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Leading The Way
“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people”
Theodore Roosevelt
Leadership is an essential part of management. Being one of the four universal functions of management, leading is arguably the most important
function. In the twenty-first century, more businesses and companies required their workers to work more on team operations rather than individually. One of the most effective elements to those teams’ success is its leaders. Without the management of a strong leader, a team can only go so far. In a startling statistic found by USA Weekend, 40 percent of all new managers are out of a job within the first 18 months. However, beyond the obvious reasons mentioned in the article, such as termination or voluntary leave, the simple facts are that they were not prepared to work in partnerships and teamwork.
Throughout this paper, I will be discussing the importance of practicing effective leadership. I will explore the Kohl’s Department Store way of leadership by giving detailed examples of what they do to ensure good teamwork and the type of leadership it takes to ensure a successful work team. Below is the Kohl’s Department Store Mission Statement.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be a...
Value Oriented,
Family focused Department Store
Our goal is to..
Offer our customers the best value in any given market
Our pricing strategy emphasizes value by....
Offering attractive prices, and
Offering name brand merchandise
In a Department Store atmosphere
Before successful teamwork can occur, effective planning, communication and motivation must be practiced by team leaders. Without effective
communication, a team can not function successfully. Kohl’s department store runs its operation as a team effort. Store manager, Audrey McCaskey, works with other employees and assistant managers of the store to come up with ways to improve their store’s performance. As the leader, Audrey is a strong willed manager who fits every characteristic of a good store manager. Her approaches at times are fierce yet ethical, and with her team, she is determined to get the job done; proving that leadership is an essential part of a managers position. There are three basic types of leadership: transactional leaders, charismatic
leaders, and transformational leaders. Transactional leaders are the types who get the job done and stick to the required task. They are hardworking and determined to succeed in performance. Charismatic leaders are leaders who have a vision and
use their ability to motivate to reach their goals. Charismatic leaders use their motivational techniques to encourage employees to work hard. They are also
creative and make it so that employees can work hard but be excited about it at the same time. Transformational leaders are leaders who strive toward change. These leaders are the ones who can bring life back into a failing company with great success.
While these types of leadership are characterized separately, it is possible for a leader to be more than one type. When Audrey came to be General Manager
of Kohl’s back in 1997, Kohl’s was excelling in sales and profit. Her energy and motivation (although sometimes a bit sarcastic), as well as her visions for the store, classify her as a charismatic leader. However, I would also classify her as a
transactional leader. Besides motivating employees, Audrey is hardworking and determined to get the job done. She runs her store efficiently and tries to keep it rolling as a smooth operation.
THE SIX STYLES OF LEADERSHIP
Leadership is a complex position that varies in many ways. In the Harvard Business Review, writer Daniel Goleman explains the six distinct styles of
leadership. Coercive leaders demand immediate compliance. Authoritative leaders mobilize their people toward a vision. Affiliative leaders create emotional bonds and compatibility. Democratic leaders build consensus through participation. Pacesetting leaders expect excellence and self direction, and coaching leaders develop people for the future.(Goleman)
Goleman’s research found that leaders don’t necessarily rely on just any one of styles listed above. In fact, most managers use all the different styles on the job at some point or another.
Many of theses management styles are practiced within the management team of Kohl’s. Through these different styles, management is able to lead in a
more effective manner. Coercive leaders - Management at Kohl’s demands that each and every employee give 100% while on the job. Working as a part of the team, each employee is expected to do his/her share of the work. Authoritative leaders- Management encourages employees to work hard and continue the tradition of growth, innovation, and profitability. Affiliative leaders- Known for Team based operations, team leaders at Kohl’s create a harmonic work setting, making all employees feel comfortable with the store setting. Managers also try to develop and sustain working relationships with all employees. Democratic leaders- Participation is practically inevitable while working at Kohl’s. Managers encourage participation through contests (e.g. Kohlkeman), and jean or tennis shoe days, which usually have positive results.
Pacesetting leaders- All employees are told what is expected of them and their performance. Therefore, employees work at achieving expectations and or
goals through team work and self direction. Coaching Leaders- Each new employee of Kohl’s is given extensive training within the first 3-6 weeks of employment. With this, managers hope to develop
leadership skills among all employees.
One of the most crucial elements in being a superior leader is allowing others to have power as well. Managers who hold themselves above everyone
else will not be as effective as those who acknowledge leadership in all their employees. It is important for managers not to think of themselves as managers,
but as leaders.
LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGEMENT FACTOR
Many people distinguish leadership as being the opposite of management, although both are essentially important to a corporation or business. Some of the traits for an effective leader include: being visionary, innovative, and courageous,
initiating change, and having personal power (Capowski). Management traits include: rational, persistent, tough minded, structured, and stabilizing (Capowski). With these traits one is led to believe that a manager is tougher and more fierce than to a leader. However, many would find these comparisons to be insufficient. Many managers possess traits that intertwine between leader and manager. By watching each of the store’s managers, I have found that managers are capable of being good leaders. Audrey McCaskey believes that in order to be a good
manager, you must be a great leader. Without good leadership skills, you won’t be able to work successfully with your employees. Therefore, less work would get done, making the individual an incapable store manager.
Leaders often prove unsuccessful when their is a lack of communication and motivation among their teams. Therefore conflict tends to arise within the
group and affects the company’s performance.
COMMUNICATION
Leaders who communicate and
motivate their employees on a
daily basis are the ones who
accomplish more of their goals.
Many managers use communication
through daily or weekly meetings,
daily memos, or internet.
Through this communication,
leaders and team players are able
to interact with each other
regarding issues that are going
on within the company.
Every morning before store opening, a Kohl’s manager or assistant manager will hold a brief meeting, discussing the stores current sales increases or decreases and upcoming sales. For this meeting, managers follow an outline that briefly goes over each priority for the day. The outline goes over sales plans, goals, and actuals, credit application goals, and actuals, store news, top priorities for the
day, and advertising. When sales are up, employees are encouraged to keep up the good work and often are awarded with a jean day. When awarded a jean day,
employees are allowed to wear jeans to work.
Managers will also advise employees of corporate visits. Corporate visits are when someone from the Kohl’s corporate center visits the store to make sure everything is in place and in order. During these visits, all associates are asked to maintain their departments especially well. Managers will also hold afternoon meetings for employees who work the afternoons and evenings.
Another form of communication is the weekly K-Notes which come inserted in each weekly paycheck. In K-Notes, store managers briefly discuss store news
such as upcoming events, corporate visits, new associates, etc.
Each employee of Kohl’s receives an evaluation every 90 days from Audrey or an assistant store manager. During these evaluations the manager will go over with the employees their current job performance. The manager will point out all the positive things in the employees’ performance and all the negative. Through this discussion, the employees are able to learn their strong points and what needs to be done to improve their overall work performance. When employees receive a good evaluation, their salary is increased.
MOTIVATION
Motivation is also an important key factor in leading. When leaders recognize employees for a job well done, the employees are motivated to keeping
up the good work. Forms of effective motivation include the following:
increase in wage
promotion
recognition among peers
bonuses
special contests
With employees highly motivated, many businesses find that they meet their overall goal. However, some may argue that some forms of motivation are bribes to employees.
At Kohl’s, associates are asked to solicit credit applications from customers to meet the store’s weekly goal. Managers will offer employees contests with awards at the end for those who have met the store’s credit application goal. Currently, the store has embarked on a new way to receive credit applications and award the associates at the same time. At the start of April, Kohl’s announced the
Kohlkeman contest to its associates. Through this contest, store manager Audrey McCaskey hopes to encourage employees to get customers to open up a Kohl’s charge account. With every credit application an employee receives, they are awarded a Kohlkeman scratch off card. Each card varies in worth from fifty cents to ten dollars. There are eight different cards that each employee can collect. Whoever collects all eight of the cards receives the grand prize of a twenty-five dollar gift card. While this approach is working with a only a portion of staff participation, it has indeed motivated those who are competitive.
Working in retail can be a very challenging job. Often days can be very long if the store is generating big sales from customers. Employees are required to wear appropriate attire to work. For women it may be a pant suit or a dress. For men, it
may be a dress shirt and slacks. Khaki pants are allowed, but employees are prohibited to wear jeans unless they are given special permission from
management. Kohl’s Corporation expects all of its associates to be dressed in a professional manner. However, as a special thank you for all their work, employees may be awarded with a jean day or a tennis shoe day. Jean and tennis shoe days are designated to thank associates for all their hard work during high volume days or for overall good performance.
Although leader Audrey McCaskey encourages her department supervisors to keep their areas in good shape, it is often a very challenging task. Coming in
each night just as the associates are doing their recovery (when all associates recover merchandise from dressing rooms, the floor, folding messy display tables, etc.), I have noticed that Audrey and the other managers get everyone to help each other out. Some departments aren’t as disorderly as others. Therefore, someone in the men’s department may help out the associates in the misses’ department. Working together as a team, the work gets done faster and
employees are able to leave sooner.
