A.

Introduction
Thisreportindicatetheimportanceofhavingtherightleadershipstyleinleading.InthisreportI
willdiscusthedifferenttypeofleadershipstyleandwhicharethemostsuitableinorderto
becomeasuccessfuleffectiveleader.Thisreportaredividedinto3section,firstlythe
observationofasuccessfulleader,secondlytheinterviewthatIconductwiththesuccessful
leader,lastlythereflectionthatImaketoimprovemyleadershipskills.

B. Body
1. Observation
TheobservationwasconductedattheheadofficeofthecompanyatTanjongPagarfrom130pm
to10pm.Thelongtimeframeallowedfortheobservationofthreedifferentsituationsnamely,
normalofficesetting,meetingandtheconductingofaseminar.Foreachofthesethree
situations,MrLimsbehaviourandactionswererecordedinanotebookbutvideoswasnottaken
ashewasconcernedwithprivacyandsecurityreasons.

a. Evidenceofpowerandinfluencetactics
FromtheobservationofMrLimsbehavioursandactionsduringthetimeframe,itwasnoted
thatheusedseveralpowerandinfluencetactics.Firstly,duringaphoneconversationwithan
administrativeinthenormalofficesetting,hewasabletoasserthispositiontoinfluenceherto
takehalfadayofftoseeaspecialistforherlefteye.Initially,thestaffwasreluctanttogotothe
doctorasshestillhadmanydutiestocomplete.However,MrLimmanagedtoconvinceherto
taketherestofthedayofftovisitthedoctorandinstructedhercolleaguestohelpherwithher
duties.Heshowedcompassionandunderstandingtowardshisstaffandtookthetimetoexplain
totherestoftheemployeeswhytheyneedtohelpherwithherwork.

Duringthemeeting,whereMrLimwaschairingit,hereviewedthepast3monthoperationaland
marketingperformanceofthecompanyofhisentireteamwiththerestofthecompany.While
reportingandanalyzingtheperformance,hecomplimentedseveralofhisstafffortheirgood
workandmentionedseveraltimesthathisdepartmentsachievementscouldneverbeattained

withoutallofhisstaff.Inoticedthatthestaffthathehighlightedduringthemeetingwassmiling
contentedlyandwasbeamingwithpride.Inthelaterpartofthemeeting,whenseveralstaff
memberswerefeelingquitetired,heinformedthemthathewillbetreatingtheattendeesofthe
meetingtosomerefreshmentswhenitended.Afewmembersactuallycheeredandpaidcloser
attentioninthemeetingtillitended1hourlater.

Intheevening,thecompanyconductedaseminarwhichtargetedpostsecondarystudentswho
wantedmoreinformationaboutstudyingoverseas.Thisseminarwasconductedinthe
companysseminarroomandMrLimwaspresenttooverseethewholeprocess.Onehourbefore
theseminarstarted,MrLimgavearallyspeechtohisstafftoexplainthereasonsforconducting
thisseminarandmotivatethemtogivetheirbest.Attheendofhisspeech,hisstaffcheeredand
wentabouttheirdutiesenergized.

30minuteslater,therewasanincidentthathappenedwhereanattendeeoftheseminar
demandedthatheshouldbeallowedentryintotheseminarroomeventhoughhedidnotregister
priortothedayitself.Asthisseminarwasaverypopularone,thedoorstaffwasunableto
accedetohisrequestanddeniedhimentry.Thefuriousattendeeraisedhisvoiceandthreatened
topostthisincidentonsocialmediaeventhoughitwasnotthedoorstaffsfault.

WhenMrLimheardaboutthiscommotion,hewalkedoverandintroducedhimselfpromptlyto
theattendeeandtookhisaside.There,heexplainedwhyhewasdeniedentryindetailandtold
himthatsincehewassokeenonentering,hehadtoapologizetohisstaffbeforeMrLimcould
makeanexceptionforhimtotakehispersonalseatintheseminar.Surprisingly,theattendee
agreedandwalkedovertothedoorstafftosaysorryforraisinghisvoiceandbeingso
unreasonable.Whentheattendeetookhisseat,MrLimwentovertohisdoorstaffandexplained
thattheattendeewasmildlyautisticandhadtroublecomprehendingsimpleinstructions.MrLim
thentaughtthedoorstaffseveralstrategiesonhowtohandlesuchpeopleinthefuture.MrLim
alsoassuredthedoorstaffthathewasnotangrywithhimandtaughthimhowtoidentifysuch
individualsinthefuture.


