INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES
| Pages | 21-26 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057512 |
| Published date | 01 May 1988 |
| Date | 01 May 1988 |
| Author | John R. Darling |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES
by John R. Darling
Mississippi State
University,
USA
Introduction
Today offers, as has no other time in history, advantages for managerial leaders in international business who
can properly identify evolving needs and translate these into opportunities for organisational achievement.
However, taking hold of a need/opportunity is often easier if it is approached with a one-at-a-time perspective.
One step
—
a beginning; doing something about the issue; beginning to see accomplishment
—
gives assurance
that the achievement of objectives is possible. And in management, as in all other professional endeavours,
success is a journey and not a destination. In strategic decision making, the manager must select what is
important, what is possible, and move from where the business is with the foundation that has been established.
"The beginning", said Plato, "is the most important part."
Effective Managerial Leadership
It has been said that there are three kinds of people in
the world of business: those who make things happen;
those who watch things happen; and those who
wonder what has happened. Obviously, effective
leadership in business emanates primarily from those
individuals who make things happen. As a result, a
certain creatively disciplined power, which may be
called "the spirit of achievement", becomes reflected
in these individuals. It continually calls them to the
completion of tasks and the realisation of goals.
Management leadership literature is voluminous, and
some of it confusing and contradictory. However, three
basic approaches seem to emerge to explain what
makes an effective leader, and what determines
success in international management[1]]. The first
approach focuses on personal traits that effective
leaders have to some greater degree than ineffective
leaders. The second approach explains effective
leadership in terms of interpersonal behaviour in which
the leader engages. The third deals with a situational
or contingency perspective, and explains effectiveness
in terms of the conditions within which the
management leadership is exercised.
Success measured only against particular traits or
behaviours may breed failure as leadership
responsibilities are broadened. The failure to obtain
consistent results in establishing success in this regard
leads to the need to focus on situational influences[2].
It can therefore be concluded that the type of leadership
behaviour needed to enhance effective performance
depends largely on the situation.
Effective leadership in one situation may be ineffective
in another. For example, using a strong, directive style
with well-trained, self-motivated, confident and ener-
getic senior management personnel may be a disaster.
However, the directive style may be what is needed for
relatively young and inexperienced management people
working on a particular project. The orientation of
management leadership is appealing, but it is certainly
a challenge to implement. Its foundation suggests that
an effective managerial leader in the international arena
must be flexible enough to adapt to the differences
among various market conditions, management and
operational personnel, and other variables.
An analysis of the various models depicting situational
influences on leadership effectiveness concludes that
there is no universally accepted style or model of
leadership in international management. In practice,
leaders are seldom totally participative, supportive or
directive. Many situational, personal and organisational
variables influence leadership style and effectiveness.
More specifically, the important variables and
considerations that bear on the accomplishment of
acceptable levels of leadership effectiveness are the
leader's awareness of self, the environmental
parameters, the characteristics of the organisation, the
characteristics of individuals in the organisation, and
the inherent motivational factors that prevail[3].
Leadership effectiveness is thereby multifaceted.
Perhaps an important reminder is of value. The leader
in international management influences the
organisation's behaviour, while, at the same time, the
people in the organisation influence the leader. Effective
leadership should be viewed as reciprocal, leaders and
followers influencing each other[4]. What makes a truly
successful executive is not intelligence, education,
lifestyle or background. The principal factor seems to
be his/her ability to deal with people[5, pp. 81-6].
In this regard, individuals aspiring to leadership roles
in international management might keep in mind the
fact that one of the deepest hungers in human beings
is the desire to be appreciated and to have a sense of
IMDS
May/June
1988
21
To continue reading
Request your trial