Abstract Science Construction’s business is in planning, developing and building road projects. The major of its clients are municipalities, city governments, and other public sector entities. While the bankruptcy rates for these clients is very low, when economic downturns happen, their ability to pay in a timely fashion also suffers. This leads to businesses such as Science Construction needing to take on additional debt and to find creative methods in order to stay afloat during times of recession. Methods such as selling accounts receivables at discounted rates and taking larger lines of credit through banks and other lending institutions are some of the ways organizations can remain viable when their cash inflows have turned into a trickle. Science Construction is asking the Turkish Courts to postpone their bankruptcy proceedings for a year while they attempt to restructure. Through this, suggestions such as forcing shareholders to pay their debt to the organization, gaining credi
Abstract
In some scenarios, leadership is about creating change in both individuals and the communities in which they live, through inspiring positive change through authentically motivating and influencing people to achieve what they never thought possible (Transformational Leadership, n.d). In this paper I will briefly describe the critical issues outline in the case study and then identify and discuss different leadership theories as well as leadership styles demonstrated by Jill Medvedow.
Keywords: Leadership
Leadership Styles for Success
In this paper I will discuss the case of “Turnaround and Transformation: Leadership and Risk at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art” by Reavis (2010), specifically focusing on the leadership styles of Jill Medvedow in her role as Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). Following the identification of her leadership styles, I will conclude with a strategy that can be considered to develop future leaders in the contemporary art scene. The case outlines the success story of Jill Medvedow, who was hired to turnaround the ICA. Through her stewardship and leadership style, she created a compelling vision for the ICA and radically changed the contemporary art scene in Boston.
Identification of Major Issues in the Case
Reviewing the case study of Reavis (2010), several critical issues influenced the leadership style and decision made by Medvedow, which will now be summarised. Medvedow was hired to turn the ICA around, and decisions related to her being hired were based on certain leadership traits, such as having a strong intellect, being level headed, centred and authentic and she demonstrated a passion for her field and had a strong vision for the future (Reavis, 2010).
Briefly reflecting on Medvedow’s leadership traits, Rouse and Sparapani (2015) notes that “leadership traits are the personal qualities that shape effective leaders” (para. 1). Perhaps Medvedow’s inherent traits assisted her in being successful in her role as Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) note that there is empirical evidence that traits do influence leadership style and leaders can be distinguished from non-leaders based on six traits, which include drive, motivation, honesty and integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability and knowledge of the business, much of which Medvedow possessed.
The situation that the ICA was in when Medvedow started in her role was “marginal” and needed to be totally reinvented in order to remain relevant. The organisation required a leader with a vision to reinvent the contemporary art scene in Boston and create an institution that was relatable, non-elitist and supported the community in which it operated (Reavis, 2010).
Leadership Styles of Medvedow
It is evident from the success of the case that Medvedow was a leader who could adapt to various situations while leveraging her strengths. It could be postulated that her success could be related to Fiedler’s contingency theory, where she was hired for the role based on her leadership style and was successfully able to adapt to various situations, as presented in the case (Vroom & Jago, 2007).
A number of leadership styles were displayed by Medvedow, such as transformational leadership where style is characterised by the leader positively influencing followers based on trust and commitment to motivate them to achieve or surpass their goals, which is what the ICA had achieved (Bin Sayeed & Shanker, 2009). The use of transformational leadership style was necessary in order to inspire and influence stakeholders to the future vision of the ICA, which is what Medvedow achieved.
Another leadership style clearly displayed by Medvedow was participative leadership. The participative or democratic leadership style is characterised by the leader including various stakeholders in the decision-making process whereby the leader would express the priorities of what needs to get done and would get the group involved and obtain their suggestions and feedback in the process, however the leader would ultimately make the final decision (Lewin, Lippitt, & White, 1939). In her role, she ensured that she included both internal and external stakeholders in various business decision, some critical to the success of the ICA. Branch (2002) notes that the participative management is about being inclusive, both for employees and external stakeholder, in organisational decision making and, this approach assisted the ICA to create value and a competitive advantage over other contemporary art institutions.
Conclusion and Future Considerations
The success of Medvedow in turning the ICA can be attributed to her excellent leadership skills, being able to adapt, being inclusive and being able to inspire positive change. As a last thought, being a successful leader requires that leader to grow and develop the next generation of leaders. A proposed strategy that Medvedow could consider is to include a relational or people-orientated leadership style, which according to Russell (2011), is characterised by the leader being motivated to support, coach and develop their followers, to perhaps become future leaders in the contemporary art field.
References
Bin Sayeed, O., & Shanker, M. (2009). Emotionally Intelligent Managers & Transformational Leadership Styles. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 44, No. 4, 593-610. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/27768233
Branch, K. M. (2002). Participative Management and Employee and Stakeholder Involvement. In Management Benchmarking Study (pp. 1-27). Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch10.pdf
Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do Traits Matter? Academy of Management Executive, Vol 5, No. 2, 48-60.
Lewin, K., Lippitt, R., & White, R. (1939). Patterns of Aggressive Behavior in Experimentally Created Social Climates. Journal of Social Psychology 10, 271–301.
Reavis, C. (2010). Turnaround and Transformation: Leadership and Risk at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art. MIT Sloan Management.
Rouse, M., & Sparapani, J. (2015, September). Leadership Traits. Retrieved from Tech Target: https://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/leadership-traits
Russell, E. (2011, September 08). Leadership Theories and Style: A Transitional Approach.