This past March, management was expecting a “big” corporate visit. To make sure that they were prepared and in order, another motivational tactic was
placed. In this contest, associates were encouraged to keep their departments as clean and orderly as possible. With only one to two people working a department at one time, this has proved not to be an easy task. The department with the most orderly department was to be awarded a Kohl’s gift card. In all, this motivation proved successful to management.
INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION
At Kohl’s, there is a formal customer service recognition program for store associates. At each customer service counter or cash register, there are pink forms called “Tell Us What You Think”. These forms allow customers to give compliments about a store associate who may have helped them or were just
friendly. Whenever an associate receives such a compliment, it is counted as a point toward a special name badge. The two highest name badges an associate
can receive are the bronze and silver badges, which recognize individual superior customer service. Employees are also encouraged to nominate their co-workers for the associate of the month award. When an associate is chosen for this award,
they are given special privileges such as an extra break, a reserved parking space in the employee parking lot, and taken out for lunch by a store manager. Management hopes that this will help motivate employees.
PLANNING FOR SUCCESS
Though Audrey McCaskey is General Manager of the Kohl’s Holland store, there are many other people involved in the leading role. There are five other
managers of the store who range in various positions. Each one works together to set future goals. Aside from all other associates, they are a team within
themselves.
Each sales day the store sets a goal of how much intake it receives in sales. With this tactical goal, Corporate expects it to be reached. An example of a daily sales goal may be $53,000. If the store were to intake anywhere between $46,000 and $50,000, the overall standings would be considered average. However, once the store falls beneath expected standards, in this case an amount in between
$40,000 and $45,000, it would be considered a “bad” sales day.
Although there are other Kohl’s Department Stores within the area, thus causing sales competition, the Holland store puts in every effort to ensure that customers get satisfaction. With the lasting impression of store quality and associate geniality, customers are most likely to return.
IDEAS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The “Ideas Make A Difference” program is a program which allows all associates of the Kohl’s team to make any suggestion that they feel will improve
the store. Kohl’s believes that the best ideas come from the associates who work one on one with the customers. Therefore their ideas may generate improvement through any of the following categories.
Customer shopping experience
Reduced Expenses
Increased Sales
Increased Productivity
Whenever a suggested idea from an employee is successfully implemented through this program, the originator of the idea will gain recognition from the store as well as financial rewards. The store has found that active and ongoing participation in this program is the key to the company’s success.
Leadership is an essential part of effective management, as well as a huge part of the four universal functions. Without effective leading from managers, a business can only go so far. The introductory quote holds the central message and
finding of this paper. The most important thing for successful team leading is knowing how to communicate and get along well with others. Without a strong
communication foundation and good linking among employees, successful teamwork and results are decreased.
In conclusion, I have found that Kohl’s has done very well in its approaches to team leading and teamwork overall. By practicing each of the individual styles of leadership, Kohl’s has proved to be successful in its operations. A majority of
employees found that management was indeed doing an exceptional job at leading them and other associates. Exceptional communication and motivation have been
the proven factors at succeeding in teamwork in a team based operation. The following are the ten commandments of leadership. In a way, these
commandments summarize this paper by stating the most important factors in leading.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LEADERSHIP (Manske 194)
I. Treat everyone with respect and dignity
II. Set the example for others to follow
III. Be an active coach
IV. Maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity
V. Insist on excellence and hold your people accountable
VI. Build group cohesiveness and pride
VII. Show confidence in your style
VIII. Maintain a strong sense of urgency
IX. Be available and visible to your staff
X. Develop yourself to your highest potential
Bibliography
Daft, Richard L. Management Fifth Edition The Dryden Press. 1997.
Goleman, Daniel. Leadership That Gets Results. Harvard Business Review
March-April 2000.
Leatherman, Dick Ph.D. Quality Leadership Through Empowerment
HRD Press, Inc. 1992
Manske, F.A. Jr. Secrets of Effective Leadership Leadership Education and
Development, Inc. 1990
Margerison, C; McCann D. Team Management: Practical New Approaches
Mercury Books Division of WH Allen & Co. 1990
McCafferty, Dennis. (2000). First Time Management Mistakes You Won’t Make.
USA Today Available
http://content.careers.msn.com/wl_ga_9912_mngmntmistakes.html
Word Count: 2715
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