WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT):
Information technology is use of any computers, storage, networking, security, physical devices, infrastructure and process to create, process, store, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data. (http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/definition/IT , sitesinden aldım )
Over the decades, many companies have called themselves "IT departments" to manage computer technologies related to their business. Independent of what these departments have been working on, it has become the true definition of information technology that evolves over time. Today, the responsibilities of IT departments are:
-computer technical support
-business computers network and database management
-distributing software for business
-information security
Especially during the dot-com explosion of the 1990s, information technology was also associated with information processing other than those belonging to information technology departments. This broader definition of IT includes the following:
-software development
-computer systems architecture
-project management
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP :
Leaders creates a new direction, creates inspiring vision and finds new things for help themselves and others, who wants to do the right things. Leadership is about showing the target, which you have to go that target for become successfully team works. It can be dynamic, exciting and inspiring.
Nevertheless, although leaders have direction, they also need to use management skills to guide their people properly and effectively.
According to some of the respected business thinkers leadership is;
Peter Drucker (Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author):
"The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers."
Really? This instance of tautology is so simplistic as to be dangerous. A new Army Captain is put in the command of 200 soldiers. He never leaves his room, or utters a word to the men and women in his unit. Perhaps routine orders are given through a subordinate. By default his troops have to “follow” orders. Is the Captain really a leader? Commander yes, leader no. Drucker is of course a brilliant thinker of modern business but his definition of leader is too simple.
Warren Bennis (American scholar, organizational consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership studies, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California):
"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
Every spring you have a vision for a garden, and with lots of work carrots and tomatoes become a reality. Are you a leader? No, you’re a gardener. Bennis’ definition seems to have forgotten “others.”
Bill Gates (American business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist, and co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation along with Paul Allen):
"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."
This definition includes “others” and empowerment is a good thing. But to what end? I’ve seen many empowered “others” in my life, from rioting hooligans to Google workers who were so misaligned with the rest of the company they found themselves unemployed. Gates’ definition lacks the parts about goal or vision. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership/#2832366c5b90 , sayfasından alıntı yaptım)
LEADERSHIP STYLES:
In this section, I am going to give some information about useful leadership styles.
1) Lewin’s Leadership Styles
Psychologist Kurt Lewin found and improved his method in the 1930s, and it creates the foundation of many other approaches after this project. He define that there are three main styles of leadership:
a) Autocratic leaders make decisions without talk or care their team members’ ideas, even if their ideas would be helpful. This method can be useful, when there is no time for take your team members’ opinions and when you have to make fast decisions for successful result. However, that kind of attitudes can be demoralize team members, create high level absenteeism and reduce employee commitment.
b) Democratic leaders involve their team members in the decision-making process but they are going to give the final decision. They support creativity and usually team members occupied with new projects and decisions. As a result, team members have a high commitment, high job satisfaction and high efficiency. On the other hand, this method is not a good method when you try to make fast decisions.
c) Laissez-faire leaders give more freedom to their team members how they can work, when they are going to start the project and finish it, and how they set their conditions. They provide support for resources and referrals if necessary, otherwise they do not participate. This autonomy can lead to high job satisfaction, but if team members can not cope with time they can hurt or if they do not have the knowledge, skill and motivation to work efficiently. (Laissez-faire leadership map also arise where managers do not control their work and peoples.)
Lewin’s foundations are popular and useful, because they encourage executives to be more authoritarian than they can be instinctive.
2) Theory X and Theory Y
The theoretical theory of X and Y is first described by McGregor in the book “The Human Side of Entrepreneurship”, and it concerns two modes of governance: authoritarian (Theory X) and participative (Theory Y).
If you believe your team members do not like the work and have low motivation, according to McGregor, you have to use authoritarian management style. This style of management means cares every details of work and moves of team members for create a successful job. McGregor calls that Theory X.
If you believe your team members like their job, try to take responsibility and see the job as a challenge, you have to use participative management style. This style of management means trust your team members and give them authority for care the work and its details for create a successful job. McGregor calls that Theory Y.
The approach you take will have a significant impact on your ability to motivate your team members. It is important to understand which theory motivates your team members for work and can shape your management style.
Let’s give more details about these theories.
a) Theory X
The executives of X theory tend to be pessimistic about their people and naturally believe they are not motivated and do not like their work. As a result, team members think that it is necessary to constantly prepare, reward or punish them for their duties.
