Kwantlen Brenda

“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” Socrates (Watson, L.E. 1951). This quote to me is the essence of what leadership is about. A leader demonstrates exceptional skills in interpersonal skills, ethics and morals. If a leader does not possess these skills, employees will not follow or work in a cohesive team environment. The leader sets the tone and demonstrates to other staff what acceptable behavior looks like. Therefore if you want to be a leader with a good reputation, then you ought to behave like a leader with a good reputation.

This course has transformed my way of thinking with respect to leadership. I’ve often thought about employees as individuals, all coming with strengths and weaknesses. I’ve never however, applied this same type of thinking when it comes to leadership. I suppose we all want to think of our leaders as people with supreme skills, acting the way we want them to act, and managing to the style we as individuals feel most comfortable with. I realize now though, there are many type of leaders – transformational, transactional and servant to name a few. In knowing this, I’ve become less frustrated with leaders that are influential in my life. I can better understand how they became the kind of leaders they are today. Which brings me to my second most impactful learning and that is that leadership can be made up of traits one is genetically in-tuned to, as well as leadership can be learned. In my own life I’ve been blessed with a family line of successful leaders. My dad is a great example of how leadership can be inherited as although he was adopted, he took on similar leadership positions as his biological family. He did not meet his family until he was 28 years of age, yet he enjoyed very similar successes. In my case, I believe I’ve inherited some of these leadership traits however when one grows up in an environment that is not conducive to nurturing these skills, those same leadership traits can be used in an unproductive way. I’ve been fortunate however in my career to have terrific mentors and the opportunity to continue to learn about effective leadership. This learning continues every day, as I try and be the best I can be for my employees and my community. Yes, I’ve made some mistakes in my career, however I know at this point in my life what good leadership looks like. I try every day to mirror and behave like a strong and thoughtful leader, one with a good reputation in all business dealings. The world is full of inspirational great leaders with excellent reputations such as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet or Bill Gates. If you were to choose one inspirational leader to emulate with a great reputation, whom would that be?

References:

Watson, L.E. (1951). _Light from Many Lamps_. New York: Simon and Schuster. Page 165.

The world is ever moving at a fast pace, and one area in particular that is effecting business is the technology sector. Business leaders need to be aware of emerging trends in order to continue to stay relevant. Examples of how the US and Canada Postal service have been impacted by tech are:

• The internet allows for online billing which has replaced the need for paper invoicing.
• Bank accounts can be set up for automatic bill payments and for access to accounts, further reducing the need for mail.
• Letters and communications of a personal nature can now be sent through email or through social media channels.
• With the reduction in personal mail, home delivery services are being eliminated and replaced with neighborhood mailboxes or PO boxes for efficiencies.
• Online shopping has increased and as a result the postal services have had to adapt and allow for larger mail parcels.
• Sorting of mail has been impacted by technology as new robotics are introduced to reduce the need of employee sorting.
• With more online products being sent via the mail, theft has become a larger issue as well as security concerns for illegal substances.
• Technology will continue to play a role in how mail and parcels are delivered. For example there is emerging drone technology where parcels can be delivered to the doorstep.
• Door to door advertising has increased while T.V. and radio ads have decreased. With the advent of on demand TV, the ability to skip through commercials and with the ability to stream music, demands for radio and T.V ads have decreased. Accessing customers through mail, billboards and the internet however has substantially increased. This presents perhaps a new opportunity for the postal service.

In the case of companies like Walmart, they too have been effected by the tech industry:

• Online sales are taking over the retail sector reducing the need for bricks and mortar store fronts. On the other hand because of online sales, distribution centers are growing.
• With an increase in online sales, transportation of goods have changed from large deliveries to storefronts to individual mailing of parcels and distribution networks.
• Competition has increased as customers are now able to look online and price compare.
• Automation of check outs has reduced the need for clerks at stores. This automation however has resulted also in an increase in security technology to monitor for theft.
• How products are marketed in stores have also changed. Some stores are resorting to having picture advertisements or one display of a product, particularly large items which then refer the customer to purchase online.
• Additional services have become important at the storefront in order to attract customers. For example, including other retail services such as automobile insurance, beauty, restaurants, etc. at the store front, it is more likely to encourage a trip to the store.
• New employment opportunities have arisen such as price comparison shoppers so that storefronts can compete with online shopping.
• It is widely known that Walmart has been out performed by new companies such as Amazon whom saw the trend in online shopping, long before Walmart did.
• Walmart has further had to adapt to the changing trend in online sales by increasing the store footprint for food services as opposed to other goods.

