PSY FPX 8720 Assessment 4 Analysis of Leadership

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 8720 Psychology of Leadership

Prof. Name:

Date

Leadership Analysis

It is fascinating to observe the significant advancements in technology and global business over the years. With these advancements, leaders must also evolve and improve their performance. Although change is often resisted, it is inevitable, making flexibility and adaptability essential for leadership success. Life itself is unpredictable, and leaders must balance work and personal life to meet employer expectations. However, finding this balance can be challenging, leading to stress that affects health, family, and job performance. While it is impossible to prepare for every scenario, there are tools leaders can use to navigate difficult situations. Instead of reacting to events as they occur, proactive behavior can help leaders manage situations with greater control. Proactivity involves taking steps to initiate change within an organization by preparing in advance and taking anticipatory actions (Bindle & Parker, 2010). Being proactive can assist leaders in achieving work-life balance, allowing them to plan ahead rather than react to crises.

Overview of Leadership Issues

Greg, an administrator, works with an assistant and supervises three supervisors, each responsible for four team members, totaling sixteen people. In diverse teams, strengths and weaknesses can complement one another, promoting cohesion and productivity. Greg has been working long hours for nearly a year, but burnout set in, leading to illness. After taking time off due to the flu, Greg returned to a backlog of work, including unread emails and texts, adding to his stress. As a result, his performance has suffered, and he has missed important meetings. Greg’s leadership challenges include taking on too much himself, poor communication, and inadequate task delegation. He struggles to balance his job, family, and community commitments, leading to stress and declining performance. Staff members look to their leaders for guidance, but when leaders are overwhelmed, the organization and its members suffer.

Opportunities for Leadership Development

Feeling constantly pulled in multiple directions can take a toll on a person. High expectations can lead to stress, fatigue, health issues, and job dissatisfaction. Burnout, often caused by a lack of time management skills, results in negative attitudes, poor coping mechanisms, and high turnover rates (Dall’Ora et al., 2020). Greg’s situation is a clear example of burnout affecting all areas of his life. To improve, Greg needs to communicate better with his team and delegate responsibilities effectively. He could assign a supervisor to attend meetings on his behalf and report back to him. By assessing his work and life responsibilities, Greg can plan his time more effectively and set boundaries to avoid overexertion. Regular self-assessments would allow Greg to identify his strengths and weaknesses, helping him grow as a leader. Self-awareness is crucial for leadership development, as it enables leaders to offer the necessary support to their teams (Carolina, n.d.; Greenan, 2016). Research shows that employees reflect their leaders’ attitudes, making it important for Greg to maintain a positive attitude even in stressful times (McKenna, 2019; Whitmore, 2009).

Energy and Life-Balance

Maintaining energy is essential for achieving a work-life balance. Leaders must prioritize their physical and mental well-being to perform effectively. Excessive mental, emotional, and physical strain can lead to burnout, negatively impacting work, health, and family life. Establishing a daily routine can help conserve energy. For example, eating balanced meals at regular intervals is crucial, as skipping meals may lead to unhealthy binge eating. Additionally, unhealthy habits, such as excessive alcohol consumption, can harm both physical and mental health. Some people use alcohol as a stress-coping mechanism, but this can lead to dependency, depression, and poor work performance. Self-care, defined as the awareness and preservation of one’s health, is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle (Köppe & Schütz, 2019). Leadership roles often come with high demands, which can result in poor health if self-care is neglected.

Research suggests that leaders with poor health may negatively impact their staff’s performance (Köppe & Schütz, 2019). Therefore, leaders should promote positive health practices for themselves and their staff. Leadership styles have been shown to influence employees’ commitment to their organizations (McKenna, 2019; Muthia & Krishnan, 2015). Implementing regular team meetings, such as morning huddles, can foster engagement, inclusivity, and productivity. Studies show that when employees feel valued, turnover decreases, and overall job satisfaction increases. Greg could implement daily meetings to delegate tasks, alleviating his workload and utilizing his team effectively. By leading in this way, Greg can enhance communication, collaboration, and commitment, which are essential for effective leadership change (Center for Creative Leadership, n.d.).

