GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES AND LEADER-FOLLOWER RELATIONSHIP

Phuoc D. Nguyen

The complexity of politics, economics, sociality, and territory in the 21st century created many challenges for global leaders; scholars have written subjects on global leadership including global leadership principles which is one of the primary tools for global leaders. In addition, the practice approach to the leader-follower relationship aims to explore the nature of global leadership. The application of leader-follower relationship best practices helps global leaders understand the complex relationships between leader and follower in the business environment and apply competently global leadership principles. This article examines leader-follower relationship approaches to explore the nature of effective global leadership, and addresses the global leadership principles that global leaders need to be engaged in for success in the leader-follower relationship. Examine the practice—not sure I understand– approach to the leader-follower relationship and figure out how to explore the nature of global leadership and why global leaders need to use global leadership principles to be engaged in for success in their relationship with the follower.

The Nature of Global Leadership

Before describing a practical approach to the leader-follower relationship, it is suggested that we should explore the nature of global leadership first which shows how to be an effective leader. Klemp, G. (2016) indicates the nature of effective global leadership including

What is Effective Leadership?

“The demands of different situations require different profiles of abilities and characteristics. …. These distinctions bear noting because they shape the leadership competencies that were identified” (p 1-2). The research shows no consensus on the demands of different situations require different profiles of abilities and characteristics which means that the leader has core abilities and characteristics including hard skills and soft skills, when the demands of different situations require enhancing and updating new hard skills and soft skills, it has not required completely different profiles of abilities and characteristics than before. It is suggested that organizations always analyze business and economics to predict and anticipate changes in global business environments to plan leadership training and development programs. The consensus view seems to be that leadership competencies develop first that will generate new thoughts and leading actions but are not commonly thought of as leadership that does not come with leading actions.

How Effective Leaders Act?

“Effective leaders strive for dramatic improvement, not an incremental improvement….. Effective leaders are humble, not arrogant” (Klemp, 2016, p.2).  The research shows no consensus on effective leaders should not have set very challenging goals and short time frames for their accomplishment, the role of the leader should not require pressing for discontinuous improvement. Leaders set very challenging goals and short time frames for their accomplishment without organizational resources evaluation which are goals ‘in the blue sky’ that the organization never achieves. Furthermore, effective leaders always have a long-term vision, goals always have long-term timeframes, objectives have mid-term time frames, and targets have short time frames. In addition, effective leaders should have required pressing for continual improvement, because continual improvement is better than continuous improvement about frequency, and discontinuous improvement is worse in improvement approaches. It is suggested that effective leaders should have set a few challenging goals and appropriate time frames for their accomplishment to stimulate staff effort based on effective organizational resources evaluation and coordination. The consensus view seems to be that effective leaders have always their business analysis in the global business environment to identify short-term, mid-term, and long-term necessary changes needed from relevant strategic business units to plan, organize, drive, and lead changes.

How Effective Leaders Learn to Lead?

“Effective leaders experienced a variety of assignments in different functions early in their careers. ….. High-potential talent will stagnate if left in a job for too long, but moving people too quickly prevents learning ‘the lessons of experience’.” (Klemp, 2016, p. 3). The research shows no consensus that effective leaders cannot experience a variety of assignments in different functions early in their careers. Many global companies have excellent trainee leadership training and development programs for new graduates, this taken to new graduates who acquire some good leadership experience but not to be experienced. An experienced leader, an effective leader undergoes a variety of assignments in different functions on many global geographical areas, and different projects, and worked at multicultural functional-cross teams and he/she has always learned and updated new leadership skills and knowledge. An effective leader always learns, thinks, drives, and leads his /her subordinates. It is suggested that Effective leaders have not only learned to lead by “just doing it,” but also lead by being continually trained to do it. The consensus view seems to be that a leader who has only all experiences within a single function creates professionals with limited perspective, this leader needs to get rotation to work in many or all functions and always learn and update new leadership skills and knowledge and be experienced and promote him/her to senior leader position with broad perspectives in leadership and management.

