Construction Industry Importance Of Leadership

Construction Industry Importance Of Leadership The construction industry today is very similar to the construction twenty years ago as many operations, practices and operations have changed very little over the last decades. Though with the new era of technology some modernization has taken place still some theories are practiced the traditional way. In contrast the forces on industry organisation are changing at a rapid pace. These changes in building influence arises the problem of leader preparedness which is a primary concern in the construction industry over the next decade as industrys increasing social, economic and environmental challenges has called into question its ability to create leaders that can develop leaders having the knowledge and skills to address rapidly changing business environments at all organisational levels. The leadership ability to transform the organisation as per the dynamic force market is essential for sustained success in construction industry. Also, the ability for leaders to both motivate the internal workforce as well as communicate to a diverse project team is a challenge to individuals for developing their communication skills. To understand the significance of leadership in construction industry we must first understand what are leader and leadership and how they are formed. LEADER AND LEADERSHIP: In general terms, leadership is a quality that a person possesses to motivate other people to accomplish their objective and that person is called a leader. Leader is a person who could motivate/attract the commitment of the followers by way of influence or power to achieve the goals of the organisation. (Cole, 2005) Leadership at work is a dynamic process whereby one individual in a group is not only responsible for the groups results, but actively seeks the collaboration and commitment of all group members in achieving group goals in a particular context and against the background of a particular national culture. (Cole, 2005) The role of a leader is building a team, development of individuals and achievement of a task. The leader should have the following characteristics: Understanding needs- The leader should understand his/her needs along with the needs and characteristics of each participant in a group. This helps to know a person as an individual, treating them with respect and helping in growth of that individual which leads to the formation of trust and builds confidence amongst participants. All this allows a proper planning of project i.e. is the first step in the process for achieving a respective goal. This can be done through conversation and informal surveys of participants. Using of Resources- Resources include all the things required to complete a job. People are resources as they have knowledge and skill. Knowledge comes from experience while skill is the ability to use your experiences. When the leader brings into use the knowledge and skill of group members they develop experience and improve their skills also getting a positive approach towards it. This comes from proper understanding of the participants as discussed above. Communication- Only a good communication amongst the team can lead to successful completion of a task. For getting information the leader must listen carefully and pay attention to other peoples thoughts and each group member should be given a chance to speak. While giving information the leader should speak slowly and clearly so that the members can listen carefully and understand leaders ideas effectively. Planning- Planning is a very important aspect achieved while exploring via thorough consideration of: task and objective, resources, alternatives and brainstorming. This helps in reaching a decision and reviewing it with all the participants. The plan is then evaluated and executed. A proper planning of task is a major factor that analyses the successful completion of a job. Controlling group performance- A group works together best when it is headed in the same direction and for that someone must lead the effort. Control is a function that the group assigns to the leader for completion of task. Control comes from understanding where the group is right now and where it is heading. This can be done by thorough observation of the happenings, clear instructions and helping to quickly deal with disruptions. Evaluation- Evaluation helps in measuring the performance of a group in getting a job done and teamwork quality. It also helps in analysing the level of performance along with the merits and demerits of the task done in a particular way. Setting an Example and sharing Leadership- It is probably the most important skill needed in a leader, to set him/her as an example for others on how to be an ideal leader. The leader should also share their experience and skill with the group participants to help them succeed. Leadership requires: Motivating and persuading others Taking responsibility for the direction and actions of a team Setting of objectives for proper evaluation Taking the initiative Persevering when things are not working out. Taking a positive attitude to frustration/failure. Taking the initiative and responding flexibly to changing situations Presenting a positive image in front of others. Being assertive Accepting responsibility for mistakes/wrong decisions. TYPES OF LEADERS: Charismatic/Transformational- Leadership is not good or bad by itself but by how it is portrayed in front of others and for what purpose it is being used. History has seen many charismatic misleaders like Hitler, Mao, and Stalin who inflicted evil and sufferings on humanity. Personal qualities and traits are not acquired by training; they are embedded in them since birth. Charismatic leaders inspire the followers through their vision and energy which has a major impact on them whether it is good or evil. Unlike Hitler and Mao, there were some charismatic leaders who worked for the benefit of humanity and betterment of the society like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Abraham Lincoln etc. Traditional/Transactional- The leaders who fall under this category have their position secured since birth. Only few people can aspire to be like them and have a few opportunities at work. For example: Kings, Queens, and Tribal Chieftains etc. Situational- They are created as per the given situation. Their position is temporary and become effective when found at right place at the right time like a project manager. Appointed- Such leaders have legitimate powers that they acquire through hierarchy. They influence people directly out of position and their power of the position is derived. For example: CEO, MD, GM etc. Functional- Functional leaders secure their position by the quality of work they do. They adapt according to the competing needs of the society that consists of individual needs, group needs and task needs. Principle Centred- Principle centred leaders are strongly affected by ethical and moral principles. Their quality of work shows this used of ethics which involves honesty, fairness, trust, justice and equity among others. POWER AND INFLUENCE: With leadership comes power and influence which are important factors that help in the motivation of team. Power is the ability to exert influence that is, to change the attitudes or behaviour of individuals or groups. Influence is any action or examples of behaviour that causes a change in attitude or behaviour of another person/ group. (Leadership- Lecture Notes, Pg. 37, 2012) LEADERSHIP THEORIES: Major leadership theories are mentioned as under: Trait Theories- Helps in identification of personal