Personal Development as a First Line Manager Essay

Personal Development as a First Line Manager - Essay Example The manner with which front-line managers carry out their tasks such as employee selection, appraisal, and development, communication, and involvement, to name a few, has been significantly associated with a wide range of leadership behaviors that generally intend to influence the attitudes and behaviors of workers as well as to provide them with direction (Longenecker and Neubert 2003). Employees tend to be influenced by HR practices that are evident in the workplace as well as the leadership behaviors of their managers, and they can either respond to this in a positive or negative manner. Thus, there is a crucial need for future front-line managers to obtain the necessary and adequate knowledge, skills, and experience to successfully assume their roles and help contribute to favorable organizational outcomes. The SMART objectives stated in this paper will be outlined in the final portion. Leadership Styles When developing leadership skills, it is of great importance to recognize an d understand leadership styles. For instance, the transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire approaches to leadership have been commonly identified as leadership styles that each has its own outcomes (Leong and Fischer 2011). For instance, the laissez-faire approach is characterized by a â€Å"hands-off† view with which the leader allows his followers to make decisions and accomplish tasks on their own; although this style may be applied among individuals who are highly capable and motivated, the laissez faire approach brings about the lowest productivity among most workplaces. There is little guidance provided by the leader and the members are left to manage activities and solve problems on their own. The transactional leadership style, meanwhile, is highly based on the mutual exchange between leader and followers. Members consequently are motivated by punishment and reward, whose purpose is to follow what the leader tells them to. Finally, the transformational appro ach to leadership has been shown to be the most effective style with which members are empowered by the leader, increasing their motivation to work and allowing them to participate in decision making. The needs of the subordinates are addressed by the leader while challenging and creative tasks are provided to increase their enthusiasm and commitment to achieve goals. When the most appropriate leadership style is chosen in a given workplace, a number of favorable outcomes can be obtained, including increased motivation, productivity, and performance. Risk Management In relation to leadership, risk management is a process which is characterized by effective identification of and solution to workplace problems. For instance, with regards to risk management in workplace health and safety, it is essential that a number of steps are followed. First is to identify the problem or hazard followed by the assessment of risks, thereby determining how critical the problem is. Finally, decisions should be made with regards to how the problem will be solved; such process is referred to as the risk elimination or control. Risk management should be