Things in organizations managed in this way can be repetitive and people are often motivated by the "carrot and stick" approach. Estimates and prizes are usually based on tangible results such as sales or output, and are used to track staff and "record tapes".
This management style assumes our employees:
Organizations with an X-theory approach to McGregor tend to have managers and supervisors at various levels to supervise and direct employees. Power is seldom transferred and control tightly centralized. Managers are more authoritarian and actively intervening to reach their goals.
The theory has gone through a lot of fashion lately, despite the fact that the theory X management, the people they employ because of large organizations, and the fact that a number of tight deadlines can inevitably find that acceptance, they must.
b) Theory Y
Y administration theory has a positive, positive view of the public and includes a centralized management style. This encourages a more cooperative, trusting relationship between managers and team members.
People have great responsibility and encourage leaders to develop their skills and make improvements. Estimates are regular, but unlike X theoretic organizations, they are used to encourage open communication and not to control personnel.
Theory Y often offers employees opportunities to promote.
This management style assumes our employees:
Theory Y has become more popular among organizations. This reflects the increased desire for workers for a more meaningful career that gives them more money.
McGregor sees X as a superior theory, calling workers "screwed" and possibly destroying people in the long run.
3) The Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid
Developed by Robert Blake and Jane Muton at the beginning of the 1960s, also known as “Mesh of Managers” or “Leader’s Mesh”. Define the degree of controllability or leadership depending on the focus of the personality, and identify five different combinations of the two leadership styles they produce.
The Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid based on two behavioral dimensions:
Concern for people: It is how the leader’s team members assess their personal development needs, interests and areas while deciding how best of start the assignment.
Concern for results: This is the extent to which the leader emphasizes specific goals, organizational effectiveness and high efficiency without deciding how best to perform the task.
Blake and Mouton defined five leadership styles based on these, as illustrated in the diagram below.
a) Impoverished Management ( Low results / low people )
A poor or “indifferent” manager is often ineffective. Disrespectfulness, dissatisfaction and incompatibility are inevitable results, with little interest in creating disrespectful and satisfying or motivating team environment for the creation of systems that perform their work
b) Produce or Perish Management ( High results / Low People )
People in this category, also known as “authoritarian” or “authorized artists”, believe that team members are simply a tool. The team’s needs are always second to none in terms of performance.
This type of manager is autocratic, has strict working rules, policies and procedures, and can be seen as an effective way to motivate criminal team members. Initially, this approach ultimately affects people’s performance, which can lead to impressive results in production, but low morale and team motivation, and we will struggle to keep their leaders such high performance.
c) Middle of the road ( Medium results / Medium People )
The “middle way” or “status quo” manager tries to balance the results and people, but this strategy is not an effective as it seems. Through constant reconciliation, it does not inspire high productivity and can fully meet the needs of people. As a result, the team is only likely to perform an average study.
d) Country Club Management ( Low results / High People )
The “hospitable” style of the country club or manager is often concerned with the needs and feelings of the members of the team. They assume they will work as long as they are happy and safe.
As a result, what tends to be is a relaxed and fascinating work environment where productivity is bothered by lack of direction and control.
e) Team Management ( High results / High people )
According to Blake Mouton's model, team management is the most effective leadership style. It reflects the leader who is passionate about his work and does everything possible for the people he works with.
A team or "logical" manager takes on the tasks and objectives of their organization, motivates the people who report to them, and makes every effort to attract people out to achieve excellent results. But at the same time they inspire people who care about their teams. A person guided by a team manager is a respected and competent person and tries to achieve his goals.
Team leaders give priority to both the production needs of the organization and the needs of people. This allows team members to understand the purpose of the establishment and include them in their definition of production needs.
When people are committed to an organization idea and have the right to participate in it, their production requirements and requirements are the same. This creates a climate of trust and respect that leads to high satisfaction, motivation and excellent results.
After Mouton’s death, Blake and his colleagues added two more leadership styles:
a) Paternalistic Management
Paternalistic Manager will jump between Country Club and Produce-or-Perish styles. Such a leader is supportive and encouraging but at the same time defends his position; he will not appreciate how one's thoughts have doubted.
b) Opportunistic Management
This does not appear on the grid, because this style can be viewed anywhere. The opportunist manager first puts his own needs into circulating the grid to accept the way he will benefit. He works and uses others to get what he wants.
According to Blake Mouton Managerial method, it is very important to understand the management style, in this way you can define ways of reach the correct team manager.
*Step one: identifying your managerial style
-List five or six new cases as a leader.
