Leaders often wonder how they can improve upon organizational
effectiveness and encourage higher levels of employee learning and development.
A study conducted by Jonathan Michie from Oxford University and Vissanu
Zumitzavan from Mahasarakham University sheds further light on how learning
styles and leadership abilities influence the entire organizational
performance. As organizations try to encourage higher levels of financial and
personal development in a global market they may consider these connections as
significant contributors
Leadership style can have a significant influence on
the overall financial success of the organization (Ulrich and Ulrich, 2010). It
is through this implementation of proper management techniques that systematic
changes in the organization can be made that create higher levels of
performance. It is the leadership style that attracts and pushes appropriate
visions for organizational members.
A second
major component of successful influence on the organization is continuous
learning by management (Rowley 2011). When managers are able to learn and adapt
to the environment they are more able to align their operations to customer
needs. The process of learning also opens managers thought processes to new
methods and ways of conducting business.
Learning also influences overall behavior of
managers. How people learn has an impact on how they act as a manager (Brown
& Posner, 2001). Managers who frequently engage in the four learning styles
of action, thinking, feeling and assessing others also engage more frequently
in a variety of leadership styles that include challenging, inspiring,
enabling, modeling, and encouraging. It is this adaptation of styles to the
situation that creates more effective approaches.
Yet knowledge for knowledge sake is worthless. New
knowledge must be applied within the workplace before it can be useful. A learning manger thus becomes the facilitator
of learned information as well as the creator of higher expectations within the
organization that encourages others to also learn (Handy 1995). It is through the process of learning and
applying, learning and applying, and learning and applying that continually
makes incremental change that can add up to bid dollars.
The study was conducted of tyre firms within Thailand
to understanding this learning, leadership, and performance connection. The
researchers used questionnaires and interviews to assess the success of 140
firms. The results of the study found that the learning styles of pragmatist and reflector with transformational
and transactional styles significantly
improved upon organizational effectiveness. Such leaders were able to increase
teamwork and skill development to create higher levels of organizational and
financial performance.
The pragmatist is a person who studies concepts that
are associated to specific problems while the reflector learns by pondering the
causes and effects of events before implementation. It is through the process
of learning about specific problems, thinking about them, and using one’s
transformational vision to create positive transactional changes that helps
organizations develop. As the global economy becomes more complex it will be
such leaders who can encourage their employees to adapt, learn and implement to
overcome environmental challenges.
Brown, M. and Posner, Z. (2001). Exploring the
relationship between learning and leadership. Leadership and Organizational Development Journal, 22 (5–6),
274–280.
Handy, C., 1995. Managing the dream. In: S. Chawla
and J. Renesch eds. Learning organisation.
Portland, OR: Productivity Press, 45–55.
Michie, J. & Zumitzavan, V. The impact of ‘learning’ and ‘leadership’ management styles on
organizational outcomes: a
study of tyre firms in Thailand. Asia
Pacific Business Review, 18 (4).
Rowley, C., 2011.
Organisational learning. In: C. Rowley and K. Jackson eds. HRM: the key concepts. London: Routledge,
142–146.
Ulrich, D. and Ulrich, W., (2010). The why of work: how great leaders build
abundant organizations that win. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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