Theories on Energy Management

Solution-focused cognitive-behavioral (SFCB) coaching can enhance performance while reducing stress and burnout (Grant, 2006). This coaching method helps individuals manage work and life responsibilities, improving well-being and performance sustainability. Research shows that empowering individuals to balance their work and personal lives benefits both employees and organizations (Friedman, 2015). Employers can offer seminars, training, and online resources to support staff in managing life events. When employees can manage responsibilities at home and work, their focus improves, benefiting the organization. Coaching with compassion can motivate employees, leading to positive organizational and behavioral changes (Boyatzis et al., 2013).

Leadership Development Solutions

In Greg’s case, coaching or mentoring could improve his communication and time management skills. Conducting a self-assessment and seeking feedback from his team could provide valuable insights into his strengths and weaknesses. Greg could benefit from training in total leadership, which encompasses all aspects of life (Friedman, 2015). Proper delegation tactics would help Greg rely more on his staff, fostering their growth and engagement. By coaching his team with compassion, Greg can focus on their strengths and build stronger relationships, enhancing their professional development (Boyatzis et al., 2013).

Leadership success is frequently attributed to the leader’s ability to motivate, influence, exercise power, build interpersonal relationships, communicate effectively, and inspire teams (Ledlow, p. 96). Working in the healthcare industry, I often encounter an overwhelming amount of negativity and stress among healthcare workers. It can be challenging to remain optimistic and identify silver linings to inspire and motivate others. This is one area where I struggle, along with practicing gratitude and appreciation. Incorporating these elements into my strengths would greatly enhance my leadership. Some of my other areas of weakness include communication and work-life balance. Historically, I have tried to please everyone, but I now realize that this is impossible and does not contribute to my leadership skills. As a result, I need to focus on improving my communication and work-life balance to enhance both my personal and professional capabilities.

One way I plan to achieve this is through my current education. I aspire to connect more with people, which has led me to pursue psychology and, subsequently, this master’s program. Another method for my growth is through SMART goal setting. SMART goals are specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic, and time-bound. One of my SMART goals is to complete my master’s degree. Any goal I set should also follow the PURE (positively stated, understood, relevant, ethical) and CLEAR (challenging, legal, environmentally sound, appropriate, and recorded) frameworks (McKenna, 2019; Whitmore, 2009). I must believe in human potential and take steps to harness my own potential to grow and evolve. Self-assessment exercises have helped me realize that I need to change my thought patterns. I must recognize when I am overloading myself and learn to communicate effectively with others to set clear expectations. By shifting my mindset and enhancing my communication skills, I will achieve better life balance. While my master’s degree is a tangible goal with measurable progress, personal development is an ongoing journey that leaves room for continuous growth and learning (McKenna, 2019). Personal evolution is a lifelong process, not something that has a definitive endpoint.

PSY FPX 8720 Assessment 4 Analysis of Leadership

Strategies for developing leadership skills Leadership styles significantly impact the commitment of followers to an organization (McKenna, 2019; Muthia & Krishnan, 2015). Coaching, which can be described as nurturing growth at every life stage, is a valuable process for skill development. Evolution is an internal process that cannot be taught (McKenna, 2019). Sir John Whitmore eloquently stated, “Coaching is not teaching at all but about creating the conditions for learning and growing” (2009). Coaches use various techniques to identify areas where individuals may lack skills. A successful coach, mentor, or facilitator sees people as possessing untapped potential and believes in their ability to help individuals realize this potential (McKenna, 2019; Whitmore, 2009).