-For each situation, place it in the network according to your personal preference.
-Use the leadership self-assessment test to help determine your features.
* Step Two: Identify Areas Where You Can Improve and Develop Your Leadership Skills
-Look at your current approach. Are you settling in "Middle Road" because it's easier, more? Think about whether your style fits your situation.
-If you feel that you are also focused on relativity, you can try to improve your way of communicating with them by incorporating their members into creative problem solving, or work on their coaching skills. Or, it may lead to a clearer understanding of planning and project progress monitoring, as well as the improvement of decision-making.
-Keep track of your work and track situations where you have returned to the old habits.
* Step Three: Put the Grid in Context
Command management style is usually the most effective approach, but there are situations where one region needs more attention than the other. For example, if your company is in the midst of mergers or other significant changes, it can be considered to pay more attention to guiding people from producing and protecting them from potentially difficult times. Similarly, when faced with an emergency, economic difficulties or physical risk to achieve good results and effectiveness can be left at least in the short run at the edge.
4) Path-Goal Theory
Psychologist Robert House redefined and updated the 1996 Three-Monthly Leadership Award, after developing the Road-Goal theorem in 1971. Let's look at some elements of theory.
According to leadership responsibilities, if you want to team members’ finish their job, you have to help, support, and courage them. You can do this in three ways,
-Helping them identify and achieve their goals
-Clearing away obstacles, thereby improving performance
-Offering appropriate rewards along the way
For doing this, you can use four different types of leadership,
5) The Six Emotional Leadership Styles
Daniel Goleman, Richard Boatzis, and Annie Mackey set six style emotional leadership in the 2002 "Primary Leadership" book. Every style affects people's emotions, and each one has strengths and weaknesses in different situations.
Four of these styles (Visionary, Coaching, Affiliative and Democratic) contribute to harmony and positive outcomes. However, the other two (Commanding and Pacesetting) can create stress and should only be used on certain conditions.
Goleman and his authors said you should not use any style. Instead, use six styles in place of each other – in the best case, choose the people and the feelings you are experiencing.
Let’s define these styles more specifically.
a) The Visionary Leader
Vision leaders gave inspire to their team members. They tell their team where to go, but they do not dictate how they will go there; encourage their team members to use their own initiatives to solve the problem or achieve the goal. Empathy is the most important element of Visionary's leadership.
Visionary leadership is more effective if your organization needs a new vision or a new direction, or if your team helps manage change. However, if you work with a more experienced team, it will be less effective. In such cases, democratic leadership will be effective.
Visionary leadership can produce the most positive results of the style of six leadership, but it can be very powerful if you use it too much.
b) The Coaching Leader
Leadership style in coaching associates the personal goals and values of team members with the goals of the organization. This style is empathic and safe and you can use it if you want to focus on developing people for future success.
This style focuses on in-depth interviews, which can be of interest to people's work, rather than focusing on the long-term plans of life and how the mission is concerned.
This style has a positive effect. It establishes mutual understanding and trust and at the same time increases motivation.
Use a coaching style when you are a team member who will gain long-term skills, or if you feel that you are "adrift" in your establishment, you can benefit from coaching or counseling.
However, coaching may fail when used with an employee who is not working or who needs a lot of direction and feedback. In such cases the Pacesetting or Commanding handbook may be more effective.
c) The Affiliative Leader
The style of membership leadership encourages alignment within the team and emphasizes emotional ties. It connects people by encouraging the inclusion and resolution of conflicts. To use this style, you need to evaluate others' emotions and understand their emotional needs.
Use this style when there is tension or conflict in the team, when there is breach of confidence, or when the team needs to be motivated over time.
d) The Democratic Leader
Democratic leadership style is focused on cooperation. Leaders who use this style of leadership are actively looking for information by teams and relying too much on directing.
This style is used when your best team needs to be involved in an idea or consensus. This is also true when your team requires entry.
Democratic leadership style should not be used with people who are inexperienced, lack of competence, or poorly informed about the situation. It wants a promotion from team members with the best motivation, knowledgeable and strong.
e) The Pacesetting Leader
The style of the Pacesetting guide focuses on performance and achieving goals. Pacesetting leaders are waiting for the superiority of their teams and will often skip to make sure they meet their goals.
This style doesn’t “coddle” poor performance – each adopts a high standard.
Although this is a successful style, it can have a negative impact on the team, which leads to burnout, exhaustion and high turnover of staff.