Attheendoftheseminar,whenalloftheattendeesleft,MrLimaddressedtheteamthanked
themindividuallyfortheirhardworkandofferedtotreatthemsupper,whicheveryoneaccepted.
Healsoannouncedthesalestargetforthedaywhichsurpassedallotherpreviousseminarsfor
theyear.Theobservationendedatahighnotewitheventhougheveryonewastiredfromthe
wholedayofwork.

b.Evidenceofchangesinleadershipstyles
Fromthisonedayobservation,MrLimsleadershipstylewasquiteconsistentacrosshethree
observationsituations.Hewaskind,nurturingandattentivetothewellbeingofthestaffwhich
madethestaffmembersfeeltakencareofandvalued.Hewasalsoconsistentlyfairandfirm
eventhougheachsituationwasdifferentfromeachother.Thisensuredthathisstaffdidnotfeel
resentfulbutinsteadrespectedandappreciatedhimgreatly.

2.AnalysisofInterview
a. MrLimsLeadershipStyle
MrLimsdescriptionofhisleadershipstylewasonethatismadeupofseveralcharacteristics
andtraits.Hementionedthatfairness,empathy,compassionandintegrityareessential
foundationstohisleadershipstyle.Withoutthem,hisstyleofleadershipwouldbetotally
different.

b.ChangesinLeadershipStyle
Accordingtohim,hisbehaviourtowardshisstaffdoesnotchangeacrossdifferenttimesofthe
dayandweek.Hemakessurethatheisconsistentinhistreatmenttowardshisstaffanddoesnot
havedoublestandards.Thisisimportanttohimasheneedstowintherespectandtrustofhis
staffotherwisetheywillnotlistenandfollowtohim.

c.MisuseofPower
MrLimbelievesthatleaderswhomisusetheirpowerwillnotlastlonginmoderncorporations.
Soonerorlater,theywillbeidentifiedbytheauthoritiesorsocialmediaanddealtwith
accordingly.Hewillalwaystakeamentallycheckbeforehesaysordoanythingdrasticas
emotionsplayalargepartininfluencingleaderstomisusetheirpower.

d.EffectiveInfluenceTactics
SomeeffectiveinfluencetacticsthatMrLimhasusedinhiscompanyincludessincerity,
compassionandhonesty.Hementionedthatmostofhisstaffareeducatedmillennialswhohave
eithergraduatedfrompolytechnicsanduniversities.Thus,hefeelsthatthehardapproachdoes
notworkwiththembecausetheyappreciateandpreferthesoftapproach.Insteadofusingfear
andauthoritytoinfluencethem,MrLimfeelsthatbeingsincere,compassionateandhonestwith
hisstaffisthebestwaytoinfluencethem.

e.RoleModel
MrLimfeltthathispreviousbossinanotherorganizationwasaneffectiveleaderthathewould
wanttomodelafter.Accordingtohim,beforehemethispreviousboss,hethoughtthatagood
leaderwasonethatwasfearedbytheemployees.Heusedtobelievethatleadersormanagers
whoarenotfearedbytheiremployeeswouldnotbeabletocarryouttheirstrategieseffectively
andsuccessfully.However,afterworkingunderhispreviousbossfor2years,MrLimlearntthe
exactoppositeofwhathehadbeenbelievinginallthatwhile.Heexperiencedreallifesituations
ofhoweffectiveleadershipcanhelptoturnoveracompanywithinashortperiodoftime.

f.CharacteristicsofGoodLeaders
MrLimbelievesthatseveralcharacteristicsarevitaltobeingagreatleader.Atthetopofhis
charts,agreatleadermustleadbyexample.Accordingtohim,leadingbyexamplemeansthat
theleadermustactandbehaveexactlylikehowheexpectshisstafftoactandbehave.For
example,iftheleaderexpectshisstafftobepunctualforworkandmeetings,theleaderhimself
mustneverbelatehimself.Anothercharacteristicthatleadersmusthaveisperseverance.