Practice Approach to the Leader-Follower Relationship

There are practice approaches to the leader-follower relationship, this article uses the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory to build high-quality leader-member exchange relationships.  Schermerhorn et al.’s instruction on How to Build High-Quality Leader-Member Exchange Relationships (as cited in Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). According to Lunenburg (2010), “The better the leader-member exchange relationship between leader and follower, the higher the productivity, job satisfaction, motivation, and citizenship behavior of the follower.” (p. 3).

Stage 1

“Meet separately with your employees in the initial stage to help each of you evaluate each … role expectations” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). The instruction shows no consensus on meeting separately with your employees in the initial stage, but they had not classified employees into out-group members and in-group members. The leader is who coordinates with the human resource department to evaluate all of their employees’ motives and attitudes and plan necessary resources to support and instruct out-group members to be in-group members; team members find it very difficult to evaluate others’ motives and attitudes. The leader should focus on out-group members and reestablish a leader-follower relationship with them and consolidate leader-follower with in-group members, they should classify all team members into out-group members and in-group members based on the organizational code of conduct and personnel management criteria; he/she conducts to review their behavior, attitudes, personal circumstances, motives, past and current performances, experience, characteristics, ability, and background and then establishes Out-Group member records separately to monitor continually. The leader asks questions and answers them such as ‘Why have not you trusted to out-group members?’ Why have they bad behavior at work? Why do they lack competence? Did classified Out-Group members caused by the leader’s mistakes? Are Out-Group members or leaders truly incompetent? Does team- building of a team is weak? Have any constructive conflict or destructive conflict between team members and how to manage conflicts? Leader analyzes data and answers the above-mentioned questions to project action plans recommend solutions and solve problems. In addition, leader reviews their leadership style. “Meet separately with your employees in the initial stage to help each of you evaluate each … role expectations” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3).

Stage 2

“For those where the initial meeting was most promising, work toward refining the … and respect for these ‘in-group’ members” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). The instruction shows no consensus on the discrimination between in-group members and out-group members, this will cause a bad working environment climate. The leader creates a good working environment climate. It is suggested that the leader should always look at special and great support to Out-Group team members. The leader takes the time to find out if Out-Group team members are unhappy with their jobs and to analyze the causes. Leader outlines career prospects, promotion opportunities, and career paths for them, to discuss with them their career goals. The leader makes their work more interesting, challenging, and engaging.

Stage 3

“Some of these relationships will advance to a third (mature) stage where exchange based on self-interest …and objectives of the work unit” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). The instruction shows no consensus on authors have not mentioned appropriating opportunities separately for training, development, and advancement to all of the in-group members and out-group members. It is suggested that the leader coordinates with the human resources department to provide necessary training courses. The leader assigns work to all team members that suits their qualifications. The leader implements performance appraisal for every team member. The leader assesses training effectiveness after all of the team members who applied learned skills and knowledge into practice in their work and to project development and advancement plans to develop and advance all of the in-group members and out-group members who get good performance. The leader discusses with all of the team members to set targets and Key Performance Indicators for every team member based on their qualifications and the leader inspires all of the team members to commit to reaching the team vision, accomplishing the team mission, and achieving team objectives.

Stage 4

“Reward these second and third stage ‘in-group members’ with greater status, influence, and remain responsive to their needs with a strong reliance on persuasion and consultation” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). It is suggested that the leader classifies out-group members and in-group members after they overcome ‘challenge time’ and coordinates with the Human Resources Department to reward all in-group members with greater status, influence, and benefits in return for extra attention from them, and remain responsive to their needs with strong reliance on persuasion and consultation. If Out-Group team members do not have any attention or support from the leader, this will create Out-Group team members again and in-group members may be out-group members. The leader discusses, advises, and motivates out-group members who have not yet become an in-group member and recommends behavior and performance improvement opportunities to them.

Stage 5

“Follow up with day-to-day observations and discussions and work toward increasing the number of in-group members” (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 3). It is suggested that leaders mentor and coach out-group members daily to advance their competency, commitment, and perception. Analysis and discuss the nature of effective global leadership to answer the question of how to be an effective global leader; an effective global leader is expected to create good leader-follower relationships based on the nature of effective global leadership and apply appropriate practical approaches to the leader-follower relationship.