If you want to get quality results quickly from a Motive team, try the Pacesetting guide style.
f) The Commanding Leader
Command leaders use an autocratic approach. This often depends on the threats of disciplinary punishment and the order of strict supervision (often not mentioned).
It is therefore important to remember that people in democratic countries are being used to have a high degree of control over their lives and work, and that this approach may prevent them from doing so. Moreover, this style of leadership is often misused and can be a very negative impact on the team.
Team leadership style is best used in crisis situations to start rapid changes with troubled employees.
6) Flamholtz and Randle’s Leadership Style Matrix
Eric Flamholtz and Yvonne Rundle developed the Leadership Style Matrix and published the 2007 book Growing Pain. The matrix shown in Figure 1 will help you choose the most appropriate leadership style for the people you lead and the tasks you perform with people.
The matrix of leadership style is divided into four quadrants. Each quarter contains two leadership styles that are most appropriate for a given situation and a person (or group).
The Y axis specifies the "programmability" of the problem. There are specific steps or instructions to complete a programmable task. Non-programmable task is more creative; It's up to you to decide how best to do it.
The X axis defines human ability and the choice of autonomy. This is influenced by a variety of factors such as education, skill, motivation and feedback, interaction or desire for independence.
For example, a person with a high level of education, skill, motivation, and independence will likely want autonomy. A person with low motivation and skill will need more feedback and interaction to successfully complete the task.
-Using the Model
To use the model, first look at the Y axis. If the task needs to be done in a certain way, or if certain steps are taken, lower it. If the task is more creative or the procedure changes depending on the individual inputs, move it over the axis.
Then we look at the X axis. If the people you are going to prefer to work alone, move directly to the axis. If you need more instructions and interactions from you, turn left.
The quarter you are in lists the most likely types of leadership you can have.
-Applying the Model
Now, let's look closely at each of the quadrants and their respective leadership styles.
a) High Programmability/Low Job Autonomy
Sometimes you are responsible for a task that needs to be done in a certain way; or by a team that needs great motivation, guidance, feedback or interaction. In these cases, the most effective approach to leadership.
There are two styles you can use here:
-Autocratic: The autocratic style is sometimes criticized because it looks obsolete. This leadership style is mandatory: you give instructions without explanation, and you expect team members to follow them without asking questions.
While this may seem repressive, it can be effective in some situations, especially when your team is connected to your leadership and feedback, and when work needs to be done in a certain way. It is also active in a crisis or emergency situation; or dealing with very significant risks.
It is important to create a healthy balance while using this leadership style. You need to be guided with power and confidence, but being polite is also important. Remember that the members of your team depend on the feedback you give them. Praise good works regularly and give constructive criticism on how they can improve.
-Benevolent Autocratic: The benevolent autocratic style is similar to the autocratic tendency. However, this approach is more active. For example, instead of just specifying instructions, you explain the reasons behind the instructions.
To use this style successfully, specify the reasons for your team's instructions. For example, explain the rules for understanding the reasons behind your team members. When they understand why certain rules or procedures are in place, they are more likely to follow them.
Manage your team while you work, answer your questions and give feedback when you are away. This visibility and support will help you track your progeny and show that you are there when you need team members.
b) High Programmability/High Job Autonomy
If a job that you are representing must be done in a specific way, and you can use consultative or participative style if your representative wants to autonomy your work.
-Consultative: You use the consultant leadership style with input from your team members and asking for their opinions, but you still get the final word. You consult to the group, but it is your responsibility to select the best decision.
Build trust in your team to successfully use the style of the counseling leader. When trust is available, your team members will feel comfortable, present their ideas, and honestly respond to problems.
If you are criticizing or rejecting the members your team has suggested, be prepared for ideas and proposals to give back to the team that you already decided to suspend, especially if you are going to end up with a quick talk. Be open-minded and be prepared to change your mind if someone offers a better idea.
-Participative: The manner of participation is very similar to the style of consultation you have in the final word of a decision. However, the way of participation goes even further – you trust your group to develop ideas, not just offer ideas Participation is more linked to solving group problems and brainstorming.
To successfully use the participative style, use group decision-making and group problem-solving tools to solve problems to ensure that each person's voice is heard evenly. (We are writing about the organization of the decision-making team, which will help you develop decision-making strategies for the team).
While you are connected to your team for your contribution, remember that you still need to lead an argument, convey your goals, and make a final decision. Make sure everyone in your team understands your role in this process.
c) Low Programmability/Low Job Autonomy
Here you lead a very creative project with a person or team member who does not want autonomy. Instead, they have direction, entry and interaction needs. The two most appropriate leadership styles are Consultation and Participation.