In summary, both Walmart and the Postal Services have done their best to adapt to emerging trends, however in some cases they are lagging behind. Fortunately though, because these organizations are large in size, with plenty of investor backing, it is likely they will succeed and adapt. Perhaps the only real critique I’ve seen that I would do differently is self-checkout. It seems that this technology has not been carefully thought out and likely was introduced due to pressure from customers. Self-checkout is getting better but still has many wrinkles to sort out. Sometimes customers will think something is a good idea and put pressure on businesses to do something about it, without thinking it through fully. All you have to do is stand and watch how many times a customer gets stuck at a Walmart because they can’t look up and find the right fruit or vegetable or because something isn’t scanning right. On the contrary I liken the Costco approach where they will listen to the customer but in the end Costco knows what is best for their customer. Costco’s approach to self-checkout is that technology is not where it needs to be, it would also open the door up to customers using other customer membership cards, which is something store clerks are trained to look out for. Am I not the only one that see that self-checkouts have a ways to go before they truly make the shopping experience easier? Or will self-checkouts become redundant in retail as we head toward more online sales?

Fostering recognition and a sense of belonging for woman in the workforce will result in a happier more productive environment. So how can this be achieved?

• Leadership needs to take an active role in providing feedback to employees not engaging in inclusion in the workforce.
• In severe cases management needs to address gender discrimination, immediately.
• Woman as well can play a role in changing the environment. For example, while working for a transportations company, we collected toys for disadvantaged children at Christmas. I was asked to be Santa’s helper, and in previous years Santa’s helper was dressed in a red mini-skirt and a low cut tight shirt! When I arrived at the costume store I let the clerk know I preferred to dress as Mrs. Claus. As such I took home the costume and on the first day surprised everyone and started a new tradition that still exists today. Mrs. Claus was such a great hit with the kids and in actuality there were many employees, male and female, that indicated they wanted their kids to come and see Santa but felt uncomfortable with the previous Santa’s helper dressed in an adult costume.
• Some organizations have set up a woman’s group which fosters mentoring. The group is also a place where woman can discuss challenging experiences in the workplace.
• Woman need to give back and make themselves available to younger generations. I was very blessed to have strong female mentors. In my point of life I try to do the same in return for the younger generations.
• Some organizations will target the promotion of females into leadership positions, to help foster inclusion. This can create animosity with male employees feeling they are being disadvantaged. Human Rights exemptions exist, allowing companies to assist disadvantaged employee groups. While this is an option for companies it is equally important for the organization to help educate and inform employees as to why females may be given preference.
• Pay attention to the employees that once spoke up with ideas and now are silent at meetings. Give them a voice by asking questions and encouraging participation.
• Create working groups and assign project leads that promote inclusion of all.
• Foster understanding and empathy as to how a female might feel in a male dominated environment.
• Discourage an environment that promotes gossip in the workplace. Gossip will only further feed insecurities.
• Find ways in group meetings to bring females into the discussion and thank them for their opinions.