Research shows that individuals who are coached tend to mirror the beliefs of their coaches, just as employees reflect the beliefs of their managers or leaders. This mirror effect makes it essential to coach or lead for success through positivity rather than negativity (McKenna, 2019; Whitmore, 2009). Whitmore asserts that “Building awareness and responsibility is the essence of good coaching” (2009). Awareness is empowering, as individuals who are unaware of an issue cannot change or control it (McKenna, 2019). Awareness also leads to knowledge and skill development. Ultimately, good coaching fosters self-belief, motivation, clarity, choice, commitment, action, awareness, and responsibility (McKenna, 2019; Whitmore, 2009). Responsibility stems from making choices, which underscores the freedom to choose (McKenna, 2019).

PSY FPX 8720 Assessment 4 Analysis of Leadership

Key strategies for further leadership development Recently, research has increasingly focused on leveraging individuals’ strengths rather than emphasizing what they lack as leaders. This type of positive intervention has been shown to contribute to people’s success, using their past experiences and strengths identified through various assessments. Studies indicate that when managers highlight the positive aspects of employees, productivity rises, whereas the opposite is true when focusing on the negative (Biswas-Diener et al., 2011). Based on this research, I should focus on fostering positivity and utilizing my strengths as a leader to gain followers’ acceptance. Further research reveals that people who frequently use their strengths are more likely to achieve their goals and experience less stress in their lives (Biswas-Diener et al., 2011).

Considering my strengths, I should continue learning, being creative, and maintaining honesty—three of the five strengths identified in the personality test for this assignment. Currently, I am working on these strengths by pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. I hope that through this educational experience, I will better understand people, which will also help me address my communication weakness. Strength development has been associated with higher levels of happiness and lower levels of depression (Biswas-Diener et al., 2011). Encouraging positivity in the workplace can inspire and motivate employees, qualities that research has found to be integral to successful leadership.

Applicability of strength-based leadership theory and its effectiveness Strength-based leadership theories emphasize positivity. This type of leadership development is inherently motivating and energizing (Welch et al., 2014). Research conducted through leader interviews reveals that developing strengths also enhances relationships between leaders and followers. Successful leadership requires that followers view their leader as someone worth following. Strength-based leadership also promotes the development of diverse teams with complementary talents, a crucial factor for workplace diversity (Welch et al., 2014). Research shows that the same strengths that often land individuals in leadership roles can also create challenges in their leadership.

Conclusion

Leaders come from diverse backgrounds and face unique challenges in balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Through self-assessment, coaching, delegation, and structured routines, leaders can succeed in their roles. Greg’s situation demonstrates the importance of self-care in leadership. When leaders neglect their well-being, they are unable to fulfill their responsibilities, leading to increased stress. Proactive strategies and seeking support from others can help leaders manage the demands of their roles. Successful leaders must be adaptable, balancing flexibility with strength to weather challenges.

References

Biswas-Diener, R., Kashdan, T. B., & Minhas, G. (2011). A dynamic approach to psychological strength development and intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(2), 106-118.

Carolina. (n.d.). The importance of self-assessment in leadership. Retrieved from https://for-managers.com/selfassessment-in-leadership/

Greenan, P. (2016). Personal development plans: Insights from a case-based approach. Journal of Workplace Learning, 28(5), 322–334.

Köppe, C., & Schütz, A. (2019). Healthy leaders: Core self-evaluations affect leaders’ health behavior through reduced exhaustion. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 998. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00998

Ledlow, G. R., & Stephens, J. H. (2018). Leadership for health professionals: Theories, skills, and applications (3rd ed.). Retrieved from https://capella.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284142051/cfi/6/40!/4/4/4/4/2@0:0

McKenna, J. (2019). Personal development plan and coaching. Capella University student database.

McKenna, J. (2019). Personal and ethical leadership. Capella University student database.

Muthia, A., & Krishnan, V. R. (2015). Servant leadership and commitment: Role of transformational leadership. International Journal on Leadership, 3(1), 9-20.