Leadersmustbeabletoperservesomuchmorethantheirfollowersbecausetheleaderisthe
pivotwhichensuresthatgoalsofthecompanybecomesuccessorfailure.MrLimsaidthatthe
leadermustbethelastpersonintheorganizationtogiveuplongaftereveryemployeeinthe
companyhasgivenup.

g.EssentialSkillsofGoodLeaders
Amongalltheskillsthatleadershave,MrLimmentionedthatgoodcommunicationskillsisthe
mostimportantskillthatallgoodleadersmusthave.Leaderswithgoodcommunicationskillsare
abletomotivatetheirfollowerstoachievegreatthingsforthecompany.Hetoldmetoimagineif
theBritishactor,MrBeanwasmybossandhowIwouldreacttohisinstructionsandactions.
AnotherskillthatgoodleadersmusthaveisgoodknowledgeofITskillssoastoenablehimor
hertomultitaskandconductresearchtojustifytheiractions.Leaderswhooverrelyontheir
staffmaynotbeabletofindouttheactualtruthorbeliedtobytheirsubordinates.Thus,having
goodITskillscanhelpthemtremendouslyintheirwork.

h.ChallengesofLeadinginthe21stCentury
MrLimmentionedthatleadingstaffmembersinthe21stcenturyhasitschallengesandease.
Oneofthebiggestchallengethathefaceisstaffloyaltytothecompany.Duetogovernment
initiativesandchangingmindset,employeesinSingaporearenotafraidtojobhop.Thismeans
thatifanemployeesdemandisnotmet,thatemployeewouldnotbeafraidtoquitandlookfora
newjob.Asaresult,theleadercandohisbesttoleadthisfollowersbutiftheyarenotwillingto
stayinthecompanywhentheirdemandsarenotmet,nothingcanbedonetoretainthem.

i.DeterminingEffectiveLeadership
MrLimmentionsthatheusestwowaystodeterminewhetherhisleadershipiseffective.Firstly,
directfeedbackfromsubordinatesisthebestwaytoestablishwhetherapersonsleadershipstyle
iseffective.However,theleadershouldnotbetheoneconductingthefeedback.Instead,MrLim
wouldtaskaspecificstafftoconductthatintervieworcarryoutanannonymoussurvey.Itis
importantthattheidentityoftheemployeesarekeptconfidentialasitwillaffectthequalityof

thefeedback.AnothermethodthatMrLimusesisstaffturnover.Whenthecompany
experienceshighstaffturnover,itisanindicationthattheleadersleadershipstyleisnot
effectiveandiscausingexistingstafftoleavethecompany.However,theleadermustfindout
theactualreasonwhytheemployeeisleavingthecompany.Ifitisduetopersonalor
advancementreasons,theleadershouldnotbeblamedforthis.

3.Reflection
a.Complexitiesofleadership
CulturaleffectsonleadershipinAsia
FromtheobservationImake,oneofthebiggestcomplexitiesinleadingisculturaldifferencesin
theoffice.MostofthecompanyinSingaporehaveanindividualisticculture.Havingan
individualisticsocietiesintheworkingplacecanbedifficult.Workerwithindividualisticculture
tendtofocusmoreoncompletingtheirtaskandachievingtheirsoledesireofpromotions.Unlike
inasocietiesthathavecollectivisticculture,workerhavethetendencyofhelpingtheircolleague
orgroupmemberstoachievegoals(Schooler&Hofstede,1983).Thiscanbeamajorproblemas
leaderneedtoidentifywhichculturearetheygoingtouseinleadingthecompanyortheir
employee.Havingbothcultureinacompanycancauseaconflictthatwillresultinfailureof
leadingthecompanytoachievethecompanygoals(Jung,Bass&Sosik,1995)

Differencesinleadingmenandwomen
Secondlythereareadifferencesinleadingmenandwomen.MostMenwillbemoreefficient
andeffectivewithatransactionalleadership,whereasmostwomenwillbemoresuccessfulwith
transformationalleadership(Rosener,2011).Thiswillbeamajorproblemforleaderasthereare
differentmethodofleadingfordifferentcharacteristicofemployee.Employeethatareusedto
transactionalleadershipfocusmoreintaskcompletionwhereasemployeethatareusedto
transformationalleadershipfocusmoreinvaluingothersopinioninthecompanyinorderto
achievecertaingoaltogether.Leaderwillhaveaproblemleadingthecompanyifemployeeare
notusedtotheleadershipstyle.Employeewillbelessefficientandeffectiveintacklingtaskand
achievingcompanygoals.