Perhaps the best way I have found in my organization, in promoting inclusiveness with females, has been to provide a bit of a history lesson. Helping employees to understand the successes of female leadership in First Nations communities, helps foster an understanding in my organization. In my indigenous community, historically we come from a matriarchal society. The idea of chieftainship was only introduced with colonization. The way history is often portrayed is very male centric. The woman were traditionally the leaders in communities and made decisions for the tribe, while the men hunted and gathered. This was the only way people could survive. Furthermore each citizen was recognized for their gifts, fostering inclusion. First Nations lived a relatively peaceful existence, for generations under this leadership model. In my community we have evidence going back as far as 14,000 years ago. Life was balanced with a connection to family and mother earth. Of course disputes happened but historically my community did not undergo, at one single time in its existence, a devastating war. The first war perhaps was the introduction to disease to my community which occurred during colonization. At no other time did we ever experience such loss, under female dominated leadership. So I ask then, if under female leadership a community can live peacefully for over 14,000 years, can not a company also be successful under female leaders?

In 15.2 case study, (Northouse, 2016, p. 413) Lori Bradley is an experienced probation officer working in a male dominated field. In the example, her male counterparts are engaging in a non-work discussion, exclusive of her. When she inputs her suggestions on solving a work related problem, she is ignored. Later, a male co-worker makes the same suggestion and is praised for his idea. Lori raises the point that she initially brought the idea to the table, however she is then accused of not being a team player.

I chose this example as it resonated with me, having worked in a predominantly male workforce while working at a local transportation company. In the 1990’s, at this particular organization, the workforce was 90% male and only 10% female. Working in a leadership role, these numbers were drastically less, making the situation even more challenging. Navigating through the labyrinth as a female leader had its challenges, however I can look back now that there were many lessons learned that have prepared me for today’s workforce. So how does a female working in a leadership role today embrace the challenge?

1. Being aware of the organizations culture is important and as a female, it’s important to realize that change can take time. If change is aggressive, it may result in feelings of losing control. This feeling of losing control often leads to push back and an unwillingness to move forward in a positive direction. Life for a female leader in this case, will likely become incredibly challenging if not impossible.
2. It’s important to pick your battles and know when to speak up. In the example mentioned above, Lori pointed out that she raised the same point as her male counterpart, earlier in the conversation. While frustrating as it may be, this is not the time to speak up and in this situation further empowered her male counterparts.
3. Change in organizations often happen from the top down. Reputable companies will be concerned about gender discrimination and will introduce policies to support equality. Have faith that it takes time for leadership messages to reach the frontline. Find mentors with other female leaders that have gone through gender discrimination and utilize them to consult on best practices in handling various situations.
4. Instead of being a martyr and pointing out others mistakes, find positive solutions toward changing organizational culture. For example, utilize Human Resource departments to suggest ways to introduce organizational change, such as suggesting formal mentorship program or organizational courses that will help to educate other managers or leaders.
5. As tempting as it may be to want to retaliate, it’s important to maintain maturity and confidence as a female and not respond to negative situations where gender inequality exists. By taking the higher road, it will further demonstrate to the leadership that one is actually prepared to take on a higher leadership role.
6. Know that you will have enemies that will see you as a threat. As a female while as unfair as it may be, you will be required to take on more work and be held to a higher standard in a male dominated company. Become an expert in your area, get along with others and act always in a professional manner. Regardless if your career takes off in any organization, these are skills that will be required as one climbs up the corporate ladder.
7. A little understanding goes a long way. Many male leaders in the workplace are confused and don’t understand why there may be a focus on gender equality. It’s also not fair to suggest that all males are discriminatory towards female leaders. Some male leaders may have equally experienced discrimination and or felt uncomfortable in a male centric organization. Others may also require more education which eventually leads to understanding. Woman and men need to work together to create change. Creating an “us against them” will not result in a positive outcome for anyone.
8. There are boundaries as to how much tolerance a female leader should take. It’s important to know if the company is headed in a direction of change. If not, it may be necessary to move on to another company, as frustrating as that may sound. Also if there is discrimination, as defined under the Human Rights code, it is important to speak up. Most companies have policies on how they will respond to Human Rights complaints and the Human Resources department are often a great resource.

What are some other ways that a leader might also embrace the challenge?

