A leader is someone bestowed with the obligation to influence one or several followers while directing them to attain a given objective. As such, the leader has to understand the strength of their juniors and recognize various areas that need some improvement (Sethuraman and Jayshree 165). Furthermore, an effective leader should be able to modify their leadership techniques based on the prevailing circumstances to enhance efficacy and developing trust with the employees. Numerous studies indicate that the primary features of a successful leader are their leadership methods and competency. For instance, effective leaders are obliged with the ability to develop a vision and concentrate on it, create a high-performance individual, and satisfying workers to reduce attrition.
Effective leadership does not entail compelling persons, silencing people with fear, or using humiliating strategies to execute orders. Personal traits also play a significant role in enhancing effective leadership (Sethuraman and Jayshree 165). Characters such as dominance, extraversion, confidence, sociability, and a higher degree of resilience are some of the factors promoting effective leadership. Therefore, an effective leadership can be illustrated with the capability of a person to influence their followers to attain the organizational goals. One of the people I contemplate to be an effective leader is Sir Richard Branson the owner and founder of Virgin Atlantic group.
Why Sir Richard Branson is an Effective Leader
Richard Branson is the owner and founder of the Virgin Atlantic group one of the most successful and recognized brands globally with over four hundred companies (Bruijl 1). Branson style of leadership and his belief in various principles of management help him to drive the group’s objectives. For instance, Branson ascertains to the philosophy that motivating workers and utilizing their creative potential can assist one during the challenging times and enjoy the fruitful periods together. Moreover, Branson has also had a fair share of enterprise miscalculation, but he understood the need to push to the limit and adapt effectively to the changing environment (Bruijl 1). As such, he has proved to be an effective leader who is able to turn the misfortunes to success.
The ability of Branson to influence and impact his employees to respect the organization’s values and get a meaning beyond their monthly wages has aided in creating trust and loyalty. This has, in turn, enhanced the retention level and establishing a healthy working environment culture that has seen the industry competing among the best brands globally. Branson’s informal technique and unconventional attitude have given him fame among successful leaders. Branson attraction to the hippie association of the sixties reveals his aptitude for being in harmony with the feelings of the time (Niphadkar 543). This has been reflected as his greatest business character since it enables him to anticipate virgin products as an alternative in the market. Moreover, his love for the job and the success of his corporate is based on the confidence that arriving in the office is similar to playing one’s desired game.
What makes Richard Branson an Effective Leader?
Branson is known to possess transformational capabilities that aim at reputational branding and integrating the charismatic elements similar to architectures that can develop a solid construction based on their vision (Bruijl 2). As such, the following leadership styles define Richard Branson effective leadership.
Transformational Leadership. Charismatic leaders are change agents that are persistent, impatient, goal oriented, vision creators, and people with the ability to make employees feel special. Branson leadership technique is driven by active management, contingent reward, and offering his staffs resources to help them achieve their goals while expecting support in return. Additionally, he motivates and inspires his workers to execute duties beyond their prospect while instilling a healthy business environment (Bruijl 3) Furthermore, Branson exhibit institutional citizenship features and is always accountable for his obligations and organizational practices.
Collaborative Leadership. As a collaborative leader, Branson has achieved in developing a culture that enables his employees to feel secure, trust, and contributes towards the success of the company. He is able to coordinate various activities in the organization to enhance the efficacy and productivity of the workers (Bruijl 5). Furthermore, he has managed to perform through challenges and frustration of business failure to make the virgin brand a competitive product in the market.
Laissez-Faire Leadership. The virgin group syndicates are usually not a hierarchy form of a group but part of a family that is empowered to perform their undertakings that aims at providing a solution which helps others. Branson effective leadership entails positive management methods that allow his employees to have autonomy (Bruijl 6). Moreover, his leadership involves a group of leadership conducts that creates self-management skills and independence among the staffs.
Effective leadership involves the ability to identify the staffs’ strength and areas that need improvement. Furthermore, effective leadership is established on various features such as self-confidence, the capability to satisfy workers to prevent attrition, and the ability to create a high-performance team. Branson, the owner of Atlantic virgin group is one of the effective leaders based on his appetite for his profession and the aptitude to integrate a healthy working environment. Branson effective leadership is enhanced by many factors such as transformational, collaborative, and laissez-faire leadership approach.
Works Cited
Bruijl, Gerard H. Th. “Sir Richard Branson: A Global Leader with a Difference.” (2018). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3115239
Niphadkar, Chaitanya. “The New Age Transformational Leader: Richard Branson.” International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research 8.6 (2017): 542-547. https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/The-new-age-transformational-leader-Richard-Branson.pdf
Sethuraman, Kavitha, and Jayshree Suresh. “Effective Leadership Styles.” International Business Research 7.9 (2014): 165. http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ibr/article/view/39790