ManagingvsLeading
Anotherproblemisthataleadermustunderstandthedifferencebetweenmanagingandleading.
Managingacompanyoremployeemeanstoplanthegoalofthecompanyandaccomplishit,
organizeandimplementtheimportanceofpoliciesandprocedure,anddirectingtheemployeeso
theywillalwaysbeintherightpath(Kouzes&Posner,1987).Ontheotherhandleadingis
influencingemployee,changetheemployeethroughmotivation,understandingtheopinionof
eachemployeeandcreatingarolemodelfortheemployee(Mintzberg,2009).Manyleader
misusedthewordleading,someofthemonlymanagethecompanybutdidnotleadthe
company.Leadersthatonlymanagewillneverunderstandtheiremployee,givingemployeetask
thatarenotsuitable,whichresultedinineffectivenessandtakealongertimetoaccomplished
companygoal(Hawkins,2011).Leaderthatleadtheircompanysuccessfullyaretheleaderthat
listentotheemployeesopinionandmotivatetheirfollower.

LeaderIrrelevance
Lastly,Leaderirrelevance,therearecertainsituationalfactorthatevenasuccessfulleaderare
notcapableofcontrolling.Asuccessfulleaderaredependoncharacteristicoftheemployee,the
organizationandthesituation.SomeUnfortunatesituationmightoccurswhichwillaffectthe
leadershipstyleoftheleader(Pfeffer,1981).Leaderthatareunabletomaximisethecontroland
useoftheresourceprovided,whichwillresultinineffectivenessofleadership.

b.Methodstoimproveleadershippractice
UseofCharismaticLeadership
Ihavelearnthatinordertoimprovemyleadershippracticesandreducecomplexitiesaleader
mustbecharismatic.Ineedtobeacharismaticleader,acharismaticleaderwillpossessafew
skillsthatenablethemtoinfluenceandmotivatetheiremployeeorcolleague,suchasexpertin
communication,highriskorientation,theabilitytoempowerfollowersandmethodstoresolve
conflict.Althoughmanypeoplesaidacharismaticleaderarebornnotmade,Ibelievethatthere
arewaysforleadertobemorecharismatic.TherearemanyresearchthatproveInorderfor

leadertobemorecharismatictheyhavetobemorediscipline,abletothinkmoreoptimistically
ratherthanpessimistic,developtheunderstandingofothersfeelingsandemotions.Whenthe
leaderarecharismaticitwillbeeasiertodirectandleadtheemployee.

ChangefromTransactionalLeadershiptoTransformationalLeadership
FromtheinterviewandobservationthatIdidonMrLim,toimprovemyleadershippracticeisto
changemyleadershipstylefromtransactionalleadershiptotransformationalleadership.Iusedto
focusmoreontransactionalleadershipstyleasitwillbemoreefficient,simplybygivingtaskto
employeeandoccasionallyrewardingemployeewhentheyachievecertaincompanysgoals
(Avolio&Bass,2002).Ididnotcareabouttheopinionorideathatmyemployeegive,Ionly
focusonthecompanygoalthatmustbeachieveincertainperiodoftime.Afteralongperiodof
time,Irealizethatmymethodareworkingbutitisnoteffective.Ihavelearnthatinorderfor
mycompanyandemployeetobemoreeffectiveIneedtounderstandmoreaboutmyemployee
abilityandopinion.Givingemployeetaskthataresuitableforthemwillincreasetheirefficiency
andtaskcanbecompletedearlier(Avolio&Yammarino,2002).BeingConcernaboutmy
employeefeelingswillincreasethetrustandrespectofmyemployeetowardsme.ThusIwill
adopttransformationalleadershipinthefuturebecausegoalscanbeachievedmoreeffectively.

Adopteffectiveleadershiptraits
Anothermethodtoimprovemyleadingmethodistoadoptaneffectiveleadershiptraits.
Emotionallystableindealingwithstressandfrustrationofworks.SecondlyIneedtobemore
enthusiasticaboutleadingmyemployee,givingthemapositiveenergyandencouragementto
fulfilltheirduties.Toughmindedness,theabilitytoreceivecriticsandtheabilitytoendure
hardshipunderstressfulworkingcondition(Yukl&Mahsud,2010).Withadoptingleadership
traitsiwillbemoreopenmindedinchangingmyleadershipstylethatwillsuitmyemployees
characteristics.