Transformational leadership. (n.d.). Retrieved from Langston University: https://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-content-files/TransformationalLeadership.pdf
Vroom, V. H., & Jago, A. G. (2007). The Role of the Situation in Leadership. American Psychologist, Vol. 62, No. 1, 17-24.
In some scenarios, leadership is about creating change in both individuals and the communities in which they live, through inspiring positive change through authentically motivating and influencing people to achieve what they never thought possible (Transformational Leadership, n.d). In this paper I will briefly describe the critical issues outline in the case study and then identify and discuss different leadership theories as well as leadership styles demonstrated by Jill Medvedow.
Keywords: Leadership
Leadership Styles for Success
In this paper I will discuss the case of “Turnaround and Transformation: Leadership and Risk at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art” by Reavis (2010), specifically focusing on the leadership styles of Jill Medvedow in her role as Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). Following the identification of her leadership styles, I will conclude with a strategy that can be considered to develop future leaders in the contemporary art scene. The case outlines the success story of Jill Medvedow, who was hired to turnaround the ICA. Through her stewardship and leadership style, she created a compelling vision for the ICA and radically changed the contemporary art scene in Boston.
Identification of Major Issues in the Case
Reviewing the case study of Reavis (2010), several critical issues influenced the leadership style and decision made by Medvedow, which will now be summarised. Medvedow was hired to turn the ICA around, and decisions related to her being hired were based on certain leadership traits, such as having a strong intellect, being level headed, centred and authentic and she demonstrated a passion for her field and had a strong vision for the future (Reavis, 2010).
Briefly reflecting on Medvedow’s leadership traits, Rouse and Sparapani (2015) notes that “leadership traits are the personal qualities that shape effective leaders” (para. 1). Perhaps Medvedow’s inherent traits assisted her in being successful in her role as Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) note that there is empirical evidence that traits do influence leadership style and leaders can be distinguished from non-leaders based on six traits, which include drive, motivation, honesty and integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability and knowledge of the business, much of which Medvedow possessed.
The situation that the ICA was in when Medvedow started in her role was “marginal” and needed to be totally reinvented in order to remain relevant. The organisation required a leader with a vision to reinvent the contemporary art scene in Boston and create an institution that was relatable, non-elitist and supported the community in which it operated (Reavis, 2010).
Leadership Styles of Medvedow
It is evident from the success of the case that Medvedow was a leader who could adapt to various situations while leveraging her strengths. It could be postulated that her success could be related to Fiedler’s contingency theory, where she was hired for the role based on her leadership style and was successfully able to adapt to various situations, as presented in the case (Vroom & Jago, 2007).
A number of leadership styles were displayed by Medvedow, such as transformational leadership where style is characterised by the leader positively influencing followers based on trust and commitment to motivate them to achieve or surpass their goals, which is what the ICA had achieved (Bin Sayeed & Shanker, 2009). The use of transformational leadership style was necessary in order to inspire and influence stakeholders to the future vision of the ICA, which is what Medvedow achieved.
Another leadership style clearly displayed by Medvedow was participative leadership. The participative or democratic leadership style is characterised by the leader including various stakeholders in the decision-making process whereby the leader would express the priorities of what needs to get done and would get the group involved and obtain their suggestions and feedback in the process, however the leader would ultimately make the final decision (Lewin, Lippitt, & White, 1939). In her role, she ensured that she included both internal and external stakeholders in various business decision, some critical to the success of the ICA. Branch (2002) notes that the participative management is about being inclusive, both for employees and external stakeholder, in organisational decision making and, this approach assisted the ICA to create value and a competitive advantage over other contemporary art institutions.
Conclusion and Future Considerations
The success of Medvedow in turning the ICA can be attributed to her excellent leadership skills, being able to adapt, being inclusive and being able to inspire positive change. As a last thought, being a successful leader requires that leader to grow and develop the next generation of leaders. A proposed strategy that Medvedow could consider is to include a relational or people-orientated leadership style, which according to Russell (2011), is characterised by the leader being motivated to support, coach and develop their followers, to perhaps become future leaders in the contemporary art field.
References
Bin Sayeed, O., & Shanker, M. (2009). Emotionally Intelligent Managers & Transformational Leadership Styles. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 44, No. 4, 593-610. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/27768233
Branch, K. M. (2002). Participative Management and Employee and Stakeholder Involvement. In Management Benchmarking Study (pp. 1-27). Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch10.pdf
Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do Traits Matter? Academy of Management Executive, Vol 5, No. 2, 48-60.
Lewin, K., Lippitt, R., & White, R. (1939). Patterns of Aggressive Behavior in Experimentally Created Social Climates. Journal of Social Psychology 10, 271–301.
Reavis, C. (2010). Turnaround and Transformation: Leadership and Risk at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art. MIT Sloan Management.
Rouse, M., & Sparapani, J. (2015, September). Leadership Traits. Retrieved from Tech Target: https://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/leadership-traits
Russell, E. (2011, September 08). Leadership Theories and Style: A Transitional Approach.
Transformational leadership. (n.d.). Retrieved from Langston University: https://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-content-files/TransformationalLeadership.pdf
Vroom, V. H., & Jago, A. G. (2007). The Role of the Situation in Leadership. American Psychologist, Vol. 62, No. 1, 17-24.
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