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice, seventh Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 971452203409 ** Chapter 13 Leadership Ethics**

An organization that sees the benefits of a transformational leadership style, must also recognize managerial implications. According to Wang, G., Oh, I.S., Courtright, S.H., & Colbert, A. e. (2011) “organizations need to pay particular attention to intervention programs that enhance their manager’s leadership style. Organizations should focus on selecting and promoting individuals that are more likely to become transformational leaders.”

Transactional leadership in an indigenous community has not worked well. With a history of mistrust, motives are questioned and it becomes very difficult to find ethical leaders under this management style. Transformational leadership is inclusive of employees and encourages employees to work for the greater good of the company. A shared vision is bought into by employees, thus motivating them to go the extra mile in accomplishing tasks. The challenge however, remains in finding transformational leaders that are also familiar with working in indigenous communities. The good news is that transformational leadership can be taught and so an indigenous community has the ability to invest in training its future leaders. Therefore in an effort to become a better leader to my indigenous community, I believe that if I can find employees with good ethics, I can train them to be transformational leaders.

The five principles of ethical leadership are:

1. Ethical Leaders respect others – Northouse (2016, p. 342) “Respect means that a leader listens closely to followers, is empathic, and is tolerant of opposing points of view. It means treating followers in ways that confirm their beliefs, attitudes and values.”
2. Ethical Leaders Serve Others – Northouse (2016, P. 343) “Ethical Leaders have a responsibility to attend to others, be of service to them, and make decisions pertaining to them that are beneficial and not harmful to their welfare.”
3. Ethical Leaders are Just – Northouse (2016, P. 344) “Ethical leaders are concerned about issues of fairness and justice. No one should receive special treatment or special consideration except when his or her particular situation demands it. When individuals are treated differently, the grounds for different treatment must be clear and reasonable, and must be based on moral values.”
4. Ethical Leaders are Honest – Northouse (2016, P. 346) “When leaders are not honest, others come to see them as undependable and unreliable. When we lie to others, we are in essence saying that we are willing to manipulate the relationship on our own terms.”
5. Ethical Leaders Build Community – Northouse (2016 P. 347) “Concern for the common good means that leaders cannot impose their will on others. They need to search for goals that are compatible to everyone.

Selecting only two of the five principles as most important over the others is challenging. Depending on the situation, any one of the five principles could be emphasized as being important. As a leader in an indigenous community, and for my situation however, I would suggest that being just and honest are the two most important qualities of an ethical leader.

Indigenous communities have dealt with dishonesty and unfairness for more than 300 years. This has spanned over generations and in some respects still happens today. It has only been through recent case law that indigenous communities are gaining back some rights. The era of residential schools, the 60’s scoop, murdered and missing woman, land title rights and other social injustices have caused generations of mistrust. This distrust extends to those working for indigenous communities as it takes time for the community to know what ones true intentions are. Some community members in an indigenous community will never trust anyone, despite their good intentions.

Equally though in an indigenous organization must strike a balance in terms of the treatment of the indigenous employees and the non-indigenous employees. If not handled properly it has the potential to create a divide amongst staff and ultimately a loss of confidence in leadership. For example, an indigenous organization can apply in British Columbia for a Human Rights exemption that allows preference when hiring indigenous people. This does not mean however that the promotion automatically goes to the indigenous person. What it means is that all things being equal, the organization can give preference to the indigenous person. There are equally, responsibilities of the organization to ensure that the employees are aware of this policy and in practice see that it is applied fairly. Ultimately it is important that all employees understand the desire to build capacity with indigenous people, not as a means to be given preferential treatment, but rather to level the playing field due to years of suppression of a race.

How else might an ethical leader further develop trust and create a culture of fairness with their non-indigenous and indigenous employees? Are there other ethical leadership qualities that one might see as also being important in an indigenous community and in selecting future transformational leaders?

Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership, Theory and Practice. Seventh Edition. Chapter 13, Page 341-347, Principles of Ethical Leadership

Wang, G., Oh, I. S., Courtright, S. H., & Colbert, A. E. (2011). Transformational leadership and performance across criteria and levels: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of research. Group & Organization Management, 36(2), 223-270.