characteristics of leaders which differentiate them from non-leaders. Some of these characteristics include energy, intelligence, and resourcefulness etc. Style Theories- Related to behavioural approach as leaders are born not made. Shows concern for people and task. Can be authoritative or democratic. Contingency Theories- Such theories focus on particular variables that determine which style is best suited for any situation. As per this theory not every style is suitable for all situations. Success depends on leader-member relations, degree of structure in the task and power/authority of the position. Participatory Theories- Suggests that the ideal leader is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and make them feel more involved in the process. It calculates to what extent the opinions of members are utilised in decision making. LEADERSHIP vs. MANAGEMENT Often people confuse leadership with management though they both differ from each other on so many levels. A manager is appointed while leadership is earned in most cases. Managers can be characterised as people who imitate, establish clear targets, make short term decisions, solve short term problems, enact visions and do things right. They employ the so-called hard skills such as planning, directing, organising and keeping score. On the other hand, leaders employ many of the softer skills. They direct and guide people; influence thoughts and behaviours; motivate; encourage work towards goals; take risks; innovate; have a long-range perspective; have their eye on the horizon; create visions and do the right things. (Leadership vs. Management, Leadership in the Construction Industry, Pg. 5) According to Covey (1992): Leadership deals with direction- with making sure that the ladder is leaning against the right wall. Management deals with speedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Leadership deals with vision-with keeping the mission in sight- and with effectiveness and results. Management deals establishing structures and systems to get those results. Leadership focuses on the top line and management on the bottom line. Leadership derives its powers from values and correct principles. Management organises resources to serve selected objective to produce bottom line. Management and Leadership are not mutually exclusive; in factà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. leadership is the highest component of management. To summarise, the manager must have certain leadership qualities to take their organisation towards success by motivating people to achieve that success. According to the Eagan Report, The Eagan Report identifies five drivers of change necessary to ensure greater profitability as well as better quality in the Construction Industry: Committed Leadership A focus on the customer Integrated processes and teams A quality driven agenda Commitment to people (Leadership- Lecture Notes, Pg. 40, 2012) LEADERSHIP IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: Construction industry is very complex and is often met with various problems which are non-completion of a job, non-availability of labour, Community barriers between workers and goods availability which leads to delay in productivity and effectiveness on construction sites many of which arrive from inadequate understanding of leadership and job relationships. Leadership in different sectors of construction industry: Health and Safety- Leadership in health and safety sector is of strong importance as this sector deals with health related issues for labour along with other people who are related to a construction project. This sector has zero tolerance policies, industry initiatives and high level of investment. Sustainability- Sustainability is an important sector for the industry to consider. The construction done on a site should be sustainable and environment friendly in current time as per the urgency of the sustainability agenda. So the leader should be well aware of the ill effects a particular action that is performed will have on the nature. Business ethics- Business ethics are also a major factor in the success of a task. A leader must be well aware of all the business rules and changes that are occurring in the construction industry to make his team lead in the right direction and as per the building regulations. This provides a strong base for a leader by making them flexible and well aware of the current surroundings. Education and Training- Proper education and training helps in becoming an ideal leader. This sector focuses on education and experience of the leader and group members to put alike people with each other. This helps in creating harmony and trust between the members which in turn helps in successful completion of a job. In construction industry the requirements for an effective leader are as follows: Good communication skills Understanding of business Strategic vision Charisma and Inspiration Integrity Good listener Flexible i.e. open to changes Experience The weakest leadership qualities are identified as poor communication skills, lack of time, lack of general management skills, impatience, lack of decisiveness and not delegating enough. Also there is a presence of untapped leadership potential within the industry. Many areas of weak leadership can be addressed through industry training and other leadership development programmes. Improvement in communication and general management skills are two areas in particular that are of topmost priority. Organisational culture and lack of opportunities are the major drawbacks in the construction industry which stops an individual from reaching their highest potential. How to improve leaders? As discussed above many of the problems in construction industry arise due to poor leadership skills and to improve leadership qualities following steps should be taken: New experiences, the most valuable way to improve leadership ability. This includes mentoring or anything else that gives an individual a new hands-on experience and exposure. Clear direction and guidelines are important to improve individual leaders in the industry. This reinforces the importance of empowerment, development of leaders at all levels of seniority and corporate strategic planning. Skills, education, training and qualifications are also required to be present in any leader. To achieve the above qualities various character development workshops and programmes can be held within an organisation to make people understand the concept of leadership better and to know more about leadership skills tailored specifically for construction based professionals. These workshops must include programmes focusing on communication skills and general management training, education and training, mentoring schemes, work experience, and secondment programmes. They should also include strategies for identifying the leaders of the future, and for rewarding and celebrating success. CONCLUSION: Leaders are of utmost requirement these days to complete a given job. The leaders help in creating group cohesiveness which helps in proper utilisation of the teamwork. The leaders are born and not created though certain steps can be taken to brush up their skills. The leadership development workshops can help in improving the leadership skills of people which will in turn help in the betterment of the construction industry. Also, the main drawbacks in the construction industry related to incompletion of a task can be tackled effectively if positive steps are taken in that direction. Great leaders will be created that will work for the industry and give their hundred per cent to achieve a task.

