive must indeed give ‘direction’, he has to create ‘a sense of excitement’ in the organization, and convince staff that he knows where business is going, he must be a focus for their aspirations.

‘Leadership is the lifting of a man’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a man’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a man’s personality beyond its normal limitation’.

Characteristics of a leader:

1. Sociability, interpersonal skills

2. Self confidence

3. Ascendance, dominance

4. Drive for responsibility

5. Participation on social exchange

6. Achievement drive, desire to excel

7. Fluency of speech

8. Above-average intelligence

9. Decisiveness

According to Fred Fiedler, Professor of Psychology and Management, there are two basic leadership styles:

Task-motivated leaders ‘tell people what to do and how to do it’. Such leaders get their satisfaction from completing the task and knowing they have done it well. They run a ‘tight ship’, give clear orders and expect clear directives from their superiors.

Relationship-motivated leaders are more people-oriented. They get their satisfaction from having a good relationship with other workers. They want to be admired and liked by their subordinates. Such leaders will share responsibility with group members by encouraging subordinates to participate in decisions and make suggestions.

Finally, the leader is not only someone who ‘lifts a man’s vision’. He/she must also protect and promote the organization’s value.

13. Руководство компанией, стратегия, тактика

The top management of a company have certain unique responsibilities. One of their tasks is to make major decisions affecting the future of the organization.

Before doing any kind of strategic planning, the management must be sure of one thing. They must decide what is the mission and purpose of their business. They also need to decide what it should be in the future, they must know why the business exists and what its main purpose is.

Having decided on its mission and purpose, management will have worked out certain more specific objectives. For example, a car firm may have the objective of producing and marketing new models of cars in the medium-price range. Another objective may be to increase its market share by 10% in the next five years.

However, before deciding strategies, managers have to look at the company’s present performance and at any external factors which might affect its future. To do this, it carries out an analysis, sometimes called SWOT.

Having completed the SWOT analysis, the company can now evaluate its objectives and perhaps work out new ones.

Company planning and strategic decision-making are key activities of top management. Once they have been carried out, objectives and targets can be set at lower levels in the organization.