C.Conclusion
Fromtheinterviewandobservationthatimakeicanconcludethatitisimportanttohavethe
rightleadershipskillsinordertobesuccessfulandeffectiveleader.Differentleadershipstyle
willworksdifferentlydependingonthefollowersoremployeecharacteristic.Althoughitis
impossibletounderstandallthefollowersoremployeehabitsandopinionitisbestforleaderto
maintainanopenmindedmindset.Maximizingtheunderstandingofemployeeopinionwilllead
toefficiencyandeffectivenessoftaskcompletion.Thusasuccessfulleaderarealeaderthatare
respectedbytheiremployeeandsubordinate.

D.References
Avolio,B.J.,&Bass,B.M.(2002).Developingpotentialacrossafullrangeofleadership:
Casesontransactionalandtransformationalleadership.Mahwah,NJ:Lawrence
ErlbaumAssociates.
Avolio,B.J.,&Yammarino,F.J.(2002).Transformationalandcharismaticleadership:The
roadahead.Amsterdam:JAI.
Hawkins,P.(2011).Leadershipteamcoaching:Developingcollectivetransformational
leadership.London:KoganPage.
Jung,D.I.,Bass,B.M.,&Sosik,J.J.(1995).BridgingLeadershipandCulture:ATheoretical
ConsiderationofTransformationalLeadershipandCollectivisticCultures.Journalof
Leadership&OrganizationalStudies,2(4),318.doi:10.1177/107179199500200402
Kouzes,J.M.,&Posner,B.Z.(1987).Theleadershipchallenge:Howtogetextraordinary
thingsdoneinorganizations.SanFrancisco:JosseyBass.
Mintzberg,H.(2009).Managing.
Pfeffer,J.(1981).Powerinorganizations.Marshfield,MA:PitmanPub.
Rosener,J.B.(2011).WaysWomenLead.Leadership,Gender,andOrganization,1929.
doi:10.1007/9789048190140_3
Schooler,C.,&Hofstede,G.(1983).Culture'sConsequences:InternationalDifferencesin
WorkRelatedValues.ContemporarySociology,12(2),167.doi:10.2307/2066725
Yukl,G.,&Mahsud,R.(2010).Whyflexibleandadaptiveleadershipisessential.Consulting
PsychologyJournal:PracticeandResearch,62(2),8193.doi:10.1037/a0019835

E.Appendix
Questions:
1. Howwouldyoudescribeyourleadershipstyle?
2. Howdoesyourbehaviourtowardsyourstaffchangeacrossdifferenttimesofthe
dayandweek?
3. Howdoyouensurethatyoudonotmisuseyourpowerinthecompany?
4. Canyousharewithmesomeeffectiveinfluencetacticsthatyouhaveusedinyour
company?
5. Inyouropinion,whodoyouthinkisaneffectiveleaderthatyouwouldwantto
modelafter?
6. Whatessentialcharacteristicsareimportanttoensurethatoneisagoodleader?
7. Whatkeyskillsarenecessarytoenableonetobeagoodleader?
8. Whatdifficultiesdoyoufaceinleadingyourstaff?
9. Howwouldyouknowwhetheryourleadershipstyleiseffective?

TimeLine

Action

Deadline Completed Remarks

MrEdwinLim,PartnerofaPrivate

Selectionofleader

20thFeb Yes

EducationServicesCompanyinSingapore
Age:34yearsold,Gender:Male,Education
Background:BachelorinBankingand
Finance,MastersinBusiness
Administration,PostGraduateDiplomain
Education,RoleintheCompany:Incharge

Backgroundofleader
research

ofOperationsandMarketing,Numberof
25thFeb Yes

YearsintheCompany:4years

MrLimagreedtobeobservedandinterview
byme.Weagreedonthedatestoconduct
theobservationandinterviewonthe1stof
Contactingleader

26thFeb Yes

Mar.
Location:MainOfficeatUpperBukit

Observation

1stMar

Yes

TimahRoad

Interview

1stMar

Yes

Conductedathisoffice

Reflection

5thMar Yes

Completed

6thMar
to15th
WritingofReport

Yes

Completed

SubmissionofReport 18thMar Yes

Completed

Mar