Opinion Poll and Strong Public Opinion

FRQ: Public Opinion Public opinion polls are a way to link the public with elected officials. Members of Congress often use polls to understand the views of their constituents, but they must also pay attention to other political considerations. a. Identify two characteristics of a valid, scientific, public opinion poll. b. Explain why each of the following enhances the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress. †¢ Strong public opinion as expressed in polling results Competitive re-elections c. Explain why each of the following limits the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress. †¢ Legislators’ voting records †¢ Party leadership 6 points Part (a): 2 points One point is earned for each correct identification of a characteristic of a valid, scientific public opinion poll. Acceptable characteristics may include the following: †¢ Randomized sample †¢ Representative sample †¢ Question wording (unbiased, unambiguous) Large sample size/low margin of error Part (b): 2 points One point is earned for a correct explanation of why each of the following enhances the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress. †¢ Strong public opinion as expressed in polling results o Because of the desire to get reelected/electoral ambition o Because of the perceived obligation/duty to represent their constituents †¢ Competitive reelections o Because of the desire to get reelected Part (c): 2 pointsOne point is earned for a correct explanation of why each of the following limits the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress. †¢ Legislators’ voting records o To avoid being perceived as indecisive by voters/supporters †¢ Party leadership: o To avoid the risk of losing party support o To gain party support A score of zero (0) is assigned to an answer that is attempted but earns no points. A score of dash (—) is assigned to an answer that is blank or off task.

