Leadership:

‘Leadership’ refers to the ability of an individual to influence the thought, purposes, emotions, and actions of others to realise a common goal (Swanwick & McKimm, 2017). It has also been describes as the ability to extract the extraordinary from employees by motivating them to divert their effort and drive into the achievement of an objective (Eagly& Chin, 2010). Leaders of an organisation help influence the direction of business operations as they develop strategies for the future of the company and deal with the consequences of company decisions. Thus they direct change (Kottler, 2000). They plan an important role in increasing the involvement of employees and improving morale and productivity by aligning the interests of the people with the company.

One of the tasks Jones was tasked with was to set up a local office and hire personally to run daily operations. He was also responsible for the functioning of the set-up workspaces. However, local employees expressed dissatisfaction with the organisation structure and functioning. Further, the question of Jones’ continued presence in the project is also influenced by perceptions of his decision-making. These factors can be addressed by applying relevant theories of leadership.

Bass’ Leadership Theory:

Bass’ leadership model (1985) specifies the influence of the leader on the employees by broadening their understanding of work, aligning their interests with company goals, and developing their personal goals.

Laiseez-fair leadership is a delegative style where leaders allow employees to make their own decisions. Rather than zero leadership, it has found to be correlated to, workplace bullying and stressors, and psychological distress (Skogtad et al., 2007). Transactional style involves leaders recognizing the needs of employees and establishing an exchange-based relationship contingent on achieving business objectives. Such a style also involves monitoring employees, which can be either active or passive in nature (Antonakis& House, 2014). Transformation leadership involves understanding employees (Avolio, Bass, & Jung, 1999), and motivating them to put aside their self-interest to improve group performance (Kirkbride, 2006).

Path Goal Theory:

This model emphases the role of the leader in the motivation and drive, effective performance, and job-satisfaction levels of the employees (House & Mitchell, 1975). The selection of the leadership style based on the business environment and situational circumstances yields the best results. The leadership styles determined by the theory are as follows: Directive style where the leader communicates the tasks and responsibilities expected of them to the employees where clearly defining their role. The leader addressed logistics such as schedule and regulations (House & Mitchell, 1975). Supportive style where leaders and the team work closely together to accomplish tasks and the leader is always present to offer support. The leader often feels great concern for the employees (Shuffler et al., 2011). Participative leadership is one where the leader consults with the employees, solicits their opinion and suggestions, and considers them while making decisions thus building an inclusive workspace. Achievement-oriented style focuses on challenging employees with difficult goals and hard work. However, the confidence of the leader in the employees builds motivation and sense of responsibility and initiative.

Recommendations:

The application of Bass’ model of leadership points to the leadership style followed at the Tanzanian office as Laissez-Fair. By implementing strategies based on Jones’ relationship and understanding of the locals, the leadership style at the office could be effective changed to transactional, where employees are suitably rewarded for the work that they put in and so are motivated to work, thus addressing the turnover rates of the local employees. By suitably applying the path gal theory, leadership within the Tanzanian office can be established with various leadership styles being implemented to address the issues in the organization. The use of directive leadership will address the obstacle of disorganisation in the office while supportive leadership will enable the growth and development of the firm. Participative leadership will boost the commitment of local employees to the firm and also provide the motivation to do their work. Finally, the use of achievement-oriented leadership will ensure the smooth beginning of the next phase of operations and convince senior leaders at HG that Jones has an important role in the project.