Theory Assignment 2

8/3/2019 Theory Assignment 2

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Analysis Paper #2 1

Kenyon Stanley

Dr. White

COMM 604

4 February 2011

Analysis Paper #2

Currently, I am organizing a new nonprofit outreach to the homeless. There are many

steps that are involved with getting an organization off and running. While my passion to help

the needy is a core element of my identity, I cant do it alone. There are currently no staff

positions in the organization (Transformation Charlotte). However, there are 10 volunteers that

rely on my guidance to serve the needs of homeless men, women and children. The way

Transformation Charlotte currently meets the needs of the homeless are distributing basic need

items, serving meals and assisting unemployed homeless men and women in finding gainful

employment. We are hoping to secure enough funding to open a day shelter in October of 2011.

Effectively managing others is vital to meeting organizational goals. As consulting executive

director, it is my responsibility to coordinate and direct outreach events to the homeless citizens

in the Charlotte area.

I would identify my leadership style as a 9.7 according to the Blake and Mouton

managerial grid (E.M. Eisenberg, H.L. Goodall Jr. & A. Trethewey, 2010, p.253). I place the

highest emphasis on relationships. I believe that volunteers produce the most when they believe

that their relational needs are met. Furthermore, the emphasis on relationship is passed down

from me to the volunteers and from them to the homeless men, women and children we serve.

After all, it is our organizations purpose to affect change in the lives of the needy. In order for

us to accomplish this task, the people in need must self-disclose personal and quite often painful


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Analysis Paper #2 2

life experiences. In my experience, I have noticed that homeless people are distrustful of

othersespecially people in authority. Breaking down trust barriers takes time, honesty and

genuine compassion. One cant fake compassion and expect to gain the trust of a homeless

individual.

There are several additional reasons why I consider myself a 9,7 manager. First, our

team of volunteers is interdependent upon one another. We realize that no single individual is

more important than another. Furthermore, as an organization, we value people over policy.

When I was employed at the Mens Shelter of Charlotte, I noticed that many of the employees

neglected to provide services because a particular policy was ambiguous and she or he didnt

want to do the extra work and investigate whether or not to provide a service. At Transformation

Charlotte, we will endeavor to create flexible policies and procedures giving the volunteers the

freedom to think for themselves and the power to act. Lastly, while my title as consulting

executive director implies ultimate authority. I hope my decisions will be group based and full

of other peoples ideas. My reason for leading in this manner is simple. The collective

intelligence of a group is far superior to the intelligence of one person.

My 9,7 leadership style has several advantages and disadvantages. First, by leading

through collaboration, our team is very close. We have a highly cohesive core group of

volunteers that care for each other and the mission. Our group doesnt obey directives because

they have to; they obey because they want to. The collaborative decision making process allows

for every team member to own the organizational goals. The result is I have a team that is

dedicated, passionate and determined to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. One

of the main disadvantages to my leadership style is the likelihood that our decision making

effectiveness will deteriorate due to groupthink. According to T. E. Harris & J.C. Sherblom


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Analysis Paper #2 3

(2011), some of the influenced of groupthink are concurrence seeking and group cohesiveness.

If we want to avoid making poor group decisions, we must continually insist to scrutinize our

decisions and avoid openly agreeing with a group position when privately someone disagrees. I

am sure that as Transformation Charlotte grows, we will fall into groupthink. I think that

realizing the potential for groupthink up front will help us identify it in the future.

If I were to lead Transformation Charlotte using a 9,1 authority obedience leadership

style. The organization would look a lot different. The Mens Shelter of Charlotte is lead by an

individual who is a 9,1. At the shelter, there is a control and compliance attitude that negatively

affects the overall morale of the agency. Additionally, workplace conditions are arranged in a

way that human factors dont impact the work. Personally, I find the lack of human elements in

the workplace counterproductive to an organization that seeks to help a vulnerable cohort of our

society. I have heard from several of the staff and guests at the shelter say that the Mens Shelter

is run like a jail, with the guests being treated like inmates and the intake staff treated like jail

guards. I do believe that if I adopted a 9,1 leadership style then when we open the day shelter, it

would resemble the Mens Shelter of Charlotte. The employees wouldnt follow the leaders

because they want to, they would obey directives because they have to. However, as much as I

dislike the Taylor-esque culture at the Mens Shelter of Charlotte, they do provide a service to

the needy. After all, the organization houses nearly 700 people per night, distribute clothing, and

serve breakfast lunch and dinner 7 days a week and 365 days per year. The shelter is efficient

and machine like. Unfortunately, the issue of homelessness is a personal issue and getting

people off the streets will only happen if passionate people connect with the homeless, build trust

and earn the right to speak into their lives.


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Analysis Paper #2 4

References

Eisenberg, E.M., Goodall, H.L., Jr., & Trethewey, A. (2010). Organizational

communication: Balancing creativity and constraint (6th

Edition). Boston: Bedford/St.

Martins.

Harris, T.E. & Sherblom, J.C., (2011), Small group and team communication (5th

edition),

Boston: Pearson.

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Theory Assignment 2