Founding Brothers Essay

The novel, Founding Brothers, written by Joseph Ellis is a thought provoking novel on the intertwined lives of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr and Ben Franklin. Ellis calls the 1790’s the most decisive decade in our country. The author exemplifies three major points in our nation’s history: George Washington and his prominent legacy; the collaborative yet antagonistic relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams; and the many problems of the young union during its revolutionary era. George Washington was a monumental character and played a vital role in the molding of our country. Although, his reputation was nearly impeccable, he was great in stature, standing at six foot four. The farewell address was a key element to Washington’s legacy. In this he displayed how grateful he was to have such a remarkable opportunity to serve his country, although this only was the beginning part of his speech. Secondly he decided to stress the importance of the union. But it started in 1776 when Washington was being described as â€Å"Father of our Country† prematurely. Even Ben Franklin acknowledged Washington’s supremacy. In the 1790’s Washington was well known, he was the presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention and the chief executive of the federal government. â€Å"Washington was the core of gravity that prevented the American Revolution from flying off into random orbits, the stable center around which the revolutionary energies formed† (Ellis 121). He impacted the government tremendously with his way of thinking and his attitude toward the need for national unity. He talked about independence from foreign nations; he devoted several paragraphs to this in his in his address. Washington always made the well- being of the country first. For example, when Continental Congress wanted help the French with an invasion of Canada, Washington opposed. He feared that that putting the France in possession of that capital that they would become greedy, and doubted that they would withdraw once they were ensconced in Canada. I think that he may have felt that also, America was young and still growing as a country. He was criticized for this decision. In closing on Washington’s legacy, I feel that there were many reasons why he retired. In short, he was just getting old and probably couldn’t take the political pressure. He was also going through a physical decline. Washington intended for his farewell address to be advice to his countrymen. He wanted them to sustain without, and without a king. Adams and Jefferson were indeed friends but had different agendas on how the country should be run. Their relationship was unique; they were great friends but even better competitors. The presidency drove them apart. Adams was a federalist, and Jefferson was a democratic republican so to speak. Through the Continental congress and diplomatic missions they became close friends. As they worked more together Adams developed more respect Jefferson, although he was less effusive. The low point of their relationship was definitely after the election in 1800. After this their relationship became more antagonistic. As politicians and colleagues they went through many phases. After the election they did not speak for a long 12 years. Adams felt that Jefferson had betrayed their friendship. After the death of Jefferson daughter, Abigail Adams began to exchange letters of condolences. Jefferson confused it as an invitation to reconcile with Adams family. The two disputed briefly, John didn’t find out until several months later. Finally in January of 1812, Adams sent a letter from Quincy to Monticello. â€Å"Why then, did Adams take the fateful step, which led to a fourteen year exchange of 158 letters, a correspondence that is generally regarded as the intellectual capstone to the revolutionary generation and the most impressive correspondence between prominent states in all of American history† (Ellis 223)? For the last 15 years of their lives they contacted each other through letters and rebuilt their friendship. On the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of the Independence, both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other. They will never be forgotten for the inevitable and timely contributions to our young country. In the introduction Ellis describes the American Revolution perfectly with the statement â€Å"No event in American history which was so improbable at the time has seemed as inevitable in retrospect as the American Revolution†. America’s victory seemed beyond improbable seeing as how England had the greatest army of the Revolutionary era. The young colonists chose to seek out alliances with the French, Dutch, and Spanish due to their lack of monetary resources, experience or even the pure man power. British beforehand, even tried attacking the colonists politically which had their in leading to an inevitable rebellion. They initiated taxes, and other events such as the Boston Massacre took place that ignited the young colonists to take stand against Great Britain. Though faith, inspiration and prosperity the Americans shocked the world, defeated the odds and took the victory in 1783, securing their new independent world. This victory inspired countries worldwide to rebel against the tyrannical empires that were controlling them. This victory is evident in today’s society as America thrives as country that influences others and still is, independent. Founding Brothers truly exposes a much more personal point of view of our founding fathers and their irrefutable destiny. Joseph Ellis targets critical elements of their and what they thought was best for the young country of America. They molded something bigger than themselves during this revolutionary era. The author really brings to life the intricate detail of Washington’s legacy and the partnership between two great leaders Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Joseph Ellis’ statement was more than valid; it justifies American in a few short words.

Analysis of Two Kinds Free Essay Example, 1000 words

It is this simple reality which is symbolically developed into a story by the writer to highlight the truth that no one can be forced to become a prodigy. The story also unravels the inner conflicting motives of the characters. She says, And then I decided, I didn't have to do what mother said anymore. I wasn't her slave . In short, the issues involved in the story are of universal interest. The first and foremost issue is that unless one has the innate talent, it is impossible to become a prodigy. To prove this the writer gives a contrast in the story. Waverly is another girl in the story, who becomes successful as a chess player. She receives only some simple guidance to develop her talent. And her mother knows the art of cultivating her skill. Woo, on the other hand, uses her maternal power excessively, resulting in the total ruin of her instinct. Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. asserts the mother (p. Thus, an unconscious repulsion develops in the child towar ds music. In fact, Two Kinds highlights several pairs of opposing issues emerging from the situations created by the conflicting attitudes of the mother and the child. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Two Kinds or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page Woo becomes a victim of that. Both America and the piano are cultural traps. Not only two kinds of places, but several kinds of social pressures frustrate the sincere desires of the mother. The two dissimilar cultures, time in the form of past and present, old and new, obedience and defiance, expectations and reality, etc are some of the Two Kinds working on the tiny psyche of the child. Everything has two sides is something the mother never realizes. And, as far as the daughter is concerned, she is incapable of seeing beyond her immediate instinct.