Principles of Global Leadership

            A Global leader who works through multicultural, different management systems, and different business processes at different geographies across the globe. He/she applies principles of global leadership and needs to be engaged in for success in the leader-follower relationship. Furthermore, he/she owns good leadership traits, personality, and style. Clark (2015) defines five principles of global leadership including:

Principle #1 Integrity

“Adheres to and acts in alignment with a set of core values and beliefs…. is seen as a truthful dung and trustworthy leader” (Clark, 2010). The leader has always adhered to and acts in alignment with a set of core values and beliefs first; keeps his/her word and commitments and promises to employees and stakeholders; establishes credibility with others by ‘walking the talk’ to communicate about vision and inspire to them and tell employees where they will be there, implement effective leadership communication to relevant departments and divisions.

Principle #2 Purpose

“Understands and clearly articulates an inspired vision of the company’s goals and mission; … committed to the company’s core values and culture” (Clark, 2010). Organizational vision, mission, and goals are inseparable unity; mission shows that the organization will be for at least five years, based on vision the organization defines its services and products to reach the vision. The organization sets its goals to complete the mission; the organization sets corporate objectives based on its goals, departments set its objectives based on corporate objectives, and teams set their targets based on departmental objectives. It is suggested that the leader understands and clearly articulates the corporate-inspired vision, mission, and goals together; and aligns the team’s targets with the department’s and company’s goals. The leader projects a corporate culture plan and sets corporate culture criteria. A global leader leads multicultural followers so that he/she must good communicate the vision to all corporate members, he/she is who is respected throughout the organization.

Principle #3 Sacrifice

“A leader is willing to sacrifice in three primary areas.

1. Individual- Being a leader means you sacrifice individually for your purpose to be achieved.

……

3. Those you serve- Everyone wants a piece of your attention and time. Even the people you serve will need to sacrifice and allow you to grow as a leader” (Clark, 2010). It is suggested that Leader sacrifices individually for the organizational purpose to be achieved but not for individual purposes. A leader must place organizational purpose above all else. Leader pays attention to his/her direct subordinates and he/she does his/her reasonable allocation of time to them. Leaders often take business trips around the world so his/her family sacrifices in an indirect way to the organization.

Principle #4 Discipline

“Discipline is an aspect of self-control. ….. The leader who is disciplined with time and priorities accomplish goals and objectives” (Clark, 2010). Leaders have good time management skills to make a reasonable allocation of time for things to do in order of priority. He/she works with many different teams and in geographical areas that have a different time zone, which challenges his/her time management skills. One of the challenges for him/her is his/her change leading and driving, this requires him/her great self-discipline skill.

Principle #5 Compassion

Five principles of global leadership instruct appropriate leadership traits, personality, and style that suit leadership competence to drive change and lead his/her reach shared vision, complete mission, and corporate goals in the current very diverse, complex, competitive global business environments. It consolidates good relationships between leaders and followers.

Conclusion

All things considered, the paper explores and analyzes the nature of effective global leadership, this is a basis to practice approach to the leader-follower relationship. The paper has also addressed the global leadership principles that global leaders need to be engaged in for success in the leader-follower relationship. Firstly, the nature of effective global leadership defines the main points to be an effective global leader; secondly, analyzes five stages of practice approach to the leader-follower relationship based on LMX Theory; finally, addresses five principles of global leadership to advance and consolidate the leader-follower relationship. It needs to explore further the nature of effective global leadership and apply an effective practice approach to the leader-follower relationship in each situation of every global company, research more followership to facilitate the leader-follower relationship.

References

Jay Clark (2015). The Five Principles of Global Leadership: How to Manage the Complexities of Global Leadership. WestBow Press. Bloomington, Indiana, the United States.

Klemp, G. (2006). The Nature of Effective Global Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.cambriaconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/White-Paper-The-Nature-of-Effective-Global-Leadership-UPDATED.pdf

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). Leader-Member Exchange Theory: Another Perspective on the Leadership Process. International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration. 13 (1). 1-4.