These are the same leadership styles that fit best in High Programmability/High Job Autonomy.
d) Low Programmability/High Job Autonomy
You fall into this quadrant when you design a creative or "loose" project that requires freedom and independence. This means you are bound by a directive-free leadership approach.
There are two styles that you can use here:
-Consensus: One option is to use the idea consensus leadership style. In fact, this means that you will have a great deal of authority in deciding on a member of your team. It's almost like you're part of a team instead of being a "boss."
When using this style, make sure you understand your responsibilities as your teammate.
-Laissez-faire: Laissez-faire is a style of leadership you need to use carefully. You give members of the team the freedom to do how and when they work, but they are there when they need resources or assistance.
Under proper conditions you should use guide laissez-faire and you should avoid this style being excessive. It can be very effective to use this style of leadership while working with someone who is highly talented, motivated and intelligent.
To use Laissez-faire successfully, make sure you assign the right tasks to the right people. The inconsistency between the task and the individual probably means that the team member needs additional help from you and will not succeed. (yukarıda da tanımı var)
7) Transformational Leadership
Leadership expert James McGregor Burns presented the concept of transformational leadership in the “Leadership” Book of 1978. Transformational leadership defined it as a process whereby "leaders and followers raised each other to higher levels of morality and motivation."
Then Bernard M. Bass developed the concept of transformational leadership. According to the 1985 book, “Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations”, such a leader:
*It is a model of integrity and justice.
*Set clear goals.
*They have high hopes.
*It encourages others.
*It provides support and recognition.
*It puts people's emotions into action.
*People are allowed to look beyond their personal interests.
*It inspires people to make them incredible.
Transformational leaders have the honesty and high emotional intelligence. They motivate people with a common vision of the future and communicate well. They are also generally self-aware, authentic, empathetic and humble.
Transformational leaders inspire team members because they expect the best and are responsible for their actions. They have clear targets and good conflict resolution skills. This provides high productivity and appeal.
However, leadership is "not a fit"; you should usually adapt your approach to the situation. For this reason it is useful to develop a full understanding of leadership and other frameworks of the style; After all, no matter how flexible the approaches you are familiar with are.
8) Bureaucratic Leadership
Bureaucratic leaders adhere strictly to the rules and are sure that their people have fully implemented the procedures.
This is suitable for jobs involving serious safety risks (eg, with machinery, toxic substances or dangerous heights) or large amounts of money. Bureaucratic guidance is also useful for managing employees who perform ordinary tasks.
This style is much less effective for teams and organizations based on flexibility, creativity or innovation.
9) Charismatic Leadership
Charismatic leadership reminds us of a transformational leader: both leaders inspire and motivate team members.
The difference lies in their intentions. Transformational leaders, while trying to change their teams and organizations, often rely on charismatic leaders to focus on themselves and their desires, and may not want to change anything.
Charismatic leaders can believe that even when they warn others how to go, they cannot be wrong. The feeling of invincibility can seriously damage the team or organization, as demonstrated in the 2008 financial crisis.
10) Servant Leadership
"Servant leader" is a person who meets the needs of the team, regardless of the level that simply leads. This term sometimes defines a person who is not officially recognized as a leader.
These people usually give examples. Their honesty is high and they show generosity. Their approach can create a positive corporate culture and this can lead to high morale among the members of the team.
Supporters of the servant leadership officers think these values are a good way to advance in an increasingly important world where you can get the values, ideals and ethics of your leaders because of the servants.
However, others believe that those who practice the leadership of the servants can be "abandoned" by other leaders, especially in competitive situations.
It also takes time to apply this style correctly: it is not appropriate for situations where you need to make quick decisions or adhere to strict deadlines.
11) Transactional Leadership
This style begins with the thought that team members have agreed to obey their leaders when they accept business. A "transaction" usually involves an organization that pays short-term duties to team members for their efforts and compliance. If the work does not comply with the relevant standards, the leader has the right to "punish" the team members.
Transactional leadership is present in the case of many business leaders and offers some advantages. For example, everyone's roles and responsibilities are explained. And the leadership in the process is due to the fact that team members in the game are caused by people who are ambitious or motivated by external prizes, including compensation.
The disadvantage of this style is that it can be cold and unfair and it can cause high turnover of staff. It also has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work.
As a result, team members can often do little to improve job satisfaction.