The Role of Leadership In Effecting Organizational Change
Leaders work as change agents who can manage the processes of an organization effectively. Presently, organizations understand the need for change and therefore prepare themselves to adapt to both the current and future trends to achieve long term success. The process of change requires a leader who is effective and highly skilled so that the desirable features can be perceived and hence the underlying issues addressed in an appropriate manner. Through organizational theories, leaders are provided with a framework for understanding the operations of an organization. Notably, patterns and structures are identified for solving problems, efficiency is maximized, and expectations of stakeholders met as well. This essay, therefore, discusses the role of leadership in effecting organizational change based on organizational theories in the context of a police organization.
Organizational change is the movement of an organization from one state of affairs to another. This can be in terms of strategies, procedures, processes, culture, technologies, and so on, Organizational leaders are always at the forefront to effect the change. The managerial process of a police organization comprises of 6 main components. These include management, planning, organizing, leading, controlling, and chain of command. Over time police management has evolved such that there is classical police management, behavioral police management, and contemporary management. In a classical context, bureaucracy is involved such that the police organization operates on a rational basis. Presently police management is based on contingency theory in that the organization adapts to a specific circumstance of the environment (Novak et al. n.d).
In the context of law enforcement, leadership styles that are mainly integrated are transactional and transformational leadership. However, transactional leadership has been on the forefront such that it is used by those who are oriented towards bureaucracy and maintenance of the status quo. Thus, decision-making powers are taken from those being supervised; hence leaders make the decisions on their own. Notably, a system that allows subordinates to make decisions is required, and the leader must be willing to take risks from mistakes that would result from those decisions. This is a characterization of transformational leadership where officers would be guided to make the right decisions by following the moral leadership of their managers.
In effecting change, the leader acts as an advocate for change. Notably, this is manifested by acting as a role model, and this can be evidenced in a contingency perspective such that the leader demonstrates behavior and attitudes that are expected of others. In decision making, it is critical that leaders leverage their decision-making capability hence choosing the options that are in support of the availed initiatives. Notably, the aspect of transformational leadership style would be in effect such that others are engaged in decision making, and this would ensure a deep connection is established, thereby inspiring motivation. A vital component in effecting change is the issue of communication. It is critical that the leader ensure effective communication such that messages are interpreted correctly and transparency and consistency promoted as well. There are key attributes that leaders must possess while effecting organizational change. Notably, it is critical that the leader be visionary and innovative, and this will be vital in bringing achieving organizational change successfully (Kha et al. 2018).
In any organization, leaders have a central role in cultivating the organization, and with the aspect of organizational change, effective and highly competent leadership is required. In the case of a police organization, it is through successful organization change that success is achieved. Police organizations have presently integrated the aspect of the contingent theory, and this accommodates different types of leadership styles. One key leadership style is transformational leadership, where key attributes such as communication, visionary, and innovation are incorporated to bring about change.
References
Novak, k., Coroner, G., Smith, B., & Roberg, R. (2020). Police and Society. Retrieved 14 May 2020, from https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780190639211/book/
Khan, U., Ajaz, F., Khan, A., Khan, S., & Fatima, S. (2016). The Role of Leadership on Organizational Change. International Journal of Management Sciences and Business Research, 5(11).